SATURDAY: Sketch Fort Greene Park

Stunning Fall Colors at Fort Green Park

Many thanks!  This sketch event was 

suggested and researched by Julie Kessler

The Prison Ship
Martyrs’ Monument

Fort Greene's history is rife with important names--Walt Whitman, Nathaniel Greene, Frederick Law Olmsted, Calvert Vaux, William Howard Taft, and McKim, Mead and White, to name a few--hinting at the important role the park has played in the city's history. Originally the site of forts built for the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812, the community surrounding the land started using it as public space shortly after the threat of the War of 1812 passed. By 1847, it was designated a park (Brooklyn's first), and twenty years later, famed landscape architects Olmsted and Vaux began designing its new layout. In 1897, the park, formerly known as Washington Park, received its name.

The park includes part of the high ground where the Continental Army built fortifications prior to the Battle of Long Island, during the early days of the American Revolutionary War. The site was chosen and construction supervised by General Nathanael Greene; it was named Fort Putnam. During the War of 1812, when the possibility of a British invasion led to the re-use of the site for defense, the newly rebuilt fortification was named Fort Greene in his honor.

After the fort's military use had waned, poet Walt Whitman, then the editor of the Brooklyn Daily Eagle, was a strong advocate of reclaiming the space for use as a public park.[2] The City of Brooklyn had, by 1842, bought property around the fort from the Cowenhoven family, and in 1847 created what was then called Washington Park, Brooklyn's second park,[1] after Commodore Barry Park.

In 1867, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, who also designed Central Park and Prospect Park, prepared a plan for the redesign of the park, the name of which name was changed to Fort Greene Park.

A neighborhood of beautiful brownstones

DETAILS

WHEN:   This coming Saturday, November 2, 2019 we'll meet at 10 AM. Sleeping late?  Come anyway, we'll be there!

WHERE: Brooklyn's Fort Greene Park.  We will meet at the corners of Myrtle and Washington.  If you come late, anyone with a sketchbook is almost certainly with NYC Urban Sketchers  (see map below).

HOW: There are loads of subways that stop within a few blocks of the park, including:
   A - C trains to Lafayette Avenue
   G - train to Fulton St
   2, 3, 4 or 5 trains to Nevins
   A, C or G trains to Hoyt Schermerhorn
   2 or 3  trains to Hoyt
   R or W trains to Jay St / Metrotech

LUNCH:  12:00  Noon - Bring your own or take advantage of the many shops and deli's in the area.  We will pick an area of the park where we'll eat outdoors.

AFTERNOON:  1 PM - Back to sketching

SHOW and TELL:  3 PM.  We'll meet outdoors - probably at our lunch spot to share our day's drawings and tell stories.


NOTES:

-  Anticipate sun.  Bring a hat.  Sketching can be like sunbathing.  Be prepared.
-  Bring a stool if you own one. It gives you so many more options.

Click to Enlarge

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 Schedule November & December

In an effort to help you plan to attend the events for the Weekday Sketchers, here is the schedule for November and December 2019.  Looking forward to seeing you at as many as you can make.

Wednesday November 6                    Reschedule of Greenwood Cemetery.

             Note: weather permitting we will be at Greenwood, Indoor alternative is Brooklyn Museum

Wednesday November 13                 American Folk Art Museum (Gift Giving in Self Taught Art) 

                                                          Julliard Performance at Alice Tully Hall 1:00 PM

Tuesday November 19.                     Brookfield Place, Canstruction

Week of November 25                      Thanksgiving: No meeting

Wednesday December 4                   Temple Emanuel 

                                                          (Sketch the Sanctuary and Exhibit on Barbra Streisand)

Thursday December 12,                   St Barts.  Sketch the Sanctuary and Concert at 1:15

Wednesday December 18                 The Met: Finish The Figure

There will be no other session in December....Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah, Happy Kwanzaa 

And a very Happy New Year!     May we continue to "draw" together through art, camaraderie and peace. 

Weekday Sketchers Canceled Today

Rain Rain Go Away

All our Sketchers Want to... Draw

Enjoy this rainy day sketching indoors!

Watch for new Weekday Sketchers Schedule.

Weekday Sketchers at Green-Wood Cemetery for Halloween

Cemeteries are natural haunts (excuse the pun) for Halloween,  and  Green-Wood does it up big time.

Because they stage a major event on Halloween night the trappings of the events are  in the trees and on the grounds.  Join us for a romp through this Victorian gem to find the spookiest scenes for our sketchbooks. Not interested in the Halloween hoopla, then concentrate on the wonderful Victorian funerary artifacts,  mausoleums, landscapes and beautiful trees.  

Bring a stool, your fall colors and ghost repellent.  We will have lunch on the grounds. Bring Lundh with you or purchase something in the neighborhood.  (Suggestion: Baked in Brooklyn, a training program for artisanal baking, is directly across from the entrance.  Great breads, sweets, coffee and sandwiches.  Supports a good cause too).  

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

DATE: WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2019

STARTING TIME:  10:30 AM

LOCATION:   GREEN-WOOD CEMETERY 

                        5th Avenue at 25th Street BROOKLYN

  NOTE: WE WILL MEET JUST INSIDE THE GATES THEN FAN OUT FOR SKETCHING 

LOCATION:  Greenwood Cemetery

                        5th Avenue at 25th Street BROOKLYN

TRANSPORTATION: R train to 25th St Station on 4th Ave.  Come up to the street level and walk one block uphill to the cemetery. 

SATURDAY: Sketch the view of the UN

We're sketching on Saturday but the day can't seem to make up its mind.  Yesterday's forecast said rain and today's calls for an overcast day, ... but no rain.  The smart move might be to play it safe, but I think there's a way we have a great day without worry.

Tudor City Greens

THE TUDOR CITY VIEW OF THE UNITED NATIONS
We think of NYC as being mostly flat, however there's a bit of a cliff overlooking the UN, with a drop of at least 30 feet.  It provides a great sketching view. 

The Sharansky Steps and the Isaiah Wall

Nearby is a lovely neighborhood park - The Tudor City Greens.  If you've never seen it it's an amazing green oasis located at the corner of 43 St there is a wonderful view of first avenue below and the United Nations. 

Leaving the park and walking to the view of the UN you'll notice a flight of stair - the SharanskySteps bring you down to First Avenue where you'll get a full view of the Isaiah Wall (from the Bible verse - Isaiah 2:4; ...they shall beat their swords into plowshares). 

It's a wonderful sketching spot and best of all of the weather turns we can easily retreat to Grand Central Station for some epic perspective sketching and loads of people bustling about for us to sketch.


DETAILS:

WHEN: We're meeting at 10 AM. Come late if you must we'll be there.

WHERE: We're meeting at Tudor City Greens an urban oasis of green located between E 43rd and E 42nd Streets  (see attached map)

*    IN CASE of RAIN:  We'll meet in Grand Central Station if it rains.   Look for us in the area between the Information Booth and the Stairs to the Apple Store.  (10 AM start)

HOW: The nearest subway is at Grand Central Station.  You can use the 4,5,6,7 or the S train.

LUNCH:  12:00  Noon - Pack your own lunch or use the stores on 2nd or 3rd Avenues.  We'll eat in Tudor City Park

AFTERNOON:  1 PM - Back to sketching the area

SHOW and TELL:  3 PM.  We'll meet outdoors - probably at our lunch spot to share our day's drawings and tell stories. 


NOTES:
-  Bring a hat.  Dress in layers.  Be prepared.
-  Bring a stool if you own one. It gives you so many more options. 

Click to Enlarge

If you can’t find us

call or text Mark at 973-809-9128

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

FRIDAY: Westchester Sketchers at Hammond Museum and Japanese Stroll Garden

October 25th

Feel the Peace the & Wisdom of Nature at the Hammond

A visit to The Hammond Museum and Japanese Stroll Garden is a chance to experience the peace of nature and the wisdom of Eastern culture, right in Westchester County.

Located in North Salem, New York, The Hammond Museum serves visitors from all over the world with Japanese art and a beautifully-preserved 3.5-acre Japanese stroll garden. Come take a walk and sketch in the gardens, or see the art on show in the museum's galleries. The museum offers changing exhibits, lectures, and programs that reflect the intersection of Eastern and Western cultures.

DETAILS: 

DATE: FRIDAY, October 25, 2019. Start time: 12 PM 

Note:  Later start time.  Museum hours: 12-4 PM.  

Admission: Adults $5, Seniors $4.

LOCATION: The Hammond Museum and Japanese Stroll Garden https://www.hammondmuseum.org/

28 Deveau Road, North Salem, NY 10560-2115 Phone: 914-669-5033

DIRECTIONS: Take I-684 to Exit 7. Take Route 116 East to Salem Center. Follow signs for the Hammond Museum on June Road north until reaching Deveau Road. https://www.hammondmuseum.org/visit

Transportation from NYC: Take METRO NORTH Harlem line trains to Croton Falls. From the Croton Falls station, the museum recommends taking a Taxi or Car Service to the museum. To arrange for pick up, please contact Marianne (mmiloff515@gmail.com)

LUNCH: Since we will be starting later, we will not stop for lunch, please bring your own lunch/snack.

SHOW and TELL: 3:00 PM.  We will share our 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 and cool temperatures.  
- Bring a hat, water, snack and sunscreen.

Please RSVP to Cathy Gutterman cathygutterman@verizon.net

Looking for us? 

Call/text: Cathy at (914) 625-0766 or Marianne at (914) 355-6507. 

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

Weekday Sketchers Track Street Art in Hudson Square

This week we explore an installation that walks the line between art and graffiti.  We will track the series of commissioned pieces that grace the builds, columns and fences along Varick Street from Canal St to West Houston.  We will meet in Alberto Capsouto Park on the small triangle between Canal, Laight and Varick Streets, which offers us a wonderful oasis from the traffic with trees, benches and a water feature.  From there we will continue up Varick Street capturing as many of the pieces as we can. 

Information on the Art Installation can be found here https://www.hudsonsquarebid.org/artwalk/.  If you click on the purple location markers on the map you will see the installations. 

Albert Capsouto Park

DATE: WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2019. (note change from original schedule on Thursday October 24) 

STARTING TIME: 10:30 AM

STARTING POINT:  ALBERT CAPSOUTO PARK 

                                      Intersection of Canal, Laight and Varick Streets

TRANSPORTATION: 1. 2 train to Canal St. Station

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

Bring a stool, lunch (or purchase it along Varick St.) and lots of colorful paint.   

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SATURDAY: Westchester Sketchers at Hilltop Hanover Farm

October 19th

 

Hilltop Hanover Farm and Environmental Center is a beautiful, historic 400-year-old 187-acre farm with rolling hills and scenic vistas only 45 minutes from mid-town Manhattan. Operated by Westchester County in partnership with the Friends of Hilltop Hanover Farm, the farm is dedicated to the development and advancement of sustainable agriculture, environmental stewardship, community education, and accessible food systems for all. Visitors are warmly welcomed and encouraged to visit with the farmers and animals and to take advantage of fresh organically-grown produce at their farm stand and pick-your-own vegetable gardens.

DETAILS: 

DATE: SATURDAY October 19th

Start time: 10:00 AM.

LOCATION: Hilltop Hanover Farm

1271 Hanover Street, Yorktown Heights, NY 10598 

Phone: (914) 962-2368

DIRECTIONS: https://hilltophanoverfarm.org/who-we-are/visit-us.html

LUNCH: 1:00 PM. Bring your own or choose a something from the farm stand. We'll find a spot by the picnic tables.

SHOW and TELL: Following lunch, we will share our 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 and cool temperatures.  Bring a hat, water and sunscreen.

Please RSVP to Cathy Gutterman cathygutterman@verizon.net 

Looking for us? 

Call/text: Cathy at (914) 625-0766 or Marianne at (914) 355-6507.

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