Silver Sands Motel

One of the scavenger hunt items recently was something related to travel. I wanted to do a sketch of a motel out on the north fork of Long Island that I remember passing many times. This time it just didn't call for me to sketch it. So I kept driving and ended up seeing a sign for the Silver Sands Motel just outside Greenport. The motel is an updated old-time motel with rooms side by side with outside entrances. It has several buildings. Of course the other buildings don't have the kitchy seahorse sign on top of the office.

 

Not Just Bows

On a mild day recently I took a ride out to Greenport which is a town at the eastern tip of Long Island's north shore. Although the town has been built up a lot recently there are still some interesting shops and buildings to be found. I sat outside Not Just Bows to do this sketch. I like that it had signs, a flag, items hanging outside and reflections on the windows. This is the last actual sketch in my concertina sketchbook that I made. I just have to figure out what I am going to put on the cover. Then I'll see if I can make a video or a slideshow of the whole thing.  

Forinos Tavern

Last week I took a drive out to Greenport which is the last town on the southern part of the North Fork. You can go slightly north and still go farther east to Orient Point. Greenport is a bustling little town and very popular with tourists in the summer. Right now it is one of the few towns that has a lot of stores and restaurants open...although some of them probably close after the new year. Pretty much right at the end of Main Street is Forinos Tavern which is built over the water. I've never been inside so I can't tell you what it is like inside or even if it was open (It didn't look like it was.). This is another sketch in my concertina sketchbook of North Fork locations.

The Garden & Vineyard

Last Friday I took a ride out to Greenport on the North Fork. I haven't been out there in a while and I rode around looking for a location that inspired me. There was a house just outside of the town that I knew I wanted to capture...I just didn't know which part of it to paint. I ended up focusing on part of the garden and a shed. As I started working a woman came out into the garden. I was sitting across the street in the shade of a tree and I asked her if she minded if I sketched her garden. She said I could as long as I let her see it when it was finished. She liked it so much that she bought the painting. Then she asked if I would be interested in doing another painting of the garden hiding behind the hedges. Inside there was a small fountain in a small koi pond, several seating areas and flowered areas. I plan to go back soon to do that painting for her. 

On the way home I decided to stop and do a quick painting in my accordion sketchbook that has just paintings and sketches of  North Fork locations. This is the Paumanok Vineyard in Aquebogue.

Linen Shop

Back in the fall before Covid hit I had started an accordion sketchbook of scenes along the North Fork of Long Island. My original thought was to start with one view and then drive about 1 mile and sketch the next view I found, continuing until I reached Greenport, the last town along Route 25. Of course that wasn't so practical because often when I drove the next mile there wasn't anything scenic to sketch or there wasn't any place to park safely. So instead I sketched things that caught my attention as I drove along. The sketching in the book was halted due to Jerry's health and then the pandemic. I was staying home or at least staying much closer to home and it wasn't the right time to work on this. 

Recently when I thought about resuming the sketches I couldn't find the sketchbook! It was a book I had made and it had no cover yet. I had pretty much given up finding it when I discovered it hiding in a clear zip-lock bag right where I had been looking for it. Isn't it strange how that happens? Anyway over the weekend I drove out along Route 25 on the North Fork past the last location I had sketched and found the Bath & Linen Shop of Southold. It shares building space with Carol's Kid's Corner. I have to decide if I want to do additional sketches. There is only one blank page left and I haven't reached Greenport yet. Many people who use accordion sketchbooks also use the backs of the pages. I don't know if I want to do that. I like being able to see all the sketches when I stretch the book out. What do you think?

Inktober - Day 18 & Painting in Greenport

Here is another ink sketch done with a stick. The different edges of the whittled point give different textures. It is a fun way to work.This was sketched at The Grange in Sayville which has replicas of some historical buildings.

#inktober #inktober2016

When I post the Inktober sketches I keep forgetting to also post the sketches/paintings I am doing in addition to the Inktober ones. My friend and I went out to Greenport which is on the tip of the north fork of Long Island. There is a nice area with a boatyard but it was just too windy to sit there. We decided to sketch houses instead. There are some great ones in the town.

Inktober - Day 10 in Greenport

Greenport is at the eastern end of the north fork of Long Island and is a great place for sketching and painting, with all the great shops and houses there. My sketch for Day 10 of Inktober is of a vespa parked on the street. I always think of vespas and picture them red, but this one was a very sedate white color which was very pretty. I used permanent ink to sketch it, but made sure it touch the ink with water before it dried in each section.

#inktober #inktober2016

I was out there with my friend, Susan and our plan was to either sketch at the boat yard or sketch the homes there. It was windy and cold in the morning, especially by the boat yard, so we found a street with some lovely houses like this one. When I saw the shadows on the porch I knew I had to do this one.

Ice House

While we were in the Geenport area the other day we stopped at Old Field Vineyard to sketch. I did a view of the ice house near the rows of vines.

Greenport Boatyard

Before I left for my trip to Maine I went out to Greenport with two friends to paint. There is a great boatyard out there filled with boats that need TLC and assorted rusty objects...perfect for sketching. Security came along and told us that we couldn't be in the boatyard, but my friend, Susan, convinced him that we were three harmless old ladies who wanted to sketch, so he told us just to keep off the docks which are rather rickety. An old crusty boatman came along and regaled us with stories of some of the boats that were there.

Old Field Vineyard

After my visit to the flower field below we headed over to Old Field Vineyard just outside of Greenport. It is a pretty spot they are always welcoming if we want to sit and paint or sketch. Of course you can sample the wines too.

I did this 5 x 7 with ink and watercolor. The vines go all the way down to the water.

I was finished painting before my friend so I did an ink sketch to practice some of the skills from the class I've been taking.

Sweet Auburn B&B

A week or so ago I took a ride out to Greenport, at the tip of the north shore of Long Island.

On the way into town I passed this B&B on the corner. I've seen it before and have always wanted to paint it, but the traffic usually makes it impossible. I was able to sit diagonally across the street from it and paint from there.

Reflections on 2012 and Happy New Year

Reflections on 2012

 

As 2012 comes to an end I must say it has been an interesting year with some highs and lows for all of us. My thanks to family and friends for your support, love, and encouragement.

 

On a personal note my family is doing well. We celebrated 3 weddings this year in various places in and out of the country. I was lucky enough to attend all three and I happily welcome Flor, Emily, and Rachel to our family.

 

Several blogging friends came to the area this year. Ai Nukoolkit visited NYC from Thailand and I got to spend 2 days sketching with her in Manhattan. Lin Frye was here for a workshop, and after several years of being internet friends we got to meet. Hurricane Sandy make it necessary for her to stay on Long Island a bit longer than she wanted, so we were able to spend some extra time together.

 

I participated in several shows and have my work in the Fiedler Gallery in Greenport. I sold some paintings at shows and as commissions, so I am grateful for that.

 

The art groups that I belong to met this year on a regular basis. It is always fun to go out and sketch and paint on location with both the PALS Plein Air group and the Patchogue Sketch Club. I also met with the SBAA Portrait Group. My thanks to Jeanne Salucci, Gina Lento, and Don Stonebridge for coordinating things so well for the groups.

 

My thanks to my partner in crime, Susan Toplitz, who researched so many Long Island locations for us to paint together this year. It is always fun to have company! She and I joined the NYC Urban Sketchers where we met some wonderful artists. I met another blogging friend, Carol King, this year as we met with the NYC Urban Sketchers to do a Worldwide Sketchcrawl in Brooklyn.

 

Last but definitely not least, my thanks to my husband, Jerry, for his support and understanding of the love of art that I need to express. He has the same love for his music. Jerry puts up with a lot from me and I appreciate it.

 

There are many friends who are still not fully recovered from the devastation of Hurricane Sandy. I thank God that Jerry and I weren't affected, but my thoughts are with those who lost so much and are still struggling to get their lives back to normal.

 

I have MANY, MANY things to be thankful to God for this year, and if you are reading this you are among the things I am thankful for too. I appreciate your visits, comments, and support this past year. I wish all of you health, happiness, love, and creativity in the coming year.

 

 Happy New Year!!! Wishing you all the best in 2013!

 

 

 This painting was done for the Weekend Drawing Event on WetCanvas from a photo supplied by "pjartwc". My thanks to Jan for the reference.



The Fiedler Gallery

As I mentioned recently I was given the opportunity to rent part of a wall upstairs in the Fiedler Gallery, 207 Main Street, Greenport, NY. I am sharing the wall with two talented friends, Jeanne Salucci and Chris Taylor. Yesterday Jeanne and I went out to the gallery to hang work.

 

Here is a view of the wall we are sharing. Chris has her work on the left and needs to bring out more work, Jeanne is in the center, and my work is on the right.

 

I have room below my work to display some matted pieces, some notecards, and my book...yes, I did say "my book." I printed a book with some of my paintings of Long Island. More on that at another time.

 

Here are a few closer views of my section of the wall.

 

 

 

Greenport is a Long Island tourist destination, so hopefully in the warmer weather we will get some shoppers. There is still hope for some Christmas sales too. Wish me luck!

 



Oyster Pond View

While I was out near Greenport the other day painting the beach cottage I continued along the road to the Oyster Ponds. I sat in the beach parking lot opposite from this to paint. It was much too windy by the water to paint outside. My paper would have blown across the water before I knew it. This is about 4 x 10.



Beach Cottage

I took a ride out to Greenport on Monday specifically to go paint one of these cottages. I had been out there this summer and the cottages attracted my attention. Of course in the summer almost anywhere you really want to paint on the eastern end of Long Island has no parking except for residents. Once the season is over it is easier to park, but as it was there were signs everywhere telling me I was under "video surveillance" on Monday. I parked anyway figuring if an owner came over they should be flattered that I was painting their cottage. I sat in the car to paint so nobody got nervous. lol

This is 5 x 7

 

I really need to get out that way to paint more since I am joining a few artist friends in sharing wallspace in a gallery in Greenport starting in December. I planned to drop by the gallery and check out the space and the competition but by the time I finished 2 paintings the gallery was closed for the day. Looks like I will just have to go back out. lol

At the Boatyard, Blue Door on First Street. and Wiggins Street Charmer

This weekend I participated in my first paintout in Greenport, NY. Plein air artists did paintings in the village on Friday and Saturday and then there was a silent auction of the paintings to benefit the Maritime Museum in Greenport. Of course we had horrible weather. lol It rained most of the day on Friday, so my friend and I ended up painting this view from the front seat of my car. Most of the time it was raining too hard to keep the windows open and it was so hot and humid in the car. I used artistic license to make the day look a bit nicer in the painting...no heavy rain or flooding.

To do this second painting I sat in my car again, while it was parked in someone's driveway on the other side of the street. It was still raining, but not quite as hard as in the morning.

We saw only one other artist while we were in Greenport for the day. I think the weather scared most of them away.

I had painted another house the weekend before in Greenport. This was a challenge to do because after I sketched it out, we found out that the cars for the Shelter Island ferry lined up on that street, just in front of where we were sitting to paint.