WEEKDAY SKETCHERS AND WESTCHESTER JOINT MEETING

Join us this Wednesday for a very special join meeting with the Westchester chapter at the New York Botanical Garden.  In addition to the wonders that the garden offers on a daily basis year round, there is a special exhibit recreating Van Gough's paintings of flowers  ...So many sunflowers!! If you want purchase a ticket for the indoor exhibit you can do so, but the grounds sprout (pun intended) many facsimiles of what he painted,  so you will dee them with a general admission ticket.  

Please take note of the following:

• For more information about the garden, exhibits and facilities click here: https://www.nybg.org
• Your RSVP is much appreciated so we know who will be coming. RSVP.  to Cathy Gutterman Westchester@nycurbansketchers.org or Marianne Milzoff at Secretary@nycurbansketchers.org
• Bring a stool, sun block and a hat
• Looking for us?  Call/Text Cathy Gutterman at 914-625-0766 or Marianne Milzoff at 914 355 6507.  I 

Entrance Info:

• There is fee to enter the garden, as well as a fee for parking. Check the web site for costs
• The garden is FREE on Wednesday to NYC residents with proof of address
• The Garden is free for non-NYC residents on Wednesday BETWEEN 10 and 11 AM. If you are not a NYC resident try to arrive in time not to pay an entrance fee
• The American Alliance of Museum card is accepted for free admission
• If you are a member of the NYBG, and willing to share a guest pass, please do so that those who don't have a pass can get a guest entrance, Let us know that you are holding passes.
• If you need a guest pass, please let us know 

Meeting instructions: 

• We will meet in two locations:
• Cathy Gutterman will meet members who are coming by car at 10:30 AM OUTSIDE the Main Entrance on Southern Boulevard (see map on the NYBG web site)
• Marianne Milzoff will meet members coming by train or subway at the at 10:30 AM OUTSIDE the entrance at the Mosholu Entrance  (see map on the NYBG web site)
• We will meet for lunch and a throw-down at 1:00 PM location TBD
• You can stay as long as you wish after lunch but there will not be a final gathering 

DATE:  WEDNESDAY JULY 9 , 2025

LOCATION:  NEW YORK BOTANICAL GARDEN 

                        2900 SOUTHERN BLVD, BRONX, NY

TIME:  10:30 AM (see Meeting info above)

TRANSPORTATION: Click here for information on NYC subway, Metro North and driving directions.https: //www.nybg.org/visit/directions/

NOTE: Please check the NYBG web site for information on dinning options, what is in bloom, special exhibits and much more. https://www.nybg.org

 

Workshop on August 2 with Mel Barranco

 

When: August 2, 2025 at 10am

Where: Meet in front of the New York Public Library at 476 Fifth Avenue, by the lion Fortitude, which is the one on the right as you face the Fifth Avenue entrance.

For More Details and To Sign Ups Click Here:

Description: In this workshop students will learn to fuse observation of details with a colorful interpretation of the overall scene. Three parts of the bus stop scene will be explored in sequence:

1. Inanimate details of the bus stop setting, including those you imagine,
2. Moving objects - how to capture a fleeting moment, especially people in motion, and
3. Combining all elements onto a previously marked sheet of paper.

Saturday, July 5, 2025 - No Weekend Sketch Event

Happy July 4th!

NJ Schedule for July and August

 New Jersey Group Schedule 

The New Jersey Group, a sub-chapter of the NYC Urban Sketchers, would like to invite all sketchers in the NY/NJ Metro area to join us for our summer sketch events.  Most events are accessible by public transit from NYC.  Group members are happy to pick up commuters from train stations near the events. 

• Thursday, July 10^th– Verona Park

Bucolic suburban park with a lake and swan boats, perfect for a summer afternoon!

• Thursday July 17th Jersey City Waterfront

Join us for this early evening event to capture the NYC skyline at dusk.  

• Thursday, July 24^th  – Morristown Green  

  History has happened here. George Washington's troops were camped nearby. The green is the center of this town with beautiful architecture surrounding the green

•  Sunday, August 3, Overpeck Park, Leonia

811acres to explore. Take a kayak ride, do some bird  (or people) watching, sketch the bridges or the golfers and get your fill of untouched acreage in the middle of a densely populated area

 

• Friday, August 15^th – Van Vleck House & Gardens, Montclair

        The house and gardens in the center of Montclair offer multiple outdoor landscaped "rooms" perfect for sketching

• Thursday, August 28^th – Liberty State Park, Jersey City

Looking east to the fabulous views of the city skyline, Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island and looking west to the salt marshes and bird sanctuaries provide plenty of sketch alternatives. 

 

No Weekday Sketch Event Week of July 4

Happy July 4th!  

There will not be a Weekday Sketch Event the week of July 4th.  Enjoy the holiday sketching your picnics and BBQs with family and friends. The next Weekday event will be a join meeting with the Westchester Group art the NY Botanical Garden on July 9th.  Watch for the announcement.  

Saturday, June 28, 2025 - Sketch The Harlem Meer

 

The recently opened Davis Center at the Harlem Meer is is a new year-round destination for recreation, nature, and community connection in Central Park’s north end. It’s located on the east side of Central Park, between 106th and 108th Streets, between 5th Ave. and Malcolm X Blvd. 

This glass and stone pavilion is built into the hillside and opens onto a large outdoor space that contains a seasonal pool in summer, a turf field in spring and fall, and an ice rink in winter. This project is a renewal of the surrounding landscape, and brings to life a hidden stream, as well a new waterfront boardwalk.

DETAILS:

Meeting Spot: We’ll meet where the Harlem Meer pedestrian path meets the Davis Center oval.

Lunch and 3pm Show & Tell location: TBD on site

Food Options: There are a few limited food options (Dunkin’, grill & deli, & a fried chicken restaurant located at Malcolm X Blvd and 110th Street.)

Restrooms: Public restrooms are located in the Charles A. Dana Discovery Center on the north side of the Harlem Meer, between 5th Avenue and Malcolm X Blvd. 

Seating: There are many benches and places to sit, but feel free to bring a stool for more sketching options.

Getting Here:

* Take the C or B train to Cathedral Parkway, then walk east along Central Park North (110th Street), enter the park at Malcolm X Blvd and take the path south to the Davis Center.

* Take the 2 or 3 train to Central Park North (110th Street), enter the park at Malcolm X Blvd and take the path south to the Davis Center.

* Take the 6 train to 110th Street and Lexington Avenue, and walk west to the park and take the path around Harlem Meer to the Davis Center.

To reach by bus:

* Take M2, M3, M4 bus to Central Park North (110th Street) and Malcolm X Blvd, and walk south to the Davis Center.

Host: Anne Savage (503) 780-1531

Weekday Sketchers Schedule for July and August

Weekday Schedule for July and August 

Elizabeth Street Garden

In an effort to help you plan to attend the Weekday Sketch Sessions, here is the schedule for July and August.  Be aware that the schedule can change due to weather or other circumstances, so please check the weekly announcements.

It's summer (finally) so let's get in as much outdoor sketching as possible.  This schedule will keep us busy visiting gardens, parks and beaches around the city, especially in the outer boroughs.   A trip to the Rockaway's, Coney Island and Manhattan Beach should give us plenty of beach time.  Upper Manhattan gardens will provide shade and greenery.  And, there are a few new events planned for late afternoons to capture the sunsets. 

And one more announcement:   The Elizabeth Street Garden has been saved from demolition.  To celebrate, I've put it on our calendar for July 16th! 

Wednesday July 2, 2025                 NO SKETCHING, 

                                                        Fourth of July Holiday Week

Wednesday July 9, 2025                New York Botanical Garden

                                                        Joint Westchester Event 

Wednesday July 16, 2025               Elizabeth Street Garden

Thursday July 17, 2025                   Late Afternoon Sketch Jersey City Waterfront

Wednesday July 23 2025                Rockaway Beach

Wednesday July 30, 2025               Derfner Museum and Garden

                                                        Joint Westchester Event  

Wednesday August 6, 2025            Coney Island

Wednesday August 13, 2025           Riverside Park 145 Street John Jay Sharp Volunteer House

Thursday August 14, 2025               Late afternoon sketch site TBD

Wednesday August 20, 2025           Manhattan Beach

Wednesday August 27, 2025            Madison Sqare Park 

THURSDAY: Westchester Sketchers at Muscoot Farm, Katonah

 

Muscoot Farm was originally a gentleman's farm owned by the Hopkins family and used as their summer estate and dairy farm from 1880 to 1924. In 1924 the family moved to the farm year-round and continued the dairy business until 1967 when Westchester County acquired the property.

Today, Muscoot Farm has many of the original buildings, some of which were moved to accommodate the Muscoot Reservoir. Visitors can walk through the dairy barn, milk house, ice house, blacksmith shop, and several other barns and buildings. Livestock and poultry are breeds typical of an early 20th-century gentleman's farm and many represent minor rare breeds. The Main House is used to exhibit monthly art shows by local artists.

DETAILS:

Where: Muscoot Farm 51 NY-100, Katonah, NY Phone: (914) 864-7282

When: Thursday, June 26, 2025. 

Start time: 10:00 AM.

Directions: Muscoot Farm is on Route 100 nestled between Somers, Katonah, and Yorktown. The farm is located about 1 mile south of the intersection of Route 100 and Route 35.

Transportation from NYC: The closest Metro-North train station is Katonah, on the New Haven line. Please contact Marianne at (914) 355-6507 to arrange a ride from the station.

Lunch: 12:30 PM. We will have lunch by the picnic table area. Bring your own food and beverage.

Show and Tell: Following lunch, we will share drawings and tell stories. This social part of our day is not to be missed.

NOTES:
- Come early for the best parking spots.
- Bring a stool if you have one. It gives you more options.
- Dress for sunshine. Bring a hat and sunscreen.

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

If you can’t find us call: Cathy at (914) 625-0766

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

June 25, 2025-Sketch Domino Park

Program Canceled due to Extreme Heat

It is too hot to be out in the sun sketching.  Please stay cool and hydrated. 

Weekday Sketchers at Domino Park Wednesday

Domino Park

Domino Park and Domino Square on the East River are some of the most successful reclamations of old industrial land into usable parks.  Situated on site of the Domino Sugar Factory on the East River and accessible via the East River Ferry, this site promises us a fun day of sketching and relaxing along the river. 

Just north of the Williamsburg Bridge the park has two water features, a dog run, elevated walkway and  a playground made to resemble the equipment used in the sugar refining process, which will make you wish you were 5 years old again!  We won't run out of things to sketch. We will be meeting at Domino Square, the newly opened area at the south end of the complex just north of the Williamsburg Bridge 

Playground 

Thank you to Mary Izett for suggesting this location!

DATE: WEDNESDAY June 25, 2025

STARTING TIME: 10:30 AM

LOCATION: DOMINO PARK and DOMINO SQUARE

                        15 RIVER STREET, WILLIAMSBURG BROOKLYN

                            We will meet in Domino Square between South 3 and 4th Streets

TRANSPORTATION: East River Ferry to  South Williamsburg Station. 

                                        OR L Train to Bedford Ave Station

                The easiest way to get to Domino Square is via the East River Ferry

For Ferry information, click here: https://www.ferry.nyc/routes-and-schedules/route/east-river/

Domino Square 
Meeting place

NOTES

• RSVP directly to Raylie Dunkel at President@nycurbanskertchers.org
• Looking for us? Call/Text Raylie at 201-273-0445
• Lots of benches but bringing a stool gives you more options
• Food, water and bathrooms are available at the park
• Bring lunch or purchase something from a nearby vendor

July 20, Our Fourth Annual Summer Celebration

 

When: July 20, 2025, 10am-4pm
How: Click Here

Join us for our 4th Annual Summer Celebration at the Queens Botanical Gardens.

Amazing raffle prizes, goodie bags, sketch crawl with Mel Barranco, garage sale and a new event, Sketch/Story activity with Karen De Mauro. 

Many, many details in the link!

WORKSHOP with Mario Linharas July 12, 2025

Candle and Drawing Interaction with Mario Linhares

When: Saturday July 12, 2025 from 10am-1pm

Where: Castle Clinton National Monument, Battery Park

Sketchbooks are laboratories for experimenting with new materials and ways of thinking about drawing. In this workshop we will explore using Portuguese candle wax in developing a new approach to interacting with our sketchbooks. 

Mario Linhares is a noted lecturer, teacher and author who currently is on the Faculty of the University of Lisbon. He was the founder of Urban Sketchers Lisbon and served on the international Board of Urban Sketchers from 2011 to 2019. For examples of his work on instagram, see: @linhares.mr

Click Here for More Information and To Purchase a Ticket

Saturday, June 21, 2025 - The Vessel & The Shed

 

The Vessel is a spiral staircase public artwork structure with 360-degree views of the city.

The Shed, an expanding performing arts venue, is adjacent to The Vessel.

Both are beautiful to sketch.

MEETING SPOT, LUNCH, AND SHOW & TELL:

Meeting location: The Vessel entrance.

Lunch at 12:00PM

Show and Tell at 3:00, TBD at the location.

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION:

• Subway
• Penn Station subways- approximately a 9 minute walk

NOTES: Several casual food options are in the area, including Cedric’s in the lobby of The Shed. Or, bring your own.  

Nearby restrooms: Shops at Restaurants at Hudson Yards, 20 Hudson Yards

Host: Leslie Sim (516) 633-2340

NJ sketchers 6/27 Ross Dock, Fort Lee

 Join us in Fort Lee at Ross Dock

 We will be along the Hudson River at the bottom of the Palisades cliffs. Views of the George Washington Bridge, Upper Manhattan, and the cliffs make for a great day of sketching.

DATE: Friday, June 27

STARTING TIME: 10:30 am

LOCATION: ROSS DOCK, HENRY HUDSON DR FORT LEE, NJ

https://maps.app.goo.gl/YgewAbsM5Hcak32v9?g_st=com.google.maps.preview.copy

PARKING:. Metered Parking is available for $2/hr

NOTES

• Please RSVP directly to Margaret Casagrande at margaret.casagrande@gmail.com
• Looking for us? Call or text Margaret at 646-515-9913
• Bathrooms and water are available.
• Bring your lunch and snacks with you. 
• Picnic tables and benches are available but it’s good to bring a stool 
• There are shaded areas with trees

WEDNESDAY, June 18, 2025 Weekday Sketchers At Poe House

Did you know that all those scary tales of beating hearts and talking crows were created right here in the Bronx?  

 Join us this week as we travel to the home of Edgar Allen Poe. 

This modest cottage, which Poe rented for $100. per year, has survived over 225 years on the Grand Concourse. The house was built around 1797 and preserving its historical value began in 1889 when it was sold for $775 to William Fearing Gill who later became Poe's first American biographer.  The cottage is now part of the Historic House Trust, and administered by the Bronx County Historical Society since 1975. 

The head of the Bronx County Historical Society will give us a tour before we sketch - lots of interesting background. 

For more information about the Poe House, click here: https://bronxhistoricalsociety.org/poe-cottage

House

DATE:  WEDNESDAY JUNE 18, 2025

STARTING TIME: 10:30 AM

                                There will be a guided tour of the house upon arrival.

LOCATION: POE HOUSE 

                        2640 GRAND CONCOURSE, BRONX

TRANSPORTATION: 

• Take the D train to Kingsbridge Road stop in The Bronx. Poe Park, where the cottage is situated, is outside the station.
• Take the 4 train to Kingsbridge Road stop in The Bronx. Walk east to Grand Concourse. The cottage is located across the boulevard, on the right.

NOTES

• Please RSVP directly to Raylie Dunkel at President@nycurbansketchers.org
• Looking for us? Call/text Raylie at 201-273-0445
• There is an entrance fee to the museum.$5.00 for Adults. $3.00 for Seniors
• Bring a stool
• Water and bathrooms are available
• We will break for lunch at 1:00 PM
• Be prepared to work in dry materials

TUESDAY, June 17, 2025: NYC USk Social Gathering and Blick Product Demo

 

Get Ready for Summer!!

Join us for something a bit different

… the first mid-week, early evening NYC Urban Sketchers events

This time it will be a Social Gathering and Product Demonstration in the Blick Broadway store.

This is an opportunity for you to stop on your way home, mingle with friends and play with some art

supplies. 

To help you get ready for summer sketching there will be a demonstration of paints, sketchbooks and

pencils. Light refreshments will be served and there will be a raffle drawing for a few nice prizes.

Blick is also providing a discount on any purchases made that evening. 

DATE: TUESDAY JUNE 17, 2025

TIME: 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM

LOCATION: BLICK BROADWAY STORE, 443 Broadway

TRANSPORTATION: R, W TO CANAL STREET

Please RSVP to Raylie at president@nycurbansketchers.org.

Watch for announcements of other mid-week early evening summer gatherings! 

SATURDAY, June 21, 2025: Westchester Sketchers at Hammond Museum & Japanese Stroll Garden, North Salem

 

 Feel the Peace and Wisdom of Nature at the Hammond

HOST: Marianne Milzoff

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. These weeks are the most colorful in the Japanese Stroll Garden with the many azaleas, Japanese primrose, yellow iris, and water lilies all blooming brightly.

Located in North Salem, New York, The Hammond Museum serves visitors worldwide 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.

On exhibit in the Main Gallery:

Shuo Hua: The Language of Flowers and Plants in Chinese Art

Shuo hua means “to speak” in Chinese but the homonym hua means “flower.” This play on words draws attention to the symbolic meanings associated with many plants in China. This spring exhibition of Chinese traditional and contemporary works of art explores the imagery and meaning of depictions of bamboo, peonies, plum blossoms, orchids, chrysanthemums, lotus, and pines, many of which grace the Hammond’s Japanese Stroll Garden.

DETAILS: 

DATE: SATURDAY, June 21, 2025

Start time: 11 AM (Note: Later start time)

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. 

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

SHOW and TELL: 3:00 PM.  We will share our drawings and tell stories.  This is the social part of our day and should not be missed.

NOTES:

- Museum hours: 11-5 PM   

- Admission: Adults $12, Seniors $8.

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

- Dress for sunshine and warm temperatures.  

- Bring a hat and sunscreen.

Please RSVP to Cathy Gutterman at westchester@nycurbansketchers.org

Looking for us? 

Call/text: Marianne at (914) 355-6507

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