Cold Spring

Thank you to our host and hostess for sharing your lovely town with us. The weather, company, and location were perfect. I finished four sketches. Color was added to the gazebo when I got home (at 10 PM). It was a long day.

A view of the mountains and the Hudson River

Slate roof and mansard windows

Weekday Sketch - Thursday July 3, 2014

THURSDAY - Sketching the Christopher Street Pier

CHRISTOPHER STREET PIER by Punxutawneyphil, on Flick

The weekday group will meet this Thursday July 3 at 11 AM on the Christopher Street Pier.  The Makers Fair will be there so we can sketch that or anything else in the area.

LOCATION:
Christopher Street, Pier 45 is located on the Hudson River in Manhattan's Greenwich Village neighborhood. Pier 45 is opposite West 10th Street, accessible by nearby crosswalks at the ends of both Charles St. and Christopher Street.

Photo by  Brian Dubé
(http://newyorkdailyphoto.com/nydppress/?p=200)

DIRECTIONS:
Directions from the 1 train: Take the 1 train to the Christopher Street/Sheridan Square stop. Once you have excited the station, turn left onto Christopher St, heading west towards the Hudson River. Walk west towards the Pier.

If you need help finding everyone call Raylie - 201-978-6387.

There are no fees or attendance taken. All drawing skill levels are welcome

Sketching in Cold Spring

My thanks to John and his wife Karn for welcoming us to their home and their town yesterday.

It was such a wonderful day and despite the fact that we were so far out of the city, members came by train and car to experience Cold Spring and were not disappointed.

Susan and I drove from Long Island and it was worth the 2 hr trip!

Our first sketch spot was down by the waterfront. I couldn't resist the gazebo with the flags and the Americana red, white and blue banner hanging...great Cold Spring charm.

There were some of the usual members and some that joined up with us for the first time.

Of course I took some photos of everyone at work.

I had a few minutes to sketch Lucy.

Next it was back to John's house which we decided looked like we were in Provence.

Everyone got lunch which we shared in the shade in the garden.

We talked "shop" ...

... and shared our work from the morning.

Then it was off for round two of sketching along Main Street.

I sketched a cute house first.

And then a store which I sketched there and added color to at home.

Around 4:00 we went back to John's to relax in the shade and have a cool drink while we talked.

Some of the sketchers headed home, or back to the waterfront to sketch.

Susan and I went back to Main Street and did one final sketch.

I got inspired by some of the other sketchers who had used lettering with their sketches.

It was such a great day! My thanks again to John and Karn for welcoming us, 

and to John for organizing our day so well.

Sketch Cold Spring: a Picturesque Riverfront Village on the Hudson

Join us on Saturday

June 28, 2014

This day has been planned, curated and will be hosted by John Dunn.

Description:  Cold Spring, NY, is a picturesque riverfront village set in the Hudson Highlands, about an hour-and-a-quarter by train from New York City. There are numerous sketching opportunities: the waterfront area; the railroad station; a busy Main Street as well as quiet side streets. There is the West Point Foundry Preserve, an industrial archaeology site dedicated to a foundry that was built in the early 1800's and is best known for supplying the famous Civil-War "Parrot Gun", a cannon that made a huge difference to the Union Army. 

First Sketch:   10:15 to 11:45. Cold Spring Waterfront (a short walk from the train station). You will have a 360 degree view of the Hudson River north and south, the north end of West Point, the waterfront itself, the marina and the streets and buildings that flank the waterfront. 

Lunch:  11:45 to 1:00. You can bring lunch or buy from any of the  numerous eateries on Main Street as well as a deli.  Weather permitting we will have picnic lunch at our host - John Dunn's house. The Dunn's house is in the waterfront area and features a lovely side yard, shade and - best of all - a bathroom. (NOTE: If you have particular restrictions, email me at johnpdunn1946@gmail.com and I'll see what we can do.) 

Second Sketch:   1:00 to 2:00. I will pick a stretch of Main Street that I think will satisfy folks. Main Street is about five blocks long and features numerous buildings, many of them dating back to the late 18th and early 19th centuries. We may need to be flexible here, depending on how busy a day it is on the street. 

Third Sketch: 2:00 to 3:00. St. Mary's Episcopal Church, at the top of Main Street. The church, which dates back to the 19th century is geometrically complex and is surrounded on two sides by expanses of lawn that will give you numerous vantage points from which to sketch. 

Roundup:  3:00 to 4:00. Back to our house, where we can relax, cool off and compare notes. 

Details:  Arrive at Cold Spring station at 10, on the Hudson Division 8:43 train from Grand Central. I will meet you at the station. First Sketch is a short walk from the train station. Please note a round trip ticket from Grand Central Station costs $26.50

If you arrive late, or take a car and can't find us:

Call John at 914-523-8694, or Mark at 973-809-9128

Mary Lynch - The Harpists

Mary asked me to post this sketch she did of the Harpist event at the Make Music NYC event this weekend.

Harpist Playing in the Plaza

Sharing our drawings

Jim's turn

Make Music NYC - June 21, 2014

Man napping in a chair./Flatiron building.

Harps at W43rd Street - Make Music NYC

Convergence of Marching Bands, Brooklyn, NY

Make Music NY - Sketching June 21, 2014

The Make Music New York city-wide event was a sketch-fest  Loads of good things to draw and the music to motivate everyone's creative spirit.

The day started a little north of the Flatiron Building.  I did a quicky sketch looking south.  Then I spotted a father and son wolfing down their lunch.  Not sure if the eating enthusiasm I sketched was something they learned or if it was hereditary.  Next I spotted a guy who could do Santa Claus work in the winter.  He pedaled up on his bike and found an ideal spot to watch the Gong Event.

Turns out the Gong Event had loads of drums, ...big drums, and just a few gongs. But who wants to quibble?  It was wonderful to see and powerful to hear.  There was a film crew recording the event and lots of furious energetic drumming and gonging (?)

We went to Brooklyn for the Convergence of the Marching Bands.  They came to Grand Army Plaza from all directions and met on the wide steps of the Main Branch of the Public Library.  People were dancing, children were delighted and there was sound and energy coming from everywhere.

When it was over we were all hungry and thirsty and walked a few blocks to the Sunshine Company at 780 Washington Street in Crown Heights.  We got busy eating, drinking and sketching.   I did a quick sketch of three people sitting at the bar in conversation.

Weekday Sketching - Thursday June 26, 2014

What about Weekdays?

Many people have asked for weekday options.  Pat and Raylie will be running an experiment next Thursday.  Please join them if you can;

Meet at the Fountain in City Hall Park

The Summer Fountain in the park by City Hall

DETAILS:

 Meet at 11 AM at the Fountain in City Hall Park.  

Easy to reach - use the Chambers Street - Brooklyn Bridge subway - J, Z, 4,5,and 6 or the City Hall Stop of the R Train

If you need help finding everyone call Raylie - 201-978-6387.

There are no fees or attendance taken. All drawing skill levels are welcome.

Make Music New York - Saturday June 21, 2014

It's the Summer Solstice -   

which means it's time for 

Make Music New York.

Curated by Jason Dos

Urban Sketchers - Documenting Music NY

This international phenomenon originated in France. “Fête de la Musique,” a national musical holiday was inaugurated in 1982. Ever since, the event has become an international phenomenon, currently celebrated on the same day in more than 726 cities around the world.

Now in its eighth year, Make Music New York, “the largest music event ever to grace Gotham” (Metro New York), is a unique festival of 1,000+ free concerts in public spaces throughout the five boroughs of New York City, all on June 21st, the first day of summer.





From 10 in the morning to 10 at night, musicians of all ages, creeds, and musical persuasions — from hip hop to opera, Latin jazz to punk rock — perform on streets, sidewalks, stoops, plazas, cemeteries, parks and gardens. From high school bands to marquee names, MMNY is open to anyone who wants to take part, enjoyed by everyone who wants to attend.

Scenes from past Make Music NY Events

DETAILS:
-  Make Music New York will be happening all over NYC.  Jason has curated three specific events with maximum visual appeal for us to sketch.  He also has an optional encore fourth event
-  The first event starts at noon and we will be traveling to the other two events.
-  You are welcome to join us for one or all of the events.

Event #1:  Mass Appeal: Gongs
Worth Square (Broadway and W. 25th St)
12:00 – 2:00pm
Lots of people playing gongs in the street! First performance is 12 p.m. – 12:30 p.m., and the second performance 1 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.  The public participants will have an opportunity to explore the instruments in between the two sets.

Event #2:  Mass Appeal; Harps
Grace Building (Arts Brookfield), W. 43rd St and 6th Ave
2:00 – 4:00pm
Lots of people playing harps!

Event #3:  Red Baraat’s "100+ BPM"
Brooklyn Public Library, Grand Army Plaza, 4:30pm
Mobile bands will parade through Brooklyn and converge on Grand Army Plaza at 4:30pm, to join the Bhangra party band Red Baraat

Then, if anyone's not exhausted, I recommend heading down to DUMBO :

Encore - Event #4:  Mass Appeal: Pipes
The Archway (Water St & Anchorage Pl), DUMBO, Brooklyn
7:00 – 8:00pm
“Bells/Door” is a new participatory sound installation by Brooklyn-based composer J. C. King, for harmonically tuned Metallophone pipes and a recorded soundscape. Members of the public will play, throw, drop and improvise on the pipes to create a joyful noise in the Archway of the Manhattan Bridge.

If you can’t find us 

call Jason at 347-247-2222 or Mark at 973-809-9128

There are no fees or attendance taken. All drawing skill levels are welcome.

Sketching Coney Island - June 14, 2014

It was nearly a perfect sketch day.  It had everything:  A great location, a fascinating host, perfect weather and good food.  Who could ask for more?

Antique Bumper Cars from the Coney Island Museum

The Deno's Fabulous Wonder Wheel - the Center of Coney Island

The Restored Carrousel Horses

The Coney Island Circus Side Show

At the Coney Island Circus Side Show we sat in the dark and watched the acts.  The motion was continuous and  filled with the unexpected.  Sketching was difficult to say the least.

Ray Valenz started things off by pounding a huge nail into his nose.  He followed that up with by buy putting a whirling  Black and Decker drill up his nose.

I missed sketching Alejandro Dubois because he called on me to stand on his chest as he lay down on a bed of nails.  Back in my seat I was able to sketch him wriggling out of a straight jacket.  I've got to say - this doesn't seem like an easy job..

Later on at the bar, while enjoying a beer, Betsy Propane sat down with us.  It was her day off but she couldn't stay away from the place.  I did this quick sketch and gave it to her.

She still seemed willing to pose so I did another:

I should also mention that it was Bring Your Dog to Coney Island Day and there were loads of dogs everywhere you looked.  We rode Dino's Wonder Wheel with a group of little dogs who seemed to enjoy the ride.

I snapped these two pictures.  You'll probably notice that one of them actually isn't a dog.