Rockefeller Park outing

A Video of the Don Colley Day

What an interesting day we had with Don Colley.  Sorry if you weren't able to join us.

Lynn Albrink-Witt created a video with the footage that several people shot that day.  It's hard to get a true feel for how unique Don is.  You can definitely see his work better on the internet.  But this happy video brings me right back to the time we spent with him

Saturday - Sketching Art Deco / Grand Central

Sketching Come Rain or Shine 

Saturday November 1, 2014

The weather for Sat Nov 1 is "iffy", so the best plan will keep us warm and dry with an option to hit the streets for outdoor sketching if the weather cooperates. Grand Central Station will be our starting place.

DETAILS:

When:  We will start the day at 10:00 by the clock inside Grand Central Station.(located at 42nd St  and Lex Ave.)
How:  By Subway:  S,4,5,6,7 and Metro North

Lunch:   Sketch around this area in the morning, and we will meet up at the food court downstairs for lunch at 12:15. 
Afternoon:  Back Sketching from 1:30 to 3:30

Show and Tell:  Will be held at a location in the area to be determined.

Outdoor Potential:  
If the weather clears, we will move outside to sketch some of the classical Art Deco building in the neighborhood.

1)  If the weather clears across the street from Grand Central, is the Chanin Building. A beautiful facade with interesting brass and frieze work, and a lovely lobby.

2)  Then we can walk over to 44th and Third to get a view of the Chrysler Building. This is one of the most famous Deco Buildings in the world.


3)  If there is time left, we can go to the Daily News Building at 220 E 42nd St(2nd Ave) and go inside the magnificent lobby with its' giant globe.

Can't find us?  

Call Mark - 973-809-9128

There are no fees or attendance taken. All drawing skill levels are welcome

Rogue Sketchers at Wave Hill

As Susan said a few posts ago, we headed over to Wave Hill in the Bronx on Saturday hoping for some colorful autumn trees...but it was still a little too soon.

I sat in front of the pergola (in my sketching chair) to do this first sketch looking toward NJ. 

You can see a hint of the Palisades below the roof of the pergola.

My next view was looking up at the pergola from the lawn down below. I sat down on my chair again only to be told by a guard that people are not allowed to use their own chairs (or blankets either) to sit on the lawn. You have to use the chairs and benches provided. Of course there were no chairs or benches down where I wanted to sit, so I took out one of my painting boards and sat on that on the grass leaning against the railing. I was busy sketching when all of a sudden hoards of people started walking in my direction and gathering right in front of me and blocking part of my view. It turned out to be a special event where a falcon was going to be released and then return to his handler. So I had to put up with the commotion for a while and hope the falcon didn't land on me by mistake. lol

My final sketch was of part of the building where the cafe is located. 

Susan was waiting for me at a table outside on the patio with a delightfully decadent chocolate chip cookie to share...that's a true friend!

Trying Again: WEEKDAY URBAN SKETCHERS IN ROCKEFELLER PARK

We were rained out last week but everything is still there waiting for us to sketch them!  This might be our last outside meeting this year!

Location:  Rockefeller Park in Battery Park City 

Meet at the Greek Pavilion Warren Street and River Terrace

Time:  11:00 AM - 3:00 PM

Date:  Thursday October 30, 2014

Directions: Nearest stop is the Chambers Street Station on the 1,2,3 but any subway coming into the World Trade Center area will be fine.

Contact: Raylie at 201-978-6387

Please RSVP directly to Raylie Dunkel at raylie@verizon.net

River views, a Greek pavilion, koi pond, the Irish Hunger Memorial and best of all a wonderful playground filled with Tom Otterness sculpture!

The NYC and Caracas Sketch Event

What a great autumn day for sketching   Lots of new people affiliated with the ASLA were there.

We started at the Metropolitan Museum

We drew some of the people in front of the museum, including this man who seemed to be supervising two extra bicycles in addition to his own:

We entered Central Park and went to the top of Belvedere Castle where they were setting up for a film shoot.  The company included several Plus Size Models and a cast of men wearing masks and halloween makeup.  The drawing shows a model having her makeup applied.  In the background there's a guy wearing a Bird of Prey mask. ... Only in New York:

We finished up at the Museum of Natural History where we had a chance to do a Dead Man on a Horse sketch.  Here's mine:

If I understood correctly our drawings are going to be pooled with drawing that were being done by sketchers in Caracass to make a larger exhibit.  We were encouraged to upload our sketches via Twitter.  I think Richard, who organized the event, intends to post the finished project.

Back to Wave Hill in da Bronx

Joan and I wanted to get in some Autumn sketching with views before the weather turns cold, so we traipsed  up to Wave Hill.

Overlooking the Hudson with a glimpse of the GW Bridge in the background. Just before I sat down to do this scene, a Falconer was trying to get his hawk to come back to his arm. There was one slight problem. A larger hawk ... a bald eagle... was flying overhead. The smaller bird was smart enough to know he would have been Thanksgiving dinner, so he waited until it was safe!

Capturing the colors of the foliage and the Palisades in a small watercolor sketch.

A quicky sketch of the GWB between the foliage.

This was a tropical exotic plant outdoors.

I included this just because! Gorgeous day.

The Last Section of the High Line

On Saturday we sketched the last section of the High Line - it's northern leg.  It was interesting and yet completely different from the first two sections.  I love the creativity of this new park's design.

My drawings could be organized into three groups:

The View looking Southwest

The Mandatory Picture of Jim

The first two are about what I saw when I got there.  I think we've all noticed  a common category.  We all end up doing drawings of Jim. Not sure why that is, but everyone seems to end up with at least one picture of him.  Here's mine.

The second set of sketches have to do with the fact that the High Line sits on top of the railroad entrance to NYC.  It's basically been hidden from view and not something you'd often see.  Its huge, it's vast, it's incredible how many trains and tracks there are.  It's all about vanishing points and perspective and finding quick ways to imply the complexity.

Kevin and Maike

Brian on percussion

The third set are about the people I met because I was sketching.  Kevin and Maike came and chatted with me as I drew.  We must have spent a half hour talking and enjoying the strange openness that sketching in public creates.  They both sketch and I hope they'll be joining us.

Brian was drumming and chanting.  Music adds a magical ingredient to sketching and I happily drew him.  He seemed delighted with the sketch when I showed it to him.

Sketch New York and Caracas, Venezuela

Come join sketchers in NYC and Caracas Venezuela on OCTOBER 25th in a day of shared sketching and walking.

We will meet in front of the Metropolitan Museum at 10:00 am, but you can participate from wherever you please (in NYC or Caracas).
 

Sketch wherever you are and share over Twitter or Facebook (#carayo2014, #topomemo2014).
 

This event is in coordination with the New York Chapter of the ASLA, Urban Sketchers New York City and Urban Sketchers Caracas and El Paper Magazine
 

Also, see the NYC USK FB and the Caracas FB Event Pages.
 

Hope to see you there.
 

Richard Alomar

917 224 8373

WEEKDAY URBAN SKETCHERS IN ROCKEFELLER PARK

Location:  Rockefeller Park in Battery Park City 

Meet at the Greek Pavilion Warren Street and River Terrace

Time:  11:00 AM - 3:00 PM

Date:  Thursday October 23, 2014

Directions: Nearest stop is the Chambers Street Station on the 1,2,3 but any subway coming into the World Trade Center area will be fine.

Contact: Raylie at 201-978-6387

In case of rain we will meet in the Palm Court in the World Financial Center

Please RSVP directly to Raylie Dunkel at raylie@verizon.net

River views, a Greek pavilion, koi pond, the Irish Hunger Memorial and best of all a wonderful playground filled with Tom Otterness sculpture!

High Line at the Rail Yards

My first sketch was overlooking the rail yards with a glimpse of the Empire State building in the background. It was a little daunting at first, but the trains won't be here for long, as this will soon go the way of most NY real estate, so I really wanted to capture it.
 



 

This scene shows a view of the Hudson River , a bit of Jersey, and the changing foliage along the West Side Hwy. My interest was really the use of the rail tracks, with the garden planted by nature... in otherwords, weeds. Incorporated into this was a cement sculpture cube mixed with items like old sneakers and socks. The cube looked like it was part of the original railyard and many walked by thinking it was urban decay.

 

This is one of the new professionally landscaped areas that incorporates a switching track into the design, and lets the people walk on it, as opposed to some of the others behind fencing. The tourists were shoulder to shoulder at this location, standing directly in front of me while taking their pictures.  The weather held out, it was a good location, with good company! What more could I ask for!

High Line for the World Wide SketchCrawl

At times it seemed like the whole wide world was walking on the High Line while we were sketching. There were so many great views to sketch. I started with a sketch of the train yard. I loved the view from above.

Then I caught a few people busy at work.

 

I started a sketch of the area along the water...and then along came a helicopter. It moved out of my view before I could capture the whole thing and it was a long time before I got another view to finish the shape of it. I ended up using a photo to check that I had all the necessary details so it wouldn't crash. I even got Jim and Pat into the sketch...but it seems like everyone sketches Jim. lol

 The people sitting and standing on the bleachers were to good to pass up.

One of the best parts of the day is when we share sketches and information about what we did during the day.

 I think everyone would say the day was a success! Thanks, Susan, for organizing the day!