October 2, 2012 (Tues.) Washoe Lake South Entrance

Date:  October 2, 2012

Time:  8:30 am

Place:  Washoe Lake State Park, South Entrance 

Parking:  Picnic Area - upon entering the park, turn left and drive to the end (the south end) where the picnic area is (not group picnic).

What to bring:

• painting gear
• camera
• appropriate clothing for whatever the forcast says
• hat for sun
• drinking water
• $7.00 for entrance fee (use envelopes at the entrance)

What you will see from this spot:  the lake, rabbit brush in bloom, cottonwood trees beginning to change color, Slide Mountain, and if you look the other direction - desert flora and hillside.  Here is a link to the Washoe Lake (Nev. State Parks) website.  Click on the slideshow for many lovely pictures of this location:  http://parks.nv.gov/parks/washoe-lake-state-park/

Sept. 25, 2012 (Tues) Galena Creek Regional Park - South Entrance

Our next paint-out is scheduled for:

Place:  Galena Creek Regional Park - the South Entrance
Date:  Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Time:  8:30 am.
Meeting at the location

Directions:

From Reno, take the Mt. Rose Hwy up the hill - a little ways past the housing area called Montreaux.  We will be at the second entrance (the South Entrance), once inside, the first parking lot on the right which is right next to the creek.  Here is a link:  http://www.washoecounty.us/parks/parkdetails~pkid=4.

Note:  They did a lot of upgrades and changes to this park in the last two years.  The first entrance (a new entrance called the North Entrance) has a wonderful Visitor's Center with lots of maps and stuff and gift shop.  The old first entrance has been closed off.

Things to bring:
The normal list, plus:
Drinking water

There are plenty of picnic benches, plenty of parking, plenty of restrooms, and hiking trails.

Things you will see and can paint close to this particular parking lot:

 If you want a pond - just keep driving up the hill to another parking lot where "Marilyn's Pond" is:

Paintings for this week's outings

Kathy and I just finished our 2nd day in a row paint-outs!  The weather was great both days and we had a super time!  Here's how it went:

Twaddle Ranch -

We had to take the detour from Old 395 to Parker Ranch Road, then went under the new freeway (580) and turned left on "something ranch road?" and then followed directions to Bowers Mansion...and then beyond to the Twaddle Ranch.

There is no sign that says it is Twaddle Ranch, but there is a little park just before it.  Just look for the old ranch buildings, climb over the old falling down wood fence, and enjoy the scene.  Here are some pictures:

Carolyn's painting in progress

Kathy's painting

Thomas Creek Trailhead -

We parked by Thomas Creek and found great views to paint very close to the car.  Now that kids are back in school, the parking area was empty.  Eventually a bicyclist drove in, and later a couple of people to walk dogs.  I seem to attract dogs!  Big, lovable, goofy dogs!  After he was let out of the car he gallumped over to me at full throttle and I had to quickly pick up my art stuff on the ground where he might tread on the way for a splash in the creek.  (Why me????)

Here's some pictures:

Kathy

Carolyn's painting

Kathy's painting

Sept. 18, 2012 (Tues) Paint-Out at Twaddle Ranch

General Location:  South of Reno in the Franktown area of Washoe Valley

The Twaddle-Pedroli Ranch is a lovely, old property in Washoe Valley, just south of Bowers Mansion.  The ranch was purchased in 1869 for $5000 by John Twaddle.  A few of the original buildings still stand, including a large horse  barn, chicken house, and a beautiful stone dairy house.  The property was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2000. 

Date:  Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Meet:  Starbucks Coffee, Wedge Parkway/Mt. Rose Hwy
Time:  8:30 am
Leaving Starbucks - 8:45 am
Or - just go there and look for us (Kathy and Carolyn)

Directions:

Take the Bowers Mansion exit off of  U.S. 395.  Continue along Bowers Mansion Road and pass the entrance to Bowers Mansion.  Turn left (about a mile beyond Bowers Mansion) on to William Brent Rd.  Take the first left on to Susan Lee Circle Road.  The property is on the right, next to  Wilson Commons Park. 

What to bring - 

Your art gear

CAMERA!

Water to drink

Hat (it is still sunny and hot!)

toilet paper?  You never know!

bug spray - there might be flies

folding chair if you get tired

petty cash - I don't know if they have park entrance fees

PS:  I don't think the exits are open off of the brand-new I-580.  Best to use the Old 395 to get there.

Call to Artists! New Plein Air Painting Group

Are you an artist and do you live in the Reno, Nevada or Lake Tahoe region?

Do you want to paint outdoors but you...

• don't want to go alone
• don't know where to go
• don't know what to bring
• are afraid of wildlife
• find lots of excuses not to go?

I am one of those people!  And it turns out there are many like me.  When I google plein air groups, THERE ARE NONE IN THIS AREA!  So, I thought I'd start one.  A little voice in my ear said:  if you start a blog, they will come...

This is the birthing day of Reno Tahoe Plein Air Painters (aka RTPAP).

Give me a little time to get this blog organized....it might take a few days.  Follow, subscribe, write comments, and tell me who you are and your email or how to contact you if you want to be contacted.

Right now there are two of us, but we know some local artists we'll notify and this group should begin to form.

We live in a beautiful area and it seems crazy that many of us don't go outside to paint from life!  We have high deserts, fantastic cloud formations, alpine meadows, gorgeous Lake Tahoe and other lakes, the Truckee River and other rivers, Nevada rural ranch scenery, old barns, aging machinery, ghost towns, mining towns, a city for the cityscape painters, pine trees, boulders and rock formations, small towns, cabins in the snow, old victorian houses.....and many more things to paint - all in a relatively short distance away!

So, if you are visiting this new blog, WELCOME!  We hope you join us!  

Check back from time to time to see where we are going and we will post about the outing if you didn't make it.