Sketching in the City

My friend, Susan, and I joined the NYC Urban Sketchers again on Saturday. This time they were meeting in Manhattan. I drove us into midtown Manhattan, which was quite an adventure for me. We all met in front of the NY Public Library.Several sketchers were already there working when we arrived. There are two stone lions that flank the steps of the library and their names are Patience and Fortitude. I must say I'm not quite sure which one I sketched. lol As you can see, autumn is in full swing in the city.

 

After about 1 1/2 hrs of sketching we packed up and moved around the corner and down the street. People sketched where they liked, and some of us went into Bryant Park to scope things out. From now until Christmas there are market stalls filled with all kinds of things to buy, as well as a skating rink. I focused on one of the market stalls and some of the people enjoying the park.

 

Then we moved to 6th Avenue and 43rd Street. We were sketching from the inside of a building that had an open public space with tables...perfect for us to sit and sketch. I did some of the buildings across from us and had to include a few taxi cabs.

 

After these sketches we all got together (there were about 9 of us, including Jane who came up from Baltimore to meet us) and shared our sketches. Most of the group left at this point but Susan, Mia, and I went to grab lunch. After lunch the three of us decided to go back to Bryant Park and do another sketch before it got too dark. We found this wonderful caroussel to sketch. I am assuming it is something special that they added for this time of year since I never saw it there before.

 

It was a fun day of sketching, and Susan and I managed a little bit of shopping in the market stalls before we left.



Longwood Estate

On Tuesday my plein air group met at Longwood Estate in Ridge, NY. We've painted there a few times and it is especially lovely at this time of year. This is 8 x 10.



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

The Bridge

On Sunday I went to the WertheimNational Wildlife Refuge in Shirley. They redid the visitor's center and moved the entrance since I was there last. I was hoping I could find the trail that would take me to this view which you could see as you entered the refuge from the old entrance. It wasn't in a convenient spot where you could sit and paint it before, but now the road isn't used by the public so it was safe to sit on the little bridge and paint this view from it. This is 5 x 7.

 

On Saturday I went exploring and found the Saddle Rock Grist Mill which is located in Great Neck. It is a historical landmark and is possibly the oldest tidal gristmill in the country. It was built in 1792 from mill equipment brought over from England as well as local materials. It was in continuous operation until 1940. The mill sits alongside Udall's Pond where trading vessels would land from the Atlantic Ocean, arriving from either the East River, or Long Island Sound, and return loaded with corn flour from the mill.

 

Of course I timed my visit wrong and it was closed for the season. I was able to get a view of it from the park next to it, where my only company was about 100 Canadian geese. I will have to go back and sketch it again. It is in a really nice spot.



The South Bay Art Association has resumed their portrait painting sessions now that the summer is over. Usually they are on the same day that I go out with my plein air group so I don't get to go until December, but this year they are meeting on Thursdays for a while. We were luck enough to have Daiquan sit for us this week.