Kingston's Clam Bar

I've sketched at Kingston's Clam Bar in Sayville a few times...but still haven't been inside. I like the quirkiness of the buildings there. 

Harbor Crab

 Wednesday evening the Patchogue Sketch Club met at Harbor Crab in Patchogue to sketch. They graciously let us occupy a table and some chairs for a few hours while we sketched and talked. It was a perfect night to be sitting outside...and no mosquitoes. I included my friend, Joanne who was sketching in a different spot than the rest of us. She is standing up and painting under the umbrella on the right. 

Sailboat at Bellport Marina

 There is always something to sketch at the Bellport Dock & Marina. Plein air sketching with PALS.

Time Warp Toys

 I found an interesting store (at least from the outside) in Lake Grove called Time Warp Toys. 

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Hells Gate Bridge

The great thing about sketching in Astoria Park is that you have a choice of bridges to sketch. Yesterday I posted my painting of the Triborough Bridge. Today you can see my version of Hells Gate Bridge. It was completed in 1916 and spans a stretch of the East River known as Hell Gate. Today the bridge is owned by and used primarily by Amtrak.

In the early 1990's the bridge was recoated for the first time in over 80 years. The color selected for the was know as Hell Gate Red and the coating system required 4 coats... one of the red color, 2 of epoxy and a clear topcoat to preserve the red color of the bridge. Unfortunately the bridge began to change color even before the repainting was finished. Each time they tried, the new paint faded again. You can see sections of the red paint as it looks today...with many areas not covered. I think that is part of its charm to tell you the truth. lol

 

Triborough Bridge

On Saturday the NYC Urban Sketchers met at Astoria Park which is located right next to the Triborough Bridge (aka the Robert Kennedy Bridge). The bridge connects the boroughs of Queens, Manhattan and the Bronx. The Park itself is in Astoria which is in Queens. There are views of two bridges from there and the park includes a track, tennis courts, a skateboard area, a playground, and a huge pool with a triple-height diving platform. Unfortunately the pool is closed for repairs this summer and will reopen next summer. A fun fact is that on Astoria Pool's opening day (July 4, 1936) it was used for the final round of the Olympic swim tryouts. A fountain at the end of the pool served as the Olympic Torch in 1936 and 1964. 

Here is a sketch I did of the Triborough Bridge on a previous visit.

Sailboats

 These two sailboats were in the water in East Moriches. The one on the right was moving around quite a bit making it a little challenging to draw.