Boat Repairs

 My PALS Plein Air group met at the Long Island Maritime Museum last week. The grounds are what always interest me, but this time I didn't work on the water views. There are several buildings on the property that are used for boat building and renovations. This particular building caught my interest because of the light on the boat inside coming through the open doorway. I believe the boat inside is the Priscilla, an old oyster sloop that is being renovated. The mast on the Pricilla had been removed and slices of it have been decorated by artist for the next fundraiser that the Maritime Museum is having. I painted one of the pieces for the next fundraiser.

Frank F Penney Boat Shop

On the grounds of the Long Island Maritime Museum there are several buildings besides the museum. This is the Frank F. Penney Boat Shop. It has a bit of history. 

This structure was once the laundry building for the Brooklyn Hotel located in Center Moriches. When the hotel burned down Mr. Penney jumped at the chance to rescue the building for use in his boatyard. In 1978 it was floated by barge from Moriches to the Museum. Today it serves the same purpose it served in 1900 - it is the center of our volunteer boat building program. 

West Sayville Dock

 I haven't sketch at the West Sayville Dock recently, but when I stopped by I remembered how there is always something to sketch there.

Behind the Fence

 The Patchogue Sketch Club met at the Sayville Maritime Museum grounds. The day had been really hot, about 96 degrees, but by the time we met it was a bit cooler and there was a nice breeze by the water. I sketched the buildings at the gate of the grounds.

Fountain

 I haven't found too many homes in the area that have fountains, but this one in Sayville is one of my favorites. One of the items on the Creative Spark Scavenger Hunt recently.

Another item on the Scavenger Hunt list was an anchor. This one is outside by Shellfish Marine Inc down by the West Sayville dock.

West Sayville Water View

 There are some nice places on the Great South Bay in West Sayville. This is another painting for the 30 x 30 Direct Watercolor Challenge.

Fundraiser for the Long Island Maritime Museum

Once again the Long Island Maritime Museum is having a fundraiser. They are restoring The Priscilla, a sixty-foot, 1888 oyster dredge. Her mast had to be replaces and to pay for a new one artists have been painting on slabs of wood cut from Priscilla's mast. Each slice is about 2 1/2 inches thick. Some are perfectly round and some had the bottom flattened so that it can stand up. The paintings will all be for sale/auctioned in the near future. Here is my submission for the fundraiser.

Here it is standing.

I used acrylic paints for this project. The next time I'll have to remember to cover it with white gesso so the paint goes on the wood smoother.

Sayville Marsh View

I made a visit to the grounds around the Long Island Maritime Museum in West Sayville recently. It always is a tempting spot for a sketch.

Greenhouse

There is a greenhouse located in West Sayville between the West Sayville Golf Course and the Long Island Maritime Museum. It is a not-for-profit greenhouse that offers job training and coaching to individuals with autism in partnership with the Suffolk County Department of Parks. I've sketched it from the outside several times, but have never yet been inside. Apparently they grow the plants for the many Suffolk County parks.

 

Blue Island Oyster Company

Down near the town dock in West Sayville is Blue Island Oyster Company. I love the assortment of buildings, cars, covered boats, and foliage around the area. It was a fun sketch to do. I've never been inside the building, but I googled it for info. This is their distribution center and corporate office. I do believe they are also open to the public for sales. Before the pandemic a friend invited a few sketchers to visit and sketch at her husband's oyster farm. It turns out this is the same company that Chuck Westfall is part of. He was a great host the day we visited and drove us back and forth to sketching locations where the farm is located. It is a small world.

 

Autumn View by the Marina

Down in West Sayville I spied a spot where I could see a bit of a marina peeking through the autumn leaves. After the rain the other night and the wind this week the trees are looking pretty bare. I'm lucky I sketched this when I could. 

The Shed

 I've been working on a lot of pages for the sketchbook project. This is a sketch of the outside of The Shed, a restaurant in West Sayville. It is a hilly place for table service but it seems to work. I always feel sorry for the wait staff that has to carry food outdoors.

West Sayville House with Flag

Down my the Maritime Museum in West Sayville there is a street with some cute houses. They are fun to sketch in the winter when it is snowy and right now, especially when the flags are out for the 4th of July. 

West Avenue Dock

Sketching at the West Avenue Dock in West Sayville is always fun. There is always something interesting there to sketch. It might be a ship that is being restored or a pile of concrete slabs like here. Don't you love all those tires? lol

Moonbeam Shop

 On the grounds of the Sayville Maritime Museum are a few small buildings. I'm not sure what is inside Bob Grooms Moonbeam Shop. I've never see it open, but it was fun to sketch.

Cool Beans

Last Friday was a very cold day here in NY. I knew if I went out I would have to find an indoor location to sketch. There are a few fairly new coffee places that have opened. Although Cool Beans in West Sayville has been opened about 2 years, I hadn't stopped there yet. This was my chance! Patrick, the owner was very friendly and outgoing...charming the customers who came in. Unfortunately Cool Beans doesn't have a great location and really has very little foot traffic because it is outside the main shopping area of Sayville. It is next to the post office but that apparently doesn't bring in much business. It is a shame because the coffee was good and it was a fun place to sketch. A newer coffee shop just opened in Sayville where a Starbucks used to be, and Starbucks is opening a drive-thru location in Sayville instead. That doesn't bode well for Cool Beans. 

Before I left I showed Patrick the sketch and he couldn't believe I did it while I was sitting there. He was so happy and bought it from me. I wish him luck and I will have to stop by again...maybe I will sketch the other end of the counter. lol

Greens Creek County Park

 This was painted at Greens Creek County Park, a small local park in West Sayville.

Maritime Museum Dock

I hadn't been to the Maritime Museum in West Sayville for a while and when I got there I found that a big part of the dock was being replaced. I guess that anything by the water is affected by the salt, the water, the high tides and the winds. This was the only section that it seemed like they weren't working on. It will be interesting to see how the dock area looks when they are finished. 

 

Fortune Cookies

Riding around in West Sayville I came across a Chinese restaurant that looked like it would be fun to sketch. It might have good food too. I saw a number of people go in and pick up food.

 

Boat by the Dock

It rained this morning but cleared up enough for me to get out and sketch today. It was strange to not go out sketching for several days while we entertained friends from Texas. I really felt like I was missing something. lol I headed into West Sayville and found this boat moored at the dock by Kingston's Clam Bar. Since I do not know what most of the equipment is on these fishing boats or how the things are connected to each other I find I really have to just think about everything as a shape and draw it that way.