SATURDAY: Sketch the High Line

The High Line is the number one tourist attraction in NYC, or at least it's the top pick for Urban Sketchers who visit our city.  Given how many architects and landscape architects we have this is no surprise.  The High Line has also played a decisive part of New York reclaiming its waterfront.

A Sketcher's Delight

As usual this is a mid-week, best guess about the weekend weather.  The temperature looks reasonable and the forecast says morning rain.  The forecast will either improve or deteriorate.  Hold Saturday for sketching and we'll confirm, ... or come up with a Plan B on Friday depending on how the weather goes.

High Line Sketch by Michael Lohr

DETAILS:

iPad Sketch by Pat Gaignat

WHAT:  Sketch the High Line - starting at the beginning

WHERE:   The High Line enter at Gansevoort Street.

WHEN:  Staring time 10 AM. If you sleep late come anyway (Bring my phone number so you can
find us). 

HOW:  A, C, E subway to 14th Street.  Walk west to the High Line.  (see map).

NOTES: 
-   We will start our day at the southern end of the High Line just behind the Whitney Museum. 
-   We will likely travel north as the day progresses so look for us along the route or call to find out where we are.
-   Bring a folding stool or chair it gives you more options.
-  If it's raining when you arrive at the Gansevoort entrance

LUNCH:  Noon - 12:00 PM At The Park located at 118 10th Ave Phone:  212-352-3313 (Mikela).

AFTERNOON:  1:15 PM Back sketching on the High Line - moving north.

SHOW and TELL:  3:00 PM at Oscar Wilde located at 45 W 27th St Phone 212-213-3066 (Genesis) we will share drawings, good stories and a snack, beer or wine if you're so inclined.  This place is a visual treat - you're going to love sketching the interior.

click to enlarge

Can't find us?  

Call Mark - 973-809-9128

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

Weekday Schedule for November & December

In an effort to help you plan ahead to attend the Weekday Sketchers outings, here is the schedule of events for November and December. 

Wednesday, November 7, 2018        Can-Struction at World Financial Center

Tuesday,  November 13, 2018          Fire Museum

Tuesday, November 20, 2018            Cast Hall at Institute for Classical Architecture and Art

Thursday, November 29, 2018          St. Bart's Cathedral and Concert

Wednesday, December 5, 2018         Queens Museum

Tuesday, December 11, 2018            Ford Foundation Atrium 

Wednesday, December 19, 2018       Chaim Gross Foundation

We will be taking a break at the last few weeks of December for the holidays and resume our schedule in January. 

Weekday Sketchers at the Pumpkin Patch at Rock Center

 We have all seen the beautiful Christmas displays at Rockefeller Center,  but have you ever seen the Pumpkin Patch that celebrates the colors, fruits and flowers of fall?  Join us this week to capture the beautiful displays against the backdrop of the art deco  buildings and statuary of this New York City icon, before it is dismantled to make way for the Christmas Tree and trumpeting angels.  

 If the weather becomes too blustery or cold there are plenty of indoor options in the vicinity: the views from the window by the skating rink, the art deco architecture of the Center's buildings or St. Patrick's Cathedral right across the street. 

DATE: TUESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2018

START TIME: 10:30 AM

LOCATION: ROCKEFELLER CENTER

                    Note: We wil meet at the entrance to the Six Pools of Channel Gardens on 5th Ave. mid block between 49th and 50th Street directly across the street from Sak's. 

DIRECTIONS: E, M TO 5th Ave/53rd Street stop. B, D, F, M to 47-50th Rockefeller Center stop.

Please RSVP directly to Raylie Dunkel at Raylie@verizon.net. Looking for us? Call/text Raylie at 201-978-6387.Bring your stool and lunch or purchase lunch at the food court below the skating rink where we will meet for lunch at approximately 12:30.    

Inwood Artworks Galley

I am hanging a group of paintings tomorrow. Its a large space shared by 6 different artists.

this is the largest (70 inches) and oldest (1989) piece.

An a whole stack of 5x7 inch watercolors including:

 
 

SATURDAY: Sketch Natural History

If the weather forecast holds true for Saturday it would be good to sketch in 

a wonderful dry, warm indoor space filled with great things and interesting people.  

Sounds like the American Museum of Natural History, ...  the only museum in the city with their own subway stop (a rainy day bonus!)

DETAILS:

WHAT:  We'll be sketching at the American Museum of Natural History

WHERE: Located at Central Park West & 79th St, New York City - we'll be focusing our sketching in the Hall of Biodiversity and the neighboring Hall of Ocean Life which are located on the first floor

WHEN:  Starting at opening time - 10 AM.  Sleeping late?  No problem - you'll find us there.  We're the people sketching!

HOW:  The Museum has its own parking lot.  The C train stops at 81 Street - Museum of Natural History which is in the building

Admission:  The AMNH has a suggested admission price of Adult $22 / Child (2-12) $12.50 / Senior & Student $17. You can pay as little $1 and gain entrance. Entrance includes all 45 halls of the museum as well as the Rose Center for Earth and Space.


LUNCH:  Noon - 12:00 PM.  We'll eat together in the lower level cafeteria - we'll be sitting towards the back.  Bring your own or buy from the museum.

AFTERNOON:  1:15  Back to sketching.

SHOW and TELL:   3 PM - We'll meet again towards the back of the cafeteria, where we will share drawings, good stories a snack or drink if you're so inclined.


NOTE:
-     Bring a stool if you have one, it gives you more options.  Tripods are not permitted but stools are. 

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 Battery Wednesday

NOTE: Weather conditions render the trip to the Chinese Scholars Garden unworkable since it is an outdoor venue. We will save the location for the spring 

The battery at the very tip of Manhattan offers us the opportunity to capture the harbor, Governor's Island, boat and ferry traffic, and the Brooklyn and NJ coastlines.  We will meet at the entrance to the Staten Island Ferry where we can get harbor views from inside the building. If the weather is warn enough we can work on the plaza and capture the skyline from the bottom up, Castle Clinton , the Glass Carousel and much, much more. 

Still want a sea cruise?  Jump on the free Staten Island Ferry for a trip across NY Bay.  Say"Hello" to the Statue of Liberty and then sketch the salt water aquirams in the terminal while waiting for the return ferry.

DATE. WEDNESDAY. OCTOBER 24 2018

START TIME: 10:30 AM

LOCATION:  STATEN ISLAND FERRY TERMINAL
                         South Ferry. Manhattan

TRANSPORTATION: 1 to South Ferry , R, W to Whitehall Street.

RSVP directly to Raylie Dunkel at raylie@verizon.net. Looking for us? Call/text Raylie at 201-978-6387. Bring lunch and a stool

SATURDAY: Sketch the MET

I keep checking the weather forecast.  I'm hoping against hope for one more day of summer.  I'm hoping for perfect day at the end of October that has the warmth and sunshine of August.  Apparently that's not what we're getting on Saturday.  So, with an eye towards the winter months - let's sketch indoors.

The largest art museum in the US is up on Fifth Avenue. It's so large that it makes sense to pick one specific area to focus our energies.  We'll be spending our time in the American Wing, where there is loads to see and draw.

DETAILS:

WHAT:  We'll be sketching in the American Wing at the Met

WHERE: At the Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1000 5th Ave, New York, NY

WHEN:  Starting at opening time - 10 AM.  Sleeping late?  No problem - you'll find us there.

HOW:  Use the side school entrance on 81st Street instead of going up the main stairs. There is a coat check there and you can pay admission there too.  The nearest subway stop is 86th Street at Lexington Ave

Admission:  The museum has a somewhat confusing admission policy.  The current pay-as-you-wish policy will stay in place for all New Yorkers and students from Connecticut and New Jersey, though they'll now need to provide some ID or proof of address before entering the exhibits.  Members are admitted for free and can bring one guest.  Children under the age of 12 will get free admission, and senior citizens from out of state will be charged $17. If you're not a New Yorker, not a member, and not a senior, a child or a student - admission is $25.

LUNCH:  Noon - 12:00 PM.  We'll eat together in the lower level cafeteria - we'll be sitting towards the back.  Bring your own or buy from the museum.

AFTERNOON:  1:15 PM  Back to sketching in the American Wing

SHOW and TELL:   3 PM - We'll meet again towards the back of the cafeteria, where we will share drawings, good stories a snack or drink if you're so inclined.


NOTE:
-     Bring a stool if you have one, it gives you more options.  Tripods are not permitted but stools are. 
-     Backpacks are not permitted although you can carry a day- bag
-     The rules about drawing in the museum are unevenly enforced.  Some guards may insist you can only use pencil other guards seem delighted to see us sketching.  Smile - and don't argue

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 Grand Army Plaza Tuesday

What makes Grand Army Plaza grand?  

With the Soldiers and Sailors Arch, Bailey Fountain, a memorial to JFK and tributes to heros long forgotten, it is a grand place.....to capture in our sketchbooks.   Let's take in the plaza with he views of the entrance to Prospect Park and the Brooklyn Library while there is still time to work outdoors.   

There plaza surrounding the arch and fountain contain numerous tributes to hero's of the Civil War.  To familiarize yourself with the many statures and symbols, please visit the Wikipedia site: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Army_Plaza.

The weather should be sunny but a bit cooler than we have gotten used to.  Please dress in layers to keep yourself comfortable.  Bathrooms, water, coffee and food are available at the Brooklyn Library.  Bring a stool and some lunch, or purchase something at the library cafe. 

NOTE: Sorry to disappoint those who were looking forward to going to the Brooklyn Navy Yard, however there are a number of renovations taking place and it would be best to save that location for a later date. 

Soldiers and Sailors Arch

Bailey's Fountain

Entrance to Prospect Park

DATE:   TUESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2018

LOCATION:  GRAND ARMY PLAZA BROOKLYN

START TIME: 10:30 AM

TRANSPORTATION: 2, 3 train to Grand Army Plaza

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

SATURDAY: Sketch Weeksville

Weeksville Heritage Center, Brooklyn’s largest African-American cultural institution, is dedicated to preserving the history of the 19th century African American community of Weeksville, Brooklyn - one of America’s first free black communities.  

Weeksville, part of the present-day neighborhoods of Crown Heights and Bedford-Stuyvesant, was an independent free black community, named for James Weeks. Weeks purchased property in 1838, along with other African American investors, in order to create an intentional landowning community.  Continuing the legacy of self-determination, Weeksville's history was rediscovered in 1968 when urbanization threatened to erase the physical memory by destroying the few remaining historic homes. Instead, a grassroots preservation effort started to preserve the Hunterfly Road Houses and the memory of historic Weeksville.

There is no place like this in NYC.  It captures a fleeting piece of NYC's past.


DETAILS

What:   Sketch the Weeksville Heritage Center in Brooklyn - 158 Buffalo Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11213

When:  This Saturday October 13th starting at 10 AM.  Running late?  We'll be there.

How:  Subway -
-  Take the C train (Euclid Avenue) to Ralph Avenue - walk 11 minutes or 0.5 miles.
          or
-  The A train (Far Rockaway - Mott Avenue) to Utica Avenue  Walk 14 minutes or 0.7 miles
(see map)

Lunch:  12:00 Noon - Bring your own or rely on a handful of bodegas in the area.  We'll dine outdoors

Afternoon:  1:15 PM  Continue sketching

Show and Tell:  3:00 PM  Will be held out doors at the Weeksville site where we will share drawings, good stories.

NOTES:
_     Dress warmly - in layers the high is supposed to be 57 degrees
-     Bring a stool if you have one, it gives you more 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.

Weekday Sketchers at the Bronx Zoo Wednesday

Why is going to the zoo and instant trip back to childhood?  To answer the question, join us this Wednesday as we capture the animals,  people and the beautiful beau arts architecture as we explore the best zoo in NYC!  

We will meet at the Zoo Center by the rhino cage. Click here for zoo map: https://bronxzoo.com/map.    From here, there are good views of the zoo building and plaza as well as some big and small animal exhibits.  Bring a stool and some lunch, or purchase it at the Dancing Crane Cafe.  The weather should be warm, so a cap and sun block are also good things to throw in your bag.

Zoo Center

                   

DATE: WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2018

STARTING TIME: 10:30 AM

LOCATION: BRONX ZOO, 2300 SOUTHERN BLVD, BRONX 

                                    Zoo entrance is free on Wednesdays. 

TRANSPORTATON: 2,5 train to West Farms Rd/E. Tremont Ave.

NOTE:  It is much easier to take the train to this stop that following the directions on the web site.  Come down from the platform to street level. Walk north two blocks to the Asia Gate zoo entrance.  Follow the walkway to the Zoo Center.  

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

SATURDAY: Sketch Beautiful Greenwich

Our Host Mel Barranco is sharing his town 

-

Greenwich CT 

on the Long Island Sound

Beautiful Greenwich CT, outside the boundaries of New York City Urban Sketching. This Saturday we'll be taking a walk on the wild side by visiting Mel Barranco in his home town.  This is going to be a good day of sketching, and something different.  Greenwich offers two distinctly different attractions, a wonderful, highly sketchable marina with boats and big sky views, and the scenic charm of a prosperous suburban community's mail street.

DETAILS

OUR HOST:
Mel will meet us at the Greenwich Station at 10:32am.  We will proceed to walk towards the marina, a short 5 min walk from the train station.  There are some benches at the park but you're welcome to bring your favorite stool for sketching.

This is a Rain or Shine Plan:  There is a great rainy day back-up planned for the Bruce Museum that has a $7 admission fee.

LEAVE:   9:30 AM - From Grand Central Station The Metro North weekend train schedule to Greenwich departs at 36 minutes past each hour.  The 9:36 train gets in to Greenwich station at 10:32am.

The RETURN:  On the return schedule, two times are available at each hour - 13 minutes past and 43 minutes past - arriving at the Grand Central Station 61 minutes later.

The Fare:  Round trip off-peak fare is $19.50, reduced fare for Seniors/disabled/Medicare is $13.00

Lunch:  12:00 - Bring your own or purchase food in town.  If the weather is good we'll eat outside.

Afternoon:  1:15  We'll sketch downtown Greenwich.

Show and Tell:   3:00 PM at the Sundown Saloon (a short walk from the train station) to share drawings, good stories and a beer or wine if you're so inclined.


NOTES:
_     Wear layers it's often cool by the water.
-     Bring sunscreen and a hat
-     Bring a stool if you have one, it gives you more options.
-     If you're meeting us at Grand Central Station assume you'll have some challenges getting there. Subway repair work has made subway travel challenging lately. 

If you can’t find us

call or text Mark at 973-809-9128

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