Saturday 11/1/25: Weekend Sketchers at Trinity Church Cemetery

 

Weekday Sketchers picked a great spot this week, so let’s follow their lead… When it was built, Trinity Church was the tallest building in the United States. Now, dwarfed by skyscrapers, it still commands a presence on the corner of Broadway and Wall Street. It is surrounded by the cemetery where many of New York's early dignitaries are buried, so with Halloween afoot, let’s capture the essence of this Victorian burial site. 

Right now the weather looks to be much the same as last weekend, so sketching and show and tell are planned to take place outside on the church property. If it is too cold there are lots of places in the area to duck into with amazing sketching: inside the church (numbers allowing), Printemps department store, lots of incredible building lobbies, food-halls, and a Whole Foods across the street. 

Host: Sonia Idelsohn- 914-552-6584

Date: Saturday 11/1/25

Time: Sketching: 11am - 3pm | Show and Tell: Beginning at 3pm. 

Location: 89 Broadway- Corner of Broadway and Wall Street, Manhattan, NYC

Meeting spot:  Meet in front of the church, but sketch around the grounds and beyond.

Show and Tell location: Depending on the weather, check with the host for a game-day call on the exact show-and-tell location. 

Seating: There are some benches, but a stool gives you more options.

Food, drink, restrooms: There are lots of options in the immediate area.

Website: Trinity Church

About NYC Urban Sketchers Events: All are welcome–no fee, no registration. Just look for folks with sketchbooks at the meeting spot and say hello. If you have trouble finding us, contact the host; their contact info is in the NYC Urban Sketchers blog post for this event.  #nycurbansketchers.

October 29, 2025. Weekday Sketchers at Trinity Church

Weekday Sketchers at Trinity Church Cemetery 

Its Halloween!  

What better way to celebrate than going to a Gothic Cemetery.....right on Broadway!

When it was built, Trinity Church towered over the skyline. Now dwarfed by the skyscrapers, it still commands presence on the corner of Broadway and Wall Street,  surrounded by the cemetery, where many of New York's early dignitaries are buried.  With Halloween looming up at the end of the week, it is time to capture the essence of a Victorian burial site in our sketch books. 

Ten Fun facts about Trinity with sketches of the skyline over time: 

https://trinitychurchnyc.org/stories-news/top-ten-things-know-about-trinity-church-nyc

Added Bonus:  should the weather be a bit chilly for outdoor work, the interior of the church will be available.  Additionally, the newly opened Primtempts Department Store across the street offers us a chance to see, and possibly sketch, the former lobby of the building, now the shoe department, covered in the red mosaics designed by Hildeth Meir.  And Federal Hall, just down the street offers us indoor space along with water and bathrooms.

DATE:  WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2025

SATRETING TIME: 10:30 AM

LOCATION: TRINTY CHURCH 

                        Broadway at Wall Street, 10006

TRANSPORTATION:  R, W to Rector Street. 4, 5 to Wall Street 

NOTES

• Please RSVP directly to Raylie Dunkel at President@nycurbansketchers.org
• Looking for us? Call/Text Raylie at 201-273-0445
• Some benches available but bringing a stool gives you options
• Water, food and bathrooms available nearby.
• Please be respectful of the grave sites. 

WEDNESDAY October 29, 2025: WESTCHESTER Sketchers at Union Church of Pocantico Hills, Tarrytown, NY

Union Church of Pocantico Hills is a small, country church tucked away in the hills above Sleepy Hollow. The non-denominational Protestant congregation was founded in 1915. It's present building was constructed in 1922 on land donated by John D. Rockefeller, Sr.

The church’s rose window was the last work by Henri Matisse before his death. Nine other stained glass windows were created by Marc Chagall in honor of various members of the Rockefeller family. The themes of the Chagall windows are The Good Samaritan, The Crucifixion, Joel, Elijah, Daniel, Cherubim, Ezekial, Jeremiah, and Isaiah. 

DETAILS:

Where: Union Church of Poncantico Hills, 555 Bedford Rd, Tarrytown, NY 10591

When: WEDNESDAY, October 29, 2025. 

Time:  10:00 AM.  

Directions: https://www.google.com/maps/place/555+Bedford+Rd,+Sleepy+Hollow,+NY+10591

Lunch: 12:30 PM Bring your own food. 

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

NOTES:

- You do not need to buy tickets. Admission will be free for our visit.

- ONLY DRY MATERIALS are allowed (graphite, pens, or colored pencils).
- Bring drinking water.
- Parking: street parking or in the small lot next to the church.
- Restrooms are available.


Looking for us? Call: Cathy at 914-625-0766 or Marianne at (914) 355-6507

Please R.S.V.P. to Cathy Gutterman westchester@nycurbansketchers.org.

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

Saturday 10/25/25: Weekend Sketchers at Inwood Hill Park

Let’s head for the hills! Inwood Hill Park that is.   

This unique NYC Park is a reminder of what Manhattan might have looked like before steel and concrete overtook the borough. Hundreds of acres of natural land still exist in the park, including the largest old growth forest in Manhattan. There are great views of the Henry Hudson Bridge, the Palisades, the Columbia “C”, and Muscota Marsh. As if that weren’t enough, the park also contains a nature center, marinas, hiking and bike trails, athletic fields, caves, as well as the northernmost point in Manhattan. If you enjoy bird watching, bring binoculars, the park is home to Herons, Hawks, Bald Eagles, Ospreys, Cormorants, Cardinals and Gulls, to name a few.

Host: Rowan Bordewieck- 718-926-6855 (Text preferred)

Date: Saturday 10/25/25

Time: Sketching: 10am - 3pm | Show and Tell: Beginning at 3pm. 

Location: The park entrance is at the corner of Indian Road and West 218th Street.

Meeting Spot:  Meet just inside the park entrance. 

Seating: There are some benches, but a stool gives you more options.

Food, drink: Options may be limited in the park, bring your own lunch. There are restaurants in the neighborhood. 

Restrooms: There are restrooms at the Nature Center (closest to the meeting spot), as well as other locations in the park.

Website: Inwood Hill Park : NYC Parks

About NYC Urban Sketchers Events: All are welcome–no fee, no registration. Just look for folks with sketchbooks at the meeting spot and say hello. If you have trouble finding us, contact the host; their contact info is in the NYC Urban Sketchers blog post for this event.  #nycurbansketchers.

THURSDAY, October 23, 2025: WESTCHESTER Sketchers at Croton Gorge Park, Croton-on-Hudson

 

Croton Gorge Park is a 97-acre property at the base of the Croton Dam and affords impressive views of the dam and spillway. The park is a popular spot for fishing, picnicking and hiking, with direct trail access to New York State’s Old Croton Aqueduct, which begins here. The Croton River also begins here. The bridge that spans the Croton River and affords the best view of the spectacular spillway.

The Old Croton Dam, built to supply New York City with water, was the first large masonry dam in the United States. Completed in 1842, it was the prototype for many municipal water supply dams in the east during the mid-nineteenth century. The city’s needs, however, soon outgrew the Croton Dam water supply. Consequently, work began on the New Croton Dam, also called the Cornell Dam because of its location on land purchased from A.B. Cornell, in 1893. Completed in 1907, the Cornell Dam stands over 200 feet high. The Croton Reservoir has a capacity of about 34 billion gallons of water with a watershed covering 177 square miles.

DETAILS: 

DATE: THURSDAY, October 23, 2025. 
Start time: 10:00 AM

LOCATION: 
Croton Gorge Park, Route 129, Cortlandt, NY 10566 Phone: (914) 827-9568

Driving Directions:  (35 Yorktown Rd, Croton-on-Hudson, NY 10520 using online maps)  https://www.google.com/maps/place/NY-129+%26+Croton+Gorge+Park,+Cortlandt,+NY+10520/

From NYC: Take an Amtrak train from Moynihan Train Hall at Penn Station or a Metro-North train from Grand Central Terminal to the Croton-Harmon station and then take a taxi to the park.

LUNCH: Please bring your own snack/lunch and beverage.  There are no food options at the Park.

SHOW and TELL: 1:00 PM. We will share our drawings and tell stories. This is the social part of our day and not to be missed.

NOTES:

• Make sure you dress warm - the forecast is mostly sunny but 61 degrees.
• Restrooms available.
• Parking is free.

Please RSVP to Cathy Gutterman westchester@nycurbansketchers.org

Looking for us? Call/text: Cathy at (914) 625-0766. 

10/24 NJ Sketchers at Iviswold Castle

 

Sketch Iviswold Castle

Meet us at Felician University Campus to sketch the Iviswold Castle, a 3-story turreted structure built in the late 1800's. The building is One Felician Way.

PARKING: 223 Montross Avenue, Rutherford, NJ 07070

STARTING TIME: 11:00am

DATE: Friday, October 24, 2025

RSVP to: Julia Bazaz 

jazaz7658@gmail.com

(551) 206-1273

Bring a stool and your lunch. Bathroom available.

instagram: @njurbansketchers

All welcome, no fees to attend

Weekday Sketchers at Foot Fountain

What is this thing?

It's ten feet tall.

Its painted "Pesto Bismol" pink

It has mouths with tongues sticking out 

It  sprouts water from foot activated pedals

.  It is called Foot Fountain and this week we are going to sketch it!

Sometimes you just have to give in to the quirkiness that is New York City!  This is one of those times.  How creative can you get in sketching this sculpture?  Big? Small? People interacting with it? Surrounding skyscrapers?  It's up to you.  

Also in the neighborhood:  The Vessel, the Shed and Bella Absug Park and Fountains and the High Line. 

DATE: WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 22, 2025

STARTING TIME: 10:30 AM

LOCATION:  HIGH LINE AT 30TH STREET

TRANSPORTATION:  7 TRAIN TO 34th Street/ Hudson Yards

Bella Absug Park 

NOTES

• Please RSVP directly to Raylie Dunkel at President@nycurbansketchers.org
• Looking for us? Call or text Raylie at 20-1274-0445
• Food, water and bathrooms are available in Hudson Yards 
• Bring a stool

 

New Jersey Schdule of Events

New Jersey Schedule of Events

 

10/18/25: Sketch the Elizabeth Street Garden

 

The Elizabeth Street Garden is a community sculpture garden and green space in the Nolita neighborhood of New York City. Over the years it has been a favorite sketch site for our group. Always threatened by impending development, we have gathered to say goodbye to this quiet corner of New York many times, but it has recently been saved by an injunction preventing the garden from being evicted! Come and capture this unique spot.

Host: Leslie Sim (516) 633-2340

Time: Sketching: 10am - 3pm | Show and Tell: Beginning at 3pm.

Location: Elizabeth Street between Prince and Spring

Meeting Spot: Inside the garden

Seating: There is some seating in the garden, but a stool gives you more options.

Food, drink, restrooms: There is no food, drink, nor restrooms available in the gardens, but all are available in the local neighborhood.

Website: www.elizabethstreetgarden.com

About NYC Urban Sketchers Events: All are welcome–no fee, no registration. Just look for folks with sketchbooks at the meeting spot and say hello. If you have trouble finding us, contact the host; their contact info is in the NYC Urban Sketchers blog post for this event. #nycurbansketchers.

THURSDAY, October 16, 2025: WESTCHESTER Sketchers at the Village of Larchmont

 

Larchmont Library

The Village of Larchmont is a 1.1 square mile area just north of NYC, and towards the southeastern section of Westchester County. Known for its tree-lined streets and easy access to the Long Island Sound shore, Larchmont is a walkable town with a friendly village atmosphere. It has been ranked among the best places in the nation to live. We will be sketching the charming neighborhood along Larchmont Avenue. Here you will find the Larchmont Library, the Village Hall and Firehouse, Constitution Park, Saint Augustine Church, stately homes, as well as beautiful trees and flowers. The storefronts on nearby Post Road are also an option for your sketches.

Larchmont Village Hall and Firehouse

DETAILS:

DATE: THURSDAY, October 16, 2025

START TIME: 10:00 AM.   

LOCATION: Village of Larchmont 

Meet in front of the Larchmont Library, 121 Larchmont Ave., Larchmont, NY 10538 (914) 834-2281

DIRECTIONS: https://www.larchmontlibrary.org/about/directions/ 

PARKING: While parking is metered in Larchmont, you can drive east (towards the water) on Larchmont Ave and look for a spot further down from Elm Street where metered parking ends.  

By TRAIN (From Grand Central Terminal, NYC):
Take the Metro-North New Haven line to the Larchmont Station.  The Library is less than a mile walk from the Larchmont station.  (Walk on Chatsworth until you reach the Post Road. Turn right. Larchmont Avenue is your next left and the Library is the second building on your left across the street from the Firehouse).  If you need a ride from the Station, please call Marianne (914) 355-6507 to arrange for pick-up.

LUNCH: 12:30 PM Bring your own or purchase from local shops on Post Road.

SHOW and TELL: After lunch.  This is the social part of our day where we share our drawings, tips, and stories. It is a time not to be missed. 

NOTES:

• Restrooms in the Library.
• Dress for cooler weather.
• There are benches in front of the Library and in the Park, but bring a stool if you have one. 

Please RSVP to Cathy (westchester@nycurbansketchers.org). 

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

October 15,2025Weekday Skechers at Forest Hills Garden

 Weekday Sketchers at Forest Hills Gardens

We were rained out a few weeks ago.....let's try again! 

Station Square

Is this NYC or Suburban London? 

When Forest Hills was being developed out of Dutch owned farms in Queens, the developers paid attention to every detail in order to attract people to buy homes in this remote outpost of the city. The idea was to create a suburban environment that modeled the English suburbs: winding streets, tutor houses, beautiful gardens....and...well no thatched roofs!  Starting at Station Square, where the Long Island RR could scoot people into midtown in minutes, to the mix of housing options, this area does not look anything like the rest of the city.  And so it remains today, a quirky oasis in the suburban sprawl of Queens. 

Join us as we capture the turrets, gardens, gates, homes and churches in our sketch books. 

We will meet at the train station and then walk through the village scouting out sketch locations. Please note this is a private community. We will be able to set up in the public green spaces within the village.  Please be respectful of the private properties. Bring a stool.   

Thanks to Diana Berchan for suggesting this location and guiding us through the village!

DATE: WEDNESDAY October 15, 2025

STARTING TIME: 10:30 AM

LOCATION:  FOREST HILLS GARDENS STATON SQUARE,     

                        Forest Hills Garden Queens NY  11375

TRANSPORTATION: E, F, M, R to Forest Hills/ 71st Ave 

                                        Long Island RR to Forest Hills

When you exit the station walk to Continental Ave and walk to Burns Ave to the meeting spot.

NOTES

• Please RSVP directly to Raylie Dunkel at President@NYCUrbansketchers.org
• Looking for us? Call or text Raylie at 201-273-0445
• Bathrooms and water are available near the station
• Food can be purchased at nearby vendors
• Bring a stool for best sight lines.
• If you are driving, DO NOT park inside the Forest Hills Gardens perimeters.  You will be booted and fined.

10/11/25: Sketch Fifth Hammer Brewing Co and L.I.C.

 

Join us for a fun day of sketching in Long Island City!! Our own Mary Izett has graciously invited us to 

sketch in the brewery owned by her and her husband, Fifth Hammer Brewing Company. In addition to our 

usual sketching from 10-3, we will have a demo by Nishant Jain, aka ‘The Sneaky Artist’, beginning at 12:30:

Nishant Jain, also known as The Sneaky Artist, is an artist, writer, and former neuroscience student who left 

his PhD program to pursue art and writing full-time. His unique approach to “sneaky sketching” has resonated

with fans around the world, inspiring them to capture their surroundings quietly and authentically. Nishant will 

share ideas and techniques from his book - Make (Sneaky) Art - that help him draw fleeting moments of life in 

public spaces. How do we get over our hesitations before the blank page and begin quickly? 

How do we wrap things up when time is short and we need to finish quickly? Nishant will answer both 

questions (and more!) with quick, confident lines and a minimalist toolkit.

As if the brewery weren’t enough, feel free to venture out into L.I.C. The brewery is just 2 blocks from the 

riverfront with incredible views of Manhattan, the Pepsi sign, etc. MoMA PS1 is also 2 blocks away.

Host: Mary Izett- 917-803-8566

Time: 10am - 4pm

Demonstration: 12:30pm

Location:

10-28 46th Ave, between Vernon and 11th St

Long Island City, Queens.

Meeting Spot:  Inside the brewery

Show and Tell: Will take place in the brewery beginning at 3pm. 

Seating: There is seating inside the brewery, but if you want to venture out into L.I.C., bring a stool. 

Food and drink: The brewery itself does not serve food, but they will have a pop-up, Makan Fusion, 

in the tap room beginning at 1:00. You are also welcome to bring your own food, and the area has many options. 

Bathrooms: Inside the brewery

Transportation: 

• Vernon Blvd – Jackson Av (7)

• 21 Street – Van Alst (G)

• Court Sq – 23 St (E,M)

• Long Island City Ferry Stop on the NYC Ferry

About NYC Urban Sketchers Events: All are welcome–no fee, no registration. Just look for folks with sketchbooks at the meeting spot and say hello. If you have trouble finding us, contact the host; their contact info is in the NYC Urban Sketchers blog post for this event.  #nycurbansketchers.