Please pardon any spelling errors and other such errors - this is a work in progress and will be corrected and augmented as we progress.

Photographs and Artwork by Herb RanhARTer 

Artist Retreat, Point Reye$
 First call to artist friends interested in a weekend art retreat during the summer. Embark on a ocean trail hike and get your sketch on using whatever medium gets you excited- draw in nature and one another. And to finish a day of sketching lets cook up tasty camping delights!

 Note the date change -  July, 2015. as per arrangement.

Here's a link to the beautiful hostel at Point Reyes- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8iYVOcHbnr4
Please let Robin know if you are interested as availability will fill up fast, so that I can plan reservations!

Note the dog in the computer bag - that's because pets are not allowed in the cafe.

Its just before 9am, weather is beautiful, so is the ambiance.

They work for peanuts!

The players, well, half of them.

Yes and there is another one:!

Well, so much for the crew.

And now for exploring the terrain and the possibilities:

The t railhead right outside the Point Reyes Hostel

On the trail heading down towards the beach.  Most of the terrain is overgrown and is difficult to access beyond the immediate fire trail.

The floor is overgrown or swampy.

Nearly impenetrable. Photography with a long lens works.

Great backdrop but straight in the swamp.

   
 

See what I mean - this is the other side of the fire trail.   

 

Great backdrop, good for photography, none the less inaccessible for walking, let alone drawing.

   
 

Things are nicer near the beach......

     

Getting out on the sandy part is nice, but this assumes fog free weather and that is by no means a given!!!

   
 

Seagulls prove to be somewhat unstable for anything other than photography.

   
 

A small lagune at the foot of the cliffs might work for some action, note that it is low tide and from what I can tell the water reaches almost to the cliffs at high tide.

I am certain that the scene is much fiercer under windy conditions.

There is evidence of art at the cliffs, fresh clay has been worked and left for contemplation

  
 

Back up on the cliffs the landscape changes a huge eucalyptus tree complete with swing and picnic tables not far from the beach.

This would lend itself to a model session, weather permitting.

 

   
 

Note there is a fountain picnic tables and BBQ facilities, complete with camping lawn and WC 

There are some intriguing rocks on the hill side that might lend themselves to drawing.

   
 

The lay of the surroundings.

   
 

This is whats left of a burned down portion of forest that used to look most intriguing but has largely regrown.

   
 

Further up towards the Hostel, still, difficult to walk into.

   
 

Not far from the parking lot lichen and moss could provide interesting stage setting.

Well, so much for the first pass of surveying. Summer will of course change the weather and the landscape yet again................

A few observations there are large raptors to be seen over the hills at just about all times. Moss and lichen is seen in abundance. Privacy for working with a model is a bit iffy, although the place isn't overrun with people there is some traffic and who knows about who might be offended these days. Here are some photos from a previous session:

         

Perhaps short bursts of camera activity combined with more extensive drawing of back drops might be an alternative. Fabric fowing in the wind (it's usually windy there) might be an asset to augment model action.

         

There are other places that lend themselves to working with a model (see: http://www.delarte.com/model/model.htm, the Walker River or the Bristle Cone Pines come to mind. Also parts of Death Valley and surrounding areas, well, so much for my own experience.

See:  http://www.delarte.com/DVindex.htm for inspirational landscape photos

or the most recent excursion; http://www.delarte.com/DV15/DV2015.html

Herb at http://www.delarte.com