Monday, October 3

We will return to Tormey.  From 80 East take the Cummings Skyway extit (26). Go left on Cummings Skyway and left on San Pablo and you will see a row of houses on the left on Old County Road. We will meet at the end of the block.   

I found some interesting material about Tormey

The Rise and Fall of Tormey, California by Michael Tormey, May 7, 2006 (Note: Readers may find it helpful to first read the narrative, A History of Rodeo, California and the Role Patrick Tormey Played in its Early Development.) Lost to the annals of history is the small town of Tormey that once existed in the upper northwest corner of Contra Costa County, California, near both San Pablo Bay and the Carquinez Strait, barely two miles from the town of Rodeo and 28 miles from downtown San Francisco. While the name Tormey still appears on maps of the San Francisco Bay Area, today it is for the most part long abandoned, vacant land. It was at one time, however, a cozy company town that was home to hundreds of families over the course of nearly a century. Read More Karen

Today's session is cancelled

We have to cancel the session today.   We will post our upcoming Saturday locations  soon.

Saturday, October 1

I know I said we wouldn't be going this Saturday, but we will be going after all. Check the listserv for an extended version of this message that explains the reasons.

We will return to Navellier St. and Portola Drive in El Cerrito. Please park along Navellier and wait for the others. There are no bathrooms,no shade, and no water, but there is a variety of views, among them, of the Nature Area hills, of streets that stretch across the hills, and of a lonely white house up Moeser. It may be foggy, but it could also be warm and dry. Dress accordingly. Please reply to the listserv message if you are coming. 

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Somewhere in El Cerrito

View from El Cerrito Hillside  acrylic on canvas 24 by 36

This was done in El Cerrito sometime this summer. I think it was near the Nature Area. We went back there today and I did another one that looks similar.  Karen

Monday, Sept 26

We are going back to Schmidt Lane in El Cerrito.  There are a variety of views from the streets surrounding the Nature Area.  We'll meet at the corner of Navellier Street and Schmidt Lane in El Cerrito. A number of us have paintings we want to finish that were started here. But if you would like something new we can direct you to our nearby new El Cerrito location with panoramic views. As long as there are at least 2 painters in each location this will work.

Directions: From 80 take the Central exit, make a left on San Pablo Ave, and a right on Moeser. Make a left on Navellier and a right on Schmidt Lane. On Schmidt Lane, there is a dirt road entering the Hillside Natural Area. This hill affords natural and urban views. Bring your own water and a cell phone. Please park on Schmidt Lane and wait for the others.

Karen

Saturday, September 24

We'll return to the Hillside Nature Area. The views are gorgeous, but it will be hot if it is a sunny day. There is a good number of trees for shade the farther you walk, so you'll need a cart or a backpack, plenty of drinking water, a cell phone, sunscreen, and a hat.

From Oakland El Sobrante, Richmond and San Pablo: Take 80, get off on Carlson, make a left on Plumas Ave. Go left on San Pablo Ave and a right on Moeser Lane, which goes up. Almost at the top, you'll find Shevlin Dr to your left. Go on Shevlin and stay to your left.

Pass Earl Court to your left and stay left of the fork. Do not go on Shevlin PL. Stay on Shevlin Dr. At the end if it, you will see King Ct to your left. Park at the end, which is where we'll meet.

Those of you who live in Berkeley can take North Arlington Rd and make a left on Moeser Lane, then almost immediately make a right on Shevlin Dr. then follow the above instructions.

Please reply to let us know you are coming. We'll start walking towards the painting spot promptly ten minutes after the meeting time. See you there!

Miller Knox From Crest Avenue

We stopped under a tree at the begining of the paved road leading all the way to the top. I had a big aluminum easel and wasn't going to make it anyway. This was the view and I had a big canvas, 24 x 36". I did not even come close to finishing during the first three hours. I placed it in my living room and stared at it every day during dinnertime. Eventually I realized what was wrong. The water was flat and there was not enough to interest the eye land-wise. So I returned the next Saturday and worked on those two things. I missed Karen to tell me when I was done, so I may have worked on it more than was needed. Also, the wind kicked us around. The acrylics dried on contact, and the wind was so strong that when I squeezed the bottles of Golden liquid acrylic, flecks of paint decorated the palette. My studio easel was weighted down with a two gallon water bottle and a backpack, and it still got overturned!