View to the Marina

 We have a lot of canals and marinas locally. This was across the water in Patchogue.

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?

Fantastic Gardens

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

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. 

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? 

Island View Marina

 Near the Sandspit parking lot in Patchogue you can see across the canal to the Island View Marina. Sometimes there is a lot going on, but this day it was pretty quiet...perfect for sketching.

Sketch Club at Starbucks

Rain changed the plans for the Patchogue Sketch Club recently. Instead of sketching outside we had to find an indoor location and ended up in Starbucks in Patchogue. We had a theme of "Trinkets." Apparently trinkets covers something small that is inexpensive. I brought along a mermaid ornament, a tiny rubber duck, a ladybug pin that I've has since childhood, and a small magnet from Santa Fe. 

I was there before the other sketchers arrived, so I sketched a man at one of the other tables. He seemed so deep into whatever was on his computer screen.

The Line for Coffee

 Rain was expected but I wanted to sketch. I headed over to Fantastic Gardens in Patchogue hoping I could get a parking space facing the tables of flowers, but no such luck. I checked along the fence outside but there were no spaces there either. I did notice that there was a coffee truck with a long line, but there was no parking along the fence there. I ended up driving down the street, making a u-turn and coming back in the direction of the nursery. Ahead I saw someone pulling out of a space heading in along the fence. Perfect! I was facing the coffee line. I started with the guy in the leg brace figuring he wasn't going to leave. Then I just continued to add people until I ran out of space.

Right after I finished painting the sketch it started to pour. Everyone vanished and the coffee truck shut down. I'm glad I was able to capture it before the rain came.

Daffodils by the Lake

 Recently the Patchogue Sketch Club was supposed to meet at the library to sketch things that fit the theme of the night. However the weather was so beautiful outside that we changed gears and went out to sketch the daffodils in bloom by the lake in Patchogue. Volunteers make sure this lovely patch is always in bloom at this time of year. It was a wise decision to go outdoors! We sketched until it started getting too dark.

Weeks Boat Yard Postcard

 Weeks Boat Yard was the subject of another postcard that I did for the project being sent to Ukraine. I've sketched this view so many times.

Weeks Yacht Yard

 I've sketched versions of this view of Weeks Yacht Yard in Patchogue so often. It always calls me when I am nearby. This is 4 x 6 for the postcard project.

Not Quite Ready

In Patchogue there are quite a few restaurants/clubs along the canals that eventually lead out to the bay. Of course they opt for a tropical feel with palm trees outside. I'm sure this is a fun place to have a bite to eat or a cocktail and watch the water when the season starts...but they're not quite ready.

Blue Point Brewing

Blue Point Brewery is a local beer company. They have a big following out here and about 8 years ago moved into larger quarters. They now have a large room and an outside area where they have events and parties. I haven't been inside but I do like the industrial look of the tanks outside. It was fun to sketch them.

Mademoiselle Patisserie

 There is a lovely French bakery, Mademoiselle Patisserie, in Patchogue. I try to avoid going there because things are just too delicious. I think it is better for me just to sketch the building. lol

Lighthouse View

 The Patchogue Lighthouse is small (22 ft high) and is located in Sandspit Marina. This solar powered lighthouse was erected in 2019 and guides recreational sailors and Fire Island Ferry Captains in and out of the Patchogue River.

Burito Mariachi

Several Mexican themed restaurants have opened in and around Patchogue, like Burito Mariachi. I haven't tried this one yet, but it was bright enough to catch my attention. 

Patchogue Shore Line

 This was painted down along the shore in Patchogue from one of the parking areas that extend out with a dock as part of the marina. I turned around and faced the town instead of the water.

Around Locally

 I've been sketching a bit around locally. This is the back deck of a restaurant in Patchogue that is right on the canal called Harbor Crab.

I did stop into Sayville Bean for a capuccino and a sketch the other day.

This house was up in Smithtown among the historic houses.

You know how I love the street corners in the small towns. This was sketched of the East Moriches Hardware Store.

Arts on Terry

 Arts on Terry was recently held in Patchogue. Two of my art groups were represented. The Patchogue Sketch Club once again did a group project...this time we did printing. I posted a few photos of the group in action carving the plates and printing on paper and on fabric. Here is what our wall looked like...although it was hard to get the whole wall without a lot of glare on the pieces. The lobster prints were mine.

My favorite part of Arts on Terry is seeing the live paintings that are created. My friend, Nora Francese was painting nearby, so I sat and sketched her at work.

A friend's friend snapped a photo of me sketching Nora.

Here is Nora almost finished. She started at noon and was painting until 5 PM. There were somewhere between 8-10 artists selected to do the large paintings. They are always impressive!

In addition to the wall with our prints on it, our group had a table with assorted merchandise as well as paintings and sketches on display. Here are a few of the members of the group.

Drift 82

 Drift 82 is a seafood restaurant along the canal by Sandspit Marina in Patchogue. I sketched along the outside deck of the restaurant and caught the hostess and a waitress in action. If you look at the mileage markers on the right, all the places listed are Fire Island Beaches. From the Sandspit Marina you can catch a ferry to some of them.