Gritty-Urban Sketching Long Island City Style...

WOW! Last Saturday Urban Sketchers met graffiti artists at the Long Island City Art Studio Open House. In short, there was art, sketching, urbanites and happy people all around.

Divine Creatures

Sketches from Jane Alexander's Surveys (from the Cape of Good Hope) exhibit. I found the work and setting powerful and moving. Regardless of the context or artist's intent the sculptures themselves were delicate and forceful expressions of pain, injustice, patience, cruelty and grace.

Nick Cave-Heard

I got to sneak a view of the Nick Cave-Heard before leaving the city last week. It was an impressive display of color, costume, movement and music.

Brooklyn Museum and more

Last Saturday, on a cold and gray morning, we met at the entrance to the Brooklyn Library. Unlike most of the people we see in bars, train stations or other public spaces, the folks in the library were a stationary bunch. Unlike the sporadic back and forth movement and casual conversations of our usual "sketchees" it was inspiring to see young kids with parents and grandparents working on homework, tutors going over assignments with anxious parents and the plain sight of  a civic space being  used for the common good and the education of the public (no ads, no fees, no exclusion).

Boy on phone while mother is tutored

Grandfather looking over homework. Tutor reviewing homework.

"this is how it's done..."

We veered off to The Brooklyn Botanical garden

BONSAI!

Brooklyn Flea

We had a great time sketching at the Brooklyn Flea Market (winter version) on Saturday.  We didn't find any fleas, but did view an eclectic (or curated) collection of  artifacts, clothes, prints and food.

 

 

 

The food lines were long.  I used my stipula passaporte w/ catfish blue noodlers ink

Thanks to Marie for suggesting liquid graphite

Just liquid graphite

Graphite and lexington grey ink



Sur-really?

This week we were at the Morgan Library, specifically to see the Surrealists (really). As is the case on all our excursions, things got very interesting. We were joined by 2 new sketchers, Luis and Marie. It was a great morning and afternoon and the surreal really wasn't all that odd.

Drawing a drawing is interesting...

Robert Matta....

As time passed, the crowds grew

A varied collection of surrealists from all around the world

My surreal lunch...automatic drawing