Weekday Sketchers in Fort Greene Park, Brooklyn

George Washington, Walt Whitman, Calvert Vaux. Fredrick Law Ulmstead. McKim, Mead and White are but a few of the notables associated with Fort Greene Park. In addition to the usual park facilities, this  30 acre park also houses a monument to the more than 12,000 people who died on prison ships in nearby Wallabout Bay (now Brooklyn Navy Yard) while being held prisoners by the British during the Revolution War's  Battle of Brooklyn.

Work on a view of the monument that now honors their memory. Or capture the Greek temple-like building that houses a museum of the history of the park. Or render the beautiful row houses that surround the park. No matter your choice it will be a good day's work.

 

DATE: THURSDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2018

STARTING TIME: 10:30 AM  

                                We will meet by the monument to the Revolutionary War Heros

LOCATION: Fort Greene PARK 

                Located between Dekalb and Myrtle Avenues and bordered by Washington Park and Ashland place. 

TRANSPORTATION: B, N, Q, R to Dekalb Ave Staton. Then follow the map below.

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

Bring lunch and a stool in addition to your colors and sketchbooks. If you would like more information about the park, its history or recent renovations, please visit the Fort Greene Park Conservancy web site: http://www.fortgreenepark.org

Saturday: Westchester Sketchers at Pierson Park, Tarrytown, NY

It's hard to believe that this beautiful shoreline park was once the site of an asphalt plant. Just steps from the Tarrytown train station, the recently renovated Pierson Park has expansive views of the Palisades, the new Mario Cuomo (Tappan Zee) Bridge, Sleepy Hollow Lighthouse, and the New York City skyline. One the greatest features of Pierson Park is the Westchester Riverwalk, a paved foot path stretches for about a mile along the waterfront. The weather forecast for Saturday looks good, so grab your sketchbook and join us for what promises to be a great day for sketching and picnicking in the park.

         

Details:

WHEN:  Start time 10:30 AM on Saturday September 29th.

WHERE:  Pierson Park, 238 W. Main Street, Tarrytown, NY.

Meet us at the Recreational Center, located near the parking area.                        

  

 

TRANSPORTATION from NYC: 

Metro-North (Hudson Line) to the Tarrytown station.  Depart the train station and cross over the tracks to the river side, walk north along Green Street. Turn left at W. Main Street and walk towards the river. Pierson Park will be on your left.

          

LUNCH:  12:30 - 1:30 PM  It's best to bring your own lunch.

AFTERNOON: Back to sketching.

SHOW and TELL:   3:00 PM - we will share drawings, good stories and thoughts.

NOTES:

_     Bring a stool if you have one, it gives you more options. 

_     In case of rain, an alternate indoor location TBD will be announced.

If you can’t find us

 call Cathy at 914-625-0766

or Marianne at 914-355-6507

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

SATURDAY: Sketch Gowanus

NYC Urban Sketchers returns to Gowanus for sketching by canoe and on land hosted by Jessica Dalrymple, long time Urban Sketcher, Painter and Environmental Activist. 

One of NYC USk's most popular sketch events  takes place in the gritty industrial section of Brooklyn around the Gowanus Canal.  Like almost all spots in our town that have a water view, Gowanus has caught the attention of developers and is being transformed from a shameful toxic waste dump into a new and glamorous residential area.  The process is amazing to see.

Let's draw the essence and spirit of this waterfront in transition.  For 20 years, the Gowanus Dredgers have argued for the cleanup of the Canal and now that the EPA Superfund remediation is underway.  Can artwork capture and help preserve the quirky zeitgeist of this neighborhood?  We hope that by showcasing the intrinsic beauty of our neighborhood through art, architects and planners will be inspired to incorporate environmentally conscious designs as they plan our neighborhood's future.

We're going to explore the area in a variety of ways including canoe rides through the canal for the first 20-30 adventurous sketchers.  (First come, first served) Getting out on the water offers a completely different perspective.  The Gowanus Canal; once known for it’s pollution has become a magnet for artists trying to capture the wildlife, majestic bridges and historic structures of this neighborhood.



DETAILS and SCHEDULE

What:  Sketch the Gowanus Canal and neighborhood

Where:  We'll meet at the Gowanus Dredgers Boathouse at 125-153 2nd St, Brooklyn, NY 11231  (see map)  (Actually we'll be around the corner sketching at a small park that overlooks the canal or helping get the canoes setup.)

When:   We'll meet at the boathouse at 10 AM.  We have a two hour canoeing window from 11 AM to 1 PM.  All other time will be spent on land sketching the industrial views.

Lunch:  12:30 - 1:30 Bring your own or buy salad or sandwiches at Whole Foods or other local spots within walking distance.  The plan is that we'll be eating together outdoors.

Afternoon:  Back to sketching the neighborhood.

SHOW and TELL:   3 PM - We're walking to Givers & Takers a local restuarant/bar at 286 3rd Ave, Brooklyn, Phone: (347) 987-4306, where we will share drawings, good stories a snack or beer or wine if you're so inclined.

Click to Enlarge

NOTE:
-    Wear light clothing, bring sunscreen
-     Bring a stool if you have one, it gives you more options.
-     To go for a canoe ride you need to be strong enough to climb a ladder.
-     If you're coming by subway check connections, repair work has made subway travel challenging lately. 
-     Whle you're in the neighborhood you might want to check out Artist & Craftsman Supply (307 Second St.) to see what might be the largest art supply store in NYC, ... a real treat for people like us.

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 Highbridge Park

If you ever thought about walking from Manhattan to the Bronx, this Wednesday is your day.  Join us at Highbridge Park where you can do just that! Ironically one of New York's newer parks is home to the oldest bridge in the city.  A large park with an iconic swimming pool, new mountain bike course among other amenities, it also houses part of the original aqueduct system that brought water from the Croton River to the city. 

The old aqueduct that transverse the Harlem River offers us views of upper Manhattan and the  Bronx. Want to get higher?  Climb the newly opened tower that housed the pumping equipment for the water system. 

HIghbridge 

The Tower from the Bridge

Inside the Tower

DATE: WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 26, 2018

START TIME: 10:30 AM

LOCATION: HGHBRIDGE PARK

                       West 170th St and Amsterdam Ave

DIRECTIONS:   1 or A Train to 168th Street.  Walk east on 168th St to Amsterdam Ave then north to the park.  Follow the map below to get to the bridge inside the park.

Please RSVP Directly to Raylie Dunkel at Raylie@verizon.net.  Looking for us? Call/text Raylie at 201-978-6387.  Bring a stool, lunch and water. There are no food services in the park and it is a walk fro the bridge to the stores along the avenue.   Bring lunch or purchase it from a vendor along the way. 

SATURDAY: Sketch Conservatory Garden

The Conservatory Garden is Central Park's six-acre formal garden. It is divided into three smaller gardens, each with a distinct style: Italian, French, and English. The Garden's main entrance is through the Vanderbilt Gate, on Fifth Avenue between 104th and 105th Streets. This magnificent iron gate, made in Paris in 1894, originally stood before the Vanderbilt mansion at Fifth Avenue and 58th Street.

The Italianate center garden is composed of a large lawn surrounded by yew hedges and is bordered by two exquisite allées of spring-blooming pink and white crabapple trees. A 12-foot high jet fountain plays on the western end of the lawn, backed by tiered hedges and stairs that lead up to a wisteria pergola. On the walkway under the pergola are medallions inscribed with the names of the original 13 states.

The northern, French-style garden showcases parterres of germander and spectacular seasonal displays of spring tulips, and Korean chrysanthemums in autumn, all within an ellipse of Japanese holly. In the center is the charming Three Dancing Maidens fountain by German sculptor, Walter Schott. To the south is the very intimate English-style garden. There are five mixed borders of trees, shrubs and perennial plants, and five seasonal beds featuring spring bulbs that are followed by annual
flower displays. A slope of woodland plants lines the western edge of this garden. At the center is sculptor Bessie Potter Vonnoh's lovely Frances Hodgson Burnett Memorial Fountain, a tribute to the author of the children's book, The Secret Garden. The children — a girl and a boy, said to depict Mary and Dickon, the main characters from the classic — stand at one end of a small water lily pool.

The Conservatory Garden is an officially designated Quiet Zone and offers a calm and colorful setting for a leisurely stroll, and intimate wedding, or the precious joys of a sketchbook.


DETAILS

When:  Saturday, September 22, 2018 at starting at 10 AM

Where:  Central Park's Conservatory Garden.  We'll meet near the Vanderbilt Gate on Fifth Avenue between 104th and 105th Streets.

Lunch:  12:00 Noon - We'll eat in the garden or nearby if picnicking isn't permitted in the Garden.  Bring your own or chance buying from vendors in the park.

Afternoon:  1:15 - Back to sketching in the area.

Show and Tell:  3:00 Meet at our lunch spot where we will share drawings, good stories and a beverage or snack if you're so inclined.


NOTE:

-     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 in Bryant Park CANCELED

So sorry to do this but the forecast is really bad for Tuesday.  The program in Bryant Park and the library is CANCELED for Tuesday.  Please watch for the announcement for next week.

Weekday Sketchers at Bryant Park TUESDAY

A carousel, a fountain, a beautiful lawn littered with sunbathers, bocci courts, food kiosks and beautiful trees with the NY Public Library as a backdrop is a clarion call for Urban Sketchers.  Join us on TUESDAY to capture the various scenes in this beautiful oasis in midtown.

Lots of seating but a stool is helpful. Bring lunch or purchase it at one of the food kiosks.  Please RSVP directly to Raylie Dunkel at raylie@verizon.net.  Looking for us? Call/text Raylie at 201-973-6387.

DATE: TUESDAY  September 18, 2018

STARTING TIME: 10:30 AM

LOCATION: BRYANT PARK

                       6TH AVENUE AND 42ND STREET

  WE WILL MEET IN FRONT OF THE FOUNTAIN ON 6TH AVE AND 41 ST.

TRANSPORTATION: E,B,D,F,M to 42nd Street/Bryant Park    7 to 5th Ave/Bryant Park

IN CASE OF RAIN WE WILL MEET IN THE LOBBY OF THE LIBRARY ON 5TH AVE

SATURDAY: Sketch the Storytellers

This Saturday, the Hans Christian Andersen Storytelling Center is providing a wonderful program for children of all ages, featuring fairy and folk tales from around the world.  Urban Sketcher Karen De Mauro is the featured storyteller this Saturday.  The event is centered around he Hans Christian Andersen statue "The Ugly Duckling" near 72nd Street & Fifth Avenue in Central Park.

The famous statue is located by the Central Park Model Boat Pond.  It’s a wonderful spot, filled with families and friends posing all day long in charming vignettes against beautiful backgrounds including the Fifth Avenue skyline peaking over the trees.  Any sketcher would be inspired.

DETAILS

When:  This Saturday, September 15th.  We’ll meet at 10 AM.  The story telling program begins at 11. There are wonderful scenes to sketch - all the time.

Where:  To get there enter the park at Fifth Avenue and 76th Street.  The pond and the statue are at what would be 74th Street so walk south.

How:  Subway - 6 train to 68th Street - Hunter College, or approach from the West side using the B or C train and walk across Central Park.  Check to make sure trains are running.  Lots of repair work on the weekends.

Lunch:  There are loads of vendors - buy food or bring your own.  We’ll eat around 12:30 dining together out doors.

Afternoon:  1:30  More sketching in the area including the boat pond.

Show and Tell: 3:00  We’ll walk to Riposo 72 located at 50 W 72nd St, ((212) 799-4140) where we’ll share drawings, good stories and a snack, beer or wine if you're so inclined.


NOTE:  Although there are benches, your options are always better if you bring a stool or chair.

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.

Weekday Sketcher do the Mural Arts Program in Jersey City

Jersey City has commissioned 99 artists to paint murals around the city and we are going to capture some of them in our sketchbooks. You know the woodcut of the wave done by Japanese artist Hokusai?  Well, Jersey City has one too. And a giant giraffe ,and Neptune rising from the sea,  and  Jim Bowie and ....much more. You can Google the murals for a peak at what we will be working on or visit Ling Chen's Instagram account to see how a local artist has captured these images: https://www.instagram.com/lingchen.art/

We will meet on the plaza by the Grove Street Station and work on the many murals in the immediate vicinity. Bring a stool and some lunch, or purchase lunch from the many restaurants in the area. 

DATE: THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2018

START TIME: 10:30 AM

LOCATION:  GROVE STREET PLAZA, JERSEY CITY at the intersection of Grove Street and Christopher Columbus Drive. 

TRANSPORTATON: Take either of the PATH lines (33rd Street or World Trade Center) to the Grove Street Station.  You can use your Metrocard on the PATH system. Stay towards the front or middle of the train. Exit the station via the escalator on the second exit level and gather near the rotunda around the train station.  From there we will explore a number of the murals in the immediate vicinity. 

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

Westchester Sketchers at Harbor Island Park on Saturday!

Harbor Island Park - Mamaroneck Avenue and Boston Post Road.  This is by far the gem of Mamaroneck with its historic landmark, plenty of open space, surrounded by greenery. with a wonderful beach and water park and play ground for kids and of course boating, including a launching area, docks, fishing floats.  There's loads to sketch.

Details:

WHEN:  Start time 10:30 AM on Saturday September 8th.

WHERE:  Harbor Island Park, use the entrance at Mamaroneck Ave. and Boston Post Road.
                 Meet us at the Welcome to Harbor Island Park sign, located near the parking area. 

TRANSPORTATION from NYC: Metro-North (New Haven Line) to Mamaroneck Train Station. 
                 Walk east along Mamaroneck Ave. about 5 blocks to the Park at the intersection of Boston Post Road.
                   
LUNCH:  12:30 PM  Bring your own or shop for possibilities on Mamaroneck Avenue.

SHOW and TELL:   1:00 PM - we will share drawings, good stories and thoughts.

NOTES:
_     Bring a stool if you have one, it gives you more options.
_     If coming by train, shop for your lunch as you walk along Mamaroneck Ave. to the park.
_     In case of rain, an alternate indoor location TBD will be announced.

If you can’t find us 

call Marianne at 914-355-6507 

or call Cathy at 914-625-0766.

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

SATURDAY: Sketch the Christopher Street Pier

It feels like NYC just noticed that we're an island.  We seem to have discovered our waterfront.  Areas that were run-down just a few years ago have been transformed into incredible locations.

I visited the Christopher Street Pier the other night to try to sketch a Tango Dance.  What a gorgeous location.  Views everywhere you looked, with a constant pleasant breeze.  I also found restaurants, lawns with views, clean restrooms and loads of interesting people to draw if you get tired of the view.


Join us sketching this Saturday.



DETAILS
What:  Sketch the Christopher Street Pier and the surround waterfront area.

Where:  We will meet at the entrance to the pier itself.

When:  10 AM is our start time.  If you come late look for people with sketch books or call or text me (number below).

How:  There are several subways that get you close, but you'll have an interesting walk through the picturesque West Village.  See the map below.

Lunch:  Noon - 12:00 PM Bring your own or purchase from vendors.  We'll be picnicking together.

Afternoon:  More sketching in the area.

Show and Tell:  At a location to be determined.  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.   

Christopher Street Pier

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 the Model Sail Boat Pond on Wednesday

Join us to sketch the Conservatory Waters, better known as the Model Sail Boat Pond in Central Park.   Originally created for children by Olmsted and Vaux and modeled after similar boat ponds in Europe, it was later enhanced with statues of Hans Christian Anderson, with the Ugly Duckling, and Alice in Wonderland with her entourage of characters.

There are plenty of benches around the pond but you might want to bring your stool to capture just the right angle. Bring lunch or get a snack at the concession stand. And, bring your imagination to see this lovely area of Central Park as if you were still a child. 

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

Conservatory Waters and Kerbs Boat House

Hans Christian Anderson and the Ugly Duckling

Alice in Wonderland and Friends

DATE: WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2018

STARTING TIME: 10:30 AM

LOCATION: CONSERVATORY WATERS/MODEL SAIL BOAT POND

         Enter the park through the "Vendors Gate" at 72nd St and 5th Ave. Follow the path to the pond.

TRANSPORTATION: 6 TRAIN to 68th Street.