Great Apartment Buildings, November 16, 2013

(The following is a compilation of three blog posts)

Preamble:
Here I am again - having coffee and breakfast in the train station and everyone is wearing shoes (see this).  I purposely wore mismatched socks.  Today was iPat Air's first public city sketching adventure.  The purse felt much lighter.

I had a spectacular day, did zillions of drawings, met new people and walked 4.8 miles through the city.  This is just the preamble. I think there will be, probably, two more blog posts wrung out of this day.



Part 1:
On Saturday morning, after breakfast in Penn Station, I headed up to 71st Street and Broadway where I was going to sketch with the NYC Urban Sketchers.  How cool is that?  They meet somewhere almost every Saturday but I work on that day which was a big disappointment.  I offered to work on the three upcoming holidays in exchange for some non-working Saturdays and, Yay!, I'm now an Official Urban Sketcher.  Mark announced the itinerary and I found him seated on the island (?) in the middle of Broadway, well into his sketch of the first apartment building, The Dorilton.  Holy moly, every square inch of that building is covered in curlicues and doo-dads and thingamabobs.  Throw in looking-up-with-mouth-gaping perspective and, well... you all know how I draw.  Sigh.  No way was that happening.  I tried.  I deleted.  Tried again. Next I shifted my efforts to the One Way sign and tried to sneakily draw the building behind it. Maybe stealth would work.  Sigh.  Soon Mia and Svetlana joined us - this was the group for the day.  I think the rain that started off the morning discouraged more people but at 10 am the sun was shining and the temperature was mild.

That sun started teasing iPat so I moved to another bench (ha! my back was now facing the frivolous, really beautiful but impossible building) and regained my sketching balance.

After an hour of sketching we left Svetlana who was really into all the detail (she rejoined us at the third stop) and walked a few blocks north to the next building.  I looked around and found a building facade that caught my eye and surprised myself. (I just realized that I forgot to put the hands on the clock.  Phooey.)

At noon it was time to move to the next location - The Apthorp - a few more blocks up Broadway.  This building boasted a courtyard beyond imposing gates, and after Mark politely asked if our (teeny tiny) sketching group could sketch inside, the doorman quickly gave us the boot.  Rejection only lasted three seconds because we all spotted an interesting church and a seating area with the perfect view.  Ignore the fact that it was again smack dab in the center of Broadway with cars, cabs and buses hurtling towards us and the #1 Subway rumbling under - it was a Primo Sketching Spot and a good place to be for the next hour.

Part 2:
After an hour of sketching in the middle of Broadway,  Mark consulted with Siri and off we went to a very nice vegan restaurant on Amsterdam and 82nd Street, Peacefood Cafe.  I'm not vegan but it was Seriously Yum and if  my friend Benedicte had been there I would have bought her a double chocolate cookie and a chocolate-dipped macaroon.  After we fought our way out of our winter gear and settled down everyone took out their sketch books, ahem, and iPad.

I demonstrated for Mark a couple of my "techniques" - for Mia I used the vector tool in "fill" mode and drew the negative space and then the details.

For Svetlana I used the same tool (still "fill" mode)  but drew her contour and how it was necessary to, without lifting the stylus, go back over the line so the shape would not fill.  Both methods result in wonkiness and distortion and make me happy.  (Maybe Mia and Svetlana aren't too happy but....).

When the dishes were cleared away it was time to  show  the morning sketches to each other.

Next we  headed off to the last apartment building on the agenda - Central Park West and 74th Street.  We discovered that the bleachers for the Thanksgiving Day Parade were already erected on the park side of the street.  Taking advantage of the seating that stretched for about a zillion blocks we each chose alternate sketching subjects since it turned out that the view of the very tall building was not very enticing.

And then it was time to call it a day.  Mia and I walked downtown and split up at Columbus Circle.  I continued down 8th Avenue toward Penn Station, the sun was setting, girls were wearing party dresses, tourists were hogging the sidewalks and shady characters were starting to make their appearance.  I'm deep into J.D. Robb's Lieutenant Dallas books (reading one after another for mucho months) so I pretended I was walking her streets as I made my way around sidewalk blockers, avoided taxis and tried to catch the green light (failed miserably) at each corner.

Fini.

iPad; New Trent Arcadia stylus.
#2-6: Sketch Club app,
#1&7: Sketch Block app
ArtRage app just for rough backgrounds (all).

reclinerart.wordpress.com

Sketching the Great Apartment Buildings of the Upper West Side - November 16, 2013

New York's Great  Iconic Apartment Buildings 

of the Upper West Side 

The Dorilton

Our sketching starts at
The Dorilton, 171 West 71st Street - from 10 - 11 AM

Completed in 1902.  Although the Dorilton has not always been one of the city's most prestigious residential addresses, it is flamboyant, exuberant, romantic and one of the most spectacular architecturally. The building is noted for its opulent Beaux-Arts style limestone and brick exterior, featuring monumental sculptures, richly balustraded balconies, and a three-story, copper and slate mansard roof.

Architecture historian Andrew Dolkart thinks it may be "the most flamboyant apartment house in New York," with its striking, "French-inspired" sculpted figures and an enormous iron gate "reminiscent of those that guard French palaces."

The Ansonia

The Ansonia, 2109 Broadway, located between 73-74th Streets. from 11 - Noon

Completed in 1904.  It was the first air conditioned hotel in NYC.  With its rounded corners, the filigree of its handsome balconies and widows' walks, the Ansonia conjures the fancies of the Belle Epoque and suggests what a mid-rise Paris might be.  Originally built with a small farm on the roof - an early harbinger `of Urban Farming movement, the Ansonia was the largest residential hotel of its day. The exterior is decorated in the Beaux-Art style with a Parisian style mansard roof. Striking architectural features are the round corner-towers or turrets.

The Apthorp

The Apthorp, 2211 Broadway (between 78 - 79th Streets)  from noon to 1 PM

Completed in 1908,  One of the city's finest courtyard apartment buildings, this building has a great, gated  entrance along Broadway.  The building was named for Charles Ward Apthorp, who owned Apthorp Farm, which encompassed about 300 acres in this part of Manhattan in the late 18th century (300 acres!). A three-story rusticated base and the rustication of the broader corner bays as well as string moldings serve together to articulate the otherwise block-like mass. Arch-headed windows contrast with rectangular ones to emphasize lightly certain positions, notably the enriched uppermost floor under the projecting cornice.

Over-lifesize limestone sculptures representing the Four Seasons stand above the central barrel-vaulted entrance, where the elaborate wrought-iron gates in the manner of Samuel Yellin feature a pair of gazelle heads.

The San Remo

The San Remo, 145 Central Park West, Located at CPW at 74th St. (after lunch)

  

Construction began in 1929, weeks before the market crash initiated the Great Depression.The San Remo is the first twin-towered building to rise in New York and its precedent setting design gained it fame and a number of imitators when it was built.  At the 18th floor, the building splits into the San Remo's iconic 10-floor towers.

City Realty's description:  If you see vestal virgins they're probably wafting up to the tempiettos ("little temples") atop this building's beautiful twin towers.

TIME AND DIRECTIONS:

• Take the 1,2 or 3 train to 72 Street and Broadway, the alternative, but not as close is the B or C train to 72 which requires a three block walk west.  
• Sketching starts at 10 AM, if you come late - no problem.

Can't find us?  

Call Mark 973-809-9128

Sketch Historic Author's Homes in the West Village

Clearly I'm not ready of winter.  After a couple of cold months anything above freezing seems like a warm day.  It was above freezing but it was tough going when we went sketching on Saturday.

Henry James is home overlooking Washington Square Park

A few doors down the block from the James house we found the brownstone where Edward Hopper had his studio

We needed to find a place to warm up and found a great Tea Shop.   We ended up staying a couple of hours, sketching the patrons and each other.

Marie

Suma

The Tea Shop Patrons

The sun came out for a brief while and tempted us to leave the Tea Shop.  We walked crosstown to the street where O'Henry lived.  I've walked this block a number of time but never really realized what a gem it is.  There's a beautiful courtyard on the side.

O' Henry's House

We finished at the White Horse Tavern, in the late afternoon.  Unfortunately I have no sketches to share.  Clearly we need to go back, ... earlier, on a truly cold winter day.

Sunday, November 10, 2013 - Penn Station & Rubin Museum

He was reading the Sunday Times, was clean shaven, hair neatly trimmed, t-shirt looked fresh.  Two pieces of sturdy, nice looking luggage were next to his table and his jacket was draped over the back of the chair.  Well, no surprise there since we were in Penn Station.  I looked up from my book when activity from his vicinity caught my attention.  He held a coffee cup with his right hand and gesticulated energetically with the left as he made various points during the uninhibited argument (discussion?) with himself.   I wanted to sketch him but my desire to eat my egg and cheese sandwich was stronger - until I spotted….. After my breakfast, coffee and sketching, I left Penn Station and walked to the beginning/end  of the High Line (at 30th and Ninth Avenue), climbed the stairs and flew like the wind to the 16th Street stairway.  I usually walk to 14th Street but time was pressing so I got off a couple of blocks early and walked to 17th Street and headed East.  I was meeting the Central Park Sketching and Art Meetup Group at 11:00 in front of the Rubin Museum. Eschewing (ha! First time I ever used this word - where has it been hiding?) the elevator, I started climbing the spiral staircase to the sixth floor but was sucked in by the photographs  on the fourth floor. The museum was very accommodating to our large group of 30-40 artists.  They even had numerous small,  snazzy,  folding camp-like stools for us to carry around and sit on in order to sketch the artwork.  Afterwards we all met in the first floor cafe for lunch and to display our drawings to each other. iPad; #1: Sketch Block app; #2&3: Sketch Club app;  New Trent Arcadia stylus ArtRage app for rough background. reclinerart.wordpress.com

Writers, sketchers, teahouses, and leaves

A chilly, overcast morning and already the fingers were cold. The Famous Authors Sketch Tour began at 1 Washington Square North.

Mark on the left. 1 Washington Square North on the right.

We were okay until the cold began to affect our fingers. And everything else. So off we went in search of a warm place to rest for a while. Suma spotted this spot, and we ended up staying a few busy hours.

We each had a mug of tea, with a supplementary pot of hot water. 

Paper bags were wrapped around each lightbulb in the place.
A quirky touch, if rather alarming. 

Other patrons came and went, and others stayed for a while.

A student, one among few at the teahouse.

Joan sketching.

And then it was off again to continue our tour and brave the cold. 

A typical NYC tree.

10 Grove Street. I added the quote from "The Last Leaf" when I got home.

The crew towards the end of the day.

I hope to see many of you again next time!

Literary Lights Near NYU

Yesterday's jaunt through New York writer haunts in Greenwich Village began at Washington Square North -- the world of Edith Wharton, Henry James and others. Was wishing I'd brought fingerless gloves by the time I finished this sketch, it was so cold.

Then we went in search of Louisa May Alcott's ghost, on MacDougal Street. When we spied a cozy-looking cafe across the street, we decided to pause our wandering and warm up over steaming mugs of tea. The minute we stepped in, we knew we'd want to spend a few hours -- it was exactly the sort of old-timey place you dream of stumbling upon as you stroll in the Village.

The host graciously let us take over a table in the front and guided us through the extensive selection of teas. For subjects, we had the shop's ever-changing clientele, some of whom ordered drinks to go and some of whom lingered to read or gossip or tap away at a keyboard.


I kept a few of the tea-stained placemats to paste into my sketchbook (they were a bit too buckled to draw on).

Sketching in the West Village

Today the NYC Urban Sketchers did a bit of an author's tour of the West Village.

I traveled into the city on the LIRR from Pathchogue which takes about 1 1/2 hrs. I planned to use my time sketching. At first the only view I had of a person was through the opening between the seats.

Then a woman sat down on the other side of the aisle.

Then a young man got on and was sitting facing me so I was able to do a full sketch.

The NYC Urban Sketchers were meeting at 1 Washington Square North which was at one time the home of Henry James and at another time the home of Edith Wharton.

I sketched the house.

Then I did a quick sketch looking down Washington Square North. This one was done directly with paint...no pencil lines.

Our next stop was supposed to be 130 Macdougal Street where Louisa May Alcott once lived, but the building was gone or incorporated into the college. By this time we were all cold and we saw the Tea Spot at 127 Macdougal Street. It was heaven inside! There was wonderful hot tea and a great interior to sketch. We were there quite a while and they were very gracious to us.

I sketched the waitress and the counter area. 

The assorted tea accessories made a good still life. I had mango green tea...yummy!

Mark and Mia were sketching across from me.

Suma was working to my left.

Svetlana and Maria were discussing problems with Svetlana's pen. 

I did a few sketches of my fellow sketchers and other people there.

Here is a photo of all of us at the table.

It finally looked like the sun was out and we were ready to venture back outside. We walked past several buildings related to writers on Grove Street.

This sketch was done at 10 Grove Street which was where O'Henry wrote his short story, "Last Leaf."

Here is Sveltlana working on her sketch.

And Mark working on his sketch.

A few of the sketchers left at this point and Mia, Mark and I headed over to the White Horse Tavern to get something to drink before heading back home. It was a really good day of sketching and my thanks to Mark for organizing this themed sketching tour for us.

Unfortunately on my ride home there were no other commuters nearby that I could sketch (my train car was very empty.) so my day of sketching was over.