Valentine's Day shopping caused a line outside the Sayville Chocolatier. I had been in Sayville the day before and there was a line outside. I couldn't stop then, but went back the following day. I sat across the street in my mobile studio to capture the store and some of the customers waiting outside.
The boats at the marinas are mostly wrapped for the winter, but I did find this one in the lot by the Tiki Bar in Patchogue that was uncovered. I liked this scene with the melting snow piles and assorted marine materials around. I sketched from my mobile studio so the cold outside didn't phase me. I believe this is the Sunset Harbor Marina.
Last Wednesday the sketch club met at the Patchogue Library and the theme was contour drawings of hands. I didn't have much interest in doing that, but I did one sketch of my hand. Instead I went around the table and sketched each of the sketchers.
Many of the big, beautiful houses on Bellport Lane are hidden behind shrubbery for most of the year. Right now the foliage is sparse and you can see the lovely houses behind them. A little snow adds to their charm.
I had seen a photo of some of our places here on Long Island in the snow. Sandspit Lighthouse in Patchogue was one of them. I decided to drive over and see how it looked in person. The parking lot had one path plowed through it, but in order to sit in my mobile studio to sketch it I had to park on the icy snow. It was cold so I knew I had limited time to sketch and paint before I would have to leave or turn on the heat...so I worked quickly. I really liked the way the ice covered so much of the rocks and that there was a break in the ice covering the bay.
While the jalapeno was around I decided to sketch it a few more times, each time using a different medium. I started with Neocolors for the first one, used a green pastel pencil and Posca markers for the center one, and Derwent watercolors for the one on the right. Which is your favorite?
One of the items for the Creative Spark Scavenger Hunt was "jalapeno." I don't normally have them in the house so I picked one up at the store. Rather than sketch it alone I added in the avocado and some garlic. Guacamole anyone?
This sketch was done along Bellport Lane looking from my mobile studio to a great house (#24). During most of the year it looks different because the hedges in front block a clear view of the house. I thought it was an interesting view looking through the mostly bare branches of the hedges.
Yes, our snow is still around...due to the cold very little of it has melted. I found another path into a wooded area. This one is in Oakdale right off Montauk Highway.
It has been a while since the Patchogue Sketch Club actually sketched. We worked on prints for a number of weeks, then didn't meet during Christmas or the New Year, and the last few weeks the focus was collage. We're finally sketching again and our theme was fruit. I grabbed some of the fruit I had on hand for a fun time capturing it all.
There are several locations for Mr. Nick's Barber Shop in Sayville and West Sayville. This one actually has a small barber pole and a bit of color.
Sin now piles and parked cars were in front of the caretaker's cottage at the Long Island Maritime Museum in West Sayville. The world around me looks totally different with a bit of snow. I'm enjoying it.
The snow was piled up against the railing at the dock in Blue Point near Corey Beach. I sat in my mobile studio in the parking area that was "trailer parking only." I didn't expect any boat trailers to be coming along soon.
The bitter cold sent my friend, Suzala and I indoors to sketch. We didn't join the NYC Urban Sketchers because it was just too cold to travel in on the train and subway. Instead we met at Flex Coffee in Farmingdale. We've sketched there before. It was an easy commute, warm, there were models, and coffee was available. I started with my cup of capuccino and the sketch grew from there as I added one table, one person, or one detail at a time until the space was filled. It was a very pleasant way to spend the afternoon.
Here are a few sketches done for the Creative Spark Scavenger Hunt.
Something made of concrete...
The frosty temperature has helped to keep the snow from melting. This is a view of the path that heads into San Souci Park just down the road in Sayville. It is challenging to do all those background trees in the distance, but I went for it.
By the Blue Point Dock there is a small park with a view of the bay. Not only was there snow, but a good part of the Great South Bay was frozen due to a week of very cold temperatures. The gulls were just sitting way out on the ice. Here the dock area had a little area that was clear of ice, but I don't know how long that will last.
Right along Broadway Avenue in Sayville is a small parking area for San Souci County Park. I like that you can see the entrance and the path without walking into the park itself. It made painting from my mobile studio very comfortable on this day of barely 14°. Nobody else was there and I parked facing the entrance with no problem.
A friend of mine lives in Brookhaven and there is a small, private marina near her house. I've painted there with her several times. This time I headed over there while the snow was still on the ground. Due to the cold weather the snow isn't melting, so I have been able to paint a few snow scenes. I sat in my mobile studio outside the entrance to the marina. I didn't want to go in and take the chance of getting stuck in the snow...and besides I like being able to see the tracks that are already there.
I've kept up with the Creative Spark Scavenger Hunts lately. These first two sketches are for the hunt that I am presently hosting. They are both continuous line sketches.
Something with a lid...
We had a snowstorm recently and received around 8 - 10 inches of snow. Along with the snow we have had very cold temperatures below freezing. That is a bit uncomfortable if you have to go out and shovel, but luckily my car is in our garage and the maintenance staff does a good job of plowing right up to the garage door as well as the front door. I just have to be patient until the get it done. I didn't mind the wait and painted the view out my living room window. I used watercolors, watercolor pencils and Neocolors. I didn't go out at all the day of the snow, but I did peek out to make sure they had plowed near my garage entrance.
