May 25th Sketch Date- Let's try it again!

 

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Last November we tried to sketch the mid block promenade between 6th and 7th Avenue.  It was bitterly cold and we didn't get to finish, so we say "let's try it again".  It's also a good place for a day with rain in the forecast (there's plenty of cover). We can also head down to Rockefeller Center later in the afternoon.

Location:
Midtown mid block promenade from 57th to 51st street
Meet at mid-block between 6 and 7th avenue on 57th Street.

Location Map:
http://goo.gl/maps/vxdyO

Trains:N,Q,R,F to 57th St; B,D,E to 7th Ave.

See you there!

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A few sketches from Galway

I am finally home from my 4 weeks in Ireland and it looks like I missed a few great locations here. I did a lot of sketches.

Here are a few Galway sketches - pubs, pubs, and lunch.

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.

Graffiti in NYC

I'm going to miss the graffiti outing, but it's a topic I love to paint and document.  I often try to incorporate graffiti whenever I can in my NYC scenes since I feel it's so integral to it's history.

Here is one I did in March, on Broome Street.

I have a few more examples on my site www.kovalcreative.com

At the church

It was rain at the start of the day, and rain towards the end of it. And everything in between involved high ceilings, arches, warm colors, and fun. I didn't get to sketch the sculptures from the show, though.

The grand, gothic entrance to the church and the surprising, enthusiastic tourist groups come for a visit.

Looking towards the choir.

A platform was set up for the jazz band performance that weekend.

Looking towards the entrance of the church.

Outside in the garden, without the resident white peacock. (He was taking a break. Posing for admirers is hard work, after all.)

May 18th Sketch Date: Courthouses and Graffiti

This Saturday we're in Long Island City (LIC)!
We'll meet at Albert Short Triangle at 10:00 (The Plaza with the glass enclosure).
We will sketch at MOMA's PS1, 5Pointz, the world’s premiere “graffiti Mecca”, and at the Courthouse.

Trains: 7,G (Court Square), E, M (Court Sq-23 St)

Location Map: http://goo.gl/maps/L85az

See you all there!





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The Cathedral Church meets the Dog People

The whole day was threatening and overcast.  Although we eventually had an epic storm in the late afternoon the day provided lots of good sketch time.  We spent the morning in the church.  After a great lunch we  returned for more drawing.

Although I was struck by the beauty of the church architecture and the solemnity of the interior space, none of my sketches seemed to capture that.  So I got distracted and drew the guides and their tour groups.

I could have spent much more time with the Jane Alexander sculpture installation:
Her very strange sculptures were integrated into the church setting and mixed in with the sculptures and religious objects you'd expect to find.  The contrast was startling and a little jarring.  Her sculptures seemed pagan, like Pre-Christian artifacts.  There were dog-headed people, and monkey faced people.  Some were distorted and looked cartoon-like and others were done  realistically and were grouped like they were a comment on conformity and militarism.  .

Her notes indicated there was a
political element to her work

After lunch we went back to the church and spent time in the gardens.

A white peacock that must live on the church grounds was the main attraction.