SATURDAY: Sketch the Meer

This event is hosted by Julie Kessler

Join us exploring and sketching Central Park's Harlem Meer

Harlem Meer ("meer" is Dutch for "lake") occupies the northeast corner of the park. It lies west of Fifth Avenue, south of 110th Street, and north of the Conservatory Garden. The Meer has a meandering shoreline that wraps around the bluff that contains the remains of gun emplacements erected for the War of 1812. It encompasses an area that's 11 acres (45,000 m2) in size.

For history buffs and the curious this section of the park were added to the original park site, which originally ended at 106th Street. The Meer, as Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, the designers of Central Park, named it, was excavated at the lowest-lying section of the park, a semi-brackish, partly tidal wetland, which drained s l o w l y into the East River. It separated the former suburb of Harlem to the north from the lower part of Manhattan Island. To avoid the swamp, the Boston Post Road (which is mostly what we now know as Broadway) detoured westwards into the future park site.

For your sketching pleasure:  There are people fishing, people sitting on benches, and families hanging out. There's the quaint looking Dana A. Discovery Center (with bathrooms). The Conservatory Gardens just south of Harlem Meer (with more bathrooms) is a real treat.


DETAILS

WHERE:  Meet by the Dana Discovery Center.  In the northeast corner of Central Park (see photos and map).

WHEN:  Saturday, June 29th at 10 AM.  Sleeping late? Come anyway, we'll be there.

HOW:  Subways are a good choice.

LUNCH:  12:00 Noon - We'll eat together in the area around the Discovery Center.  There are limited food choices in the area, and some vendors.  A good strategy might include bringing your own food and drink.

Afternoon:  1 PM  Back to sketching the Harlem Meer.

Show and Tell:  3 PM - The social part of our day and not to be missed.   Meet at the Discovery Center, where we'll share our sketches and good stories.

NOTE:
_    Bring a hat!  Sketching can easily turn into a day of unexpected sunbathing.
-    Bring a stool if you have one, it gives you more options.

Click to Enlarge

If you can’t find us

call or text Julie at 646-704-2760

There are no fees.   All drawing skill levels are welcome.

Weekday Sketcher Canceled for Tuesday

RAIN, RAIN....PLEASE GO AWAY!!

URBAN SKETCHERS WANT TO PL....PAINT!!

The Weekday Sketchers event in the plaza in front of The Plaza is cancelled due to rain.  Perhaps try this as a painting prompt while sitting indoors....try drawing rain drops and drops of water....it isn't as easy as it sounds.

Note: There will be NO Weekday Session next week due to the 4th of July Holiday.

Weekday Sketchers at the Plaza in front of the Plaza Tues

Some facts you might not know about the plaza in front of the Plaza:

• It is called Grand Army Plaza
• The fountain is called the Pulitzer Fountain after Joseph Pulitzer who left $50K in his will to have it built.
• There is an equestrian statue dedicated to General Willian Tecumseh Sherman
• And.....there is now a giant tilted head sitting in the middle of it!

Join us this week to capture all of this including beautiful scenes of the Plaza with the greenery of the trees in from of it.  After lunch we can wander into Central Park to capture yet another bridge in Central Park:  the Capstow Bridge over The Pond.  (Might even find that beautiful Asian Duck that go so much PR last year?!)

Extra credit given for anyone who can name the statue on top of the Pulitzer Fountain!

The Tilted Head

Willian Tecumseh Sherman

Pulitzer Fountain

Comstock Bridge

Please RSVP directly to Raylie Dunkel at raylie@verizon.net.  Bring a stool, lunch and a hat.  Looking for us?  Call Aaron Liebowitz at 516 449 5958.

DATE: TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 2019

STARTING TIME: 10:30 AM

LOCATION: GRAND ARMY PLAZA MANHATTAN 

                       5TH AVE AND 58TH/59TH STREETS

TRANSPORTATION:N, R, W to 5th AVE/59th St Station.

SATURDAY: Sketch the Gugg

As artists we often approach museums like children opening up presents. We're so excited to see the contents. But the truth is museum buildings themselves are often art objects worth of study and sketching. Fortunately in NYC we have a Mile of Museums which we'll be visiting this Saturday.

Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum

Our first stop will be the Guggenheim Museum.  To sketch this unique structure you need to be across the street to take in the full view.  Our sketch possibilities for the day include:

Graffiti Hall of Fame 

• Neue Galerie - Fifth Avenue and 86th St.
• The Guggenheim Museum - Fifth Ave and E88th St.
• Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum - Fifth Avenue and E91st St
• The Jewish Museum - Fifth Avenue and 92nd St.
• Museum of the City of New York - Fifth Ave and E104th St.
• El Museo del Barrio - Fifth Avenue and E105th St.
• Graffiti Hall of Fame  (outdoor display at E106 and Park Ave)

DETAILS

Where:  Meet at the place where we have the best view of the Guggenheim -  Fifth Avenue between E87-88th on the Park side of the street.

When:   This Saturday June 22nd.  We'll start at 10 AM.  Sleeping late? Come anyway, we'll be there.

Lunch:  12 - Noon.  Bring your own, or purchase from vendors.  We'll meet at the entrance to Central Park at Fifth Ave. and 90th Street.  (Known as the Engineer's Gate). We'll walk in and find a place to eat together.

Afternoon:  1 PM.  Back to sketching those wonderful buildings.

Show and Tell:  3 PM  Back to the lunch spot to share drawings and tell stories. This is the social part of our day and not to be missed.

NOTES:

-   Bring a stool if you have one.  It gives you more options.

-   Dress for sunshine.  Sketching can easily turn into a day of unexpected sunbathing.

If you can’t find us

call or text Mark at (973) 809-9128 

There are no fees.   All drawing skill levels are welcome.

Weekday Sketchers Canceled for Wednesday

Rain, rain and more rain in the forecast.  Not a good day for sketching outdoors.  

Looking forward to seeing you next week at the meet up on Tuesday June 25th.

Westchester Sketchers at the Pines Bridge Monument in Yorktown Railroad Park, SATURDAY June 22nd

Our fellow sketcher, Sonia Idelson has invited us to sketch the recently inaugurated Pines Bridge Monument in Yorktown Heights, NY. 

This monument pays tribute to the members of the 1st Rhode Island Regiment who died defending the Pines Bridge Pass over the Croton River during the Revolutionary War. The heroic sculpture, by nationally noted sculptor Jay Warren of Oregon, depicts Colonel Christopher Greene, the legendary commander of the regiment. 

Two soldiers fight beside him, an African American and a Native American, all doomed to perish in the brief and desperate battle. The monument is designed to reflect that diversity, and is the first Revolutionary War memorial to depict all three races together in combat.

The Pines Bridge monument is located in the Yorktown Railroad Park by the North County Trail and near the site of a former railroad station on the Putnam Line in Yorktown Heights, NY.  This quaint wooden building offers more sketching opportunities

DETAILS:

Where: Yorktown Railroad Park, Commerce St, Yorktown Heights, NY 10598

When: Saturday, June 22nd, 10:30 AM. We'll meet by the monument.

Directions:  From the Taconic North, take the Underhill exit, make a right and go about 2 miles, pass 2 traffic lights, the park is on the right. https://goo.gl/maps/VST4oDPtuxoLP5Sk9 The site has parking by the North County Trail, or you can park in the strip mall across the street.

Transportation from NYC: Marianne has offered to pick up people at the Metro-North Mamaroneck station and bring them to the park. If interested, please call Marianne at 914-355-6507.

Lunch: 1:00 PM It's probably best to bring your own lunch and water, but there are nearby options nearby where you can pick up something. Location TBD.

Show & Tell: After lunch we will share stories and sketches during the social part of our day.

Please RSVP to Cathy Gutterman  cathygutterman @verizon.net 
Looking for us?  Call Cathy at 914-625-0766 or Marianne at 914-355-6507

NOTES:   
- It may be breezy - you may want to bring a light jacket and a hat.
- There are benches in the park, but a stool can offer more options.



There are no fees.   All drawing skill levels are welcome.

Weekday Sketchers at Lighthouse Museum (Redux) 

In February a hearty few Urban Sketchers made it to the Staten Island Lighthouse Museum....and then it SNOWED!  Probably one of the few storms of the winter with any accumulation.  BUT we all were taken with the Museum and the location and vowed to return in warm weather to enjoy sketching the old buildings and the views from the pier that juts out into the harbor where we will have great views of Manhattan, Brooklyn and the Verrazzano Bridge. 

Join us this Wednesday for a visit to a unique place in American History....the Staten Island Lighthouse Museum. This was the site of cutting edge technology that created and supported the extensive lighthouse system across America by building the lights and supplying the lighthouse keepers with fuel and supplies every 6 months. The Museum is housed in one of the original buildings on the site and there are many more to fill the pages of your sketchbooks. 

Afternoon sketching can include the views across NY Bay of lower Manhattan and the entire harbor. 

DATE:  WEDNESDAY, June 19, 2019

STARTING TIME: 10:15 AM

LOCATION: LIGHTHOUSE MUSEUM

                       200 THE PROMENADE AT LIGHTHOUSE POINT

NOTE:  We will meet at the Staten Island Ferry Terminal at Whitehall (the very tip of Manhattan) to catch the 10:30 AM ferry to Staten Island.  The ferry is free and leaves every half hour. (Good sketching opportunities on board!)  If you miss the group meet up, just take another ferry across.  The museum is 3 minute walk from the ferry terminal. Directions for walking from the ferry on the Staten Island side: http://lighthousemuseum.org/plan-your-visit/

Please note that there is an admission fee of $5 or $4 for seniors.  There is no charge to sketch outside or on the pier. 

TRANSPORTATION TO THE FERRY TERMINAL AT WHITEHALL: R, W TO Whitehall  Street

Please RSVP directly to Raylie Dunkel at raylie@verizon.net so we know to watch for you at the Ferry Terminal. Call or text Raylie at 201-978-6387.

Bring a stool, your sketchbook and watercolors.  Bring something to eat or purchase something at one of the shops along the waterfront. 

SATURDAY: Sketch NYC's Most Beautiful Block

Actually there are loads of candidates for this award, and, as Urban Sketchers, we are probably in an excellent position to have an informed opinion on the subject.  Come join us and see what you think.

West 10th Street (Between 5th & 6th), Greenwich Village

Just four blocks south from rowdy 14th Street, this peaceful respite lets you escape everything you’ve ever complained about in New York City. Brownstones on a beautiful, tree-lined street.  Protected by the Greenwich Village Historic District, this residential area harkens back to a time when notable residents like Mark Twain (14 W. 10th) and journalist Joseph Mitchell (44 W. 10th St.) lived here. Both ornate and simple homes line the block, many with plants creeping out windows or sprouting on rooftops, making it an urban oasis in the center of Downtown. (www.thrillist.com)

DETAILS

WHEN:   This coming SATURDAY, June 15, 2019, at 10 AM.  Sleeping late?   Meet us there - we'll be the people who are sketching.

WHERE:   West 10th Street between 5th Avenue and 6th Avenue.  Well meet at the Church of the Ascension which is located at the north corner of 5th Avenue and West 10th Street

HOW:   Close subway stops include:
-  Union Square  4,5,6,L,N,Q,R and W trains
-  Seventh Avenue and 14th Street, 1,2 or 3 train
(See map below)

LUNCH:  12:00 Noon to 1 PM - Bring your own or purchase from the many stores and vendors in easy walking distance.  We'll eat together in the streets.  Possible alternative location to eat - the Garden at the Jefferson Market Library - one block away at 6th and 9th St.

AFTERNOON:  1 PM  Back to sketching the quiet street scenes of the West Village.

SHOW and TELL:  3 PM - We'll designate a spot on W 10th to share drawings and tell stories.

NOTE:
-   Bring a stool if you own one - it gives you more options.

Click to Enlarge

If you can’t find us

call or text Mark at (973) 809-9128 

or Alan at (917) 685-5748

There are no fees.   All drawing skill levels are welcome.

SATURDAY: Sketch Philadelphia

Saturday, June 8th, 2019

WELCOME to the DISCOVERY of PHILADELPHIA

It's a far off place discovered by Benjamin Franklin and Rocky Balboa.  A land of artists, and historical buildings.  A place so close it seems familiar and so different it's almost another country.  Welcome to the wilds of Philadelphia, where we will be sketching this Saturday.

If you're thinking of coming - read on. . . . .
If you're definitely coming there's some important information - read on.  .  .  .  .

Our nearest cousins to the south.  This is a first-ever experiment, a bold leap for Urban Sketchers.  We'll be spending the day sketching the city of brotherly love with our friends and fellow artists  - Philadelphia Urban Sketchers (https://www.facebook.com/groups/UrbanSketchersPhiladelphia/).  This entire day has been planned by them for our sketching enjoyment.

If you're considering going it's going to be a full day. We're taking an 8 AM Greyhound bus at the NYC Port Authority and traveling to Philadelphia.  We'll be spending the day there including lunch and dinner together with P-USk.  We'll returning to NYC on the 7 PM bus.  Most people have purchased bus tickets in advance.

If you're driving down, meet us at the Philadelphia bus terminal at 10 AM  We'll be spending the entire day within a few blocks of the terminal, so it's a convenient spot.  Our Philadelphia hosts have prepared a map and an interesting itinerary, included below.

One important details, you will need cash to pay for dinner.  Credit cards will not be possible.

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If you can’t find us

call or text Mark at 973-809-9128

There are no fees.   All drawing skill levels are welcome.

Passes for Closing Ceremony at Amsterdam Symposium

If you are going to Amsterdam this year for the Symposium AND DIDN'T purchase a pass please read the following announcement.  The venue for the closing ceremony has been changed to a larger place and tickets are now available for the closing ceremony.  There are only 350 tickets for the event so don't wait too long to purchase one if you are interested. 

CLOSING RECEPTION (July 27th, 2019)
Due to the overwhelming requests from our community, we have a new location in Amsterdam to celebrate the 10th Symposium’s Closing Reception on 27th July 2019, Saturday!

Justifiably calling itself Amsterdam’s Concert Hall of the 21st century, Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ is a spectacular building which is a leading and extremely versatile international stage. As a home for contemporary classical and jazz music, linking together different functions, eras, genres and art forms, it aims to surprise and inspire a broad audience.

The Symposium Closing Reception celebrates the end of one symposium and welcomes the next, with the announcement of USk Symposium 2020's host city. Also included in the evening's program is the Silent Auction, where everyone can bid for a chance to bring an original piece of artwork home, and the Raffles Draw, where anyone can try their luck to bring home fabulous art materials, generously sponsored by event partners.
Of course, not forgetting, a wonderful evening of camaraderie amongst the urban sketchers family and their friends.

Each entry ticket is at €30 for Early Bird sale online (€35 at the door and subject to availability).
Tickets sold are non-refundable, but transferrable.

You may help us spread the news to your friends who will also be in Amsterdam but will not be joining as a participant with Symposium Pass. This is a chance for us to celebrate together.
Ticketing site: https://uskams_closingreception.eventbrite.com

Attention : Entry to Closing Reception is included for Symposium Pass holders, Faculty, Staff and Volunteers with official Symposium name tags. Just present your Symposium tags at entrance. 

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Visit http://www.urbansketchers.org/p/usk-amsterdam-2019.html for more Symposium information.

See you in Amsterdam!  #uskamsterdam2019

Weekday Sketchers at Gantry Park, Queens

And just what is a gantry anyway??

To find the answer to the question join us this week at the Gantry Park in Queens for an up close and personal view of the gantries, the iconic Coca-Cola sign and wonderful views of the Manhattan's east side. Lots of green lawns, benches and sketching opportunities as we explore another wonderful park that was reclaimed from the city's old industrial waterfront  Bring lunch, a hat and sunscreen for a day along the East River. 

DATE: THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2019

STARTING TIME: 10:30 AM

LOCATION: GANTRY PARK

                           4-09 47th Rd. Long Island City Queens

                      

TRANSPORTATION:  7 train to Jackson Ave/Vernon Blvd station.  Walk west three blocks from the station to the park.

Please RSVP directly to Raylie Dunkel at raylie@verizon.net.  Looking for us? Call/Text Raylie at 201-978-6387

Addition Notes

• Take a look at the great article about the NYC Urban Sketchers' trip to the Utrecht Paint Factory in this month's issue of Drawing Attention.  Thanks to Suzala, Jason Das and Iris Ong for their photos and sketches of the factory that were used in the article.  http://www.urbansketchers.org/2019/06/drawing-attention-june-2019.html#more

• Deadline for signing up for the trip to Weir Farms is June 5th.  For more information, click here: http://nyc.urbansketchers.org/2019/05/weekday-sketching-outing-to-weir-farm.html