Sayville Park

On Friday morning I went to Sayville Park to paint for Paint the Great South Bay. I've sketched this spot several times and I always like the fact that there are people on the benches and along the walkways. This time I was the solo painter at this location.

I tried to take a selfie but it came out terrible so I will have to just show you a picture of my view.

Fire Island Lighthouse

A group of the artists participating in Paint the Great South Bay met at Fire Island on Thursday evening around 5. We all picked a location to paint the lighthouse...most from different positions and there were many compositions. I did a sketch once before from this spot, so I wanted to do a full painting from this spot.

Here is the completed painting.

I was able to get photos of the artists who were painting nearby, but there were several that were too far for me to walk to and still work on my painting. lol

Rosi Berry was painting right nearby.

Cindy Fox was doing a lovely pastel.

Larry Johnston pas painting in oils. 

Gina Lento (the organizer of the event) was working in pastels.

Liz Macchio was painting in acrylics.

The artist below came to the event all the way from Marietta, Georgia. She did have family who lived locally so she got to visit too.

Debra Meekins was painting in oils.

As the sun started to set there were some beautiful colors in the sky.

We stayed until the sun went down and the bugs started to come out. Then we all headed home.

Sketch a Taco?

Paint the Great South Bay has had a few fun evening events. On Wednesday, Swell Taco, a restaurant in Patchogue hosted an even where they had someone dress up like a taco and invited us to come and sketch. If you handed in your sketch and coupon you got a free taco. The owner intends to hang the sketches on the wall.

We set up in front of Swell Taco, and the hostess, Britt posed for us. Of course it attracted the attention of all the people walking along Main Street, which was the point. Attract people to our event as well as to the restaurant.

Here is my sketch followed by a photo of Britt.

A few photos. I am next to the woman in the orange shirt.

Photo collage by Krystle DiNicola

The Farm

For my Paint the Great South Bay location yesterday I went to a local garden center/farm stand called "The Farm" on Lakewood Avenue in Sayville.  I have sketched this spot several times in the past but the area where you can paint is small so usually I just sit in my car to paint so I won't be in the way of the customers. I did stop there the other day to buy tomatoes and asked the man behind the counter if I could come an paint. I explained what the event was and he told me it was fine to come during the week, Wednesday being their quiet day.

Since it was a small area I was glad that no other sketchers joined me. I think we might have been in the way. I thought I knew what I wanted to paint, but then I saw this display with sunflowers just calling to be painted. I introduced myself to the lady that was there who turned out to be one of the owners. She was very sweet and told me I could paint anywhere and if I wanted her to move things around she would happily do that. Here is the view I decided to paint.

And here is the finished piece. The owner liked it so much she bought it immediately. That always makes a plein air day extra special. Since the painting was done as part of Paint the Great South Bay I will pay a sales commission to the Patchogue Arts Council who is running the event.

She had some beautiful hibiscus that were as big as dinner plates. lol

While I was painting my friend, Michele DePaolo came to see what I was up to and took this photo of me while I was working. A celebrity also visited while I was there...Michael Kors the designer stopped by. He looked familiar but I didn't realize it was him at the time. The owner asked me if I had seen him.

Boats and a Rickety Building

Yesterday I called the Frank M. Weeks Yacht Yard in Patchogue (see yesterday's painting) to find out if we could paint in the actual boat yard. I've been there before but have always painted from my car. I explained to the owner about the Paint the Great South Bay event and he said he had no problem with some of us coming over to paint on the property. So I contacted some of my fellow artists and we headed over there.

There were a few worn looking buildings and some great boats. Here is where I set up my easel...across from a dilapidated building with lots of character.

I figured out how to set the timer on my iPhone to take a selfie while I was working. It was a cold and damp morning...note the sweatshirt. (I later changed to a fleece jacket.)

While we were painted assorted workmen came over and told us stories about the old buildings and some of the boats.

Here is my completed painting.

Several other artists joined in and painted.

Cindy working on her painting.

Gina painting one of the buildings in pastel.

Cindy trying to keep her painting dry.

You'll notice that Cindy has an umbrella up. It started to rain lightly just about the time I was finishing up my painting so I put it in the car quickly so the watercolors wouldn't get wet. Cindy wanted to at least finish her boat before stopping. I think she was successful with that part but still needed to do the trees.

A Sweet Time Sketching

Paint the Great South Bay caught the attention of a few of the businesses in Patchogue. Last night Kilwins Chocolates invited the participating artists to come and sketch inside their shop. The deal was to sketch something sweet and get something sweet. Each of us had a coupon to be redeemed for a free ice cream upon completion of a sketch. Only a few of us showed up but we definitely enjoyed ourselves. Those who didn't join us really lost out on a great opportunity.

From the time we walked in, this idea felt like it would be trouble with a capital T. It smelled so good inside and we were surrounded by candy in all its various states...candy pieces, fudge, caramels, popcorn covered in caramel or chocolate...you get the picture. There was someone making dipped chocolate pieces. There was also someone making caramel sauce for the caramel apples. How could I, a chocoholic, survive in there? I knew I couldn't sit there and sketch chocolate...that would be too hard to bear, so I picked the caramel apples covered with chopped pecans inside a display case. I don't like caramel apples or candy apples, so I figured this was a good choice. At least I wouldn't be drooling over them while I sketched. People loved seeing us sketching the sweet treats.

I had my stool tucked in the corner so I would be out of the way. Here is what I was facing.

Don't they look yummy? Even I thought they looked delicious.

The store itself is really cute. We are hoping to take our regular sketch group back there another night.

Rosi Berry was also sketching the caramel apples but from afar.

Gina Lento was sketching some small boxes of assorted chocolates.

Cindy Fox got up close and personal with several items in the display case.

Pauline Hazard sketched the whole display case.

When I was done I traded my coupon and my sketch for a cup of New Orleans Praline ice cream. I took it to go since I hadn't eaten dinner yet. I shared it with my hubby for dessert after dinner. It was delicious so this store may be a problem since I am in Patchogue so often. lol

The owner of this Kilwins location is going to display our sketches inside the shop.

Morning Painting

This morning I decided to go along the canal in Patchogue to paint my next piece for "Paint the Great South Bay." I texted a friend and asked her if she wanted to join me and then I posted the location on the FB page for the event. Gina and 2 other sketchers joined me there.
#paintthegreatsouthbay

I have sketched the Weeks Yacht Yard several times in the past, but each time the painting was fairly small. This time I wanted to do a panorama of the scene. Here is my setup...

and the final painting.

Here are a few photos of the other artists.

Gina Lento at work.

Larry Johnston capturing the scene.

Rosi Berry at her easel.