Cutchogue Library

Of course when I was out on the North Fork to do the farmhouse that I posted yesterday, I did more than one small painting in my concertina sketchbook. This is the Cutchogue New Suffolk Free Library. The original part of the library was actually a church at one time, but it was donated to the town for a library when the congregation returned to their original church. This section houses the children's section of the library. Attached is a beautiful more modern section. I'm attaching a photo of what it looks like together. It is beautiful inside and out. 

Farmhouse

 I did some work in my North Fork of Long Island concertina sketchbook last weekend. This was done out somewhere near Cutchogue. I liked the fenced area (to keep out the deer) near the house. I still have a few more pages to complete.

Fruit, Cosmetics & a Show

The Patchogue Sketch Club has been meeting indoors since the days are shorter. One week we sketched fruit. Here is my assortment. 

One of the members of our group arranged for our members to have our artwork on exhibit for the month of October at the Old Town Arts & Crafts Guild in Cutchogue. Most of us had 4 pieces of work hanging. Last Sunday we had our closing reception.

This week we were back sketching indoors and our theme had to do with cosmetics.

 

North Fork Concertina - Sketches 1-4

Yesterday I didn't feel like taking the train(s) to meet the NYC sketchers in Brooklyn. It just sounded like it involved too much energy. Instead I decided to head out to the North Fork of Long Island, a place I love to sketch. Usually when I go out there I gravitate to the same kind of spots all the time...the farmer's markets. So I came up with a sketching plan that was semi-successful.

Before I left home I made a concertina (accordion style) sketchbook from a sheet of paper from a Winsor Newton watercolor pad. I cut it into strips that were 6 inches high and marked off and folded pages that were 6 inches long. Then I glued 2 strips together giving me a length that was 8 pages long.

My plan was to start right at the corner where the "North Fork" begins which is where Rt 105 and Rt 25 intersect outside of Riverhead. Cruising along Rt 25 my plan was to drive about 1 mile and pull over to sketch whatever the view was. My first stop was at 1.2 miles on my odometer where I had a view of the Woodside Orchard store in Jamesport. It sells pies and cider and things like that. I parked across the street and sketched that view.

#momentsketchers

When I finished that sketch I drove another 1.2 miles and found myself right near Jamesport Vineyard. I drove into the parking lot, sat my mobile studio near one of the buses there for a tour, and sketched the vines and building. All the grapes have been harvested and the leaves on the vines are turning autumn colors.

Next driving through Jamesport I came across this field of cabbages growing with such great green colors that I had to stop the car. I had driven a little over a mile to this spot. I must admit I had painted from that location before but I don't know if there had been cabbages growing or something else at the time.

Now this was where the "drive a mile" fell apart.  I had to find a restroom and I was starving! So mileage went out the window and I drove to find lunch. That took a while and I didn't want to go any farther east, so I turned around and headed west stopping at the first place that called to me. That was the Cutchogue Diner.

By this time it was already 4:30 and I decided to buy a few veggies at the farmers' market and head home. I do plan on going back out there and finishing the pages in the sketchbook I made. Hopefully I will get to do the rest soon. 

Pelligrini Vineyards

I was out east the other day looking for a view from the vineyards. There are lots of them out there, but most of them are flat and have no exciting view. I found the Pellegrini Vineyards in Cutchogue which had a small hill so you could see the vines in the back going up. Of course the view was from the parking lot.

Cutchougue View

Last week my friend, Lin from North Carolina was up in my area visiting family. We made plans to get together and paint out on the east end. Our start was a little slow due to a traffic snarl, but we headed out. We made a stop or two along the way looking for autumnal inspiration and stopped in Cutchogue when we saw the color of the trees and the steeples on two churches. This particular steeple is now part of the Cutchogue Library. We lucked out that it was a sunny, fairly warm day so we were able to sit out in chairs on the grass and paint. Once we finished we went into the library to see how it looked on the inside and found that there was an art show in the gallery. We also had lunch at the Cutchogue Diner and then walked around the stores in the tiny town. It was great to see Lin again and catch up on what has been going on. Hopefully we can get together again soon!!

Today is Veteran's Day. In honor of that I am posting two paintings I did in the past.

The first is a sketch of last year's Veterans Day ceremony in Sayville.

The second is the painting I did from a photo of my father-in-law and his medals from World War II.

My thanks to all the men and woman who have served in the armed forces. They and their families have given so much to our country. Thank you so much!

Salt Air Farm ATCs

While I was at Salt Air Farm where I did the painting posted below, I also did two ATCs (2.5 x 3.5) for my WetCanvas exchange. 

Neither of the people they went to follow my blog so it is safe to post them here.

Both are of the field of wildflowers.

Here are a few more photos from Salt Air Farm.

First the barn.

Then some of the gorgeous flowers.

Salt Air Farm

The PALS Plein Air group went to Salt Air Farm in Cutchogue on Wednesday.

The temperature was in the 90s and the humidity was high.

I wanted to paint the wildflower field, but there was no shade for this view.

I had an umbrella on my easel to shade the paper, and I survived being mostly in the sun.

This is 8 x 10.

Here is another view of the painting against the actual view.

A few of the other artists painted while sitting or standing under the peach trees.

Here is Jeanne who organizes our outings.

Laurie painted in the shade too.

Linda had a spot under the trees.

Laurie painted out in the sun like me.

Susan had a shady spot.

The peach trees were full of fruit.

There was a nice barn...maybe I'll paint it next time.