SATURDAY: Sketch Columbus Park

 

Columbus Park is situated in the heart of one of the oldest residential areas in Manhattan, adjacent to the infamous "Five Points".  Formerly known as Mulberry Bend Park, Five Points Park and Paradise Park, Columbus Park is a public park in Manhattan's Chinatown.  During the 19th century, this was the most dangerous ghetto area of immigrant New York, as portrayed in the book and film Gangs of New York.

Today, the park often serves as a gathering place for the local Chinese community, where "the neighborhood meets up to play mahjong, perform traditional Chinese music and practice tai chi in the early mornings.

DETAILS
What:   We will be sketching in Columbus Park

Where:   Columbus Park is located at Mulberry Street &, Baxter St,

When:  Meet at 10 AM on Saturday September 3, 2022.   Sleeping late?  Come anyway - we’ll be there

How:
-   By Subway:  

• Canal Street - N, Q, R, W, 6, J and Z trains

Walking from the Subway take Canal Street to Baxter

     (see map below).

Lunch:  12:30 PM .  Bring your own or rely on local vendors.  There are loads of food options in this neighborhood.  We will try to find a quiet corner in the park where we can eat.

Afternoon:  1:30 PM  Back to the sketching

Show and Tell:  3:00 PM - We’ll find a likely spot to share our work, tell stories and talk about what artists talk about.

NOTES:

-     Bring a hat and be prepared for sunshine  

-      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.

Separating Virtual Sketching from NYC Urban Sketchers

Thank you for visiting our group and thank you for your contributions.  As an Urban Sketching group we follow the Urban Sketching Manifesto.  The guide says we sketch from life.  

The pandemic made getting together to sketch in public difficult and dangerous. We decided to temporarily suspend some of the rules and used videoconferencing to get together. It was not Urban Sketching, but it did help us stay together during difficult times.

Now that COVID-19 is receding, we are meeting again regularly for sketching on location

and the time has come for NYC Urban Sketchers to separate from virtual sketching. A very accomplished team of artists and facilitators will continue hosting virtual sketching events, as an independent organization under the name Artful Explorers. 

If you ever attended a virtual sketching event, announcements from Artful Explorers will continue to arrive in your mailbox. Artful Explorers will have their own Facebook Group and website and artwork created during their virtual sketching events will be posted to the group’s Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/groups/1042310529802779).  We are asking all virtual artists to now post their work to the new Artful Explorers site.

The NYC Urban Sketchers social media platforms will be limited to serving artists sketching NYC and the surrounding area.  If you live and sketch with us in New York, we would also like to see your travel sketches.

Starting today, we encourage people to post only appropriate work to our site.   If you are visiting NYC we’d love to see your sketches of our town.

We wish our friends and fellow artists at Artful Explorers every success.

The Board of Directors

New York City Urban Sketchers

August 30, 2022

Weekday Sketchers at South Cove Wednesday

Continuing with our  project of "Below 14th Street", this week we will visit the South Cove of Battery Park to capture the interesting walkways, foliage and river views in this small gem of a garden.  You can sit on the dock and look up to the fantastic helix and try to draw the winding staircase and view decks, or climb up on the structure and get a bird's eye view of the area.  

Face west and paint the river with Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty, or face east and draw the beautiful trees.  Like flowers instead?  Take a short walk south and draw gardens around the Museum of Jewish Heritage.  Like boats? Take a short walk to North Cove and draw the. yachts that sail here from Europe. No matter the view....you will have plenty to work with. 

DATE. WEDNESDAY AUGUST 31, 2022

STARTING TIME: 10:30 AM

LOCATION:  SOUTH COVE OF BATTERY PARK

                        We will meet at the end of Second Place near the helix walkway.

TRANSPORTATION: 1 to Rector Street. (Check a subway map. There are many lines that come into the 

area with a short walk to the meeting spot) 

NOTES

• RSVP directly to Raylie Dunkel at Rayliedunkel1@gmail.com
• Looking for us? Call/text Raylie at 201 273-0445
• Plenty of benches (and rocks) but a stool will give you more options
• Bring lunch or purchase it nearby
• Bathrooms and water available in the area

WEDNESDAY: Westchester Sketchers at Greenburgh Nature Center in Scarsdale

.

We had such a positive experience last month that we are returning to the GNC for a second visit.

The Greenburgh Nature Center’s mission is to inspire passion, curiosity, respect, and action for our natural world.  It is a beloved retreat because of its peaceful, relaxing setting.  Among its 33 acres, you will find, rambling forest trails, a flourishing native plant meadow, seasonal organic gardens, Native American Replica Village, and open green spaces.  Surrounding the Manor House, you will find many outdoor animal habitats including the Barnyard, Birds of prey, Beehives, and Butterfly Arbor.  Adjacent to the Great Lawn is the Nature Center’s Discovery Playground.

DETAILS:

Where: Greenburgh Nature Center 99 Dromore Rd. Scarsdale, NY 10583 Phone: (914) 723-3470

When: Wednesday, August 31, 2022. 

Start time: 10:30 AM.  We will meet in front of the Nature Center manor house.

Directions: https://greenburghnaturecenter.org/visit/directions/

Transportation from NYC: The closest Metro-North train station is Hartsdale, on the Harlem line. 

The Nature Center is a short taxi ride from the station.

Lunch: 1 PM. Location TBD. Bring your own food and beverage.

Show and Tell: Following lunch, we will share drawings and tell stories. This social part of our day is not to be missed.

NOTES:

- Bring a stool if you have one. It gives you more options.

- Dress for sunshine.  Bring a hat and sunscreen.

- Parking is free.

Please R.S.V.P. to Cathy Gutterman at cathygutterman@verizon.net

If you can’t find us call: Cathy at (914) 625-0766. 

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

SATURDAY: Sketch the Doors of Delmonico’s

 

We’re heading for the old part of town to sketch the twisty Dutch streets.  There is an amazing amount of street sketch-able stuff within a two block radius in any direction.  So far, it looks like Saturday will be a perfect sketching day.

A partial list of potential sites:

• Delmonico's - 56 Beaver St,  An old time NYC Restaurant and the inventor of several notable dishes, including Eggs Benedict and Baked Alaska.
• Fraunce’s Tavern - 54 Pearl St, - The tavern has more history than almost any other building in NYC since it’s been standing longer than most of them. It was a gathering place for patriots, politicians and others during the time of our nation’s birth.
• India House - 1 Hanover Square, the original home of the New York Cotton Exchange, it is now a private club and restaurant.
• Dutch Buildings on Williams Street, the last relics of the old Dutch style of architecture of New Amsterdam 
• Cobblestone Streets - scenic streets - Stone Street
• The Elevated Acre - 55 Water Street  It’s a secret garden in the middle of the Financial District.  Tucked between two office buildings at 55 Water Street is a hard-to-find escalator which whisks you up to The Elevated Acre.  

DETAILS

What:   We will be sketching in lower Manhattan in one of New York’s oldest neighborhoods

Where:   We will meet at the park in Hanover Square at the corner of William St and Pearl Street

When:  Meet at 10 AM.   Sleeping late?  Come anyway - we’ll be there

How:

-   By Subway:  

• Whitehall St - N, R, W

• South Ferry - 1

• Rector St.  N, R W

• Wall St - 4, 5

• Broad St - J

• Wall St / William St - 2, 3

     (see map below).

Lunch:  12:30 Noon .  Bring your own or rely on local vendors.  We will probably be having a social lunch together at the Elevated Acre. That will be confirmed in the morning.

Afternoon:  1:30 PM  Back to the sketching

Show and Tell:  3:00 PM - We’ll find a likely spot (possibly the Elevated Acre) to share our work, tell stories and talk about what artists talk about.

NOTE:

-     Bring a hat and be prepared for sunshine  

-      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 Union Square Green Market

 Ok, so Union Square is at 14th Street, not below it.... but it is a great place to sketch.

Join us on Wednesday, when the Green Market is open at Union Square for great sketching opportunities.  The veggies and flowers, the tents and signage, the people and the pets!  Lots and lots to capture in our books.  Don't like that? There are the chess players and craft vendors on the south side of the park. Or get inside the park to sketch the statues and the people on the benches having lunch and lounging around.  No matter what you choose it will be a great sketch!

WHEN:  WEDNESDAY AUGUST 24, 2022

STARTING TIME: 10:30 AM

LOCATION:  UNION SQUARE PARK

                       14th Street and Union Square West

 We will meet by the rotunda on the corner by the subway entrance on 14th Street and Union Square West  

TRANSPORTATION:  4,5,6, L, N, Q, R, W TO UNION SQUARE 

Meet by the rotunda over the subway 

NOTES

• Please RSVP directly to Raylie Dunkel at rayliedunkel1@gmail.com
• Looking for us? Call/text Raylie at 201-273-0445
• Lots of benches in the park but a stool will help you by the Green Market
• There are bathrooms and water available. 
• Lots of food vendors around or bring your own.
• The Green Market is very busy.  Be prepared to find a spot out of the way. 

New Jersey Sketchers at Laurelwood Gardens

What could be more pleasant on a summer's day than a stroll through a beautiful garden? How about, taking that stroll and sketching the views in the garden?

Join us on Thursday August 25th for such a stroll in Laurelwood Arboretum in Wayne, NJ.  Just like the story of Goldilocks, this is just the right size for a day of sketching.  Not too big and not too small but packed with many sketch able views: a pond, gazebos, rustiest benches and bridges, elevated walkways looking down onto meadows and a sculpture trail. Many side trails with benches situated in just the right spot for a sketch, are part of the charm of this garden.  

For more information about Laurelwood Arboretum:  https://laurelwoodarboretum.org

WHEN: THURSDAY AUGUST 25, 2022

STARTING TIME: 10:30 AM

LOCATION: LAURELWOOD GARDEN

                       725 Pines Lakes Drive West, Wayne NJ

                     We will meet in the parking area and then find our individual sketch sites

TRANSPORTATION: PLEASE CHEK THE WEB SITE FOR DIRECTIONS

NOTES

• Please RSVP  Directly to Margaret Casagrande at Margaret.casagrancde@gmail.com 
• Looking for us? Call or text Margaret at 646-515-9913
• We will meet in the parking area before entering the park
• There is no fee to enter the garden
• Bathrooms and water are available
• There is no food allowed in the garden so we will meet for lunch in the parking area. There is no food service in the garden. Bring you lunch with you
• There are plenty of benches along the trails but bringing a stool will give you flexibility 

SATURDAY: Sketch Governors Island

The idea of starting a sketch event on a boat in New York Harbor is just so appealing.   Some might argue that the best ferry ride you can take is the trip to Governors Island. I might be suffering from Ferry Envy​ - I missed the sketch event at Red Hook.   

It’s not big enough to be a borough, but it’s certainly larger than the Brooklyn neighborhood where I grew up.  Lots and lots to explore and even more to sketch.  Our weather for Saturday looks very inviting.

When considering sketching subjects you might want to consider this list of things to do.  https://www.govisland.com/things-to-do​  ​There is a lot.

The ferry is free if you get there before noon.  Bring a bike if you like.   Ferries depart for the island from both Manhattan and Brooklyn.

DETAILS
What:   We’ll be sketching at Governors Island, and we’ll be getting there by ferry from Manhattan or Brooklyn.

Where:   The Manhattan ferry leaves from Pier 11/Wall St,  (10 SOUTH STREET)
The Brooklyn ferry leaves from Brooklyn Bridge Park - PIER 6

When you get to the island go to Nolan Park - it’s the midway point between the two ferry landings and an easy spot to find people.  From there we’ll branch out.


When:  
For Manhattan:

Be at the ferry at 9:30 AM for the salt water journey.  You will need to get a ticket.  The ferry departs at 10 AM.  If you’re sleeping late there is also a free ferry at 10:40 and again at 11:20.  After that the ferry will cost $4.00

For Brooklyn

Be at the ferry at 9:45.  You will need to get a ticket.  The ferry departs at 10:15.  Ferries leave every hour so the next one is at 11:15.  After that the ferry will cost $4.00

How:
-   NYC Subway:  

#1 train - South Ferry

4 - 5 train - Bowling Green

R train to Whitehall Street

- Brooklyn Subway:

R, 2, 3, 4, 5  train to  - Borough Hall/Court Street

Lunch:  12:00 Noon .  Bring your own, or purchase food from the vendors on the island.  There are some good choices.

Afternoon:  1:00 PM  Back to the sketching

Show and Tell:  3:00 PM - ​Location to be determined.  We'll share​ the day's work, tell stories and talk about what artists talk about.


NOTE:
-     Bring a hat and be prepared for sunshine  
-      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.

Sketching the Oldest Streets in NYC

Hanover Square with Queen Elizabeth II Gardena and India House 

Amid the enormous skyscrapers, the traffic, the people and the noise, it is hard to believe that NYC was once a small village of twisty streets, cobblestones and clapboard buildings.  It is still there....if you look ...hard. 

Join us as we traverse streets from the very start of New York with names like Stone, William, Pearl, and Beaver. Come and capture some of the buildings that stood there when horses and carts rode past them with names like Frances Tavern, India House and a row of Dutch houses on William Street  

Read the articles below for some history of the area and the street names. 

https://untappedcities.com/2016/06/21/a-history-of-nycs-hanover-square-and-east-financial-district-from-the-bowery-boys-adventures-in-old-new-york/

https://www.thewallstreetexperience.com/blog/fraunces-tavern-nyc-dining-history/

Fraunces Tavern 

We will start at Hanover Square and the Queen Elizabeth II Garden. (can you believe there is a garden in NYC dedicated to the Queen?!?).  From there we will fan out to sketch what strikes our fancy, then come back for lunch and show what we have found.   

India House

Dutch Buildings on Williams Street

WHEN:  WEDNESDAY AUGUST 17, 2022

STARTING TIME: 10:30 AM

WHERE:  MEET IN THE PARK ON HANOVER SQUARE

TRANSPORTATION 2,3 to Wall Street/William Street

Stone Street

NOTES

• RSVP directly to Raylie Dunkel at rayliedunkel1@gmail.com
• Looking for us? Call/text Raylie at 201-273-0445
• Bring a stool, a hat and lunch, or purchase it from the many food outlets in the area

Meet At Hanover Square

THURSDAY: Westchester Sketchers at Cold Spring

This joint event is being co-hosted by Jamie Grossman for LHVPAP, and Cathy Gutterman for Westchester NYC Urban Sketchers.

Cold Spring is located 50 miles north of Manhattan at scenic on the Hudson River.  It is a rural area steeped in history and rich in visual sketchable scenes.  We will be sketching the waterfront area and town.  There are incredible peaceful river views, scenic streets with antique shops, clothing stores, coffee houses and so much more.  Main Street is about five blocks long and features many well-preserved 19th-century buildings.  By the waterfront, you will have a view of the Hudson River north and south, the north end of West Point, the marina, and the streets and buildings that flank the waterfront.

DETAILS:

When:  Thursday, August 18, 2022.

Start time: 10:00 AM.  Sleeping late?  Come anytime dawn to dusk.

Where:  Cold Spring, NY -  Meet by Cold Spring Gazebo (Water St. and Main St.)

Directions by Car: https://www.mapquest.com/us/new-york/cold-spring-ny-282037301

There is a municipal parking lot located on Fair Street.  It has metered parking.

Directions by Train: From GRAND CENTRAL take the Hudson Line to the Cold Spring Station.
Leaves NYC - 8:46 AM - Arrives in Cold Spring at 10:04 AM.  

Trains back to NYC - Leave at 3:15 PM, 4:19 PM, and 5:17 PM. 

Lunch: 1:00 PM.  Location TBD.  Bring lunch or buy from one of the eateries or deli on Main Street.  

Show and Tell:  Following lunch.  This is the social part of our day and not to be missed.

NOTES:
-  Bring a hat and sunscreen.

-  There are benches along the waterfront but bring a stool for more options.
-  We'll be by the water, so you might need a sweater.

-  Dockside Park is undergoing construction, so we will avoid that area.

Please R.S.V.P. to Cathy Gutterman at cathygutterman@verizon.net

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.

You Are Invited - “Virtual Sketching in Time of COVID-19” Art Exhibit Opening

SATURDAY: Sketch Rockefeller Park

 

​We've been sketching in the heat for more than a month now.  This coming Saturday looks like a normal summer day instead of the scorcher's we've been experiencing.   We still want to visit locations below 14th Street so we have lots of artwork for our next show.  

Rockefeller Park looks so inviting.  There are trees.  There are breezes coming in from the water.  There's greenery with an urban background.  There's food nearby and bathrooms too.  Urban Sketching Perfection!  It will also be filled with New Yorkers out enjoying the good weather, depending on us to record their wonderful day.​  Let's do it!

(The view of Rockefeller Park as you enter from Murray Street)

DETAILS

What:   We’ll be sketching Rockefeller Park 

Where:   Follow Murray Street due West until you get to the park.  The entrance at Murray is about in the middle of the park.

When:  Start time - 10 AM.  Saturday, August 13, 2022  Running late?  Come anyway - we'll be there.

How:

-   By Subway:  

• Chambers Street:   1, 2, 3, A, C, trains all stop nearby - (see map below).
• City Hall:  N, R, and W
• Park Place:  2, 3
• World Trade Center:  E

Lunch:  We'll break at 12:00.  Location to be determined.  Bring your own food and drink or rely on vendors.

Afternoon:  1:00 PM  Back to sketching.  

Show and Tell:  3:00 PM - Location to be determined.    We’ll share stories from the day, show our artwork and talk about the things artists talk about when they’re together.

NOTE:

-     Bring a hat.  

-      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.

SATURDAY: Westchester Sketchers at the Bartow-Pell Mansion in the Bronx

 

Terraced Garden 

Located in the Bronx, just ten miles from Manhattan, Bartow-Pell Mansion Museum, with its splendid late Federal style exterior and Greek Revival period rooms, is a hidden gem set within New York City’s largest park – Pelham Bay.  As the only grand 19th-century country house still in existence overlooking the bay, the Museum provides an important link to the social and architectural history of New York City.

The Bartow-Pell Museum is situated within a 60-acre New York City Landmark Historic District and is surrounded by a “forever wild” zone.  The six-acre site boasts a formal, terraced garden, designed by Delano & Aldrich in 1916, a circa 1840 Carriage House, a Children’s Organic Garden, and the Pell Memorial Gravesite.

Carriage House

DETAILS:

Where: Bartow-Pell Mansion Museum 895 Shore Rd, Bronx, NY 10464 Phone: (718) 885-1461

When: Saturday, August 13, 2022.  (Rain Date: Sunday, August 14)

Start time: 10:00 AM.

Directions: https://www.bartowpellmansionmuseum.org/visit/plan-your-visit/

Transportation from NYC: Take the Metro-North Harlem line from Grand Central Terminal to the Brewster Station. Take a short taxi ride to the farm.

Lunch: 1 PM. Bring your own food and beverage.  Location to be determined.

Show and Tell: Following lunch, we will share drawings and tell stories. This social part of our day is not to be missed.

Garden Gates

NOTES:

- Guided tours are held 15 minutes after the hour beginning at 12:15 p.m.

- Tour cost: Adults: $10; Seniors (65+) and Students: $8.
- There is no fee to visit the gardens and grounds.

- Restrooms are located in the Mansion.

- Bring a stool if you have one.  It gives you more options.
- Dress for sunshine. Bring a hat and sunscreen.

Please R.S.V.P. to Cathy Gutterman at cathygutterman@verizon.net

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.