Weekday and Westchester Sketchers 

at Met TUESDAY

One more opportunity to sketch holiday decorations! 

Before the magnificent Met's Christmas Tree is taken down, let's get there to capture its beautiful work of art in our sketchbooks.   Twenty feet high, surrounded by the Neapolitan Village and creche with angels dancing above, it will be a challenge to get it all down on a page

Join us to sketch the tree or any other object that catch your fancy.  You can't run out of things to sketch at the Met!!

DATE: TUESDAY JANUARY 2, 2024

STARTING TIME: 10:30 AM

                                We will meet at the tree at 10:30 

LOCATION: THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

                        1000 5th Avenue at 82nd Street

TRANSPORTATION:  4,5,6 TRAIN TO 86TH STREET

NOTES

• Please RSVP directly to Raylie Dunkel at President@nycurbansketchers.org or Cathy Gutterman at Westchester@nycurbansketchers.org
• Looking for us? Call or Text Raylie at 201-273-0445 or Cathy at 914-625-0766
• There is an admission charge and a pay-as-you-wish policy for NYC residents. AAM membership as well as other membership are accepted
• Be prepared to work in dry materials
• Bring a stool 
• Bathrooms, food and water are available
• NOTE: WE WILL MEET BY THE TREE AT 10:30. PAY YOUR ADMISSION AND GO DIRECTLY TO THE TREE.
• We will break for lunch at 1:00 PM and meet in the back of the lower level cafeteria for our show and tell

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

No Weekend Sketch -

 

There is no planned sketch event for this weekend - 

December 30 - 31, 2023.  

We've sketched together in some crowded places the last couple of times, and I feel happy letting visitors enjoy our city this coming weekend.   

We'll meet again in the New Year.  Hoping 2024 is a good one for us all.  

Weekday Sketchers at Philippine Consulate

Anything good is worth repeating!

 And so it is with the return visit to the Philippine Consulate.  

 

A Great Big Thank You to Adrian Cruz, Deputy Consul General, for making it possible for the NYC Urban Sketchers to visit the Philippine Consulate, not once but twice, to sketch the wonderful holiday decorations.  For those who missed the event last Saturday, this is your change to enjoy the experience.   For those who went last Saturday, we hope you join us again.

The focus of the day will be the unique Philippine Christmas decorations called Parols: colorful lanterns and mobile like structures with lights and tassels.  One of the joys of living in New York City is the ability to enjoy cultures and traditions from so many different countries as we go from neighborhood to neighborhood.  Being invited to see this Philippine tradition is a wonderful example of this diverse universe we call home.

DATE: THURSDAY  DECEMBER 28, 2023

STARTING TIME: 10:30 AM

LOCATION: PHILIPPINE COUNSULATE

                        556 FIFTH AVENUE between 45 and 46th streets 

TRANSPORTATION: Any subway that goes into Grand Central Terminal

NOTES

• Please RSVP directly to Raylie Dunkel at President@NYCurbansketchers.org
• Looking for us? Call or text Raylie at 201-273-0445
• The Consulate is providing coffee, tea and water
• You can work in watercolor
• Chairs are available but you can bring a stool if you prefer
• We can't eat in the building so we will have our Show and Tell then break for lunch
• For more information about the Consulate and to see the wealth of artists listed on the site, click here:  https://philippinecenterny.com/artists/
• Still want more sketch time? Head over to Bryant Park to sketch the skaters and Christmas Market

THURSDAY, December 21, 2023: Westchester Sketchers at Community Unitarian Universalist Congregation Sanctuary

 

Holiday Sketch

10 AM - 3 PM

This week we will gather at Community Unitarian Universalist Congregation (CUUC) for a fun drawing experience.  Some of you may remember this site from last years' holiday sketch event.  The building is of a unique mid-20th century design that embraces its natural setting on an 8-acre property that includes wetlands, wooded areas, and steep terrain. 

Come join the fun as we playfully sketch at this beautiful location. Bring your colorful, interesting and zany props (hats, scarves, shawls, fans, etc.) that we can use to pose for each other (no worries, completely optional to pose). Or sketch the beautiful sanctuary and the greenery just outside the large windows. We will provide coffee, treats and music.

DETAILS:

DATE: THURSDAY, December 21, 2023

START TIME: 10:00 AM, or whenever you can get there.   

LOCATION: Community Unitarian Universalist Congregation (CUUC)

468 Rosedale Ave, White Plains, NY 10605.  The building is conveniently located 2 blocks west of the Hutchinson River Parkway, exit 14.

PARKING:  We ask that you park on the lower level but you can first drive up the hill to drop off your supplies and Marianne will be there to receive them.  Be aware that the CUUC is up a hill which makes for a beautiful vista but there are steps to climb.  If you cannot do the steps, please let Marianne know and she will arrange parking on the top tier.

DIRECTIONS: https://cuucwp.org/worship/plan-a-visit/

By TRAIN  Transportation from Grand Central Terminal, NYC: Take the Metro-North New Haven Line to the Harrison Station.  Please call Marianne to arrange for pick up and ride to the site.

LUNCH: 1:00 PM  The nearest food vendor is about a mile away so do bring your own lunch. There is a refrigerator should you need it.  The closest food vendor is the Rosedale Deli, located half a mile from the church on the corner of Rosedale and Mamaroneck Avenues.

SHOW and TELL: After lunch.  This is the social part of our day where we share our drawings, tips, and stories. It is a time not to be missed. 

NOTES:

• It is enormously costly to heat the huge sanctuary area, even for just a few hours.  We request a small donation ($5.00) from all the sketchers to help defray this expense.  We thank you very much in advance for your donation.
• Watercolor brushes may be used. 
•  Please, no food or drink in the main sanctuary area.  You may eat or drink in the top part of the sanctuary where there are no rugs.
• No need to bring stools, there are plenty of chairs.

Please RSVP to Cathy (cathygutterman@verizon.net). 

Looking for us?
Call/text: Cathy at (914) 625-0766 or Marianne at (914) 355-6507.

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

Weekday Sketches at AMNH Wednesday

There are Christmas trees with ribbons.

 There are Christmas trees with lights. 

There are Christmas trees with sparkles and spangles but there is only one Christmas tree that is covered in ANIMALS!  

That's the one at the American Museum of Natural History.  Join us this week as we explore the amazing origami animals that march up and down and all around this fabulous tree!  And, watch out for the elephants.  In honor of the new exhibit Secret World of Elephants there will be many, many of them on the tree this year!

Speaking of the new Secret World of Elephant exhibit, we have a special gift for you.  

Muriel Applebaum has arranged 20 tickets for us to enter the museum AND enter the Secret World of  Elephants, the Butterfly Vivarium  and the Blue Whale: Return of the Giants film,  special exhibits free of charge.  The tickets will be given on a first come, first serve basis. So if you want one you MUST RSVP directly to Raylie Dunkel at President@nycurbansketchers.org to reserve your ticket.  (Do not hit respond to this email.)  

Remember if you don't get one of the free passes, you can join the group, sketch the tree and enjoy all of the amazing exhibits that are part of the general admission to the museum.  The museum has a "pay as you wish" policy and they accept many of the discount cards for free admission (NYC library cards, AAM membership, etc).   

Secret Wold of Elephants

DATE : WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 20, 2023

STARTING TIME: 10:30 AM

LOCATION: AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY

                        200 Central Park West at between 77 and 81st streets

TRANSPORTATION: B OR C TRAIN TO 81 ST/ AMNH STATION

Blue Whales: Return of the Giants

NOTES

• PLEASE RSVP directly to Raylie Dunkel at President@nycurbansketchers.org
• Looking for us? Call or Text Raylie at 201-273-0445
• We will meet in the lower lobby one floor below the main entrance.  Come to the front of the museum and take the ramp that goes to the lower lobby. Do not go up the steps to the main lobby. If you have RSVP'd and are on the list for a free ticket you will be given one there.  Others can pay their admission in the lower lobby.
• Water and bathrooms are available
• Bring your lunch or purchase it in the cafeteria
• Be prepared to work in dry materials
• Bring a head lamp if you have one, the exhibit halls are usually dark.
• Bring a stool

Upcoming Event: Save the date!

Phillippine Parols

The Weekday Group will have an extra event this month.  

On Thursday December 28, we have been in voted to the Philippine Consulate to sketch the special holiday decorations unique to the Philippines called Parols. Watch for the announcement next week. 

 

SATURDAY:: Sketch the Philippine Consulate

Maligayang pagdating sa Konsulado ng Pilipinas 

 a Tagalog welcome 

to the Philippine Consulate.

As we started sketching at Rockefeller Center two weeks ago a gentleman approached us.  He asked if we were with NYC Urban Sketchers.  He mentioned his daughter had joined us for her first sketching event the previous week.  It turns out that in addition to being the proud father of an artistically inclined daughter he is also the Deputy Consul General of the Philippine Consulate General.  Mr. Cruz took out his phone and showed me photos of the lobby of the consulate which has been decorated for the holiday season.  

In appreciation for welcoming his daughter he has invited us to spend this Saturday sketching the Consulate!.  This is a very unusual opportunity that could only come about because of a connection. The Philippine Consulate is on Fifth Avenue.  It will be warm inside, with restrooms nearby.  The consulate will provide coffee and tea for us, -  but eating must be done outside the building.  We will probably need to dash out to eat in small groups or solo.  Our Show and Tell session at the end of the day will take place indoors at the consulate.

Here are all the

DETAILS

When:  SATURDAY, December 16, 2023, starting at 10 AM

Where: The Philippine Consulate 556 5th Ave, between 45th and 46th Streets, NYC.   It should be an easy place to find.  Enter the consulate when you arrive.

Lunch: 12:00 Noon - We need to eat outside the consulate.  There are loads of places nearby that provide food, but it will be difficult for us to eat together.  Return to the consulate when you’re done.   

Afternoon:  1 PM (approx) - Back sketching.

Show and Tell:  We’ll find a likely spot at the consulate  at 3:00 PM to share our artwork, tell stories, and talk about art supplies.

NOTE: 

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

-      This is actually more than just a connection - the Philippine Consulate has a love for art.  Their website lists dozens of Philippine artists - you can click to see their work:  https://philippinecenterny.com/artists/

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 Holiday Lights in Bay Ridge Thursday

It’s that Most Wonderful Time of the Year again, when merrymakers throughout the city festoon their houses with holiday lights and all manner of decorations. Many of these displays are worthy of a Hollywood premier, making a visit to view this spectacle a must. 

The Bay Ridge neighborhood, just a stone’s throw away from Dyker Heights, offers up a quieter but still dazzling display along Colonial Road, Narrows Avenue, and Shore Road, among houses and mansions of all sizes. 

A GREAT BIG THANK YOU goes to our host for this event is Roni Henning, Master printmaker, watercolorist, and friend of NYC Urban Sketcher Meryl Greenblatt. She has graciously opened up her studio in Bay Ridge for us to use as a starting point. We’ll meet up, sketch the neighborhood while it is still light out, then return for a pizza dinner (or bring your own food) and a throw down. Once the sun sets, we can head back out and view the lights in all their glory.

For more information about the holiday lights of Bay Ridge, click here https://brooklynreporter.com/2018/12/bay-ridge-holiday-lights-dazzle-like-dyker/

DATE: THURSDAY DECEMBER 14th, 2023

STARTING TIME: 1:00 PM

LOCATION:

RONI HENNING STUDIO

79-08 RIDGE BLVD

BAY RIDGE

TRANSPORTATION: 

By subway: R train to 77th Street Station. Walk east (away from 4th Avenue) two blocks and turn left toward 79th Street. House is on southwest corner of 79th Street and Ridge Blvd. Entrance to studio is on left side of house. 

By car: GPS will take you there. There is plenty of free parking. 

NOTES:

• Please RSVP directly to Raylie Dunkel at Rayliedunkel1@gmail.com. or Meryl Greenblatt at merylrgreenblatt@gmail.com
• Looking for us? Call Raylie at 201-273-0445
• We are meeting after lunch so have a bite before you join us
• Bathrooms and water are available at Roni's Studio
• While sketching please be aware of the foot and road traffic.  Be aware of property lines.
• It will likely be crowded in the streets, be aware of your surroundings, keep your supplies close to you and watch your bags
• We will meet at Roni’s Studio at 1:00 PM. We’ll then head into the neighborhood to sketch, and meet back at Roni’s place at 4:00 PM.
• Dinner is optional.  We are planning on ordering some pizza and sharing the costs. You are welcome to bring your own food.
• Bring a dessert or drinks to share.