Charleston

 On Saturday I joined the NYC Urban Sketchers on a virtual trip to Charleston, South Carolina. I've visited Charleston in real life and really enjoyed its southern charm, so I was happy to look through references and revisit some of the places I remembered. I picked a reference of one of the cobblestone alleys between the buildings. I really like the colors of some of the buildings.

I had a little time before we were going to share our work so I did a quick, small sketch of the live oak trees directly in watercolor.

Awaiting Florence

Over the weekend while Hurricane Florence was devastating parts of North and South Carolina, it affected our surf up here on Long Island. I thought the waves would be bigger but the undertow was really strong even if you were standing at the very edge. My thoughts and prayers are with those affected by the storm's path. This was sketched at Smith Point Beach.

Springmaid Beach - Day 6

Once again we were lucky enough to be able to walk and enjoy the sunrise this morning.

I forgot to post one photo last night. This is the group that was in this week's workshop with Ted Nuttall...all except for one person who missed the photo.

We decided to stay an extra day after the workshop to see some of the area. We went to Georgetown this morning, did a few sketches and had lunch at Big Tuna.

Street view of Big Tuna in Georgetown, SC.

Entrance to River Room Restaurant in Georgetown, SC.

On the way back to the resort we stopped at Murrell's Inlet, hoping to see some pelicans, but there were none around. I had to settle for sketching Wahoo's.

Wahoo's at Murrell's Inlet.

Dinner

I guess I am becoming one of those sketchers who sketches their meals. lol My Wed night sketch group leader suggested that everyone sketch their dinner because of the snowy conditions in NY the other day. I was on the road in Roanoke, VA so I sketched my steamed shrimp, hush puppies (a dead giveaway that I was south of NYC) and a sweet potato...very healthy because I didn't touch the hush puppies. For those of you who don't know what hush puppies are they are deep fried corn bread pieces.

Here are a few photos from my trip so far.

We visited my nephew, John, in GA. Here we are at the river. Left to right are my sister Mickey, my nephew John, my sister-in-law Joan and me.

Mickey, my brother Joe, sister-in-law Joan, and me.

Mys sister Mickey met a long-time internet friend, Angel, for the first time in Blue Ridge, GA. Angel lives in GA.

Mickey and I arrived in Myrtle Beach, SC for the workshop we are taking.

We hit the beach for a walk...beautiful weather!

Time Away From Home - Part 3

Here are a few more sketches for the Time Away From Home theme that we are doing over at Paper, Paint, Pencils & Pens. Come and visit...the link is the palette on the sidebar.

I visited the Saguaro National Forest in New Mexico on one of my cross-country trips.

I love the saguaro cacti.

We had stopped in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

There have been great animals in some of the locations I visited...

like this curly sheep in Dingle, Ireland.

And this pelican in Georgetown, SC.

Murrell's Inlet

Fairly close to where the collage workshop was held in South Carolina is an area called Murrell's Inlet. You have palm trees and beach grasses and pelicans, egrets, and gulls sometimes. In the last few years they built this boardwalk that runs through much of it, but I like the spots without the boardwalk because you can see sitting down without the railing obscuring your view.

There were some people fishing in front of us. I sketched one woman. 

The corner of the boardwalk nearest to us was decorated and they were going to have a wedding ceremony there, but we left before the wedding party showed up.

I sketched one palm tree by itself.

Shrimp Boat

The day after the fiasco with the bathtub and my face, my sister and I went out plein air painting near Myrtle Beach. Last year we found this quaint town called Georgetown with this historic center and several shrimp boats and shrimp companies. We headed back there again on Saturday and I did this painting of one of the boats. I like the nets hanging, but the boat has so many parts, and I'm not sure what they are. I did my best. lol This is about 5.5 x 8. It was sad to see when we got there that a big section of the historic stores and restaurants has burned down in a fire in the fall. I hope they will be able to rebuild them.

I forgot to add this photo of the sketch with the scene behind it.

Beverly

On Tuesday evening I joined the Wet Paints group for their sketch night.

Beverly was our model. I did one watercolor of her and then a small pencil sketch.

April 11 - Charleston, SC

Dune Road House

On Monday I headed over to Dune Road in Quogue. This is part of the Hamptons, and the houses here are expensive even if they are small like this one. It is prime real estate.

It was a bit windy so I did this from my car. This is 5 x 7.

April 10 - Dillon, SC

Welcome to Myrtle Beach

I am presently at a workshop at Springmaid Beach with Judy Morris in Myrtle Beach, SC. Today was checkin, meet the instructor, happy hour, and then dinner. We got here early so we had a bit of time to sit out and sketch for a while. The is the view down by the beach. I did a double page in my small moleskin journal.