A few weeks ago I stopped at Shrimpy's Burrito Bar in East Islip for lunch. I decided it looked like it could be a possible location for indoor sketching. I went back a second time, ordered my lunch and started sketching. My lunch became part of the sketch. (Resisting eating it was a challenge so I had to do a quick sketch of that part. Then I ate the shrimp taco, but left the chips to sketch them and snack on them while I was working. The girl behind the counter knew I was sketching and didn't seem to be bothered that I was there for so long. I eventually snuck her into a space on the page. She was thrilled when I showed it to her and she asked if she could take a photo of it. Of course I let her. She told me I was welcome to come back and sketch any time.

Hecksher Park View

The other day we had sunshine but windy conditions. I headed over to Hecksher State Park in East Islip and painted the view across the dunes. This park is located along the Great South Bay.

Final Sketches of 2023

 I've been having fun with the continuous line sketches so I thought I would do one final one for 2023 of my breakfast. I almost always have the same breakfast...a swiss cheese omelette with spinach. My holiday plate makes it a little more festive.

My final plein air sketch for 2023 was done down at Hecksher State Park in East Islip. It is a huge park that is right on the Great South Bay with views across to Fire Island. The parking lot I was in had some huge puddles from recent flooding or high tides. It could be either but this particular parking lot seems to always be partly flooded. The ducks were quite happy, but the human visitors had to drive through some of the water to get out of the lot.

Usk Sketchmas Day 4

"Seasonal Food" was the prompt for the Usk Sketchmas Day 4. When I think of the holidays I think of all the cookies I used to bake. I always started immediately after Thanksgiving and baked several batches each night. Before Christmas vacation I packed up most of them to give to friends in the school I worked in. It was a big thing when I started passing out cookie tins. One of my good friends and her husband were in Peru adopting their son and had to spend several weeks there thru Christmas. I saved her cookies in my freezer and they enjoyed them when the came home. Now that I'm retired I only bake maybe 3 kinds and I only do a half batch of each. 

For this sketch I headed to Pat's Marketplace in East Islip. I knew they had a bakery area and always had trays of cookies prepared.

Main Street East Islip

I love looking down the main street in small towns at the storefronts, buildings, churches, cars, etc. This was done along Montauk Highway in East Islip. 

30 x 30 Direct Watercolor - Day 7

My Day 7 painting for the 30 x 30 Watercolor Challenge was painted by the water in East Islip near the marina. 5 x 7 

Hecksher State Park Views

 Hecksher State Park is a 1,657 acre on the Great South Bay in East Islip.Heckscher State Park is a 1,657-acre state park on the shore of the Great South Bay at East. It has beaches, boat ramps, picnic areas, walking trails, and even cabins to rent. I headed over there the other day because the sky finally wasn't the grey, dismal sky we've been seeing. One of the hunt items was a sky scape and there were finally some interesting clouds in the sky.

I was sitting in an area the was for boat washing, but I didn't think anyone would mind since there were no boats out in the cold. This gull didn't seem to mind either.

Earth and Sky

We were having some great clouds in the sky so I heeded down by the beach so I would have a wide open view. This was done from the parking lot at Hecksher State Park in East Islip.

Trees for Sale

I am always on the lookout for places that have Christmas trees that  are not places I've already sketched. This nursery in East Islip is called Father Nature and I guess I haven't gone there yet because it is along the service road of one of our highways and you have to go past it a ways heading west and then turn around and come back all that distance heading east. I laughed when I got there because it looked like these were the only Christmas trees that were left. They did have wreaths and other seasonal decorations, but their tree selection was small. This lady looked by didn't buy one. 

Magnolia in Bloom

The other day I was driving and could see the top of this tree in the distance in East Islip...so I followed it to see if it was in a location where I could park and paint it. My friend, Suzala had given me a small, 5 inch x 5 inch, home-made, accordion sketchbook that I used for this.

Quick Ink Sketch

I didn't have much time for sketching today. I was at the rehab facility in the morning and in the late afternoon and was meeting friends for lunch. Now what is an artist to do? I had about 20 minutes before I was meeting my friends so I looked for a scene that I could sketch quickly and here it is.

Mossy Tree

This tree is located in the parking lot of the rehab facility in East Islip and every time I look at it I would think about sketching it...and finally did it. 

Seagull

Yesterday my sister-in-law stayed at the rehab facility while I went out for a while. I bought lunch and then took it down to the bay in East Islip. There were a few seagulls parked on top of the posts and this one stayed long enough for me to sketch him. This will be part of the art postcard project.

Rehab Views

I was able to get a few sketches at Momentum by the Bay, the rehab facility where Jerry is staying. I usually disappear for a little while when he goes for PT. Down on the first floor is a deadly spot where there is a busy baker making things for the facility. He has a little kitchen and there is coffee, tea, and goodies available most of the day to the patients and their families. (Not something I really need...but very nice to have when you are there for a few hours. So the other day I went down and sat at one of the tables in the little seating area and sketched the baker.

Today while the physical therapist was working with him in his room I headed to the library, which was a good place for a quick sketch.

Bubba's Burito Bar

After sketching at the East Islip Marina I headed into Islip for lunch. There is a cute place called Bubba's Burito Bar. It gets very crowded and recently they enlarged the place. I hadn't been back since they finished. I don't think they created much more seating (which is definitely needed) but it is a bit roomier and there are low tables in addition to the hightop along one side as well as a bar with seating. The counter where you order is still a fun spot with openings you can look through and see the workers in the kitchen. I always love seeing the names of the different beers that they have. I lucked out and got a table so I was able to sit and sketch the counter. I did the sketch in pencil and went over it with ink at home. I didn't want to take up a table for too long. :)

East Islip Marina

I know you can't tell from the image, but this painting is 2 inches by about 5 1/2 inches. It was painted down by the East Islip Marina. We were surprised with a beautiful day yesterday with temps about 65 degrees and no wind for a change. I was able to sit outside and sketch and then take a long walk along the marina boardwalk. Today the weather has changed dramatically. We started at about 54 degrees this morning with rain. The temperature has been dropping all day and it is only about 33 degrees right now. We had snow flurries  for a little while but the rain took over. Hope the weather where you are is better.

30 Day Challenge - Day 17 - Marsh View

Yesterday was a drizzly day but I ventured out with my mobile studio to do my Day 17 gouache painting for the "30 Paintings in 30 Days" Challenge. This was done down by the bay in East Islip. The clouds did bring rain and I had to put the windshield wipers on every once in a while.

Click on the link here to see the other work being done for the challenge.

Inktober Day 19 - East Islip Marina

Today's Inktober sketch was done at the East Islip Marina. This piece of equipment has been sitting in the same place for several years. At one point they were redoing that end of the marina but it has been finished for a long time. I used my twig, Chinese ink, and a stencil brush. 

#inktober #inktober2017

When I finished the sketch I decided to add some watercolors to see what it would look like. Some of the ink ran which surprised me since I thought it was permanent...which it was in most of the sketch.

The color changes the look of it a lot, doesn't it?

Scungi II

It seems like I have been doing a lot of boats this year.

This is 5 x 7 and was done the other day at the White Cap Fish Market in Islip,

a place I've painted at several times this year. 

Pumpkin Patch

Last Thursday I took a ride to the Organics Today Farm in East Islip. The owner was so sweet and allowed me to paint out by the pumpkin patch. My plein air group was scheduled to paint there yesterday, but I knew I wasn't going to be able to go with them. I'm glad I got to go last week, from photos I saw today, the field had a lot fewer pumplins when they went.