Local sketches from central NJ

Hello sketchers-welcome to New Jersey!

I live in the Princeton area so I've been out sketching locally-here is a watercolor drawing of the Princeton University art museum (open six days a week, free):

 

And another from Grounds for Sculpture, in Hamilton, NJ.  The man's head on the bench in the background is actually one of Seward Johnson's Sculptures-he had a special show there recently.  GFS would be a great place the for group to sketch-lots of shapes plus lots of real people (though missing from this view).

My last stop in New Jersey was in May - as is often the case, staying with my good friends in Millburn.  When I'm in the area, I divide my time between their home and my mom's, in the City (no need to mention which City on this blog!).  And I divide my sketching, too. 

So here's the view from my friend's guest bedroom - first the real thing, on a lovely and verdant spring morning:
 

and here's my version of it, looking stiff and awkward I think: 

I go back and forth to the City a lot.  The train out of Maplewood was late, so I had the time to do this one while I waited on the platform:

That's kind of my usual style, I guess -  untidy skinny lines and color.  I try to do things in other ways - the view out the bedroom window was an attempt not to use ink, just capture detail in color - but I never think much of them.  Maybe someday I'll get to where I can control the style of my work, the way some people can control the accent of their speech, or their image?  It would take a lot of work.

The train finally came, and it's 45 minutes into town at least, so I had time for this one, too:

In the usual style - including the yellow thrown around for highlights!

The Little Falls Biz Fall Festival

I guess every town has events like this. On Sunday I spent the day helping my wife at the Little Falls Biz Fall Festival.  We setup on a walkway by the river.  My wife's  knitting studio - The Knitting Bureau in located in town,

I did this sketch as people were setting up their booths.  It turned out to be a hot day so having shade from a tent was a real help.  We, unfortunately had no tent and instead enjoyed the hot sun.

There was a cool looking antique fire engine in the parking lot that I sketched.  I found out later that the town fire department would is trying to raise money to restore this beauty.  I'm going to offer to donate my sketch if it can help.

This picture shows my wife Susan teaching someone how to do Finger Knitting.  It's a pretty cool technique and I got to watch her instructing people of all ages during the day.

The town is called Little Falls so it's no surprise that there's a view of the water worth sketching.

Sketching in Princeton: Lewis Library by Frank Gehry

Shopping malls are sketch worthy

Anthropologie store, the Grove at Shrewsbury