Fort Collins   -   Fridays 

Coordinator for Fort Collins, Marilynn Brandenburger

Marilynn’s cell and email: 404-402-6284 cell / marilynn@marilynnbrandenburger.com

                             PLEASE NOTE:  YOU are responsible for keeping yourself safe. 

August 25 - CSU Trial Flower Gardens

1401 Remington Street, Fort Collins

9:00 am - 12:00 noon

Grassy urban meadow, flowers — LOTS of flowers — in pots arranged on in beautiful flower beds, gazebo, people, some shady areas and a few benches… “This beautiful garden showcases over 1,000 different cultivated varieties of annuals.”

Bathrooms available in the CSU Center for the Arts across the street.

Directions: In Fort Collins, go north on College Ave until you reach Lake Street (about .02 miles past Prospect Ave). Turn right on Lake Street and continue to Remington Street. The gardens are located on the northwest corner of Remington Street and Lake Street. Free parking is available in spaces surrounding the gardens and the University Center for the Arts.

Map: <https://goo.gl/maps/fVVGb7rrYUyoRtaM9>

SEPTEMBER   

Here are the locations for our PAAC group for September. I’ll be in Chicago for the next three weeks, but I’ll have a cellphone connection — 404-402-6284 — if anyone needs to reach me. Let's hope we finally get some good, cool plein painting weather!

Marilynn

September 1 - Signature Bluffs Natural Area, Greeley

71st Avenue/CR29 at the Poudre River, Greeley

9:00am - 12:00pm

“Signature Bluffs Natural Area is a vast area of natural river habitat with a large pond, cottonwood stands, cattails and meadows. People can take canoes and kayaks out on the pond or go fishing. There are also some dirt trails to get back into the more remote areas. This is an excellent place for bird watching and to see other wildlife as well.”

The parking lot is located at the intersection of 71st Avenue/CR 29 and the Poudre River. Head North out of Greeley on 71st Avenue. You will pass North Ridge High School, at that point 71st Avenue takes a couple of turns. Just past the second turn you will see the parking area to the left. You will spot the area by the bright red barn. There is ample parking and a restroom, but no running water.

Driving map: <https://goo.gl/maps/drFidzN7ZcDuxBd19>

Trail map: < https://poudretrail.org/wp-content/uploads/PoudreRiverNaturalAreaMap.pdf>

September 8 - The Gardens on Spring Creek, Fort Collins 

2145 Centre Ave, Fort Collins

NOTE SPECIAL EARLY OPENING: 8:00 am - 12:00 noon

This will be the last time to paint at the Gardens on Spring Creek this season, although they may extend this project into fall. This is a special opportunity for our group, as the Gardens don’t usually open until 10:00 am and they usually require an entry fee. The Garden has invited us to paint for FREE! You only need to register: < https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/7341684/2023-Plein-Air-Day-in-The-Gardens-Painter-Registration> On the registration form you’ll see that the Gardens is also sponsoring a show of work done in the Gardens on September 30, so check that out if you’d like to participate. There are bathrooms in the Gardens’ Visitor Center.

Driving map: <https://goo.gl/maps/JNE6qs1kUTe16Lnv9>

Garden map: < https://springcreek.gardenexplorer.org/>

September 9 - Kestrel Fields Natural Area Grand Opening Celebration

2640 West Vine Drive, Fort Collins

NOTE SATURDAY AFTERNOON DATE & TIME 3:00 - 6:00 pm

The City of Fort Collins has invited artists to paint during the Grand Opening Celebration of its newest natural area, Kestrel Fields. “Kestrel Fields is a 73-acre link in a corridor connecting the foothills and the Cache la Poudre River. Watch for birds of open lands, including American kestrels and migrating sparrows, shrikes and bluebirds.” 

There is no parking at this natural area, but volunteers will be on hand to help you unload. Please rsvp by emailing zshark@fcgov.com if you want help unloading. Park at Irish Elementary for this event and walk 3 blocks to the natural area. Set-up time is 1- 2:30 pm. You can paint anywhere within the publicly open areas and within 10 feet of the trail which encircles the property. There is no shade at Kestrel Fields, so bring an umbrella or plan to paint at one of the city’s pop-up shade canopies available for the artists. You can also request a camp chair with a built-in shape topper from Zoe Shark. There will be farm equipment on-site to paint. You may bring business cards or other promotional material, but no art sales are allowed. There will be Port-Potties. 

Kestrel Fields celebration events: < https://engage.fcgov.com/ActivityRegistration/c19f57ad-57f1-4ad6-95de-3c7c20040967>

Questions? Contact Zoe Shark at zshark@fcgov.com, 970-221-6311

Driving map: <https://goo.gl/maps/DbmstTtU4BiTw9d69>

Trail map: < https://www.fcgov.com/naturalareas/files/kestrelfieldsna-map.pdf?1684432992

September 15 - Reservoir Ridge Natural Area (at Michaud Lane)

1425 Overland Trail, Fort Collins

9:00am – 12:00pm

Description: Grasslands butting up to a private pond, views of the foothills, soft surface trail. If you like to hike,1/2 mile trail to Primrose Studio (not open). There is a bathroom.

 Directions: Meet at the Michaud Lane parking lot. Take Overland Trail to Michaud Lane, turn west onto Michaud Lane which will dead-end into the parking lot. Do not get confused by the parking lot on Overland Trail. Michaud Lane is just north of that lot. 

Google Map: <https://www.google.com/maps/place/Reservoir+Ridge+Natural+Area/@40.6063229,-105.1926987,13z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x8769363ad63720c3:0xd621e58b9dad207c!8m2!3d40.6063188!4d-105.1576744>

Trail Map: https://www.fcgov.com/naturalareas/pdf/res-ridge-trail-map2016.pdf?1466709185

September 22 - Bobcat Ridge Natural Area

10184 West County Road 32C, Loveland

9:00am - 12:00pm

Description: Grassy valley, foothills, ponderosa pines, stunning red rock cliffs and more. Bathroom, paved trail. Home to elk, wild turkey, mountain lions and other wildlife. Several historic homestead sites dot the landscape. 

From Fort Collins, take Harmony Road west, it turns into CR 38 E. Follow CR 38 E to Masonville. Go left (south) at the Masonville Mercantile onto CR 27. Follow CR 27 about 1 mile to CR 32 C, head west about 1 mile to the Bobcat Ridge parking lot. 
From Loveland, go west on Highway 34 about 4.5 miles west of Wilson Avenue. Turn north on CR 27 by Big Thompson Elementary and drive 4.5 miles. Turn left on CR 32C and go 1 mile west to the Bobcat Ridge parking lot. 

Google Map: <https://goo.gl/maps/ZbhMFeAbNbPpzEPj7>

Natural Areas Trail Map: <https://www.fcgov.com/naturalareas/files/bobcat-ridge-brochure-july-2017-v4.pdf?1596740031>

September 29 - Viestenz-Smith Mountain Park

1211 W. Highway 34, Loveland

9:00am - 12:00pm

Description: Big Thompson River, the canyon, foothills, trees, paved trails, bridges, sculptures, picnic shelters, bathrooms. Completely and beautifully restored after the 2013 flood.

Directions: The park is 4 miles west of the Dam Store that’s at the entrance to Big Thompson Canyon. Take Highway 34 west of Loveland, through the narrows of the Big Thompson Canyon. the park is signed and will be on your right.

Google Map: <https://goo.gl/maps/cKHNtevYNjGoNY7x7>

Park Map: <https://www.lovgov.org/home/showpublisheddocument/57286/637889851224830000>