SATURDAY - February 5th - Chinese New Year

 

It's the Year of the Tiger! Come join us in sketching around the world the festivities of Chinese New Year, a time of feasting, forgiveness, & celebration. Chinese New Year has enjoyed a 3,500 year history. Some people believe the festival originated in the Shang Dynasty, 1600-1046 BC. Celebrations of the Chinese New Year can last up to 16 days, although only the first seven days in China are considered a public holiday. Chinese New Year is celebrated by more than 20% of the world. 

Whether celebrating in Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong or Sydney, San Francisco, London, or NYC, sketchers will observe the Chinese New Year around the world. It is also known as either the Lunar New Year, because the date is set by the lunar calendar, or the Spring Festival. You may be attracted by the dragons and colorful costumes on parade, the lanterns, the food or the fireworks. You will surely find a worthy subject worthy for your attention. 

The most important part of Chinese New Year is the family reunion. Everyone tries to return to their families for the New Year’s Eve dinner. This results in the largest annual migration of people in the world. It is estimated in China alone in 2022, three billion trips will be made by people traveling to visit family for the holiday.

Bring your red media of choice - watercolors, colored pencils, pastels or others. In China, red relates to fire and energy, and has come to symbolize vitality, celebration, good fortune and prosperity. During Chinese New Year gifts are given in small, red envelopes, called “hong bao,” and Chinese homes are decorated with bright red banners to bring good luck. 

There are no fees. All skill levels are welcome. 

Registration for this virtual event is required. Click on the Eventbrite.com link below:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/chinese-new-year-tickets-253410827607?aff=erelpanelorg

Photographic references for this event are provided below:

https://61daa9c3bac0c.site123.me/

Future Events

February 12th - Castles and Countryside of Great Britain

February 19th - Black History Month

February 26th - Chihuly Gardens and Glass

NYC Urban Sketchers is a 501(c)(3) not for profit organization. A tax-deductible donation may be made by check and sent to: NYC Urban Sketchers, P.O. Box 1083, James A. Farley Post Office, New York, NY 10116. 

SATURDAY - January 29 - Trains and Railways

Join us for a day of sketching some of the most famous trains and railways of the world. Iconic trains and railroads like the Flying Scotsman and the Brighton Belle of the UK, the Maharaja’s Express of India, the Shang-ri La Express of China, the Flam Line of Norway, the Train-Alpine of New Zealand, the Rovos Line of South Africa, the Hiram Bingham Orient Express of Peru, and the Rocky Mountaineer in Canada will all provide memorable sketching experiences. And of course if you want very, very special treatment take a look at the British Royal Train.

Or you may choose to sketch some of the most beautiful train stations in the world like - St. Pancreas International in London, Gare de Nice-Ville in France, Amsterdam Central Station in the Netherlands, Milano Central in Italy, Antwerp Central in Belgium, or our own beloved Grand Central Station in NYC. 

Or you could try your hand at sketching some classic locomotives of the old days.

Bring your sketch supplies and travel with us for a train inspired sketching event January 29, 2022 at 10 am EST. 

There are no fees. All skill levels welcome.

Registration for this virtual event is required. Click on the Eventbrite.com link below:

Trains and RailwaysTrains and Railways

Photographic references for this event are provided below:

https://61d12dc894444.site123.me/

Future Events

February 5th - Chinese New Year

February 12th - Castles and Countryside of Great Britain

February 19th - Black History Month

NYC Urban Sketchers is a 501(c)(3) not for profit organization. A tax-deductible donation may be made by check and sent to: NYC Urban Sketchers, P.O. Box 1083, James A. Farley Post Office, New York, NY 10116. 

We’re Looking!

We’re Looking!

We’re setting up our Workshop schedule for 2022 (see below) and we’re looking for instructors. One good idea that will fascinate and educate your fellow sketchers. A new way of doing things. An interesting approach, a new medium, or a great technique, if you’ve got an idea that could be an interesting workshop - we’d like to talk to you.

Please send an email to Suzala <suzala@suzala.com>,

WORKSHOP SCHEDULE 2022

January 30th - Rusty Hardin - Quick and Easy Vignettes (part 1)

February 6th - Rusty Hardin - Quick and Easy Vignettes (part 2)

February 13th - Rusty Hardin - Quick and Easy Vignettes (part 3)

February 27th - Uma Kelkar - (details to be announced)

March 6th - Paul Heaston - Curved Perspective

March 20th - Marek Badzynski - (details to be announced)

SATURDAY - January 22 - Denali National Park & Preserve and Fairbanks, Alaska

 

Denali is a natural wonder filled with wildlife and glorious landscapes. Join artiest from around the world as we explore and create words of art in the media of your choice.

 

 Sitting at the foothills of the Alaska Range, Denali National Park and Preserve is as wild and wonderful as it was when hunter and naturalist Charles Sheldon first visited more than a century ago. It was Sheldon’s drive and determination to protect this American treasure that led to the creation of the National Park and Preserve in February, 1917.  The National Park was originally called Mt. McKinley National Park, and the large mountain of 20,310 feet was called Mt. McKinley.        It was the first national park created specifically to protect wildlife. UNESCO declared the park an international biosphere reserve in 1976. And four years later President Jimmy Carter expanded the park from 2 million to 6 million acres. The National Park and mountain were officially renamed Denali in 2015. 

Denali National Park is bisected by a single road. Travelers see the low-elevation taiga forest give way to high alpine tundra and snowy mountains, culminating in North America’s tallest peak, Denali.  For thousands of years, Alaska Natives have lived on the land surrounding Denali and used the resources for food, shelter, clothing, transportation and trade. The name Denali stems from the Athabaskan languages, and can mean “the tall one” or “mountain-big."

 Denali is a vast unspoiled environment. Wild animals large and small roan un-fenced lands, living as they have for centuries. The Park is home to 39 species of mammals, 169 species of birds, and 1 species of amphibian. The most sought after wildlife is known as “The Big Five” - grizzly bears, moose, wolves, caribou and Dall sheep. 

Visitors from around the world travel to Denali to immerse themselves in the glory of Mother Nature. Stepping into Denali is like stepping back in time. You can hike, camp, kayak, horseback ride, explore 70 million yer old fossils an even ride a dog sled. Since it opened in the 1920s sled dogs have helped rangers patrol the park. They are the only sled dogs in the United States working in a national park.

 

Denali is one of the best places in the U.S. to watch the Aurora Borealis. Even though the Aurora Borealis occurs year round, the best time to view it is in the fall, winter and early spring, when the night sky is dark enough to view these amazing displays of light and color after a strong solar storm. 

       Artists - grab your favorite art supplies and come sketch and create inspired images of Denali National Park and Preserve.  

There are no fees. All skill levels welcome.  

Registration for this virtual event is required. Please register at the Eventbrite link below:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/denali-national-park-preserve-and-fairbanks-alaska-tickets-237771479897?aff=ebdssbcitybrowse

Photographic references for this event are provided below:

https://61c8f1c2931c6.site123.me/

Future Events 

January 29th - Trains and Railways

February 5th - Chinese New Year 

Donations to NYC Urban Sketchers can be made by check and sent to: NYC Urban Sketchers, P.O.Box 1083, James A. Farley Post Office, New York, NY 10116 

SAVE the DATE: June 4-7, 2022 NYC Urban Sketchers ALBANY Retreat

Join us as we draw in the footsteps of Alexander Hamilton and the Roosevelts in the historic city of Albany, the Capitol of New York State. We are optimistic that, despite Covid, this trip will prevail, but please stay tuned for further details.

Discover Albany: Take a virtual tour to see what Albany has to offer, including historic sites, art galleries, museums, attractions, exhibits and more: https://www.albany.org/blog/post/virtually-discover-new-yorks-history-art-culture/

If you are interested in joining us, please email Marianne Milzoff at mmilzoff@optimum.net.

SATURDAY - January 15th - Winter Festivals

A winter festival, winter carnival, snow festival, or frost fair is an outdoor cold weather celebration that occurs in wintertime. Winter festivals are popular in D climates where winter is particularly long or severe, such as Siberia, Scandinavia, Canada and the northern United States. Most winter carnivals involve traditional winter pursuits such as dog sledding, ice hockey, ice carving, skating, skiing, and snow carving. (Wikipedia)

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Slip into something warm and gather your art supplies as we travel online throughout North America and the world exploring and sketching historic winter festivals. Glistening sculptures, twinkly lights, ice bowling, dogsled racing and the polar plunges are just a few of the arctic festivities. Many winter festivals are attributed to the Vikings. As great travelers, they shared their customs and seasonal celebrations throughout the world. But several festivals in North America simply began with fur trappers coming town for the winter for auctions. Snow and freezing temperatures were ver y isolating, so to bring the community together and lift spirits towns began adding winter activities. 

The City of Montreal has hosted the oldest winter celebration in North America since 1883. The St. Paul Winter Carnival is the oldest winter festival in the United States. Since 1886, the St. Paul celebration has showcased the beauty of Minnesota winters. The St. Paul event was launched when a smallpox epidemic in Montreal lured an ice sculptor to Minnesota to create the first ice castle in the United States. 

There are no fees. All skill levels are welcome

Registration is required. Please register at the Eventbrite link below:

Winter Festivals Free Sketch Event Tickets, Sat, Jan 15, 2022, at 10:00 AM | Eventbrite

Photographic references for this virtual event are provided below:

https://61c7b227c38a0.site123.me/ 

Future Events

January 22nd - Fairbanks and Denali

January 29th - Trains and Railroads

NYC Urban Sketchers is a 501(c)(3) not for profit organization. Donations by check to NYC Urban Sketchers may be sent to: 

NYC Urban Sketchers

P.O. Box 1083

James A. Farley Post Office

New York, NY 10116

SATURDAY - January 8 - The Art and History of Hearst Castle

 

Join Virtual NYC Urban Sketchers today as we sketch, draw or paint as we create works of art inspired by the landscape of the legendary Hearst Castle.  Located in the San Simeon Valley of California, the legendary estate houses a museum filled with twenty-five thousand works of art, artifacts and furnishings from around the world.

William Randolph Hearst referred to his hilltop paradise as “La Cuesta Encantada” - “The Enchanted Hill” an estate encompassing 250,000 acres. By 1947, the newspaper magnet and his architect, Julia Morgan had created an estate of 165 rooms and 127 acres of gardens, terraces, pools, walkways, and a zoo. This American castle was destined to become one of the world’s greatest showplaces for his art collection. Hearst Castle is now a historic house museum and one of California’s oldest state parks.

San Simeon State Park features coastal bluffs a rocky shoreline with an unobstructed view of the ocean and one of the largest populations of elephant seals. The park includes the Santa Rosa Creek Natural Preserve, the San Simeon Natural Preserve, and the Pa-nu Cultural Preserve. Santa Rosa Creek Preserve is an area which includes valuable riparian forests and coastal wetlands, that provide habitat for endangered Tidewater Goby. San Simeon Natural Preserve consists of vast wetlands, riparian areas, and several undisturbed native plant communities including unique mima mound topography. The Preserve is also the wintering site for monarch butterfly populations. Pa-nu Cultural Preserve contains the most significant archeological site dated as far back as 5,850 years ago within the San Simeon State Park. The site has significant evidence prehistoric technology, subsistence practices and social organization over the course of several centuries.

There are no fees. All skill levels are welcome. 

Registration is required. Please register at the Eventbrite link below:

• The Art & History of Hearst Castle Tickets, Sat, Jan 8, 2022, at 10:00 AM | Eventbrite

Photographic references for this event can be found at thee link below:

https://61ba330fceda1.site123.me/

Future Events

January 15th - Parades

January 22nd - Fairbanks and Denali

January 29th - Trains and Railroads

Donations by check to NYC Urban Sketchers can be sent to:

NYC Urban Sketchers
P.O. Box 1083
James A. Farley Post Office
New York, NY 10116

NYC Urban Sketchers merchandise is available at:

www.zazzle.com/nycurbansketchers/products

 

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