March 2, 2015 (Monday) River Fork Ranch Preserve Paint-Out

River Fork Ranch Preserve (photo from website)

Date:          March 2, 2015 (Monday)
Time:          10:00 am
Place:          River Fork Ranch Preserve, Carson Valley
Amenities:  Whit Hall Interpretive Center is at the Preserve, Genoa is down the street
Parking:      There is a parking lot - free - open daily year-round
Restrictions:  No dogs

What is there:  hiking trails, wildlife viewing, interesting woven flood plain control, wetlands, Carson River

What to bring:

• camera
• art gear
• cart or backpack
• art umbrella
• lunch and drink
• good walking shoes or boots
• jacket?
• Hat, sunglasses

Whit Hall Interpretive Center (Photo from website)

This is a new location to me.  I saw a display at the Nevada Museum of Art recently and it looked interesting.  River Fork Ranch is located at 381 Genoa Lane, Minden, NV 89423 near the historic town of Genoa in the Carson Valley.

Directions from Carson City:  Drive south on 395 for 8.7 miles
Turn Right onto SR 206/Genoa Lane and continue for 2.4 miles
The preserve and parking area will be on your left.  The watershed sculptures can be seen from the East Brockliss Trail Loop.

More info:
River Fork Ranch:  http://www.nature.org/ourinitiatives/regions/northamerica/unitedstates/nevada/placesweprotect/river-fork-ranch.xml

Visit nature.org/nevadaart

Monday forecast questionable! How about a cigarbox for a pochade?

Hi painters,

I've been following the forecast and Monday Feb. 23, 2015 keeps changing - precip...no precip...back and forth.  One thing is for sure, the temps will be colder!

So, I will not plan a paint-out.  Instead, I will tell you about a neat pochade box I saw - made by the artist - out of different cigar boxes!  The artist is Jessica Byrne and she makes them for herself and her students.  She does not offer them online at the moment.  But she sells them to her students.

This one had a grey plexi or glass insert for palette

Notice the brush holder she made that is attached to the side

There are many how-to videos and blogs that tell how people make these boxes.  Just google cigarbox pochade painters boxes and you will see quite a few.

This one had a fancy box top

February 16, 2015 (Monday) Galena Creek Regional Park Paint Out

Date:          February 16, 2015 (Monday)
Time:          10:00 am
Place:          Galena Creek Regional Park - SOUTH ENTRANCE
Parking:      picnic parking on your right as you enter the park
Amenities:   restrooms - not sure if they are open in the winter

What to bring:

• Painting gear
• camera
• carts ok many places
• drink and lunch
• warm clothes if you are not in the sun
• good walking shoes or hiking boots
• cell phone (I think works here - maybe spotty)

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

Other links:  

Trail map:  http://www.galenacreekvisitorcenter.org/trail-map.html

Visitor Center:  http://www.galenacreekvisitorcenter.org/  (Visitor Center closed on this day)

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

February 2, 2015 (Monday) Kings Beach/Lake Tahoe Paint-Out

Date:          February 2, 2015 (Monday)
Time:          10:00 am
Place:          Kings Beach (the beach) at Kings Beach, Lake Tahoe
Host:          Pat Edwards
Meet:          At the beach across the street from Safeway
Parking:      Kings Beach has a parking lot, and also you can park in the Safeway parking lot across the street from the painting place.
Amenities:     bathrooms are at Safeway and Starbucks.  Spindleshanks restaurant is also in the area

There is a beautiful beach park and green lawn and down the short bluff to a sandy beach with panorama of Tahoe.

Location:  on Highway 28 almost at the intersection where 267 comes into Kings Beach from Truckee.

Directions:  please check out google maps and directions for the best route from where you live.

Links:  http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=511

January 26, 2015 (Monday) Oxbow Nature Area Paint-Out

Host:  Linda Santisteven

Date:          January 26, 2015 (Monday)
Time:          10:00 am
Place:          Oxbow Nature Study Area, Reno
Parking:       Yes
Meeting Place:    Parking Lot
Amenities:           Restrooms (open), Cafe nearby

At this time of year there is interesting vistas, the river, cattails, grasses, a small lake/pond, cottonwood trees and maybe  some ice along the edges of the marshes.  There is plenty of parking and flat trails and boardwalks.  The home before you enter the park has some livestock that are fun to paint too.

Directions:  Take the Keystone Exit off of I-80 and turn south onto Keystone Ave.  Continue to W. Second Street and turn Right (West).  After several blocks Second Street bears left and becomes Dickerson Road.  There is no sign indicating but just go that way.  You travel through a semi industrial area and the road dead-ends into Oxbow Nature Study Area.

What to bring (same as always):

• camera
• cell phone
• drinking water and snack or lunch
• painting gear
• carts work on boardwalks and paths
• hat, sunscreen, sunglasses
• art umbrella?
• check weather for appropriate layers of clothing

Links:

http://visitreno.com/parks/oxbow/index.php

http://www.nevadaaudubon.org/birdingguide/birdingareas/oxbow.html

https://plus.google.com/102216469393784535549/about?gl=us&hl=en

http://backyardtraveler.blogspot.com/2006/12/renos-oxbow-nature-study-area.html

January 22, 2015 (Thursday)Hope Valley Paint-Out

WEATHER PERMITTING!

Another paint-out!  Host:  Carol G.

Date:          January 22, 2014 (Thursday)
Time:          10:00 am
Place:          Hope Valley Area
Meeting Place:    Hope Valley Cafe (At Hope Valley Resort & Campground)
Painting Places:   4 to choose from, or go off on your own
Parking:          Variable - see notes on each painting location
Amenities:     Hope Valley Cafe, Sorensen's Resort, bathroom at Pickett Junction (88 at 89)

Last year we did this paint-out and it was fun and about 8 people were there.  If the weather permits, we will meet Carol G at Hope Valley Cafe.  I will not be able to attend due to being on crutches.  I copied last year's map and information of places we discussed painting last year for your reference.

to print:  R click on this map, it brings up blog post, R click again on map, it should blow up map only, Control P and it should just show map as an item to print.  Hope this works for you!

Key:  

*  Meeting place:  Hope Valley Cafe & Market at Hope Valley Resort & Campground

http://hopevalleyresort.com/location.html

A  Additional parking:  There is turn-off area on the left at Pickett Junction.  This is a large dirt staging area at the dirt road called Burnside Lake Road.  There is another off-highway turn-off when you first turn right on Highway 89 - parking headlight to taillight.

#1  Pull-out parking in dirt on the left before you get to Sorensen's.  Room for 3 or 4 small cars.  Short hike to Carson River.  Picture above is similar to this area.  Need hiking boots or boots with traction to walk down slope to River.  Link to Sorensens:  http://www.sorensensresort.com/

#2  Pull out parking in dirt on right just after you pass Sorensens.  Room for maybe 5 cars.  Short hike to Carson River banks.  Again, boots with traction recommended

#3  Restroom and parking lot at Pickett Junction.  Stay on 88 as you pass 89 turn-off at right.  Immediately after that there is a restroom and parking lot for about 6-7 cars.  Respect handicap parking spot please.  From here you can hike into meadow for a view, or, hike along a path to the river.

#4  Overlook Parking Area above Red Lake:  this is a few miles from Pickett Junction (my map is condensed).  Just before you get to Carson Pass, look for a sign saying something about Overlook of Red Lake (I don't remember the signage).  The paved parking area is on your LEFT.  Unless it is still has snow plow berms, this lot can hold a lot of cars - 15 or so.  The view is spectacular.
What to Bring:

• Maps of the area if you have them
• cell phones don't work here but a few random spots
• camera
• painting gear, painting umbrella?
• something to carry your gear
• hiking or snow boots as spares
• drinking water
• appropriate clothing - check forecast - remember we are higher up and it is colder unless there is an inversion
• gloves? hat? sunscreen? sunglasses? ear warmers?
• snacks/lunch/money for cafe or Sorensen's restaurant

Directions from Reno:  Take 395 (580) South to Minden, turn right on Highway 88.  Approximately 1 hour 15 min. to Pickett's Junction from central Reno.

January 19, 2015 (MONDAY) Twaddle Ranch Paint-Out

Hi Painters!  I will be having foot surgery this day so cannot be here.  Look for others or bring your friends!

Date:         January 19, 2015 (Monday)
Time:          10:00 am
Place:          Historic Twaddle Ranch, Susan Lee Circle Road, Washoe Valley
Parking:       Side of the Road
Amenities:     Next to the property is a small park called "Wilson Commons Park" there is a portapottie

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. 

What to bring:

• camera
• painting gear
• drinking water
• lunch or snack
• cell phone
• artist umbrella, hat, sunglasses, hiking boots
• carts might be a little awkward - this is old farm land we will be walking around weeds and irrigation ditches, totebags or backpacks might be easier.
• Forecast calls for sunny day, highs in the high 60's.  

The mountains will have snow on them and the fields will be greening up.  

Directions:  From Incline:  

Take Mt Rose Hwy

Take 580 towards Carson City

Take Exit 50 for Bowers Mansion Road/Nev 429/Old US 395

Turn Right on Bowers Mansion Road/Alternate Old 395.  Go .4 of a mile

Turn Left on William Brendt.  Go .2mile

Left on to Susan Lee Circle Road.  The old ranch is next to Wilson Commons Park on your right.

Link to Map:

https://maps.google.com/maps?hq=http://maps.google.com/help/maps/directions/driving/mapleft.kml&f=d&dirflg=d