Sketching Weehawken Neighboorhoods
The Urban Sketchers has world-wide members who love to sketch how they “see the world one sketch at a time.” Each group within this organization represents a geographic area, usually a city. One of the biggest groups is in New York City, right across the Hudson River via an easy bus ride from my home.
Unfortunately, miscellaneous injuries prevent me from walking or standing for long periods, which makes the New York group events difficult to attend. For support, I often use a 3-wheel walker and now I’m trying to figure out how to incorporate it into outdoor sketching activities, urban or not.
Until a Hudson County Urban Sketchers group is formed in New Jersey, I decided that it’s time to “see my own area one sketch at a time.” I’m calling my own newly formed, one-person sketching group “The Doors of Weehawken” until more people get involved.
Sketching while using a walker has its benefits, whether you are 100% fit or not. Walkers have pouches where you can store your art supplies. They are also big enough to hold a 3-leg stool, which is what I’m sitting on in the above picture. And last, it holds an inflatable “foot rest” which I’m using as a lap desk.
Currently I’m developing a style into which I can fit my “doors” theme. I am starting with graphite (pencil) as it is the easiest art tool to manage on a wobbly surface.
My first drawing is a door on Fulton Street. Best, while sketching it, I met a neighbor who loves street artists. A few years ago, one drew his beloved Victorian Home which is a half-block from where I sat. His doors will certainly be included in my current project.
Should I decide to also use watercolors, like the small picture at the beginning of this article, I’ll probably sketch on the street and paint at home. The problem with Weehawken is that because it is next to the Hudson River, there is always a strong wind; strong enough to lift the heaviest of art supplies and send them sailing down to the next door.
I’ll be posting my drawings as I go, so please check back periodically to see what you can see or sign up for our newsletter which will tell you when to take a look.
About the artist
I started drawing in elementary school, then dabbled professionally in conjunction with my technical writing career. I’m now ready to make drawing and painting a more important part of my life.
Contact me if you are interested in forming an Urban Sketchers group in Hudson County, NJ or if you just want to stroll around, pencil in hand, to see what you can create.
Karen Little – info@littleviews.com
PS: All art and photos on this website are the property of Littleviews.com and Littleviews-Crafts.com and may not be reproduced without permission.
