January 2018 Paint-Out Schedule

As always, if weather permits.....

Date:     Monday, January 1, 2018
Time:     11:00
Place:     Washoe Lake Wetlands
 - at the very south end of Washoe Lake
Parking:      Free and plenty of parking

Directions:

From Reno, take I-580 South toward Carson City

Exit 44/Eastlake Boulevard

Left on Eastlake Boulevard

Go about 1.4 miles

As you go around a bend, a parking lot will appear on the left - turn left (it is easy to pass it up by mistake)

Link:  http://renotahoe.about.com/od/NevadaStateParks/ss/Tour-Of-Washoe-Lake-State-Park_7.htm

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Date:    Tuesday, January 9, 2018
Time:    11:00
Place:     Sand Harbor Boat Launch Parkinglot
Be aware they say the fee is year-round

Directions:  From Reno, take Mt Rose Hwy (431) to Incline

Left on Country Club Drive

Left on Lakeshore Blvd.  Go about 2 miles

Right into Sand Harbor Boat Launch parking lot

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Date:    Tuesday, January 16
Time:    11:00
Place:    Hope Valley at Pickett Junction
(intersection of 88 and 89 after you pass Sorensens

Note:  No cell service.  Food, drink and bathroom at Sorensens and Hope Valley Cafe
Directions from Reno:  Take 395 (580) South to Minden, turn right on Highway 88, pass Sorensens, turn right at the junction of 89 and park on side.  Approximately 1 hour 15 min. to Pickett's Junction from central Reno.
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Date:    Tuesday, January 23
Time:    11:00
Place:    Silver Saddle Ranch
Directions:    
From Reno, take 580 south
Take exit 38 for Fairview Drive, keep in left lane
Turn Left at the light onto Fairview Drive
At the round-about, take 1st exit onto East 5th Street
Turn Right on Carson River Road
Follow Carson River Road for 1.4 miles to the entrance at a bend in the road.
Picture above shows their sign on Carson River Road
Follow their gravel ranch road .6 miles to the parking area near the hay barn and ranch buildings.

Links, pictures and trail maps:  
Friends of Silver Saddle Ranch  http://fossr.org/

Silver Saddle Ranch  http://www.silversaddleranch.info/ssr-carson-about.htm

http://www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/fo/carson_city_field/blm_programs/recreation/silver_saddle.html

Tips for painting outdoors in winter in snow country

January is here!  If the weather permits, and you dress warmly, paint-outs in January can be special.

Here are some tips for painting in snow country:

• If there is snow and it is a sunny day ---- don't go snow-blind!!!!  It may alter your color sense, but do wear sunglasses to protect your eyes.  Peak now and then to check your colors and values.
• Get a large board and place it behind your art panel to screen out the light coming around edges
• Bring a black trash bag, an old blanket or tarp and place it in front of your easel so you don't get bounced light from the ground up into your eyes while you paint.
• sorry - watercolor painting and acrylic painting may freeze.... try another medium, take photos or sketch
• Wool socks, turtlenecks, wool sweater, fingerless gloves, wool hats, thermal underwear, handwarmer pouches, a thermos of hot drink, parka or wind-breaking jacket, heavy waterproof boots.... if you think you need them, bring them!
• Oil painters - keep your tubes in the house the night before instead of your car.  Unstick any stubborn tube tops before you leave home.  Oil paints can get cold and hard to get out of the tube and also hard to paint with.  Medium helps to make paint spread easier when cold.
• If you like to combine snowshoeing with your painting excursion, you can pull a plastic sled with you with your gear on it.  If you set up in soft snow, your tripod will sink down in the snow and might be too low.  The sled can also act as a support for your tripod and you stand in your snowshoes.
• Painting snow:  Snow has colors in it.  Note the best snow paintings you have seen - if you held a white piece of paper up to the painting - you would find the snow was not painted with pure white out of the tube!  Another tip is to have both warm and cool colors in your snow - the warm colors will be where the sun has lit the snow, and the cool is where it falls away and is in shadow.

Happy Holidays to All Painters!

To all artists,

May you all have a wonderful holiday season!

Happy Painting,
Carolyn Jean Thompson

Tuesday December 12, 2017 Paint-Out South End of Little Washoe Lake

Let's Paint the South End of Little Washoe Lake!

Date:  TUESDAY, December 12, 2017
Time:  10:00 am
Location:  Little Washoe Lake - go past the pay hut, go straight down hill, keep going straight on dirt road at the end of the parking lot for the beach, continue around Little Washoe Lake taking the bends to the right.  Pull off where you want to paint or go the end where the dirt parking is and the bathroom (it is open)

Directions to Little Washoe Lake:  From Virginia Street/Mount Rose Highway intersection, take 395 south about 6 miles.  After you pass through Pleasant Valley you will go up a hill (Washoe Hill).  At the top, turn left on East Lake Boulevard.  Almost immediately you will cross a cattle guard and then turn right into the park entrance.  There is an entrance fee year-round, but you can take your chances.  See above for how to go to the south end.   

It is slightly muddy-slick in some areas near the water.  Today I visited (Dec 6) and took these pictures.  A large herd of wild horses came down to drink at the lake.

Sorry Oxbow Nature Area is closed

I'm so sorry.  I didn't know Oxbow Park was closed for repairs until I arrived here!  They are closed till the end of January for repairs.