Weekday Urban Sketchers in Riverside Park on Thursday

There are thousands of statues in the parks of New York City but there are only 5 or real women: Eleanor Roosevelt, Golda Meir, Gertrude Stein, Harriet Tubman and Joan of Arc.  Let's sketch them!

This week we will meet in Riverside Park at 72nd Street to sketch Eleanor Roosevelt.  In addition to the statue, we can capture the park and river scenes in our sketchbooks.

Anyone interested in seeing all 5 statues click here; http://hyperallergic.com/226186/the-only-five-public-statues-of-historic-women-in-nyc/

DATE: THURSDAY   JUNE 2, 2016

LOCATION:  RIVERSIDE PARK and 72nd STREET

TIME:  10:30 AM to ???

TRANSPORTATION: 1,2,3 subway to 72nd Street. Walk two blocks west to the park.

PLEASE RSVP TO Raylie@verizon.net so that we know to look for you.  Looking for us? Call Raylie at 201-978-6387,

You can bring lunch or purchase something for a picnic in the park.  Looking forward to seeing you all on THURSDAY.   

A very big thank you to Maureen Gorta and Ella Biondi for taking over the Weekday Sketchers Group in my absence!!

NO SKETCH EVENT - MEMORIAL WEEKEND

Looks like we could have some nice weather.  Enjoy the long weekend with family and friends and remember -  bring your sketch book with you.

Look forward to seeing everyone the following weekend.

Here are some shots from the Shari Blaukopf Workshop we ran this week.  

It was fantastic.  

More workshops coming!

WEDNESDAY: Sketch the Greenmarket

Wednesday, May 25th:  

Sketch the Greenmarket.

Lots of interesting fruit and vegetables stands to sketch. Plenty of foot traffic for drawing pictures of people and dogs.

Where:
    Union Square Greenmarket

Time:
    10 to 12

Afternoon:
    Battery Park Figure Sketching in the South Cove

Meet up on 17th Street near Broadway.

CLICK TO ENLARGE

If you can't find the group text Ella at 917-215-8296

There are no fees.   All drawing skill levels are welcome.

Three Sketching Days in the City with Wendy

A blogging friend, Wendy Barrettt from Perth, Australia was visiting NYC recently. She was in town for two weeks. We had never met before but we have followed each other's blogs for several years and felt like we knew each other a bit. She contacted me and Mark a while ago to let us know she would be visiting and wanted to sketch with us. Wendy is an artist and writer, and has done some outdoor sketching but isn't a member of any urban sketching group back in Perth. We're not sure if Perth even has an urban sketching group.

She managed to be here for some of the worst spring weather we've had in a long time.  Her first week it rained or showered nearly every day, and it was cold. I went in to meet Wendy for the first time, and our first sketching destination was Times Square. We lucked out that the morning was dry, so we set up at one of the tables and did some sketching of the scene and the characters that make that area so much fun.

Here we are at one of those tables that come in so handy.

This is what we were sketching.

By the time we headed for lunch it was starting to drizzle, so after lunch we went to MOMA to see the wonderful Degas exhibit and some of the other work there. We were there until they herded us out. lol

Wendy loved this Van Gogh.

Joy and I were hosting the NYC Urban Sketching event that Saturday.  Our sketching location was supposed to be Central Park, but since rain was predicted again we headed to Grand Central instead. Wendy hadn't been there yet and I think she enjoyed it. 

I have a copy of her sketch done from one of the balconies.

Sketch above by Wendy Barrett

I focused on the "I love NY" info booth, the obligatory clock, and a train on one of the platforms.

The following Tuesday Elissa and Ella hosted at Bethesda Fountain, and we joined the group again. In addition to Wendy visiting we had two people from Portugal with us. The Bethesda Fountain area is such a great place to sketch and later to share our work. 

My version of Bethesda Fountain.

Wendy's version.

Sketch above by Wendy Barrett

My second sketch.

Wendy's second sketch of the fountain.

Wendy had a great time sketching with Toi and talking to everyone.

I did one final sketch before Wendy and I left the group and walked around the park.

One great thing about the internet and Urban Sketchers is that it has made it possible to meet an entire world of people and make friends across the world. I think that everybody always makes our visitors feel welcome in our group.

This was the last day that Wendy and I sketched together. After her time in NYC she was headed to Massachusetts, Indiana, and Washington, DC. I hope that Wendy does a post of her own from her trip here. She did sketch in other locations around the city and it would be fun to see all of her sketches and her reactions to the city. It was really great meeting her and showing her a bit of our city. Maybe some day I can head "down under" and visit her in Australia.

SUNDAY: Sketching the Boat Pond

Sunday May 22, 2016

Always loved the Central Park Boat Pond.  It’s such a peaceful family spot, with families and friends posing all day long in charming vignettes against beautiful backgrounds.  What sketcher wouldn't be inspired?

If you think of the pond as a clock with 12 o’clock on the north side and the boathouse and snacker at 3 o’clock - we’ll meet at 9 o’clock, on the west side of the pond - the spot with the best view.  Although there are benches, your options are always better if you bring a stool or chair.

We’ll meet at 10 AM and consider lunch at noon.  There are many vendors and food options for a highly social picnic on site.  We hope to stay until 3 PM.

Looking at the map - the Boat Pond is labeled Story Telling which happens at the statue of Hans Christian Andersen located about 100 feet from our meeting place.   The closest entrance is at East 72 St.

Click to Enlarge

If you can’t find us

call or text Mark at 973-809-9128

There are no fees.   All drawing skill levels are welcome.

WEDNESDAY: Sketch Rockerfeller Park

Wednesday, May 18, 2016

Rockefeller Park Stretches along the Hudson River just north of Brookfield Place.

There  are interesting park buildings, waterfront scenes, koi ponds, playgrounds and lots of
people to incorporate into our drawings.

LOCATION:
The Lilly Pond in Rockefeller Park at the end of Vesey Street between the Irish Hunger Memorial and the Ferry Terminal. We can work there for a while and then move around the park for other views.


TIME:
10 AM. We can break for lunch around 12:00. Bring lunch or buy something from Hudson Eats. There’s a Pain Quotidian across the street from the Irish Hunger Memorial on River Terrace for coffee drinkers.

TRANSPORTATION:
2,3 Park Place;
A,C Chambers St;
E World Trade Center;
N,R  Cortland Street.
Walk to Vesey Street and walk towards the River.
Walk to the end of the street and continue past the Irish Hunger Memorial to the Lilly Pond.

Looking for us? Call Maureen at 917-855-1803

SUNDAY: Sketch NYC Civic Center

Sunday May 15, 2016

The World of Law and Order

I wish I had a weather genie.  

At this moment Sunday looks like our best sketch date.  

We’ll visit the NYC Civic Center area to sketch.  

Our first stop will be the New York State Supreme Court Civil Branch at 60 Centre Street, with a view made famous by the Law & Order TV Show.  During the day we’ll also sketch the iconic 1 Center Street building which greets visitors as they come over the Brooklyn Bridge.  Police Headquarters is tucked between these two locations.

We’ll meet at Foley Square Park on Center Street between Worth and Pearl Streets facing the Courthouse.


DETAILS

What:  Sketch NYC Civic Center

Where:  Meet in the Foley Park facing the courthouse at 60 Center Street.

When:   Meet at 10 AM

How:  
By Subway
  A, C or E train to Chambers St - walk 0.4 miles
  2, 3 train to Park Place - walk 0.4 miles
  N, Q train to Canal Street - walk 0.3 miles

Lunch:  12:30 - Walk to lunch or eat al fresco (to be decided)

Afternoon: 1:30  Back to sketching the area

Show and Tell:  3:15 off to share drawings, good stories and a beer or wine if you're so inclined.  (Destination to be determined)

NOTES:
  Bring a stool or lightweight chair to increase your sketching options.

Click to Enlarge

If you can’t find us

call or text Mark at 973-809-9128

There are no fees.   All drawing skill levels are welcome.

Bethesda Fountain

What a great day of sketching. We had guests from Australia and Portugal and some amazing drawings were made. Here's a pic of my watercolor and the fountain.

 I set up behind the angel so include the colonade and skyscraper on 57th St

 and a second one I started...and abandoned...

SATURDAY - Rainy Day Change of Plans

Saturday May 7

Burble burble glub glub....

The weather has other plans for us.  Rather than sketching in the rain we'll meet instead in NYC's most incredible indoor (read - dry) space - Grand Central Station

Meet at the information Booth

DETAILS:

When:  We will start the day at 10:00 by the clock (the Information Booth) 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:  3:30 Details to  be determined

Notes:
   -  Bring a stool or small chair if you have one.

If you can’t find us call or text 

Joan Tavalot  516 510-1473

Joy Hecht  202 494-1162

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

TUESDAY: Sketch the Park

NYC Weekday 

Urban Sketching in Central Park 

on Tuesday May 10

Meeting time: 10AM 

Bethesda Terrace on the 72nd St. transverse of Central Park

Can't find us? 

Call 

Ella Biondi at 917-215-8296 or 

Elissa Gore at 646-404-1756

Travel:

Getting there is a snap: 

Take the B or C to 72nd St. or 

1,2,3 to 72nd and B’way or 

The 6 to 68th and Lex 

        (see map)

Food: 

Bring lunch or buy a hot dog from one of the many vendors

There are bathrooms under the arch

Here's a map. 

Our location is marked E72

Click to Enlarge

SATURDAY: Sketching the Fountain

Saturday May 7

 Bethesda Fountain

 in the middle of 

Central Park at 72nd Street

Saturday is supposed to be a lovely day, so we will meet in the park to sketch around Bethesda Fountain – "The Fountain," to those in the know..  It's a wonderful place with one of NYC's truly iconic views.

Sketch the fountain, the lake, the steps, the view from the terrace above, the ornate passage under the terrace, or the crowds enjoying the scenery, playing music, or (sometimes) blowing enormous bubbles to the delight of children young and old.

DETAILS
What:  We'll sketch Bethesda Fountain and the surrounding area/

Where:  It's at about 72nd Street half way between Fifth Avenue and Central Park West.

 - By Subway the best bet is the B or C Train to W 72 St,  The 1,2 3 3 train at W 72 St is an extra block further.  On the East side use the Hunter College stop at East 68th St.

When:   We'll meet at 10:00 by the fountain.

Lunch:  12:30 we'll find a convenient spot to enjoy a picnic.  Buy lunch in the park or bring your own.

Afternoon:   1:30 back to sketching.

Show and Tell:  3:30 we'll reconvene by the fountain and find a convenient spot to share work.

The co-hosts for this even are Joan and Joy.  

Mark is unable to join us for this sketch.

Click to Enlarge

If you can’t find us call or text 

Joan Tavalot  516 510-1473

Joy Hecht  202 494-1162

There are no fees.   All drawing skill levels are welcome.

WEDNESDAY: Sketch the Palms

Wednesday May 4, 2016

It’s the Rain or Shine kind of place 

So let’s not let what might be a rainy day stop us from sketching.

Brookfield Place, originally known as the World Financial Center, is a complex of office buildings located across West Street from the World Trade Center site in the Battery Park City neighborhood of Manhattan.

The boat basin is there to be sketched if the weather surprises by giving us a nice day.

Maureen Gorta will be there.  

Meet her at 10 AM Under the Palm Trees. 

If you’ve never been there - Yes, under the palm trees.

If you can’t find the group call or text Maureen at  917 855 1803

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