Sayville Corner

I am enjoying sketching the corners in the local towns here and seeing what I can include. This corner is on the way going out of Sayville.

Bridge by Melville Mill Pond

I've painted the bridge by the Melville Mill Pond a few times. There is a peaceful pond and the bridge makes lovely reflections.  The park is really lovely all year long.

Lighthouse View

 A beach day at Robert Moses State Park usually includes a sketch or painting of the Fire Island Lighthouse.

Elephants, Elephants, Elephants

 When I finished the Posca workshop (see the post below) I had lunch with a few of the sketchers. Then I wanted to go sketch the Elephant Migration in the Meatpacking District. Even though the NYC Urban Sketchers planned to sketch this the following weekend, I wanted to sketch it while I was in the neighborhood.

This is an impressive installation of 100 life-sized elephants that is aiming to raise money and awareness for the animals. The elephants are scattered throughout the Meatpacking District mostly along Ninth Avenue around 14th Street. Each of the elephants is unique and is an exact replica of a real elephant now freely roaming on plantations in parts of Southern India. A group of 200 artisans spent years making the sculptures in India where they have shown that humans and animals can live harmoniously in the same space. The elephants are made of lantana, an invasive weed that is taking over forests and displacing wildlife. 

I got there about 3:00 and it was so crowded. I tucked myself against a planter and a sign so I wouldn't get trampled. There were so many people surrounding the sculptures that I could barely see them. I sketched a few and then headed off to Penn Station for the trip home.

Playing With Poscas

 I recently took a workshop with Shawne Cooper called "Playing With Poscas." For those of you who are not familiar with Posca markers they are acrylic markers, fast drying, and come in an assortment of colors and nibs from very thin to outrageously wide. Luckily Shawne had a great assistant in Mel Barranco, who helped her carry around the materials and sketches she brought along to share with us.

We joined Shawne outside the entrance to Little Island, one of the newer NYC parks perched along the river. After Shawne showed us a few samples of her Posca works, we were told to work on our own sketch using BIG shapes first and to only use two colors. A white or black thin liner could also be used for additional details. Shawne discussed some of the benefits of working with the markers and the #1 benefit in my mind is that the Posca markers can be used over another color and will cover completely...even over a very dark color!

We moved into Pier 57 where we worked at large tables for a while. Shawne made her supply of Poscas (and it was quite a supply, let me tell you) available to us to try. She had some great really wide tipped markers that covered a page easily. We tried blending colors, using a waterbrush, and adding watercolors and other materials like colored pencils and Neocolors. Since it was getting close to the time the food stalls were opening, we left the tables to the public and headed upstairs to work outside.

The second floor provided an area where you could stand and have a ledge to work on too. Of course there was a great view of Little Island and the skyline too.

Since I'm height challenged I decided to sit and work, and I had a view of Laura in front of me. The suggestion from Shawne was to work in not more than 3 colors, but I broke out and used a few more. For those who know me, using such bright colors that aren't the normal colors I was seeing is a big challenge for me.

I did a second sketch of Little Island using some of Shawne's suggestions...big shapes first, 

then the details. Using unusual colors for parts of the sketch was fun!

Later we gathered up on the third floor to do a "show and tell." Each person told a bit about what they did in their piece/pieces and told about any materials other than the Posca markers that they used. It was interesting to see what people had sketched and what materials they had used. 

We learned from each other too.

Look at the wonderful work that we were able to create in this workshop! Many thanks to Shawne for a wonderful time and another different way to be creative!

A Day in Oyster Bay

The NYC Urban Sketchers recently met in Oyster Bay to spend the day sketching. It is a fairly easy commute for me since I can drive there in about 45 minutes. Many of the sketchers came from the city out to Long Island and were met at the Long Island Railroad train station which is about a block from the gazebo in the center of town. The location has homes, churches, businesses and if you walk about 2 blocks it has a beach and a harbor area. I've been there before and this time I concentrated on a business called 20th Century Cycles, which happens to be Billy Joel's motorcycle shop. It does a good business and there is usually a bike or two parked in front by customers.

After a short lunch with the other sketchers I concentrated on a shop called Chalikian. While I was sketching a tour group came by and the guide said that this was one of the oldest continuous businesses in Oyster Bay selling jewelry and small antiques. 

It was a fun day for all of us, and I capped it off with a home-made chocolate Italian ice from 

the Bonanza Hot Dog Stand. Yum!

Lifeguard Stand

 I made another visit to the beach, this time to Robert Moses State Park. I sketched the lifeguard stand with Procreate.

Dune Sketch

 We were lucky to have a week with beautiful, mild days. I got together with 3 friends that I used to teach with. We met at Jones Beach for our last beach day of the summer. It was perfect weather, not crowded, and we actually put our feet in the ocean. lol It was a fun way to catch up with each other.

I went a little early so that I could do a sketch before my friends arrived.

Printing Project - Part 2

Next we moved on to colored prints. Everyone decided which color they wanted to use on their block from the colors of ink we had. I picked orange ink for my lobster. 

Mark, Maureen, and Casey at work.

The colored prints were done on a blue/black fabric.

And then printed on a blue/green fabric.

Sayville Digital

This was done at the beach in Sayville using Procreate.

Printing Project - Part 1

 The Patchogue Sketch Club has been working on a printing project for Arts on Terry, a local art exhibition that is taking place on Sunday. Each of our participating members created a carved plate of something that had to do with under the sea. Here are the designs that were carved.

This lobster is mine.

We all did black prints of out plates. Then they were arranged in a pleasing order.

Then a piece of fabric was placed over the inked plates and rubbed until the images transferred.

This is the final print of the images on the blue fabric.

We continued printing with the plates...this time in blue ink on an orangey fabric. The designs showed up better on this fabric. I think the blue one competes too much with the print designs.

Funchos

 Every once in a while when I'm in Riverhead for something I stop at Funchos for a taco lunch. They don't actually have 100% inside dining. Most of the tables are in a covered area with sides that roll down to protect you from the elements when it is cold or rainy. It is open all year long with fun decorations and plants. I posted this sketch on Creativespark.art and a friend commented that he remembered the words "arriba, abajo" from a drinking toast. When I was in Spain many, many years ago traveling in my 20s with my sister we learned the toast when we were out drinking with the other young people.

Arriba (to the heavens)

Abajo (to the earth)

Al centro (to the heart)

Al dentro (to the inside)...

and so you would toast with your drink.

Planting Fields Arboretum - Part 2

 The weather was so beautiful the day Suzala and I went to the Planting Fields Arboretum in Oyster Bay that we decided to stay and do a second painting. I ended up staying longer because she had to leave by 2:00 to be home in time for one of her art students. This time we painted along the side of the manor house where the columns were around the portico.

Planting Fields Arboretum #1

 One day last week I called my friend and asked her if she wanted to meet me at the Planting Fields Arboretum in Oyster Bay. We started near the walled garden. I painted the tea house from outside the garden. Suzala painted the view inside the garden. This was done on khadi paper.

Islip Sea Fest

Last Sunday I saw a ad for the Islip Sea Fest that was taking place at the Bay Shore Marina. I figured I could find something there to sketch. I was quite disappointed that there were very few vendors and just a handful of food trucks. I figured I would walk around once and then probably leave...but then I heard music. I walked over and a group called 70s Rock Parade was playing...and they were good! In front of the stage they had chairs set up, so I sat myself down and took out my sketchbook. 

I started with the middle singer who reminded me of Rod Stewart a bit. While they were singing they mentioned that they were going to be there for the entire day. That meant I would be able to sketch the whole group. People were up dancing and having a good time. I sat there sketching and listening to the music for about 3 hours. I probably would have stayed longer but I really needed to use the restroom and I knew once I got up my seat would be taken immediately. I did get up when the band took one of its breaks, and stopped to show the group the sketch. They loved it and were amazed that I could sketch them while they performed. They wanted me to pose for pictures with them showing the sketch. I also let them take photos of it. It is always fun when people appreciate my artwork.

I decided I couldn't leave without having some seafood, so I went over to the raw clams booth...yummy. On the way out I decided to sketch one of the food trucks. It was a cute truck, but didn't have a sign with the name of the truck or any big sign telling what they were selling. It looked like hot dogs and burgers, but they definitely lacked any advertising. lol

Coffee Anyone?

There are several coffee shops in Bellport and Bellport General is one of them. I haven't tried their coffee and I haven't been inside...yet. 

Lifeguard Shack

 There is a great lifeguard area at Field 5 at Robert Moses State Park. The building is fun and so is their sculpture garden filled with treasures.

Sayville Beach

 I've sat down by Sayville Beach and sketched this view many times. This time I used my iPad and Procreate.

Printing Project Part 1

Every year for the last few years the Patchogue Sketch Club has taken part in an outdoor festival called Arts on Terry. We always do a group project. This year we are doing a printing project. Each of the members carved a plate of something having to do with under the sea. We have printed the plates together on fabric. The first ones were done with blue ink on an orangy fabric.

Here is my lobster plate ready for printing. 

Here are the other plates that were printed.

Janet's seahorse.

Marianne's scuba cat.

Rosanne's underwater scene.

Laurie's fish.

Casey's koi.

Here they are printed on the fabric.

Then we printed using black ink on a blueish fabric.

The contrast in some areas wasn't quite as good as on the orange.

 

Manor House and More

This is part of the manor house at the Bayard Cutting Arboretum in Oakdale. I was planning to join my plein air group around the other side of the house, but when I saw this view I knew I was going to paint it. I joined the other ladies for lunch instead.

One of the items on the scavenger hunt for Creative Spark was the front of a house. I did this one with my magic pencil. The house was down by the bay in Sayville.