Saturday, January 5, 2019

New Year in the Florida Everglades


We drove thru the Florida Everglades and snapped some photos of the local fauna.  Below are a couple of simple watercolors I did in my Strathmore watercolor journal (5.5x8.5 inch; 140 lbs paper).  I tried out a new technique to try and improve my color mixing.  



                                                           "Egret study #1"



                                                  "Submerged Gator"


                                               "Egret study #2"

Thursday, July 13, 2017

Reminder: Sketching at Duke Farms, Saturday, July 15, 1-4pm

The weather looks good for an afternoon of sketching.  Refer to the previous post for details on time and directions.  Please add a note here if you think you might attend or send me an email at jeffreycharlesworth@gmail.com. Just want to have an idea of who will show up. Look forward to seeing New Jersey Sketchers!

Wednesday, June 28, 2017

Sketching at Duke Farms, Hillsborough, NJ July 15, 2017

Join us for an afternoon of exploring the green infrastructure of the Duke Farms campus--both architecture and landscape.
Visitors Orientation Center

We'll have a chance to see:
The LEED-Plantinum Visitors Orientation Center
Constructed wetlands for natural treatment of waste water.
Storm water bio-swales
Permeable paving in parking lots.
Rain water harvesting
Green roofs
Renewable energy components
Community gardens.
Or just visit their woodlands and meadows.
Constructed Wetlands for Waster Water Treatment

It's a great chance to learn about sustainable design and building in architecture and landscape architecture.

Meet at the Visitors Orientation Center at 1pm.  We'll spend three hours on site and meet up at 4pm to share our work.  Go to their website  www.dukefarms.org for further information and directions.

For questions, contact group leader Jeff Charlesworth at jeffreycharlesworth@gmail.com

Wednesday, December 21, 2016

San Diego

Had the occasion for both a business trip and vacation in San Diego, home to one of my my favorite zoos.   I love the opportunity to sketch the animals. 


                                  This gorilla was so majestic and so. . .sad.  


Sleeping Rhino

Mission Bay, San Diego

Sunday, October 23, 2016

Vacation in Washington State

Took a vacation to Seattle and northern Washington state this past summer.  Was able to take advantage of the beautiful vistas and paint on site (and took lots of reference photos for later).
 
Deception Park Pass Bridge, Fildalgo/Whidbey WA
watercolor pen & ink on 110 lbs paper (PS)

Deception Park Pass Park
watercolor pen & ink on 5.5X17 paper



Deception Park Pass Park
watercolor  on  paper

Saturday, October 15, 2016

Practicing with a folded nib pen

I have been wanted to try out a folded nib pen for a long time.  This was done using Daniel Smith walnut ink.  


                                walnut ink 10x7 on 140lbs paper


The pen is a custom, hand crafted folded nib pen created by Tim Leigh.  They are works of art in and of themselves. 

Thursday, September 1, 2016

SKETCH DAY IN NEW HOPE, PENNSYLVANIA

Sketchers gathered on a warm August Sunday to explore New Hope, Pennsylvania, just over the Delaware River from Lambertville, New Jersey.  We started at the restored train station and surroundings for the New Hope and Ivyland Railroad and after lunch continued down to the Delaware River for views of Lambertville.  And just before the rain arrived we had a guided tour of recently installed sculptures given by Colleen Pritchard of New Hope Arts.

We discussed future outings for this fall.  Possible sites:  Asbury Park and Rutgers Gardens in New Brunswick. Can we hear from members about these choices (or others) and volunteers to help organize the events?  Look forward to seeing more of you this fall.

Friday, August 12, 2016

Sketching Day RESCHEDULED due to excessive heat for Sunday, August 21.

Yes, it is summer but the heat and humidity are going to be gruesome this weekend.  (Same thing happened last year.)  Let's reschedule for NEXT Sunday. Same time and meeting place!

Wednesday, August 10, 2016

Sketching in New Hope, Pennsylvania. Sunday, August 14.

Join us Sunday, August 14 for a day of sketching in beautiful New Hope, Pennsylvania, on the Delaware River just a minute (really) from New Jersey.
Contact me directly for more information:  jeffreycharlesworth@gmail.com


Wednesday, June 29, 2016

Summer Plans for Sketch Events. Please offer your thoughts.

Please offer your thoughts for possible places for sketch events this summer.  I'd like to suggest the weekend of July 16 or 17.   Potential locations: Asbury Park/Ocean Grove, Newark River Park, Basking Ridge.  Please offer other places--historic towns, parks, gardens, architecture--that you'd be interested in visiting.

Please hold the weekend of August 13-14 for a sketch day in New Hope, Pennsylvania.  Known for decades as an artists community, New Hope sits on the Delaware River just opposite Lambertville, New Jersey.  The sketch event will be part of the August Arts Festival sponsored by Artsbridge Arts Group (www.artsbridgeonline.com).  New Hope offers views of the river and historic canal and towpath, shops, galleries and restaurants, New Hope and Ivyland Railroad.  We can finish the day at the centrally located Triumph Brewery.  More details to come.

May Sketch Day with Landscape Architects. Plans for Summer Sketch Events.

New Jersey Urban Sketchers joined the New Jersey Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects for a tour and sketch day at Grounds for Sculpture Park in Hamilton, NJ.  After a full morning walking tour with the original designer of the park we stopped for a box lunch at the park's outdoor courtyard garden.  In the afternoon, we went back to a couple of intimate garden rooms to sketch and paint some of the garden pieces before the rains came.

Monday, May 9, 2016

Grounds for Sculpture Tour May 21. Registration Update.



There was an earlier glitch in the online registration process which has been fixed.  The registration system is now back online.  The easiest way to register (for admission ticket and box lunch) is through the New Jersey American Society of Landscape Architects website:  www.njasla.org.  Click on the GROUNDS FOR SCULPTURE heading.  Further information and a link for registration will appear.  (Use of this link is NOT limited to just landscape architects.)

If you have questions, please contact me at jeffreycharlesworth@gmail.com or by phone at 908.255.5051

See you there!  Bring friends!

Sunday, May 8, 2016

Action Sketches: Sheep Shearing at Howell Living History Farm

Sheep shearing at Howell Living History Farm on Pleasant Valley Road in Lambertville New Jersey.
 Sheep shearing takes about 15 to 20 minutes for each sheep. Each sketch here was done in four minutes. All the sketches were of shearing one sheep.
 You can see this is an action packed sketching opportunity.
 Howell Farm had three demonstrations with a total of eleven sheep shorn on Saturday, May 7, 2016.
After sheep shearing there were Shepard and collies herding sheep in a luscious green field.

I'll save sketching the barns, animals and other demonstrations for another visit.

Sheep Shearing at Howell Living History Farm in Lambertville New Jersey is always a special time of year. In spite of the dark grey skies and occasional rain yesterday, it was a perfect day for sheep shearing demonstrations and sheep herding by collies.

Visits to Mercer County Parks Howell Living History Farm offers a slice of farm life as it was in Pleasant Valley in 1910. About 48 Saturdays in the year offer sketching opportunities in the field with live animals, farmers, and many visiting families in a relaxed, peaceful, atmosphere.

You can find the Howell Farm Calendar here http://www.howellfarm.org/cal.aspx and make plans for a fun sketching and painting outing.

- Michael Skelly

Friday, May 6, 2016

SATURDAY: May 21.- Sketch the Grounds for Sculpture

Grounds for Sculpture
Hamilton, New Jersey 

Inline image 1

The American Society of Landscape Architecture 
presents a walking design and sketch tour of this internationally known sculpture park. It is is a 42-acre sculpture garden with over 270 large-scale contemporary sculpture pieces.The tour will begin at 10 am and lunch will be provided.  

The registration deadline is Monday May 16th. 
The group is limited to 30 people so register early.

​​Questions?  Or to confirm, 
contact 
Jeff Charlesworth 
jeffreycharlesworth@gmail.com 
or phone/text 908.255.5051. 

More information about NJ Urban Sketchers at njusk.blogspot.com
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  • All drawing levels welcomed and encouraged!  
  • Tell your friends.
  • Bring a folding stool and attractive sun hat! 

Saturday, October 17, 2015

Only the little sunflower adorning my table at breakfast was a little beat up and missing some petals on the left side.  That gave it character and made it interesting to paint.
 

                               watercolor pen & ink on paper 5.5X8.5 

Wednesday, October 7, 2015

SATURDAY: Sketch the Garden Conservancy

Saturday, October 10, 2015
This event was suggested by NJ Urban Sketcher - Helena Sarin



THE GARDEN AT FEDERAL TWIST
HUNTERDON COUNTY, NJ



The Garden Conservancy is a national organization dedicated to saving and sharing America's outstanding gardens for the education and inspiration of the public.  Spectacular gardens all over the US are open to the public for brief periods.  

The Garden at Federal Twist will be open this Saturday and should not be missed.  The garden is only available for viewing two times each year!

"The garden is hidden. You enter through the house, where you first glimpse the landscape, a sunny glade in the woods, through a wall of large windows. Featuring many large perennials and grasses that evoke an "Alice in Wonderland" feeling (many plants are taller than you), the garden is in the tradition of such “new perennial” designers as Piet Oudolf. Visitors have described it as a highly emotional garden. Plantings emphasize structure, shape, and form as much as flower."


 "Begun as an experiment to explore the potential for working in unimproved, heavy clay, the garden is ecologically like a wet prairie, and is maintained by cutting and burning in late winter. Flowers and butterflies peak in mid-July, then a second peak occurs in October when low sunlight strikes fire in the blousy russets and golds of the grasses. Two small ponds attract hundreds of frogs, insects and wildlife."

The garden was recently featured in the New York Times,  Horticulture magazine, and the book, Gardens of the Garden State.


DETAILS:


Where:  208 Federal Twist Road, Stockton, NJ

When:  Starting time:  10 a.m. Delayed or sleeping late?  Come anyway you'll easily find us.

Lunch:  Bring your own - we'll eat picnic style.  Bring a stool - it makes sketching easier and gives you options.

Show and Tell:   3:15 Leave for Apple-Jack (4935 River Rd, Point Pleasant, PA an 11 mile drive) to share drawings, good stories and a beer or wine if you're so inclined.

NOTES:
1)  Admission to this garden is $7.
2)  Bring a stool or a folding chair - it makes sketching easier and gives you options.


DIRECTIONS:

Directions: From the New York City area, take I-78. Take Exit 29 for I-287 toward Route 206/Route 202/Morristown/Somerville. Keep left at the fork and continue onto I-287 South for about 4 miles. Take Exit 17 onto Route 202 and continue to Flemington (about 19 miles). At the traffic circle, continue to the opposite side, and continue on Route 202 (about 10.8 miles) to the last exit in New Jersey, to Lambertville and Route29. At the foot of the exit, turn left, then at the bottom of the exit, turn right onto Route 29/River Road/Daniel Bray Highway. Continue north, passing through the village of Stockton, for a total of 5.1 miles from Lambertville. On the right is a large sign for Hidden Valley Nursery. Federal Twist Road is immediately past the sign. Turn right and drive up Federal Twist Road 2.9 miles to #208. Park on the right side of the road (the house side), taking care to leave the left lane open.

From western Philadelphia suburbs, take the I-276 East/Pennsylvania Turnpike east to Exit 343. Exit on Route 611 North toward Doylestown. In about 10 miles, exit onto Route 202N/New Hope. In about 10 miles, continue on Route 202 past New Hope, and cross toll bridge over Delaware River, exiting immediately on the New Jersey side toward Lambertville. At the foot of the exit, turn left onto Route 29 N/River Road/Daniel Bray Highway. Proceed as directed above.

From northern New Jersey or the Hudson River Valley, take I-287 south, take Exit 17 onto Route 202 and continue to Flemington (about 19 miles), at the traffic circle continue to the opposite side, and continue on Route 202 (about 10.8 miles) to the last exit in New Jersey, to Lambertville and Route 29. At the foot of the exit, turn left, then at the bottom of the exit, turn right onto Route 29/River Road/Daniel Bray Highway. Proceed as directed above.

Click to Enlarge



Can't find us?
Call or Text Mark - 973-809-9128

There are no fees or attendance taken. All drawing skill levels are welcome




Monday, October 5, 2015

Stormy Tree

It is a cold and blustery day on Friday and I was thinking about Hurricane/Tropical Storm Joaquin, whether it would hit us or not (at that moment we did not know if it was going to hit NJ).  I have not painted in a while and this was done without photo reference, visual reference or under drawing.  I just. . .painted, thinking about the storm.  I love using Daniel Smith deep apatite blue for dark stormy skies.  It is such a neat and powerful color.


                                      Watercolor on 200lbs paper 14x10

Monday, September 7, 2015

Labor Day - Washington Rock

Sitting at the base of Washington Rock, NJ.  In 1777, This is where General George Washington watched the troop movement of General William Howe in New Brunswick.  The high ground of this natural rock outcropping provides an unobstructed view of over 30 miles.  You can still see NY City today.  I thought about painting the vista, but looking up at the stone wall was more interesting.


                                        Watercolor, pen & ink 5.5 X 16.0

Wednesday, August 26, 2015

SUNDAY: Sketching Princeton

August 30, 2015




On Sunday New Jersey Urban Sketchers will be exploring the town of Princeton.  The day will be divided between sketching the University in the morning and in the afternoon we'll be in the streets capturing the atmosphere of one of our state's most beautiful towns.



DETAILS

Morning:   10:00a  Meet at Princeton University main gate in front of historic Nassau Hall (Nassau and Witherspoon Streets.)  Metered parking along city streets or easy access parking garage on Chambers Street about half block north of Nassau Street.

We will focus on the traditional architecture and spaces of the central core of the university but you modernists will also have the opportunity to sketch the more contemporary architecture on the east/southeast side of campus.



Lunch:  12:30p  We'll agree on a shady spot for our Picnic Style lunch. Bring your own or enjoy variety of local and ethnic eateries on Witherspoon Street and Palmer Square (just north of Nassau between Witherspoon and Chambers.)

Afternoon:  1:30-3:30p  Town sketching.  Palmer Square and the public square next to the Princeton Public Library (on Witherspoon) are great places for people watching with interesting buildings to draw.

Show and Tell:  3:30p  We'll go to the Triumph Brewery at 138 Nassau Street to share drawings, good stories and a beer or wine if you're so inclined.



NOTES:

-  Sleeping late?  Come anyway, no one is taking attendance.  We'll be happy you came.

-  You might want to bring a hat and a sketching stool for your personal comfort.

Click Map to Enlarge


Can't find us?
Call or Text Mark - 973-809-9128

There are no fees or attendance taken. All drawing skill levels are welcome




Tuesday, August 11, 2015

Keep the date in mind.  Further information as the date approaches.