Saturday, July 31

We return to the intersection of 2nd street and Addison in Berkeley. On 80, take the University exit toward the UC campus, and make a right on 6th Street. Make another right on Addison and continue on to 2nd. There are no bathrooms and you should bring your own water and a cell phone.

Alhambra Creek Boathouse

There was a high fog overcast and the lighting was very diffuse. The right side of the building was brighter primarily because the paint was probably 20 years newer. I painted a shadow on it after I got home. It doesn't look as if it can be used to launch any boats since all the reeds are blocking the door now. I couldn't figure out how to do the reeds, they were the most interesting part for me, but there was no way to paint what I saw. I think there must be a better watercolor solution to them but I couldn't find it that day.

Larry Hatfield
10.5 x 14.5 Watercolor

A Hill in Martinez

It was just Larry and me in Martinez today.  We decided to look for another view and drove up the Carquinez scenic road. It leads to Crockett but you can't drive all the way because the road is damaged by past storms. There were beautiful views but we couldn't find a spot out of the wind to stop. So we went backdown the hill. I painted this looking up at the area we were driving.  It is 18 by 24.    Karen

Concrete Plant, Berkeley

Found a spot near this magnificent industrial plant, out of the wind. Looking forward to going back and painting this from a different angle. Lots of possibilities and fascinating compositions in this part of Berkeley down by 2nd and Virginia and not much traffic too so nice and quiet at the weekend.

Oil on canvas 16 x 20 inches

Frank Bette, Plein Air, Alameda Paint-Out

Marilyn Hill, Geri Keary and Leslie Wilson will be painting in the
Frank Bette Alameda Plein Air Paint-Out July 26-31st.
Several events are included in the Paint-Out





QUICK DRAW SALE
"Painting on Park St" from 9-11, Sale 12-5, Thursday, July 29th
Alameda Market Place, at Buena Vista and Park St.

EXHIBIT & SALE
10-7 Saturday, July 31st
Alameda Town Center, Park St. at Otis Dr.

ALAMEDA EN PLEIN AIR EXHIBIT
August 6-28
Frank Bette Center for the Arts Gallery
1601 Paru St. Alameda CA 94501
www.frankbettecenter.org

Monday, July 26 at Martinez

Last week Geri took us to a park near the waterfront to paint.  We will meet there again.

Directions: Take Highway 4 and get off on the Alhambra exit. Make a left on Alhambra
 follow Alhambra to the end, take  a right turn  for 1 block then turn left on Barrellessa  and go across the tracks to the end and park on the right.

Crystal Amber Sand

After being on the freeway 3 times longer than anticipated, I had to search around and calm down to be able to paint. I saw this Sand company building. I looks like an elevator and chute to fill trucks with sand. There was a big ugly truck in front that I left out because I got such a late start. I wanted to keep it simple.

Larry Hatfield
10x14 Watercolor

Martinez Marsh

Again, the darks are wrapped around a light. The palm was very complex, so it was hard for me to make it read well, but the spot was a little unexpected oasis in a large expanse of marsh. Larry suggested I add more dark in the lower left corner which was a good idea.

Marilyn Hill
Watercolor
11 X 14

Saturday, July 24

We will meet at Addison and 2nd Street on Saturday.  That is right near the entrance to Aquatic Park. People can paint in the park ( a very urban park near the freeway) or on some of the side streets near the warehouses and railroad tracks.  It is pretty industrial looking and definitely not pretty around there.  I was thinking of doing the dog pound which is a very ugly little building but a Berkeley landmark.

To get there from Berkley, El Cerrito, San Pablo or Richmond take San Pablo Ave and make a right on Hearst ( one block before University). Take a left on 2nd Street and go to Addison.  Not sure if there are bathrooms but you could probably find some near the 4th Street shops.

Inspiration Point

This was a painting I did at Inspiration Point. At first I didn't like it, and didn't post it, but then I did a few things to it and noted the similarities to the painting done this last Monday in Martinez. I think I've been thinking a lot about that tunnel effect.

Marilyn Hill
Watercolor
11 X 14"

Discarded Storage - Martinez Waterfront Park

We started at the Grange Wharf area of The Martinez Waterfront Park. After walking along a path for some distance I went out on a road that looked across the railroad tracks. These two old rusting storage tanks were in a lot at the base of the hill. I would probably do some things differently, but I like the way the colors came out. I used a lot of Perinone Orange with Phthalo Green YS to get the dark trees on the right. I also used in in the shadowy light hillside and added it to the rust.

Larry Hatfield
10x14" Watercolor

Martinez

There were many things to work with at the park in Martinez and we should go back many times.  I chose a view looking towards the hills. Again it is a large canvas and I worked pretty fast. I am posting this one and the one below in the xlarge size option because the texture  and brush strokes are showing up much better.

Point Richmond

We  hiked up the hill from Crest Ave and there was a spectacular view in all directions on the top. I found a place facing west toward San Francisco.  Rebeca was facing east.  All of a sudden a helicopter started flying around  us lower and lower. they must of thought we were up to no good.  The finally left and we were able to paint. My canvas is 24 by 30 which is the largest size I have used outside. I am happier with the large size and will try even larger.  When my easel is staked it  resists the wind pretty well.

Monday, July 19

We'll meet in the parking lot of the Martinez Marina. Bring a cell phone, and your own drinking water. We are not sure if there are public bathrooms.

Directions: Take Highway 4 and get off on the Alhambra exit. Make a left on Alhambra, turn right on Main St, make a left on Ferry St. Ferry Street goes into the park and crosses the train tracks. Turn right on Joe DiMaggio Dr. and turn left on North Court St. Go all the way to the end, which is the Marina. We meet in the parking lot.
View Larger Map

Saturday, July 17

We return to Crest Avenue in Point Richmond, home to a great variety of urban and regional parks. Bring your own water and a cell phone. Let others know you are coming.

Directions: From Berkeley, take 580 towards Marin and get off at Gerrard. Get off on Castro St exit and make a left on Castro Street. Go under the freeway and you will end up on Tewksbury Ave. Make a left on Tewksbury and continue along the freeway until you hit Washington Ave. Make a right on Washington and go to the small plaza with a statue. The road forks. Stay on your right continue up the hill on Washington. Pass Scenic St. and make a left on Crest Ave. Park at a small lot near the end of Crest Ave, by the trailhead.

From elsewhere, just take Richmond Parkway west all the way past the dump, and get off toward the end, on Castro St. North. Follow the same instructions as above to gt to the en of Crest Ave..

Albany Waterfront Park

Again in gale-force winds. When painting from another's artwork, I ask myself how do I paint what was being expressed and not just copy some visual. In this, the red hands reaching out of the tunnel was of primary importance in addition to the living history being created then recreated layer upon layer on rocks below. My approach this time was to first paint the painted collection then paint grafitti on the painting — in honor — the use of paint not to precious.

Marilyn Hill
11 X 14"
Watercolor on Paper



Another fellow artist, working from sketch was fortunately making a welcome contribution over the top of an otherwise unpleasant creation.

Pt Richmond Overlook

I wanted to divide the picture in half and knew with the fence stretching across the middle of the page I was asking for compositional trouble. I went into it knowing full well,... hoping I could somehow attach the foreground grass to the light boat—creating an L shaped composition. Anyway this is what I came out with. I think I was somehow captured by the idea of a boat in the trees.

Marilyn Hill

14 X 11" July

Watercolor on Paper

Albany Waterfront Park

The difficulty for me in painting grafitti is in expressing both the local color and the volume shadows. This was a big piece of cement totally painted. I do love painting grafitti — something about capturing the marking of an object.- a dog and his territory......or cave paintings....a history

Marilyn Hill

11 X 14" July

Watercolor and Paper

Monday, June 12

We will return to the Albany Bulb, and we'll meet in its parking lot by the racetrack. There is no water and no bathrooms. Bring some protection from the sun, your cell phone and drinking water.

Directions: On highway 80, take the Buchanan exit if coming from Berkeley, Emeryville or Oakland. Go toward the water and under the freeway. Continue west.  Take the Albany exit if you're coming from El Cerrito, El Sobrante, Martinez or Richmond. Proceed along the frontage road, go under the freeway and make a left on any of the streets leading to Albany, then a right at the first opportunity. Turn right on Buchanan and go under the freeway. You will see the racetrack parking lot to your left and some marsh to your right. park at the end of the road, by the trailhead if possible so we can see each other.

View of Chevron(?) from Crest Avenue, Point Richmond

Standing under the shade of a large tree, I decided to concentrate on the vast industrial complex to the east of our spot (I presume that it's Chevron and other chemical plants). The pattern of train lines and freeways was fascinating and speeding cars were so tiny and fast I decided to leave them out. The industrial colors were also quite beautiful when viewed from this distance and I really enjoying applying the paint on this day, without worrying about it looking fake. I may add more to this because I didn't complete the hills on the horizon and far distance but I suspect that I might overdo it again and am tempted to leave this as it is.

Saturday, July 10

We will meet at a high spot in Point Richmond. Bring your own water and a cell phone.

Directions: From Berkeley, take 580 towards Marin and get off at Gerrard. Get off on Castro St exit and make a left on Castro Street. Go under the freeway and you will end up on Tewksbury Ave. Make a left on Tewksbury and continue along the freeway until you hit Washington Ave. Make a right on Washington and go to the small plaza with a statue. The road forks. Stay on your right continue up the hill on Washington. Pass Scenic St. and make a left on Crest Ave. Park at a small lot near the end of Crest Ave, by the trailhead.

From elsewhere, just take Richmond Parkway west all the way past the dump, and get off toward the end, on Castro St. North. Follow the same instructions as above to gt to the en of Crest Ave.

Albany Bulb

I have been using a spatula a lot lately. On overcast days like this my palette is very limited. I only had one blue, one red, and two yellows. I got lost looking for the sculptures and instead of wasting more time ended up at this familiar spot where I got to meet several of its residents. Some said they enjoyed art, and a couple were knowledgeable about the medium. But there was one man who was having a dialogue with himself and going up and down the hill who didn't stop to look. Metal from the landfill is departing in carts pulled by cyclists who are selling it as scrap metal, and it was that rattle the only thing that disturbed the peace.

End of Crest Ave, Point Richmond

We drove up Washington and took a left on Crest Ave. I had spied a trailhead that I thought would let us look at the town from above without trampling on anyone's front lawn. We parked at the end of Crest Ave, but it was such a hot day that Karen and Fran decided to stay in the shade of the trees at the beginning of a steep uphill trail that leads to an incredible 360 degree view of Point Richmond, Richmond, Pinole, and Miller Knox Park. I had picked a great spot but it turned out to be full of poison oak, so I moved higher and ended up with this view of the Chevron Pier and the San Rafael bridge.

GIVE Graffiti

At the Albany Bulb park. Marilyn and I tried to find a wind sheltered spot. I saw this graffiti that seemed more positive than some others we saw. It was very foggy then later the sun came out and everything changed. There wasn't that much contrast in light so I hoped that the color would do the job. I added some contrast after the sun appeared.
Larry Hatfield
10x14" watercolor

Point Richmond and Mare Island

 

Both these paintings incorporate parking lots. Mare Island was a very quiet place. We wanted a more urban view but actually it felt so abandoned that it had no real city life. Point Richmond has a lot going on but it is hard to find a spot to paint that is closer to activity of the town so I ended up with an overview.  They are both acrylic.

Monday, June 5

We will be going to the Albany Bulb. There is no water and no bathrooms. Bring some protection from the sun, your cell phone and drinking water.
Directions: On highway 80, take the Buchanan exit if coming from Berkeley, Emeryville or Oakland. Go toward the water and under the freeway. continue west.  Take the Albany exit if you're coming from El Cerrito, El Sobrante, Martinez or Richmond. Proceed along the frontage road, go under the freeway and make a left on any of the streets leading to Albany, then a right at the first opportunity. Turn right on Buchanan and go under the freeway. You will see the racetrack parking lot to your left and some marsh to your right. park at the end of the road, by the trailhead if possible so we can see each other.