Friday January 1 - Willows beach

Salud Alfrescoes and Happy New Year!! This Friday January 1 2016, we are returning to Willows Beach in Oak Bay (map  here ). We will meet at noon on the beach next to the parking lot for our Show'n'Tell.

Friday December 25 - Willows Beach

Olá Alfrescoes and Merry Christmas!. The Alfrescoes post a location for painting each, and every Friday of the year.  This year, both Christmas Day and New Years Day fall on a Friday.

Should you truly have that irresistible "painting" urge this Friday December 25 2015 (and the coming Friday January 1 2016), we will be painting at Willows Beach in Oak Bay (map  here ). We will meet at noon on the beach next to the parking lot for our Show'n'Tell.

Friday December 18 - Frank Mitchell's Farm

Moni Alfrescoes. This Friday December 18 2015, we will be painting at Frank Mitchell's farm in Metchosin. There's parking and facilities and everyone is welcome. The address is 530 Witty Beach Road (map  here ). Please remember to close gates behind you so the animals don't wander. We'll meet near the house at Noon for our Show'n'Tell.

Friday December 11 - Viaduct Flats and Christmas Potluck

Halito Alfrescoes. This Friday December 11 2015, we will be painting at Viaduct Flats and/or on Gwen and Bob's property. Parking can be found at the Viaduct Flats parking lot, near the intersection of Viaduct Avenue and Interurban Road ( here is a map of the location).

Our Christmas Potluck is hosted by Gwen and Bob Langford (478 Viaduct Ave) just up the street. The Potluck will begin after painting around 12:00 to 12:30.  Bring something yummy to share with the group. See you all there.

Friday December 4 - Coast Collective

Guuten takh Alfrescoes! On Friday December 4 2015, we will be painting at the Coast Collective. Directions to the Coast Collective can be found by clicking  here .

ATTENTION: Upcoming Event - Alfrescoes Christmas Potluck

Gwen and Bob Langford have, once again, graciously offered to host a Christmas Potluck for the Alfrescoes on Friday December 11 2015 (next Friday).  We will be painting at Viaduct Flats that day, which is just down the street from their home at 478 Viaduct Ave (250-479-0947).  The Potluck will begin after painting around 12:00 to 12:30.  Bring something yummy to share with the group.

Friday November 27 - Craigdarroch Castle

Lowena dhywgh Alfrescoes. This Friday November 27 2015, we are painting around Craigdarroch Castle. A map showing directions to the Castle can be found by clicking  here

There is some parking on site, however, please do not overfill the lot. Leave 10 spots for regular Castle visitors. There is street parking as well. Unfortunately there are no public washrooms available to us in the Castle, but there is a Shell gas station at Fort and Yates, at the end of Joan Crescent.

We will meet at the Southwest corner of the parking lot at Noon (see image below) for our Show'n'Tell.

Friday November 20 - Mount Tolmie

Bonghjornu Alfrescoes! This Friday November 20 2015, we are painting at Mount Tolmie Park. Directions can be found  here .

We will meet at 12:00 for our Show'n'Tell near the picnic tables (area highlighted in image below).

Friday November 13 - Government House

Bok Alfrescoes. Our next paint-out (Friday November 13 2015) will be at Government House (1401 Rockland Street). There is limited parking at the House but if you drive up and go past the house, take the left driveway. There is plenty of parking at the bottom. Click   here  for a map.

We can meet at noon in the glass gazebo for our Show'n'Tell, located in the front gardens (circled in red in the image below). If it is raining, then the gazebo will prove especially useful.

Friday November 6 - Belfry Theatre

Saluton Alfrescoes! This Friday November 6 2015, we are heading to the Belfry Theater (location  here ). We'll meet at the gazebo in front of the Belfry at Noon for our Show'n'Tell.

There is Free Parking around the Belfry during the day. Please use the street parking indicated on the map below (marked in red). Do not park in the Victoria High School parking lot (shown in black below), as that parking lot is reserved, and your car will be towed.

Friday October 30 - Rithet's Bog

Tere Alfrescoes. This Friday October 30 2015, we will be painting at Rithet's Bog. Directions to this location can be found  here .

The location shown in the image below is the southwest corner of the park. Bog Trail access off Chatterton Way is identified with the red oval, along with the location of Coffee Bahamas, where we will meet in front of at 12:00 for our Show'n'Tell.

Friday October 23 - Goldstream Park

Gbedoname Alfrescoes. This Friday October 23 2015, we will be returning to Goldstream Park. The map showing the location can be found  here . We will meet after at 12:00 for our Show'n'Tell in the main parking lot under the picnic table enclosure.

See you there.

Friday October 16 - Swan Lake

Bula Alfrescoes. This Friday October 16 2015, we are heading to the Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary.

Directions (via Google Maps) to the parking lot can be found  here . We'll meet in the parking lot at 12:00 for our Show'n'Tell.

Friday October 9 - Michell's Farm

Terve Alfrescoes. We are off to Michell's Farm Market this week, Friday October 9 2015. It's pumpkin time again.

Please don't use the front parking lot of Michell's Farm Market Store as this could inconvenience their customers. There is also parking along the road. Please don't park in any of the farm fields as it could cause damage. Here's a map of  Michell's Farm . See you there.

We will meet behind the market at Noon for our Show'n'Tell.

Friday October 2 - Oak Bay Marina

Salut Alfrescoes. This Friday October 2, 2015, we will be heading to the Oak Bay Marina
( map here ). We will meet at noon in Queens Park for our Show'n'Tell.

Friday September 25 - Saanichton Bay Park

Mandi Alfrescoes. This Friday, September 25 2015, we will be painting at Saanichton Bay Park (map  here ). Parking is available on a side street, just off Mt. Newton Cross Road (see below, labelled "park access road"). We will meet at the parking area at Noon for our Show'n'Tell.

Friday September 18 - Chinatown

Ola Alfrescoes. This Friday September 18 2015, we are painting in the area around Capital Iron and Chinatown. A map can be found  here . We will do our Show'n'Tell at Noon by Opus.

Friday September 11 - St. Stephen's Church

Inuugujoq Alfrescoes. This Friday September 11 2015, we will be painting at the heritage St. Stephen's Anglican Church in Saanichton (map  here ). The old Church and Cemetery are on St. Stephen's Road. Please drive past the new church, continuing down to the Cemetery (identified by the red circle in the image below). We'll meet at the Cemetery at Noon for our Show'n'Tell.

Friday September 4 - Esquimalt Lagoon, Coburg Peninsula

Sannu Alfrescoes. This Friday September 4 2015, we will be painting down at the Equimalt Lagoon, along the Coburg Peninsula (map  here ). We will meet at the bridge, near the north end of the peninsula, at Noon for our Show'n'Tell. Public washrooms are available at the south end of the peninsula.

Friday August 28 - Cattle Point

Aloha Alfrescoes. This Friday August 28 2015, we are painting at Cattle Point off Beach Drive (click  here  for map). We will meet at noon in the main parking lot for our Show'n'Tell.

Friday August 21 - Beacon Hill Park

Szervusz Alfrescoes. This Friday August 21 2015, we will be painting at Beacon Hill Park (map  here ). A full map of the park can be viewed here. Washrooms can be found along Bridge Way.

We will meet (for our Show'n'Tell) at noon in the parking lot at the corner of Beacon Hill Loop and Circle Drive (red circle in image below).

Friday August 14 - Esquimalt Gorge Park

Saluto Alfrescoes. This Friday August 14 2015, back by popular demand, we will be returning to Esquimalt Gorge Park, off Tillicum Road (map  here ). We will meet near the parking lot at noon for our Show'n'Tell. See you there.

Friday August 7 - Esquimalt Gorge Park

Apa kabar Alfrescoes. This Friday August 7 2015, we will be painting at Esquimalt Gorge Park, off Tillicum Road (map  here ). We will meet near the parking lot at noon for our Show'n'Tell. See you there.

Friday July 31 - Tower Point Metchosin

Ainngai Alfrescoes. This Friday July 31 2015, we'll be painting at Tower Point in Metchosin. (location map  here ) We will meet at the parking area at noon for our Show'n'Tell.

Friday July 24 - Government House

Halauġikpiñ Alfrescoes. Our next paint-out (Friday July 24 2015) will be at Government House (1401 Rockland Street). There is limited parking at the House but if you drive up and go past the house, take the left driveway. There is plenty of parking at the bottom. Click  here  for a map.

We can meet at noon in the glass gazebo for our Show'n'Tell, located in the front gardens (circled in red in the image below). If it is raining, then the gazebo will prove especially useful.

Friday July 17 - Willows Beach

Witôjze Alfrescoes. This Friday July 17 2015, we will be painting at Willows Beach in Oak Bay (map  here ).  We will meet at noon on the beach next to the parking lot for our Show'n'Tell.

Friday July 10 - Elk/Beaver Lake Regional Park - Eagle Beach

Surs Dey Alfrescoes. This Friday July 10 2015, we will be painting at Elk/Beaver Lake Regional Park - Eagle Beach (location  here ). Eagle Beach is where the rowers have their facility (just off the Pat Bay Highway). We'll meet at Noon for our Show'n'Tell in the grassy area to the east of the building (see image below).

Friday July 3 - Goldstream Park

Halau Alfrescoes. This Friday July 3 2015, we will be returning to Goldstream Park. The map showing the location can be found  here . We will meet at 12:00 for our Show'n'Tell in the main parking lot under the picnic table enclosure.

See you there.

Friday June 26 - Beaver Lake Ponds

Muraho Alfrescoes. This Friday June 26 2015, we will be painting at the Beaver Lake Ponds. We will meet at the old barn off of Glencoe Drive at Noon for our Show'n'Tell (red square below). See the  map  for the location.

The image below provides another view of the location.

Friday June 19 - Canoe Brew Pub

nuqneH Alfrescoes. This Friday, June 19 2015, we will be painting at the end of Swift Street, behind the Canoe Brew Pub. We will meet along the walkway (see blue marker on map) at noon for our Show'n'Tell.

Friday June 12 - Oak Bay Marina

Silav Alfrescoes. This Friday June 12, 2015, we will be heading to the Oak Bay Marina

( map here ).  We will meet at noon in Queens Park for our Show'n'Tell.

**** REMINDER****

Happy Valley Lavendar Farm Photo Book

NOTE: If you are interested in participating in the Photo Book, please send email your images to Desiree by Friday June 19 2015.

You may have heard that the Happy Valley Lavender Farm in Langford is closing.  The Alfrescoes have painted at this location many times over the years, and in appreciation of Lynda and Michael Dowling's hospitality, we thought we would gather images of the paintings created from the Lavender farm and generate a Photo Book to present to the Dowling's.  If you are interested in contributing to the Photo Book, please email pictures of any Lavender Farm paintings you may have to Desiree Bond, at desbond@shaw.ca 

Good color digital images (JPEGs) are requested. Resolution: 300dpi, at least 4” x 5” (1200 pixels x 1500 pixels). Recommended maximum image size is 2000 pixels on the largest dimension (either height or width.)

With each image sent, please provide the following:

- Title

- Dimension in Inches (e.g. 9x12)

- Medium (e.g. Acrylic on Canvas)

- Artist Name

- Year/Month Painted (if possible)

Friday June 5 - Sooke Harbour House

Hau Alfrescoes! This Friday June 5 2015, we are heading out to the Sooke Harbour House. ( directions here ). Plenty to see and paint. You can also venture out on Whiffen Spit. We are welcome to use the washrooms in the lobby at the Sooke Harbour House. We'll meet in the parking lot at 12:00 for our Show'n'Tell.

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Upcoming Events:

1) Second Annual Parisien Cafe

The Seniors Information Resource Centre (SIRC) in Metchosin is hosting the Second Annual Parisien Cafe event on the grounds of Old Metchosin Elementary School, this Saturday June 6 2015, from 10:00 to Noon.

Artists are welcome to come and set up in the area, do some painting, provide "Parisien" atmosphere for the seniors who come to the cafe. The benefits for the artists are wonderful weather (maybe), delightful company, and absolutely delicious baked goods and tea and coffee (if last year's experience is repeated this year).

It's suggested that artists come half an hour earlier to find a place to set up and get the lay of the land.

If you have any queries, please contact Helen Fletcher (helen.fletcher@shaw.ca)  or Colleen (MetchosinSIRC@gmail.com).

2) Happy Valley Lavendar Farm Photo Book

You may have heard that the Happy Valley Lavender Farm in Langford will be closing later this year.  The Alfrescoes have painted at this location many times over the years, and in appreciation of Lynda and Michael Dowling's hospitality, we thought we would gather images of the paintings created from the Lavender farm and generate a Photo Book to present to the Dowling's.  If you are interested in contributing to the Photo Book, please email pictures of any Lavender Farm paintings you may have to Desiree Bond, at desbond@shaw.ca 

Good color digital images (JPEGs) are requested. Resolution: 300dpi, at least 4” x 5” (1200 pixels x 1500 pixels). Recommended maximum image size is 2000 pixels on the largest dimension (either height or width.)

With each image sent, please provide the following:

- Title

- Dimension in Inches (e.g. 9x12)

- Medium (e.g. Acrylic on Canvas)

- Artist Name

- Year/Month Painted (if possible)

Friday May 29 - Holland Point Park

Labas Alfrescoes. On Friday May 29 2015, we are heading to Holland Point Park, off Dallas Road. We'll meet at the Pond at 12:00 for our Show'n'Tell.

Here is the location of Holland Point Park and the meeting place:  click here 

Friday May 22 - Michell's Farm Market

Moin Alfrescoes! We are off to Michell's Farm Market this week, Friday May 22 2015.

Please don't use the front parking lot of Michell's Farm Market Store as this could inconvenience their customers. There is also parking along the road. Please don't park in any of the farm fields as it could cause damage. We will meet behind the market at Noon for our Show'n'Tell. Here's a map of  Michell's Farm Market . See you there.

Friday May 15 - Macaulay Point Park

Assalaamu Alaikum Alfrescoes. On Friday May 15 2015, we will be painting at Macaulay Point Park in Esquimalt (map  here ). We will meet at the picnic tables at 12:00 noon for our Show'n'Tell.

Friday May 8 - Metchosin Rd and Happy Valley Rd

Kia ora koutou Alfrescoes! This Friday May 8 2015, we will be painting in and around the hamlet of Metchosin.

Possible painting locations include the grounds of the St Mary the Virgin Anglican Church, and the Metchosin School Museum. We will meet in the parking lot of the Broken Paddle cafe at Noon for our Show'n'Tell.

Directions to the location can be found in this  map . The map also shows the location of the Church, School and Cafe.

Friday May 1 - Mount Douglas Park

Salibonani Alfrescoes! This Friday May 1 2015, we will be painting at Mount Douglas Park. Directions can be found  here . We'll meet at the picnic tables at noon for our Show'n'Tell.

Friday April 24 - Frank Mitchell's Farm

Sain baina uu Alfrescoes. This Friday April 24 2015, we will be painting at Frank Mitchell's farm in Metchosin. There's parking and facilities and everyone is welcome. The address is 530 Witty Beach Road. Please remember to close gates behind you so the animals don't wander.  We'll meet near the house at Noon for our Show'n'Tell.

Friday April 17 - Chinatown

Niltze Alfrescoes. This Friday April 17 2015, we are returning to the area around Capital Iron and Chinatown. A map can be found  here . We will do our Show'n'Tell at Noon by Opus.

Friday April 10 - Clover Point Park

Niltze Alfrescoes. This Friday April 10 2015, we will be painting at Clover Point Park (a map can be found  here ). We will meet at noon for our Show'n'Tell, on the Clover Point parking loop. See you there.

Friday April 3 - Finnerty Gardens

Aniin Alfrescoes!  Finnerty Gardens (University of Victoria) is our destination for Friday April 3 2015.

Note: Be careful with your parking. It has been noted that the parking signs can be confusing and people can get expensive tickets. There is free 3 hour street parking on Cedar Hill X-Road (near Emanuel Baptist Church and Henderson Recreation Centre), but if you go over the time limit, you'll get a ticket. Might be best to pay for sufficient parking and not take any chances. UofVic parking Lot 6 is the closest to the gardens and is $1.25/hour. This website provides more information about Lot 6 and Finnerty Gardens.

Friday March 27 - Tower Point Metchosin

Wesaþ hāl Alfrescoes. This Friday March 27 2015, we'll be painting at Tower Point in Metchosin. (location map  here )  We will meet at the parking area at noon for our Show'n'Tell.

Note: Changes are in the works for properties near Tower Point.

"Metchosin has received a proposal for subdivision of the remainder of Tower Point into 8 lots, the initial house in Phase1, plus, more tentatively, Phase 2 with 7 additional lots between the Park and Olympic View Drive and Duke Road. A group of volunteers will be at the Tower Point entry during opening hours until Saturday, collecting names on a petition for this issue to be explored further."

The "issue" being ... "how Phase 2 could be secured for the rapidly growing recreational needs of the burgeoning regional population."

Frank M. may have something to add about this.

Friday March 20 - Cattle Point

Namaskar Alfrescoes. This Friday March 20 2015, we are painting at Cattle Point off Beach Drive (click   here  for map). We will meet at noon in the main parking lot.

Friday March 13 - Coast Collective

Rimaykullayki Alfrescoes! On Friday March 13 2015, we will be painting at the Coast Collective. Directions to the Coast Collective can be found by clicking on  this link .

Friday March 6 - Albert Head Lagoon

Privét! Alfrescoes. This Friday, March 6 2015, we will be painting at Albert Head Lagoon Regional Park. Directions to this location can be found by clicking  here .  Parking is at the end of Delgada Road.

Friday February 27 - Beacon Hill Park

Bone die Alfrescoes. This Friday February 27 2015, we will be painting at Beacon Hill Park (map here). A full map of the park can be viewed here. Washrooms can be found along Bridge Way.

We will meet (for our show 'n tell) at noon in the parking lot at the corner of Beacon Hill Loop and Circle Drive (red circle in image below).

**** REMINDER****

Check the Alfrescoes website for information on our upcoming Annual Plein Air Show.  Drop Off is Monday March 2 between 12:00pm and 1:00pm at the Coast Collective.

Friday February 20 - Craigdarroch Castle

Halò Alfrescoes. This Friday February 20 2015, we are painting around Craigdarroch Castle. A map showing directions to the Castle can be found by clicking   here .

There is some parking on site, however, please do not overfill the lot. Leave 10 spots for regular Castle visitors. There is street parking as well. Unfortunately there are no public washrooms available to us in the Castle, but there is a Shell gas station at Fort and Yates, at the end of Joan Crescent.

We will meet at the Southwest corner of the parking lot at Noon (see image below) for our Show'n'Tell.

Friday February 13 - Saanichton Bay Park

Hello Alfrescoes. This Friday, February 13 2015, we will be painting at Saanichton Bay Park. Parking is available on a side street, just off Mt. Newton Cross Road (see below, labelled "park access road"). We will meet at the parking area at 12:00 for our Show'n'Tell.

Friday February 6 - St. Ann's Academy

Tashi Delek Alfrescoes. This Friday February 6 2015, we will be painting at the St. Ann's Academy National Historic Site. A map to the location can be found  here .

Access the site from the Blanshard Street entrance. There is limited first-come-first-served free parking on site, along the tree-lined boulevard (red line in the image below). There is pay parking near the Blanshard Street entrance. There is also parking along Humboldt Street. We'll meet at Noon for our Show'n'Tell near the Gazebo (marked with a red circle).

Friday January 30 - Red Barn Market

Dumela Alfrescoes! On Friday January 30 2015, we will be painting at the Red Barn Market on W. Saanich Road and surrounding area.

If you do not want to paint at the market itself, you can try the intersection of Wallace Drive and W. Saanich Road (just north of the market). 

The site offers plenty of farmland scenery. A map can be found  here . We'll meet at the market at 12:00 for our show'n'tell.

Friday January 23 - Government House

Selam Alfrescoes. Our next paint-out (Friday January 23 2015) will be at Government House (1401 Rockland Street). There is limited parking at the House but if you drive up and go past the house, take the left driveway. There is plenty of parking at the bottom. Click here for a map.

We can meet at noon in the glass gazebo, located in the front gardens (circled in red in the image below). If it is raining, then the gazebo will prove especially useful.

Friday January 16 - Spirit Bay

Sanibonani Alfrescoes. This Friday January 16 2015, we are returning to the Spirit Bay development in Metchosin. Here is a map providing directions to this location.

Assuming you are starting at the intersection of Sooke Road and Veterans Memorial Parkway, here are some more detailed travel instructions:

Head west on Sooke Rd for 1.8 km
Turn left onto Happy Valley Rd and travel 6.9 km
Turn right onto Rocky Point Rd and travel 6.0 km
Continue onto East Sooke Road for another 1.8 km
Spirit Bay development access will be on your left

When you get to the water, turn right and park down the road on your right (the area is marked with a red line in the picture below).

Friday January 9 - Banfield Park

Happy (Belated) New Year Alfrescoes.  

Sincere apologies for not setting the first location of 2015. Alcohol was not a factor.

On Friday January 9 2015, we will be painting in Banfield Park, located in Vic West.  A map to the location can be found by clicking  here .