By Clyde Noel

Expect to see more than 80 creative images from 45 artists who toiled in the hot sun Saturday for “Paint The Town - Again.”

Setting up their easels all over town, artists tried to capture on canvas, or watercolor, scenes of Los Altos as the city celebrates its 50th birthday.

Next month a jury will select different scenes to be displayed around the city, including at Marjolaine Bakery at 134 Main St., the library and various bank lobbies.

Donna Keiffer, who has been a member of the Los Altos Art Club for 17 years, was one of the participating artists.

Last Saturday, she painted an image of the youth center in oil. Starting at 10 a.m., Keiffer kept painting until the sun became too warm.

“These things always start out ugly, but when you’re finished they look good,” Keiffer said.

Oil painter Robert Schick set up outside Gallery 9 and spent more time talking to passers-by.

“Everyone wants to know what you’re doing,” Schick said. “I explain that I’m doing an acrylic painting of the front of Gallery 9, and they keep checking stroke for stroke.”

Paint the Town - Again is jointly sponsored by the Los Altos Town Crier, the Los Altos Cultural Society and publishers of the original “Paint The Town” in 2000. No book is planned this year.