Lobster for the 4th

 Our family has a tradition of having lobster to eat on the 4th of July. It is my mom's birthday. After my parents moved to Maine to live with my sister, we often went up to Maine to celebrate. Most often we bought lobsters and had a big feast. It was a good time for out of town family members to get together for a happy occasion. After she passed away the family gatherings in Maine tapered off, but most of my siblings and I still try to continue the tradition. This is one of our critters. The Maine celebrations also usually included a patriotic cake (decorated like an American flag) with strawberries and blueberries. 

Vanderbilt Museum

 Last week, on a rather hot day, my friend, Suzala and I took a trip to the Vanderbilt Museum, Mansion, and Planetarium in Centerport. It was my first visit there, and I hope not my last. It was the summer estate of William K. Vanderbilt and is called Eagle's Nest. The buildings are Spanish in style.

I started sketching this view of part of the mansion and along came a photographer and a wedding party for their wedding photos. We were asked to leave for a bit while that happened, and about an hour later we returned to finish our sketches.

When we were asked to relocate for a while, we went around the other side of the mansion, sat in the shade on the hillside, and sketched a different view of part of the building.

We didn't have the time (or the stamina) to see the entire property, so we are planning to go back when the weather isn't as hot.

 

At the Grange

Last week the Patchogue Sketch Club went to The Grange in Sayville. I've sketched there so many times and I'm always looking for something a little different to sketch. Luckily Mariann was sitting across from me sketching the scene behind me. I started with her and then included the scene behind her.

Lavender By The Bay

 Every summer my plein air group waits to hear that the lavender at Lavender By the Bay is in bloom. They have two locations...one in Calverton and one in East Marion. I like the one in East Marion better, but the one in Calverton is a lot closer so we've been going there. I did one 8 x 10 painting directly in watercolor.

Below is my setup with the finished painting.

I decided to do another smaller (4 x 6) directly in watercolor and it was done in about 15 minutes. I like the looseness to this one and the white spots that I was able to save.

House on Greene Avenue

 There are a number of charming houses with beautiful gardens on Greene Avenue. This was done in direct watercolor.

Hydro Peppers

Last weekend I went to the Islip Farmers Market. The weather wasn't the best so I parked and sat in my mobile studio to sketch. I was behind the stall for Hydro Peppers. People kept stopping by the booth and I had to know what he was selling. When I finished the sketch I walked over to the booth to check things out. He was selling hot sauce and pepper jelly. I asked how hot it was and after being warned that it was hotter than what I was used to, I sampled the hot sauce. Yikes!!! It was so hot! As much as I enjoy hot sauce it was too hot for my taste, but if you like your hot sauce very hot...this is for you! 

Fountain

 I haven't found too many homes in the area that have fountains, but this one in Sayville is one of my favorites. One of the items on the Creative Spark Scavenger Hunt recently.

Another item on the Scavenger Hunt list was an anchor. This one is outside by Shellfish Marine Inc down by the West Sayville dock.

Acrylic Presentation

Last Wednesday the sketch group was invited to a presentation by our local ambassador for Holbein and Legion Paper. He visited recently and did presentations on watercolor (which I attended) and more recently on oil paints (which I did not attend).

Jim brought along samples of their acrylic paints, an irridescent medium, several of their papers including black, gessos, and other interesting materials for us to try. At the end of the presentation he gave out the materials he brought along.

I did this little scene on yupo paper with acrylic paints. I beieve the blue was a matte acrylic. I liked how the acrylics adhere to the yupo. When I've painted with watercolors on yupo the paint floats and takes a very long time to dry.

I tried the irridescent medium mixed with the acrylic paints on the black paper.

The acrylic paints blended better than I expected on the paper we had.

It is always fun to experiment with new materials...without having to buy them.

Happy 4th of July

Happy 4th of July! 

The Farm on Lakeland is located on Lakeland Avenue in Sayville. The have a large assortment of plants and vegetables for sale. I always buy corn and tomatoes there when they are at their peak. I often sketch The Farm from the side around the corner so that I don't take up one of the parking spaces in front since there aren't too many of them. This was done in direct watercolor for the 30 x 30 challenge.

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Off to the City

Recently I went into NYC to join the NYC Urban Sketchers for the day. I took the train into Penn Station and had a nice spot to sketch these ladies on the train ride in.

We met at The Vessel, a very unique structure that you can climb. I didn't. Sketching it was complicated enough. This is the second time I've sketched it. You can see my other sketch of it here. I believe it is the 3rd sketch in that post.

The Vessel is right by The Highline, a wonderful elevated walkway/park that residents and visitors enjoy.

The sketchers had visited the Highline a while ago to sketch the giant pigeon. I wasn't able to go to that event, but the pigeon is still in residence so I got my chance. He is super big!

Refreshing

During the really hot days that we had last week, watermelon sure was refreshing. 

This was done for the 30 x 30 Direct Watercolor Challenge...and then eaten almost immediately.

 

Misty Morning

This was painted on one of those foggy, misty mornings down by the bay in Bayport. It was done directly with watercolor for the challenge.

 

Down the Street

This is another painting I did for the 30 x 30 Direct Watercolor Challenge. It is located in Sayville. 

Peconic River Herb Farm Shed

 Like the painting posted yesterday, this painting was started on site but finished at home. My plein air group went to one of my favorite places, the Peconic River Herb Farm in Calverton. There are so many wonderful places on the property to use as painting locations like this one. I'm not sure what is inside that yellow door, but I thought the whole thing looked interesting. I know that to the left there is a entrance to a storage area which I've never been in (yet) where there seem to be planters and lots of hidden gems.

I'm really happy with the way this painting came out. What do you think?

Vanderzalm Greenhouses

 My plein air painting group has been going out on Tuesday mornings since May. I painted this at the Vanderzalm Greenhouses in Bellport. I started it on site, but didn't have enough time to finish it there. We had a stretch of rainy days so I decided I should work on some of my unfinished pieces like this one while I was indoors.

Sayville House

 I am still trying to get more direct watercolors done for the 30 x 30 challenge. I obviously won't have them done in 30 continuous days, but I'll keep doing them until I complete 30 of them. This house was in Sayville.

Bits and Bobs

On Memorial Day Weekend there were "No Kings" protests all across the country against the attacks by our president on our democracy. I attended one locally in Patchogue. It was raining when I arrived there and I saw that I had a bit of a view from where I parked my car. I did a quick sketch, pulled on my rain poncho, and joined the crowd for the protest. It rained the entire time but that didn't deter the crowd.

Meanwhile I've been participating in the Creative Spark Scavenger Hunts. One of the items was a mailbox. This one is located up the street from me. I've wanted to sketch it before, but it is hard to park along the street there. I love the dolphin...or is it a porpoise?

West Sayville Water View

 There are some nice places on the Great South Bay in West Sayville. This is another painting for the 30 x 30 Direct Watercolor Challenge.

Beach Life

 This was a direct watercolor done for the 30 x 30 challenge at Robert Moses Beach.

Ronkonkoma Train Station

 The Patchogue Sketch Club recently met at the Ronkonkoma Long Island Railroad Station. If I am going into NYC I often take the train from this station, but I don't have time to sketch there. It was nice to have the time to capture the architecture of the station.

Fantastic Gardens

Fantastic Gardens in Patchogue is a source of many good views to sketch. 

Carnival View

Over Memorial Day weekend there was a carnival over in the parking lot at the South Shore Mall in Bay Shore. It wasn't a very nice day so there weren't too many people around when I stopped at the carnival early in the day. I ended up parking my "mobile studio" outside the fencing and just drawing what I saw in front of me. I sketched rides, games, amusements and all kinds of fun things. 

 

Flowers by the Fence

These flowers were behind a wrought iron fence near the beach in Sayville. Doing direct watercolor I need to be more patient and wait for things to dry...something I tend not to do. lol

Mexican Entry

I've sketched at the Mexican restaurant, Viva La Vida in Oakdale several times. I like the contrasts of color in their architecture and decorative elements. This was done for the 30 x 30 Direct Watercolor Challenge.

 

Continuous Line Drawing

I hosted the last Creative Spark Scavenger Hunt. Each hunt contains 26 items to find and sketch. The sketchers can sketch as many or as few as they want/can. It has been a long time since I have been able to finish one of the lists, but I figured if I put the last of the items into one continuous line sketch I could do it. I think there are 11 items in the sketch...all fun to do.

Dunes at Robert Moses

We had a sunny day last week and knowing what the forecast was for the weekend, I hurried down to Robert Moses Beach to paint and enjoy the sun. The dunes had nice shadows. 

Patchogue Lighthouse View

 Recently the Patchogue Sketch Club went to the Sandspit Marina in Patchogue for our sketch night. Right off the end of the parking area is a small lighthouse that we all sketched. 

The Farm on Lakeland

It is the season for The Farm on Lakeland in Sayville to be open for business. Right now they have lots of hanging baskets and flowers in bloom. I sat along the side street to paint this for the 30 x 30 Direct Watercolor Challenge 2025. 

Suffolk County Farm

I hadn't been to the Suffolk County Farm in Yaphank for a while. There were some flowers in bloom. I painted them in direct watercolor for the 30 x 30 Direct Watercolor Challenge 2025.

The sheep were out and some were near the shelter...

(These were also done for the 30 x 30 challenge.)

and some were just grazing in the nearby field.

(More for the 30 x 30 challenge.)

Domino Park

The NYC Urban Sketchers met at Domino Park recently. Domino Park is located in Williamsburg along the East River.  It was built on the site of the former Domino Sugar Refinery. There is a great view of several of the bridges from there.

These tank were used for storing the sugar syrup produced as the sugar was refined. I sketched this area where several of my fellow sketchers were working.

Park Entrance

 I've sketched the entrance to Sayville Beach Park a few times. I like the stone pillar entrance.

School Picnic

 I went down to the Bellport Dock and there was a 2nd grade school picnic going on. The kids were running around, but the parents were keeping things organzied. I liked the kids on the side playing Connect Four.

Dublin Deck

The Dublin Deck over in Patchogue has some fun things in their parking lot. 

Who wouldn't like a pirate and a giant chair? 

Fundraiser for the Long Island Maritime Museum

Once again the Long Island Maritime Museum is having a fundraiser. They are restoring The Priscilla, a sixty-foot, 1888 oyster dredge. Her mast had to be replaces and to pay for a new one artists have been painting on slabs of wood cut from Priscilla's mast. Each slice is about 2 1/2 inches thick. Some are perfectly round and some had the bottom flattened so that it can stand up. The paintings will all be for sale/auctioned in the near future. Here is my submission for the fundraiser.

Here it is standing.

I used acrylic paints for this project. The next time I'll have to remember to cover it with white gesso so the paint goes on the wood smoother.