New Jersey Urban Sketchers Upcoming Events

The New Jersey section of the NYC Urban Sketchers has a host of interesting sketch events planned. Some are accessible by public transit. Some will be accessible  by car.   Looking forward to seeing you there!

• 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 .  See the details for this event on the blog page. nycurbansketchers.org  This site is a accessible by public transportation

• 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. This site is accessible by public transportation. 

• Thursday, September 4^th, 10:30am: Macculloch Hall Historical Museum, Morristown

 

We will sketch at this Federal-style mansion, built in 1810 as the first significant brick home in Morristown. Transformed into a museum in 1950, Macculloch Hall now showcases preserved period rooms, fine art, and historic collections. Its beautiful outdoor garden provides a peaceful, inspiring space, making it an ideal sketching locale. 

 

• https://maccullochhall.org/

 

 

 

 

• Sunday, September 21^st, 10:30 am: South Mountain Reservation – Fairy Trail \

We will combine a short hike with sketching at the Fairy Trail, a whimsical half-mile stretch of the white-blazed Rahway Trail in Millburn, NJ, nestled within South Mountain Reservation. It’s dotted with about 80 tiny fairy houses made from natural materials like bark, acorns, and twigs—each tucked into tree hollows or nestled among roots.

 

• https://essexcountyparks.org/parks/south-mountain-reservation

 

  

• Saturday, October 4^th, noon to 4pm: Ayres-Knuth Farm, Denville 

 

We have been invited to participate in an awareness building event for this working farm, one of the most complete examples of a 19th century agricultural complex in Morris County.  Activities for the day include artists working on the grounds and a pop-up art show and sale focused on nature inspired artwork. More details to come.

 

• https://www.ayresknuth.org/

 

 

 

Saturday August 16 Sketch East River Park

 

Play ball! Or perhaps, just sketch it.  

East River Park (aka John V Lindsay Park), is a location many of us sketched from the other side of the river, at Domino Park. This side ain’t too shabby either. This 57-acre public playground on the Lower East Side of Manhattan is bisected by the Williamsburg Bridge. It contains a track, tennis complex, eight baseball and softball fields, as well as soccer, football, fields, and basketball courts. There are paths for biking, lawns for sunbathing, grills for barecuing, and of course, dramatic views of New York’s Harbor.  

Time: 

11:00 AM to 2:30 PM

Getting to the meeting spot:

• By foot: Walk to the far east end of Delancey St and take the footbridge over FDR Drive to the East River (on the Manhattan side). 

• By subway: F or J train to Delancey/ Essex St Station and walk east to the FDR overpass (about 20 minutes)

• By bus: M21 to FDR Dr/ 555 FDR stop and walk to FDR overpass, or M14D-SBS to Delancey/ FDR.  The FDR overpass is across the street on South (downtown) side of Delancey

Please note:

• The section of East River Park south of Stanton Street is temporarily closed due to construction. 

• The FDR overpass is not to be confused with the pedestrian/bike walkway that goes completely over the East River to Williamsburg.

Facilities: 

There are benches and picnic tables with umbrellas available along the riverwalk, as well as a functioning drinking fountain, but little to no food vendors. Best to bring your lunch or snack, water, a stool and sun protection. Portable toilets are available.

About our NYC Urban Sketchers Events:

All are welcome–no fees and no registration. Just look for folks at the designated location carrying sketch pads and introduce yourself. If you can't find the group, contact the host; their contact info is on the Urban Sketchers blogpost for this event. #nycurbansketchers

Co-hosts: 

Bonnie Astor (425.652.9532) and Neil Landreville (646.541.0749). 

Thursday, August 14, 2025: Westchester Sketchers at Untermyer Gardens, Yonkers

 

 

Untermyer Park is a historic 43 acre park, located in Yonkers, NY, just north of New York City.  Also known as Untermyer Gardens, the park was previously part of an estate known as Greystone.  Situated on a hillside above the Hudson River, the park features a "Grecian garden" (actually a Persian Paradise garden), a small Grecian-style amphitheater, a classical pavilion, pergola, statuary, a rock and water feature called the "Temple of Love" and a "Vista" staircase.  To the west, the park has views of the Hudson River and the Palisades.

The gardens were developed during the first 40 years of the 20th century by prominent lawyer and civic leader, Samuel Untermyer.  Mr. Untermyer devoted approximately one third of what was then Greystone's 150-acres to its gardens, which were considered among the finest in America. 

DETAILS:

DATE: THURSDAY, August 14, 2025

Start time: 10:00 AM

LOCATION: Untermyer Gardens, 945 North Broadway, Yonkers, NY 10701

Phone: 914-613-4502. https://www.untermyergardens.org

We will meet by the Community Center just inside the entrance to the park.

NOTE: There are spaces for about 75 cars in the parking lots. In addition, there is street parking along North Broadway which is both metered (coin-operated) and unmetered.

DIRECTIONS: https://www.untermyergardens.org/visit.html

TRANSPORTATION from NYC: Take the Metro North – Hudson Line north to the Greystone Station.  Please contact Cathy ((914) 625-0766) if you would like to have someone to meet the train and provide a ride from the station.

NOTE: The gardens are a 20-minute uphill walk from the station: walk uphill from the station to find the stairs on the left to Warburton Avenue.  Climb the stairs. Cross Warburton Avenue and go up Odell Avenue until it ends at North Broadway.  Turn right on North Broadway and walk to 945 N. Broadway, which is on the right. Caution: this is a significant uphill walk of more than 200 feet in elevation.  The Greystone Metro-North station does not have a taxi stand.

LUNCH: 12:30 PM. We will have lunch by the designated picnic area.  Bring your own as the park has no options for purchasing food.

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:

• The Garden is open 9 AM to 7 PM.
• Bring a stool if you have one. It gives you more options.
• Dress for sunshine. Bring your lunch, a hat, water, and sunscreen.
• Stay on the paths or lawns; do not walk or set up easels or stools on the garden beds.

Please RSVP to Cathy Gutterman westchester@nycurbansketchers.org

Looking for us? Contact Cathy at (914) 625-0766.

There are no fees. All drawing skill levels are welcome

FORT TRYON PARK August 13, 2025

Weekday Sketchers at Fort Tryon Park

Fort Tryon Park, has a lot to offer sketchers:  scenes of the Hudson and GW Bridge, beautiful flower gardens, views of the Cloisters that make it seem as if we are int he French Countryside, to mane a few.    The Heather Garden at the Margaret Corbin Gateway is always awash with seasonal flowers. The terraces and lawns that border the Heather Garden will offer river views framed by beautiful old trees.  A short walk from the Heather Garden will offer views of the exterior of the Cloisters with its Gothic windows and tower. 

For information about the park, click here: https://www.forttryonparktrust.org

Remains of the Original Mansion 

 

DATE: WEDNESDAY August 13, 2025

STARTING TIME: 10:30 AM

LOCATION:  FORT TRYON PARK

                        We will meet in the Heather Garden (see map below)

TRANSPORTATION: A TRAIN TO 190TH STREET 

 Take the elevator and stairs up to Fort Washington Avenue and walk north (turn right as you come up the stairs from the station). The tall stone pillars in Margaret Corbin Circle mark the southern entrance to the park, and the Heather Garden is just inside.

The Cloisters

NOTES

• Please RSVP directly to Raylie Dunkel at President@NYCurbansketchers.org
• Looking for us? Call/text Raylie at 201-273-0445
• Bathrooms and water are available
• Bring lunch. There are no food services in the park.
• Bring a stool

FRIDAY, August 15 2025: NJ Sketchers at Van Vleck Garden

New Jersey Sketchers at Van Vleck Garden

With the beautiful Italianate villa as a background and the 12 acres of gardens surrounding it, the Van Vleck House in Montclair will be ours to explore for the day.  The house and outbuildings, the formal gardens, wetlands, beautiful trees and blooms that follow the seasons, will provide plenty of material for our sketches. 

For more information about the gardens and travel directions, click here: https://montclairfoundation.org

DATE: FRIDAY AUGUST 15, 2025

STARTING TIME: 10:30 AM

LOCATION: VAN VLECK HOUSE AND GARDEN
21 Van Vleck Street
Montclair, NJ 07042

DIRECTIONS: The entrance to the parking lot is on Van Vleck Street.
Please check a maps program for directions.

NOTES

• Please RSVP directly to Julia Bazaz at jazaz7658@gmail.com
• Looking for us? Call Julia at 551-206-1273
• Entrance to the garden is free
• Parking is free
• Water and bathrooms are available
• There is no food service on site.  Bring your own lunch and snacks. 
• Bring a stool
• Working in watercolor is ok

Food Glorious Food-Workshop with Shawne Cooper

 

Join Shawne Cooper for a one-of-a-kind workshop that blends artmaking with flavorful discoveries. We’ll explore the vibrant food scene of Flushing, Queens, stopping at a variety of Chinese eateries that will feed both your appetite and your imagination. Whether you’re a seasoned artist or a curious beginner, Shawne will guide you in capturing the colors, textures, and energy of each delicious dish, quickly and playfully. It’s a chance to savor each bite and document the experience as it unfolds.

Come hungry for good food, creative fun, and community!

When: September 7, 2025 2:00pm

Where: New World Mall  136-20 Roosevelt Avenue, Flushing, NY 11354

Many More Details and How To Sign Up: Click Here

cancelled-Saturday August 9 sketch Columbus Circle

 

cancelled

Columbus Circle is a key landmark and bustling intersection, that stands between the entranceway of the most famous park in the world and a swanky shopping mall.  Whether you choose to sketch architecture, nature, people, monuments, or the sweeping skyline views, there’s something to sketch for everyone. 

Getting there: 1, A, or D subway to 59th Street/Columbus Circle.

Restrooms: Public restrooms are located on the 2nd floor of The Shops at Columbus Circle mall. To access them, take the escalator up to the 2nd floor and hollow the hallway past the elevators on the left. There’s also a bathroom in Whole Foods in the lower level of the mall, behind the cashiers in the food court.

Show & Tell: 3 PM. On the 3rd Floor of The Shops at Columbus Circle mall, we’ll gather in a quiet corner there, in an unoccupied storefront just below Shake Shack.

About our NYC Urban Sketchers Events: All are welcome–no fees and no registration. Just look for folks at the designated location carrying sketch pads and introduce yourself. If you can't find the group, contact the host; their contact info is on the Urban Sketchers blogpost for this event. #nycurbansketchers

Host: Mel Barranco (203) 550-3666‬

FRIDAY, August 8, 2025: Westchester Sketchers at Katonah Museum of Art

The Katonah Museum of Art is a non-collecting institution geared towards visual arts, located in Katonah, New York.  The Museum presents changing exhibitions that cross a spectrum of artistic disciplines, cultures, and historical periods.  Housed in an elegant building designed by Edward Larrabee Barnes, and accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, the Katonah Museum of Art originates three to four major exhibitions annually.

Come join us for something a little different from our usual sketching activities. We have been invited to participate in the Museum's Senior Social Afternoon where you will enjoy guided exhibition tours, an engaging art demonstration, light refreshments, and great company. 

Currently on Exhibit:

Leonora Carrington: Dream Weaver

In the Beitzel Gallery, July 13 - October 5, 2025

A pioneer of Surrealism, Leonora Carrington (1917-2011) conjures vivid, otherworldly landscapes populated with fantastical creatures inspired by folklore, mysticism, the occult, and her own dramatic autobiography. Spanning 50 years of Carrington’s career, this exhibition celebrates her creative and technical versatility with more than thirty rarely seen artworks, generously loaned from private collections. By turns illuminating and enigmatic, Carrington’s work explores the dream-like worlds of the unconscious, probing the intimate workings of the imagination in ways that still resonate today.

Sublime Geometries: Selections from The William Louis-Dreyfus Foundation

In the Righter Gallery, July 13 - October 5, 2025

Drawn from the collection of The William Louis-Dreyfus Foundation, this exhibition presents a multi-generational group of women artists who are reinventing geometric abstraction in contemporary art: Alison Hall (b. 1980), Hester Simpson (b. 1949), Dannielle Tegeder (b. 1971), Claudia Wieser (b. 1973), and Alison Wilding (b. 1948). For these multimedia artists, geometry is both sensual and spiritual, representing the world pared down to its vital elements, so that the meeting of forms becomes a psychologically charged encounter.

 

DETAILS:

DATE: FRIDAY, May 16, 2025.

Time: Our official event will be 1:00 - 3:00 pm, but please arrive before 1:00 PM to start with a tour of the current exhibit.  We will be participating in the SENIOR SOCIAL AFTERNOON of art, refreshments, and socializing. Our own Ellyn Rabinowitz will be giving a demo on surealist art-making. Advanced registration recommended. 

Register here: https://www.simpletix.com/e/senior-social-afternoon-tickets-221107

LOCATION: Katonah Museum of Art 134 Jay Street - Route 22, Katonah, NY 10536

Phone: (914) 232-9555 

DIRECTIONS: https://www.katonahmuseum.org/visit/getting-here.php
From NYC: From Grand Central Terminal, take the Metro-North Harlem Line to Katonah Station. The trip one-way from Grand Central is about 1 hour 15 minutes. The Museum is located 0.7 miles east of the Katonah train station. From the train station, it is a 10-20-minute walk. Taxi service is also available. For daily train schedules, visit MTA. 

LUNCH: Due to our later start, we will not stop for lunch.  

NOTES:

• Admission: Seniors $9, others $12.
• Reciprocal Admission: Fairfield Westchester Museum Alliance (FWMA), North American Reciprocal Museum Association (NARM), American Alliance of Museums (AAM) Members.  Also check check your local Library Pass Program.
• Food, drink, chewing gum and tobacco products are not allowed in the galleries.
• For the current exhibits, we will not be allowed to sketch in the galleries.  We can, however, sketch outdoors, and use watercolor and non messy materials in the Learning Center. 

Please RSVP to Cathy Gutterman at westchester@nycurbansketchers.org

Please also register for the Senior Social Afternoon here:

https://www.simpletix.com/e/senior-social-afternoon-tickets-221107

Looking for us? 

Call/text: Cathy at (914) 625-0766

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

WEDNESDAY AUGUST 6, 2025 CONEY ISLAND

 

Weekday Sketchers Go to Coney Island

What is summer without a trip to the beach?? 

Join us this Wednesday as we travel to iconic Coney Island to sketch the rides, the concession stands on the  boardwalk, the beaches, Nathan's Hot Dog stand and people, people, people.  Bring your stool, sunscreen, a hat and your brightest colors to be best able to capture the scene.

Please RSVP directly to Lorraine Smith at thipph16@gmail.com. Looking for us?  Call Lorraine at 929-614-1930.

NOTE:  We will meet in front of the Coney Island Museum at 10:30 AM  From there everyone will fan out and sketch on their own.  We will meet at the picnic tables by Nathan's Hot Dog Stand at 1:00 PM  If you don't meet up with us at the start you can catch up with us at lunch. 

 

DATE:  WEDNESDAY AUGUST 6, 2025

STARTING TIME: 10:30 AM

LOCATION:  We will meet in front of the Coney Island Museum

                        1208 Surf Avenue, Coney Island NYC

                        The museum is located diagonally across the street from the subway station on Surf Ave.

TRANSPORTATION:  D, F, N, Q to Coney Island/Stillwell Ave Station

NOTES

Coney Island Museum 

• Please RSVP directly to Lorraine Smith at thipph16@gmail.com.
• Looking for us?  Call Lorraine at 929-614-1930
• Bathrooms on Boardwalk at Stillwell Ave. and Nathans
• Bring a stool

 

August 3rd Sketch the Steps of The Met

 

How many times have you said to a friend, “Meet me on the steps of The Met?” This time, let’s stop and stay for awhile. Since the TWA Hotel wasn’t feeling groovy about our upcoming visit, we’ve moved on to this glorious gathering spot. 

According to the NY Times, this entranceway is commonly used for “guitar playing, peach-eating, orange-peeling, sun-bathing, poetry-reading, cigar-smoking, book-reading, newspaper-browsing, frankfurter-eating, soda-sipping, postcard-writing, scene-sketching, picture-taking, small-talking, studying, staring, debating, deep-thinking, waiting for Godot and two of the six stages of flirting," And then there’s the fountains, grand townhouses on Fifth Avenue, and foodtrucks: plenty of fodder for our sketchbooks.

Meeting Spot: 10:00 am on the south side of the steps, near the education entrance

Lunch: 1:00 pm in the cafeteria, far back on the left side

Show and Tell: 3:00pm, in the plaza near the education entrance

Host: Frieda Christofides: 917.747.6060

About our NYC Urban Sketchers Events:

All are welcome–no fees and no registration. Just look for folks at the designated location carrying sketch pads and introduce yourself. If you can't find the group, contact the host; their contact info is on the Urban Sketchers blogpost for this event. #nycurbansketchers

NJ Sketchers August 3, 2025

New Jersey Sketchers at Overpeck Park

Join the NJ sketchers this week as we explore Overpeck Park in Bergen County.  With over 800 acres, stretched over 5 municipalities, a river , a creek, playgrounds,  a golf course, and kayak center there should be plenty to keep us busy! 

We will meet at the kayak center and plan the day from there. 

Kayak Center

DATE:  SUNDAY AUGUST 3, 2025

STARTING TIME: 10:30 AM

LOCATION:  OVERPECK KAYAK CENTER. (see note below)

TRANSPORTATION, PLEASE CHECK A MAPS PROGRAM

NOTES

Please RSVP directly to Julia Bazaz at jazaz7658@gmail.com

Looking for us? Call or text Julia at 551-206-1273

Meeting information:

Enter Overpeck Park on south side of DeGraw.  You will see a very big sign that reads Leonia South/ Equestrian Center.  Bear right and go over the wooden bridge.  Almost immediately you will see kayaks and the river on the left side.

Park there or in the next parking lot near the restrooms.

  

Sunday August 3rd, sketch the TWA Hotel

 This location canceled! New location added to new post.

Celebrate the 60’s at the out-of-sight TWA Hotel. Designed by the architect Eero Saarinen and completed in 1962, you won’t find even one 90-degree angle in the entire trippy building. It has indoor and outdoor sketching locations galore, food vendors, a giant twister board, an exhibit of flight crew uniforms, and a retro beauty parlour. All in all, quite a groovy scene.

Please note, this is a Sunday sketch day, August 3rd. We’ll meet at 11am inside the terminal in front of the flight board. Show and tell is at 3pm; location tbd.

To get there, it’s 4 stops on the Air Train to JFK from Jamaica. Or, you can drive and park in the JetBlue parking lot.

Event coordinator is Frieda Christofides: 917 747-6060

Be there or be square.

Wednesday: July 30, 2025 Derfner Museum

Weekday and Westchester Groups at Derfner Judaica Museum 

Can you imagine a world class art collection and a beautiful sculpture garden with Hudson River views in a long term care facility?  Hard to conger up?  Agreed, expect that it does exist.... and we are going there on Wednesday.

The Derfner Judaica Museum is located on the main campus of the Hebrew Home at Riverdale and is just that place: a world class museum with a sculpture garden on the Hudson River. The collection of Judaica is excellent and extremely well curated. The art collection is exhibited through the building and the sculpture garden is on a green lawn that stretches down to the river....perfect for sketching!

For more information about the museum and the collection, click here: https://derfner.org

DETAILS:

DATE: WEDNESDAY JULY 30 2025

STARTING TIME: 10:30 AM

LOACATION: DERFNER ART MUSEUM

                           5901 Palisade Avenue,  Riverdale, New York 10471

DIRECTIONS:  

• Public Transit: 1 train to 231 St, then take the BX 7 bus to Riverdale Ave. 263 Street 
• By Car: please check a maps program

NOTES

• Please RSVP directly directly to CathyGutterman at Westchester@NYCurbansketchers.org
• Looking for us? Call or text Cathy at 914-625-0766
• This is a residence, please be respectful of the people who live there.
• Bathrooms and water are available.  
• There is a cafe if you would like to purchase lunch. 
• Bring a stool.
• You can work in wet medium outside on the lawn. Dry media inside the museum.
• Photo ID is required for admission to the Hebrew Home campus at all times. 
• Please let the guard know that you are with the NYC Urban Sketchers group.

Walking directions from bus stop

SAT JULY 26th, 2025•Sketch Paley Park and 6 1/2Avenue

 

Take advantage of NYC's privately owned public spaces (POPS) and draw Paley Park & 6 1/2 Avenue.

There are sketchable vantage points noted on this map, many with public seating, including the two food courts. The prettiest section of all, though, may well be the quintessentially French restaurant, La Grande Boucherie, where public seating is also available in front of the restaurant.

DATE: SAT JULY 26th, 2025

STARTING TIME: 11 AM 

LOCATION: Paley Park & 6 1/2 Avenue

We will meet at Paley Park 

TRANSPORTATION: E and M to 5 Av/53 St

Helene's phone number: 202-320-2166