SATURDAY: Sketch the Hamilton Grange

Saturday March 31, 2018

I can't believe that the weather forecast for this Saturday is for brilliant sunshine with temperatures that could include outdoor sketching.  Let's visit the Hamilton Grange National Memorial, also known as The Grange or the Hamilton Grange Mansion.

Alexander Hamilton created the tools for the success of the United States. From his humble beginnings as an orphan on the Caribbean island of Nevis, he became George Washington's right-hand man, and eventually our Treasurey Secretary.



DETAILS

Where:   Hamilton Grange is located within New York City's Saint Nicholas Park in Manhattan. The street address is 414 West 141st Street, and it sits between Convent Avenue and St. Nicholas Avenue.


When:   Meet at 11 AM.  If you need to come later - we'll be there.

How:   Subway
* Take the #1 train to the West 137th Street stop on Broadway. Go North to 141st Street and make a right. Walk East towards Hamilton Terrace. The Grange is located at the intersection of West 141st Street and Hamilton Terrace.

* Take the A, B, C, or D train to the West 145th Street stop on St. Nicholas Avenue. Go south to 141st Street.Make a right onto 141st Street. Go west one block to Hamilton Terrace.

       Be sure the confirm subways are running.

Lunch - 12:30 PM  Bring your own and eat out doors or consider at The Edge Harlem, at 101 Edgecombe Ave, New York,

Show and Tell:   3 PM - A short walk to The Grange Bar and Eatery, 1635 Amsterdam Ave (b/t 140th St & 141st St) Phone (212) 491-1635, where we will share drawings, good stories and snack, beer or wine if you're so inclined.


NOTE:
-    Dress warmly in layers, this has been a stubborn winter. 
-    Bring a stool if you have one, it gives you more options. 

If you can’t find us

call or text Mark at 973-809-9128

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

Weekday Sketchers at Museum of The American Indian

The  National Museum of the American Indian, housed in the old Customs House is a division of the Smithsonian Museum, offers endless sketching opportunities for capturing art and architecture. In addition to all this building and its showcases have to offer, we will explore  three special exhibits that are an interpretation of native symbolism by contemporary artists. 

Join us to explore these costumes and instillations that are imbued with color and light.  Bring your bright colors and a stool and immerse yourself in these soon to close exhibits. Find out more about the museum and these special installations at:http://nmai.si.edu

Circle of Dance

Transformers: Native Art in Light and Sound

Manifestipi

DATE: WEDNESDAY MARCH 28, 2018

LOCATION: NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN INDIANS

                          Bowling Green, Manhattan

STARTING TIME: 10:00 AM

TRANSPORTATION:

4 & 5 trains to Bowling Green
1 train to Rector Street or South Ferry
R (& W on weekdays) trains to Whitehall Street
J & Z trains to Broad Street
2 & 3 trains to Wall Street

Please RSVP directly to Raylie Dunkel at raylie@verizon.net.  Looking for us? Call or text Raylie at 201-978-6387

SATURDAY: A Sketch Choice

A few people in the group pointed out that there is a major event happening in NYC this Saturday.  I had an interesting plan for that day (see below)  but I've decided that this march is the right place for me.  I'm going to be participating in the NYC March For Our Lives event.  I'll be joined by my daughter. You are invited to join us.  Yes, there is some potential for street sketching - but clearly this is about more than drawing.

I'm going to share the details of both events so you can decide what's right for you.

THE MARCH
If you're passionate about ending gun violence in schools, then you should strongly consider joining the March For Our Lives in NYC on March 24.
The march entrance is at West 72nd Street and Central Park West on the Upper West Side in New York City. The rally will begin at 11 a.m. ET, and it will feature a program with survivors of gun violence, activists, and musical performances. Following the rally, the march will begin promptly at 12 p.m. ET.




UKRAINIAN EASTER EGGS
Pysanky - The Ukrainian Decorated Eggs.  The Ukrainian Museum is a wonderful treasure with lots of fascinating things to sketch.  This Saturday they will be ushering in the season for making pysanky (Ukrainian decorated eggs) and reviving ancient Ukrainian traditions signifying the renewal of life.
The Museum's annual exhibition of pysanky, drawn from its extensive permanent collection, is highlighted by thematic glass paintings by Yaroslava Surmach Mills.

The pysanky on display show examples regional styles and motifs with their rich array of color. Known the world over for their intricate, vibrant designs, handcrafted pysanky are made using raw eggs, dyes, and beeswax in a wax-resist technique, similar to the batik method used on cloth. The process results in beautifully ornamented eggs with detailed geometric, floral, and animal designs, each with its own symbolic meaning.

The art of creating Ukrainian pysanky (from the word pysaty – to write) has been handed down from generation to generation. This ancient practice, has roots spanning the ages from the pagan era to modern Christianity.

For one day only (March 24) visitors of all ages will have an opportunity to watch artists proficient in this art form in action as they create pysanky.  The Ukrainian Museum is located at 222 East Sixth Street (between 2nd & 3rd Avenues).  Although I will be at the uptown location marching this is a wonderful alternative.  The museum opens at 11:30 AM

Send an email to me directly if you have any questions:  mark@urbansketchers.org

If you can’t find us at the March

call or text Mark at 973-809-9128

Anyone sketching the Ukrainian Musuem is probably an Urban Sketcher

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

WEEKDAY SKETCHERS CANCELED

Once again due to the snow our trip to the Hudson County Courthouse is cancelled.  Since the building is closed today due to the weather, it will be very difficult for them to accommodate us tomorrow.  This trip will be rescheduled for a (hopefully) nicer day.

In the meantime enjoy sketching the beautiful snow scenes outside your windows, again.

Weekday Sketchers at Hudson County Court House

Is three times a charm?  We have been snowed out twice on this program. Hopefully it won't happen this time!!

There was a time when public buildings were grander than grand and were decorated to inspire the better angels in all of us.  The Hudson County Court House is one of those places  

Travel across the Hudson River and back in time to a gem hidden in plain sight.   Located on a busy street, in a less than beautiful neighborhood, this building sits proudly on a small grassy knoll, reminding us of a time when Jersey City was a bit grander and bit shinier than it is now. (One could argue that along with NYC's  Tammany Hall era, it was also a time of greater government corruption and suppression, but that's another discussion.)

We will explore the grand staircases, beautiful murals, and hopefully be able to sketch in the Board of Chosen Freeholders room, decorated with Howard Pyle's murals, depicting the early Dutch and English settlements in Hudson County.

Here is an article about the building and the restoration.  https://jerseydigs.com/william-j-brennan-hudson-county-courthouse-history/

Freeholders Room w Howard Pyle Mural

DATE: WEDNESDAY MAY 9 2018

STARTING TIME: 10:30 AM

LOCATION:  HUDSON COUNTY COURT HOUSE

                         595 Newark Ave, Jersey City, NJ

DIRECTION:  Take the PATH to Journal Square. The courthouse is a short walk from the station. 

When you exit the station turn right to the corner.  Turn right again onto Pavonia Ave.  Walk one long block and cross Summit Ave. Then turn left turn onto Central Ave. Walk one block to Newark Ave turn right and walk to the Hudson County Courthouse.  Make sure you go to the Hudson County Court House (see picture above ) and not the modern building which is the Hudson County Administrative Offices.  

(Please note: for some reason the map program won't indicate the Hudson Co. Courthouse.  It is pointing to the Admin. Blgd.  Just walk past this to the Courthouse.  You can't miss it! )

You can bring a stool and some lunch, or purchase lunch at one of the delis or fast food places along Newark Ave.  You might want to bring some binoculars to see the murals a bit better.

Depending on time, interest and the weather, we can walk to Newark Avenue for lunch in "Little India".  This unique and colorful neighborhood will offer us some interesting street scenes with some wonderful murals that have been painted on the sides of buildings. 

Please RSVP directly to Raylie Dunkel at raylie@verizon.net. Looking for us? Call/text Raylie at 201-978-6387

April 21, 2018 - Come up to the Bronx to sketch Van Cortlandt Park for World-Wide SketchCrawl #59

  The NYC Urban Sketchers are invited up to the mainland (Boogie-Down Bronx), to Van Cortlandt Park for World-Wide SketchCrawl #59 on April 21, 2018.  The park has plenty of scenery, the historic Van Cortlandt Mansion Museum (George Washington DID sleep there!), a golf course, athletic fields of various sorts, a lake, stream, several nature trails, the works!

  Public transportation: take the IRT #1 train to the last stop, 242nd Street - FYI that's about a 50 minute train ride from Times Square.  If driving, there is usually space in the free parking lot.  Meet at 10AM.

  More details will be posted here before the end of March.

Parker Gambino    845 278 0267

UPDATE - SATURDAY: Sketch the Roerich

UPDATE:

REGARDING THIS SATURDAY:

Many people contacted me to ask if the posted time for this Saturday was correct.  It was, the Roerich Museum keeps short hours.  However the questions made it clear it might be a good idea to add a "Part 1" to our sketching day.

The Cathedral of Saint John the Divine is a few blocks away from the Roerich Museum.  It a fabulous space, one of the largest cathedrals in the world, and a real joy to sketch.  The Cathedral is located at 1047 Amsterdam Avenue at 112th Street.  They are very tolerant of sketching but we're expected to be quiet and respectful.  On entering you will be asked to make a donation:  "Your admission allows us to sustain the daily offerings and future endeavors of this sacred and historic landmark."  I happily give what's asked. 

Let's fill out our day by meeting at the Cathedral at 11 AM.  We'll leave there in time to get to the Roerich at 2 PM, with a possible quick lunch in between.  By the way - feel free to just join us for Part 1 - The Cathedral or just Part 2 - The Roerich, ... or if you're insane for art see you there for both! 

Part 2

March 17, 2018

The Nicholas Roerich Museum in New York City is dedicated to the works of Nicholas Roerich, a Russian-born artist whose work focused on nature scenes from the Himalayas.

This is a small boutique museum featuring the work of one artist.  One hundred and fifty of his paintings are on exhibit in the upper west side townhouse.  His artwork is fascinating.  The subject matter is mystical and eastern influenced. He worked in an opaque style in tempra.  He is an absolutely incredible colorist.

The block itself is short and beautiful, in case we can sketch a bit outside.  Around the corner on Riverside Drive is one of the most incredible private homes in NYC., well worth the short walk to the corner to see.



DETAILS

Where:  The Nicholas Roerich Museum, 319 W 107th St, New York City. 

When:  2 - 4 PM  

GENERAL ADMISSION
-     Admission is free, though donations are welcomed and appreciated.

Show and Tell:   4 PM - A short walk to Mel's Burger at 2850 Broadway (near 111th Street) where we will share drawings, good stories a snack or beer or wine if you're so inclined.

NOTE:
-     Bring a stool if you have one, it gives you more options.  In the past that hasn't been a problem

If you can’t find us

call or text Mark at 973-809-9128

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

Weekday Sketcher at Chelsey Markets Wednesday

People, produce, products and an indoor waterfall all in a building with great architectural elements ...sounds like a perfect place for sketchers!

Join us this week at the Chelsea Markets in the converted Nabisco Factory on 9th Avenue and 15th Streets.   Get a cup of coffee and delicious sweet treat, sit down at a table and try to capture the chaos of this great food hall.  No need to bring a stool as there are lots of tables and chairs lining the main hall.  Bring lunch or buy it at any of the outstanding food stalls. 

DATE:  WEDNESDAY MARCH 14, 2018

TIME: 10:00 AM

LOCATION:  CHELSEA MARKETS 

                         75 9TH Ave. between W. 15th and 16th Streets

Note:  We will meet by the waterfall which is approximately in the center of the building. If you enter on 9th Avenue just keep following the corridor and you will find it.

TRANSPORTATION: A, C, E TO 14th Street and 8th Ave.  Walk west one block and then north one block.

Please RSVP directly to Raylie Dunkel at raylie@verizon.net. Looking for us? Call/text Raylie at 201-978-6387.

Sorry about the change of venue from the posted schedule but the Chelsea Piers sports arenas are not open on Wednesday.  We will try that another day.

  

How I assembled a small durable sketchbook.

For a few years, I have been experimenting with sketching on hued paper -- including some very dark papers.  I am also participating in the Sketchbook Project, so I needed tinted paper that fit inside the Sketchbook Projects sketchbook cover, which is a rule for that project.  I took 8-1/2 by 11 inch sheets and cut them down to the proper size

So I assembled several small booklets similar to this and proceeded to sketch in them.  At the time I started, I didn't yet know how I would assemble them.  Each of the little booklets is less than a quarter year thick when closed, and I was able to easily carry them in my purse for spontaneous sketch moments.

 

I found a helpful tutorial on Youtube. How to make your own sketchbook: Coptic Stitch Bookbinding produced by Sea Lemon.  It was very helpful.  I learned that I would need to punch some holes in the existing book covers very near the edge. (I used the pointed end on a geometry compass for this) and became worried that the cardboard might tear, so I reinforced it by ironing on an iron-on patch before I poked the holes. I also learned that the process for stitching the segments together was simpler than I thought.  So I did as instructed on the video.

Here you can see what the binding looked like just before I covered it up.  The book now contains 4 of the book segments and the 2 covers.  The stitching took about 15 minutes to do and is too fragile to leave uncovered.  I used ordinary sewing thread in a light brown shade and I kept the stitches loose so that the book can be opened flat without putting any stress on the thread.

Then I took another iron-on patch and used it to cover the binding.  I placed a pencil inside the binding before I ironed it on, because I wanted the binding to stick to the covers only, and be loose enough that the book can be opened flat.  The final photo shows the book opened to pages that are in two different segments.  You can see that one segment is not pulling on the other.

SATURDAY: Sketch the Rubin

Thank you for your notes and calls of concern.  As nearly everyone guessed, we lost power during the storm that delivered nearly 20 inches of snow.  Without complaining, this was the last trial of a difficult two weeks. 

I am however delighted that we have an amazing group going to the annual Symposium in Portugal this summer.  Everyone got through the sign-up process.  Yeah us!

Yes, we will be sketching tomorrow at the Rubin Museum   I apologize for the very, very short notice.  Join us if you can - it will be wonderful to see you.

DETAILS

Where:  The Rubin Museum of Art, 150 W 17th St, New York City. 

When:  11 AM   Late - come anyway - we'll be there,

GENERAL ADMISSION
-     Adults - $15
-     Seniors and Students - $10

Lunch:   12:30  PM  Meet at the museum cafe

Afternoon:  1:30 PM  Back to sketching in the Museum

Show and Tell:   3 PM - Meet in the Museum Cafe where we will share drawings, good stories and a snack or refreshments if you're so inclined.

NOTE:
-     Bring a stool if you have one, it gives you more options.  In the past that hasn't been a problem

If you can’t find us

call or text Mark at 973-809-9128

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

WEEKDAY SKETCHERS CANCELED

Waiting to the last minute to see if the storm would let up....but it isn't so the Weekday Sketchers at the Hudson Co. Courthouse is CANCELED for tomorrow.  Watch for new posting next week. 

Stay cozy and draw from your window.  Great day to try out toned paper and white markers!!

Weekday Sketchers at Hudson County Court House

There was a time when public buildings were grander than grand and were decorated to inspire the better angels in all of us.  The Hudson County Court House is one of those places  

Travel across the Hudson River and back in time to a gem hidden in plain sight.   Located on a busy street, in a less than beautiful neighborhood, this building sits proudly on a small grassy knoll, reminding us of a time when Jersey City was a bit grander and bit shinier than it is now. (One could argue that along with NYC's  Tammany Hall era, it was also a time of greater government corruption and suppression, but that's another discussion.)

We will explore the grand staircases, beautiful murals, and hopefully be able to sketch in the Board of Chosen Freeholders room, decorated with Howard Pyle's murals, depicting the early Dutch and English settlements in Hudson County.

Here is an article about the building and the restoration.  https://jerseydigs.com/william-j-brennan-hudson-county-courthouse-history/

Freeholders Room w Howard Pyle Mural

DATE: THURSDAY March 8, 2018

STARTING TIME: 10:30 AM

LOCATION:  HUDSON COUNTY COURT HOUSE

                         595 Newark Ave, Jersey City, NJ

DIRECTION:  Take the PATH to Journal Square. The courthouse is a short walk from the station. 

 

When you exit the station turn right to the corner.  Turn right again onto Pavonia Ave.  Walk one long block and cross Summit Ave. Then turn left turn onto Central Ave. Walk one block to Newark Ave turn right and walk to the Hudson County Courthouse.  Make sure you go to the Hudson County Court House (see picture above ) and not the modern building which is the Hudson County Administrative Offices.  

(Please note: for some reason the map program won't indicate the Hudson Co. Courthouse.  It is pointing to the Admin. Blgd.  Just walk past this to the Courthouse.  You can't miss it! )

You can bring a stool and some lunch, or purchase lunch at one of the delis or fast food places along Newark Ave.  You might want to bring some binoculars to see the murals a bit better. 

Please RSVP directly to Raylie Dunkel at raylie@verizon.net. Looking for us? Call/text Raylie at 201-978-6387

NO SKETCH Event this Weekend

For all the NYC Urban Sketchers going to Porto this summer workshop registration starts at 10 AM this coming Saturday.

We will meet again the following weekend - on Saturday to sketch together.