Wednesday, September 3, 2014

Bryant Park City Promenade - Part I

Last Saturday the NYC Urban Sketchers met at Bryant Park City Promenade, starting at the most northern end. Our host this week was Jim and he did a great job of scouting out the location.

I took the LIRR and the subway to Chambers Street and walked the few blocks to the meeting point. The entire area has been completely redone since I've been down there and has some really wonderful views. We started by River Terrace. While I was sketching a young man came over and asked if I was part of the Urban Sketchers. When I said yes he called his dad over. Don and his family were visiting from Germany. He spent a few hours sketching with us while his wife and son explored other spots.

Here is Don working on one of his sketches at the first location.

I did two sketches at that location. One included the sunflowers in the garden with the view across to New Jersey.

Then I sketched one of the moored boats with the city behind it.

Jim and Mike came along and the four of us walked down a short way to the Potato Famine Memorial. Having been to Ireland last year I appreciated how close the area looked to the Irish farmland. The only thing that seemed to be missing were the sheep. The memorial was set at a sloping angle with crumbling walls, grasses, rocks, and fencing. All that in the center of tall buildings.
Here is me and my sketch against the view of the memorial.

And a close-up of my sketch.

I took a photo of Jim sketching while I was at the top of the memorial.

At this point Don left to meet his family and a new sketcher, Kay, joined us.
We went to a deli to get lunch and walked down to the North Basin to eat where Jane met us. Sometimes that is how the day goes...we gain and lose sketchers as the time goes on.

To be continued.




7 comments:

  1. Love these...you have to know the City SO well, Joan!!! Love the Sunflowers with the view across to New Jersey!! Really nice!!

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  2. You are so inspiring the way you get out and about with your painting and sketching, Joan. Love reading all about it too.

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  3. Hello Joan! I so missed your art blog this summer. I am not sure what I was doing these past two months that I didn't make time to check out art blogs! I so love all your latest paintings, sketches, and photos! I especially enjoy the portraits! Good to be back! Take care!
    Michael

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  4. Joan - your sketches and pictures of New York are the best. Loved seeing the memorial behind you and your sketch. So glad you are always sharing. It makes your part of the world so real. Hugs

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  5. Hi Joan, I love your sketches of New York, the garden in particular is beautiful! Your devotion to drawing and getting out there is always an inspiration.

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  6. Thanks Hilda, Maggie, Michael, Carol, Debbie, and Celia!

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