Governors Island

I was so glad we made a return trip to Governors Island this year. It is such a beautiful, relaxing spot with such great views. I started sketching on the ferry...and this model didn't seem to mind.

I sat in the shade to sketch the skyline across the water.

This house was a particular favorite among our group. I think we all sketched it.

We had a pleasant surprise when Lance and his wife, Elizabeth arrived and brought along two future sketchers, their adorable twins. It was great to see their family, although I missed seeing Nicholas who was off exploring with his cousin.

Of course Mark sat down and sketched them.

The other side of the island has great views of the bridges.

When we got back to the mainland, I decided to stay by the ferry terminal and sketch it. For some reason it was like sketching in a wind tunnel. The addition of the ice cream truck couldn't be passed up either.

I took the Long Island Railroad home, and was lucky enough to get a seat with a view of several people.

AMNH x 2

On Valentine's Day, the Urban Sketchers gathered at the American Museum of Natural History. I arrived pretty late, but I had time for this sketch. I layered in some lettering and a museum-goer.

A diorama at the American Museum of Natural History

Mark took us over to Fred's for lunch. It was nice to catch up with the sketchers and meet some new people.

A waiter at Fred's sit and prepares centerpieces for the evening diners.

A few days later, I returned to the museum with a friend for some more exploring and sketching.

Fellow museum-goers in an incredibly slow line at the American History of Natural History


The Hall of African Mammals and the American History of Natural History

Art Deco and Rockefeller Center

On Saturday Susan and I headed into Manhattan on the subway. There are always some models if the train isn't too crowded. The woman on the left got off at the first stop (the nerve of her) so I moved on to sketch the second woman who was a bit more cooperative.

This woman was directly across from me. She alternated between being half asleep with her head all the way back, looking straight ahead, or putting on makeup.

When we got to Rockefeller Center the Christmas tree was standing up and the workmen were putting scaffolding around the tree so that it could be decorated. We just HAD to do a sketch of that! I still don't understand how they keep the tree from now until the beginning of January without it losing it's needles. When we had fresh Christmas trees as a kid the needles started falling off the tree as we were bringing it home. lol

I found a spot in the middle of the promenade that leads from 5th Avenue all the way to the skating rink. There were art deco designs over the doorway, but I was also interested in sketching the workers who were planting the tall trees that would be decorated and will stand in the middle of all the lit angels that are put up every Christmas season. By this time I was starting to get cold. My body was warm enough in my down jacket, but my feet and hands were cold. I did have fingerless (and regular) gloves that helped my hands but I couldn't do anything about my feet.

Then I walked down 49th Street a half a block and sketched the NBC Studio marquis. It had some art deco elements too...and I was in the sunshine for a short while. Then it was time for lunch...and we were able to warm up indoors. Yay!!!

After lunch I sat on 5th Avenue right in front of St. Patrick's Cathedral facing across 5th Ave where  the bronze Atlas is supporting on his shoulders, not the earth, but a representation of the heavens (or so says the brochure about Rockefeller Center). This is the largest sculpture in the Center...he stands 15 feet tall on a 9 foot high pedestal. I happen to have worked in this building when I was in college and passed this statue just about every day. Who knew he wasn't holding up the earth?

Since it now gets dark so early and it was so cold, we headed indoors to share our sketches before most of the group headed home. A few of us hung out a bit longer at a local restaurant bar, but only Mark sketched there...on matchbooks no less. It was a good day...but a bit too cold to be sitting around. lol I'm sure it was much warmer if you were moving around like most of the tourists.

Pivoting and Painting

We had a wonderful day in Bryant Park today! The weather was perfect and we had a great turnout. There were a lot of new faces and visitors from out of the country...giving us about 24 sketchers working around the park. Yay!!! We welcomed Lucy's dad from France and Santi, an Urban Sketcher who was visiting from Barcelona. The plan was to find a place to do a sketch and when you were finished to pivot and do another sketch from that spot. I did that for a few of my sketches, but then just moved myself to a different spot in the park.

I started with a sketch of the Bryant Park fountain. 

Someone sitting in the sun.

There were wonderful colored umbrellas.

A carousel and people, people, people.

And finally a sketch looking across the lawn of the park with just a part of the cast of characters that were in the park today.

We did a throwdown of our sketchbooks...great work from everyone!

Santi shared his wonderful accordion sketchbook that he is doing of his visit.

And finally a group photo. Look at all those happy sketchers!!!

Some of the group ended our day with drinks down the street and then a bit of shopping at Kinokuniya which had some great art supplies and books.

Groovin' By the 59th Street Bridge

I can't even imagine how many times I've driven across the 59th Street Bridge in my lifetime (aka the Queensboro Bridge), but this was the first time I've ever stood on it. My thanks to Joy for all her organizing and research. 

Today I drove from home in Holbrook to Kew Gardens and took the F train to Lexington and 63rd St. I was amazed to find myself there in 1 hour and 20 minutes. I think I set a record for getting in so fast. I did a few subway sketches of people while riding the subway.

We met at in the area where the bridge meets the water on the Manhattan side.

There was a lot going on with the two bike lanes, bikes whizzing by, and pedestrians walking.

And the traffic was close by zipping along. It was noisy, crazy and fun.

I sketched the view looking back towards the city.

It was windy on the bridge but we all made the best of it.

Here are a few sketches of some of the others at work.

I sketched some of the traffic that was crossing the bridge right next to us.

And part of the structure of the bridge.

Finally we headed down off the bridge to street level and sat opposite the Food Emporium which is under the bridge. It was a fun view to sketch.

After lunch we headed over to the promenade along the river. It was sunny for a while but then started drizzling, so we took cover under an overhang for a bit. When it stopped drizzling everyone else decided to leave. I wanted to finish my sketch and sat back down, but it started drizzling again. I finished it from under the overhang, but then it started to pour.

I stayed dry watching the rain until it finally stopped and I could head back home.

Uptown Gem: The Hispanic Society of America

It's so lovely to discover places that aren't tourist-mobbed. Founded in the early 1900s, this museum and library showcases paintings, sculptures, textiles and decorative arts. Its two-storey central court proved a sienna-hued oasis on this snowy/sleety winter day.



The "Vision of Spain" murals by Joaquin Sorolla alone are worth the visit -- they fill an entire octagonal room and are luminous, larger-than-life, drenched with color. If you like Sargent, these are a must-see.

Around Columbus Circle

A few quick sketches from this morning's NYC Urban Sketchers excursion. Here, I'm looking out from in front of the Time Warner building.


We then walked over to the Hearst Building. I looked up at it and decided to draw the intersection instead (W. 56th & Eighth Ave).

Great Theatres Tour... Adjusted

Today the NYC Urban Sketchers planned to meet and sketch several theaters in Manhattan.

But good Urban Sketchers know they need to be flexible…and we were.

I took the LIRR from Ronkonkoma to Penn Station…of course I sketched along the way.

I had a pretty good view of this man on the train.

The ticket collector was a good model, but wasn't around for long.

I had to sketch really quickly.

This was another quick pencil sketch.

When I got off the train I decided to sketch the view across the street on 34th St and Seventh Ave. before I met the other sketchers.

When I met everyone by the Shubert Theatre on 44th Street at 11 o'clock, Mark, Pat, and Svetlana were freezing. It was cold and windy. They had also been sketching a while. Svetlana suggested that we relocated to her office building instead and paint the views from there. So we adjusted our schedule and decided to skip any more sketching by the theaters.

Svetlana's building takes up an entire block and has views from all sides. The first room we sketched from was on the 25th floor and we had some good views looking down. 

I thought the views of the rooftops and buildings were interesting

…not quite what you think of when you think of views of NYC.

Here is Mark painting. You can see we had lots of room to spread out.

Svetlana was sketching the view.

Pat was working digitally. It was interesting to watch her work.

Next we went to the 15th floor where we had a view of Times Square.

Marie joined us for her first time sketching with the group. Sorry I didn't get a photo of her at work.

I sketched the view of Times Square. The billboards there are hard to do because the designs on them are constantly changing. Here is what I painted.

And a closer view.

Then I did a view in a slightly different direction.

Svetlana was also sketching the billboards in Times Square.

Around 3 the group split up and headed off in different directions to do various things. I decided since we were supposed to be sketching the theaters today, I should at least give one a try. I headed back to 44th Street and sketched the Shubert Theatre where Matilda is currently playing. 

It was cold but I was able to sketch.

I headed home on the 5:13 train to Patchogue and had a view of a woman facing me 

for one last sketch of the day.

Once again it was a busy day of sketching. I hope to get in to meet 

with the Urban Sketchers again soon.