Let’s face it, Brooklyn is Manhattan’s younger, hipper sister and everyone knows it. So what was the best way to spend the first night of summer? Go to Coney Island with the Husband and your nieces. Coney Island is back from the devastation of Hurricane Sandy and did not disappoint. A Brooklyn Cyclones baseball game, a ride for the nieces on the famous Cyclone roller coaster (The Husband and I stood on the sidewalk and waved) and dinner (hot dogs) at the original Nathan’s. Add in some fireworks and the lighting of the historic parachute jump with the full perigee super-moon shining over the ocean and you have a perfect evening!
Lucky for me, Joan Tavalott emailed me to see if I was going to the urban sketching meet-up the next day at Green-Wood Cemetery. Green-Wood Cemetery was founded in 1838. It was granted National Historic Landmark status in 2006. Of course I said YES!
I invited the Husband because he has always said that he would like to try drawing and we both had the beautiful sketchbooks that my sister made for us. She took a photo of the Husbands and a painting of mine, made the covers and used a Japanese technique to bind drawing paper into these very special sketchbooks.
So, armed with our handmade sketchbooks, off we went to Green-wood cemetery. We started sketching the amazing main gate where a number of green parrots now nest. Green parrots live in NYC? Yes, and this is one of their “spots”. The story goes that a bunch of them got away when a shipment arrived at JFK airport. They are beautiful but loud. Joan T. and her friend Susan came along with some other regulars. Joan got busy with sketching. I was busy with talking. But I did manage to get a few sketches in and so did the Husband. We left early since he is still recovering from his hip replacement.
Here are our sketches. Can you guess which ones are which?
And Here we are in Action! And as an FYI, some notable residents of Green-wood include Leonard Bernstein and Louis Comfort Tiffany.
Carol King: drawing, painting, complaining 
17 comments
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June 23, 2013 at 9:08 pm
joantav
It was great to see you and meet Matt. I’m glad you both had a good time sketching. I love the ones of the entrance…I thought you were going to put in the green parrots. lol It was an interesting place with a lot of history. Susan and I will have to go back and take the tour some day.
June 24, 2013 at 12:28 pm
Carol King
Hi Joan, We had a great time. I was happy to see you and Susan and Mark. Matt enjoyed himself too. The tours are very interesting.
June 23, 2013 at 10:06 pm
Sadami
Hi, Carol, the Hubby,
Wow, special sketch books look so nice! Sure, inside, full of lovely sketches!!! Actually, really chaaaarming drawings. The photo is very nice, too. Keep up!
Best wishes, Sadami
June 24, 2013 at 12:29 pm
Carol King
Sadami, The sketchbooks were a wonderful surprise from my sister. Thanks for your comment and visit.
June 23, 2013 at 11:01 pm
artscottnet
Sounds like a really special night out… love those sketchbooks! (searches diligently for link to technique =))… awesome sketches, too.. glad you had a good weekend, cheers..~scott
June 24, 2013 at 12:30 pm
Carol King
We did have fun at Coney Island. And sketching at the cemetery was an interesting experience.
June 23, 2013 at 11:09 pm
kk2n777
Hey, I thought WE were going to do Urban Sketch together…?!? I am sorry I missed it. Who was your instructor/leader? Frank and I had dinner with an artist that I collect and I thought he mentioned something about Urban Sketch at Greenwood…
You know that EDC is responsible for the revival (even before Sandy) of Coney Island, right? CI holds some sad memories for me: We had our corporate outing there last year and my prescription sunglasses flew off my face at the start of the first ride I got on and was never to be seen again. Then I went on the Cyclone by myself and the attendant had to pound the security/safety bar against my tummy THREE times before it clicked in. I was mortified….
June 24, 2013 at 12:31 pm
Carol King
Don’t worry, we ARE going to do an urban sketch together. And next time we go to Coney, we will bring you so you can have some GOOD memories to erase the bad ones.
June 23, 2013 at 11:13 pm
lesliepaints
I want to go to Nathans! One of my favorite places here is a place called Coney Island : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMm4RMobnZM&feature=player_detailpage The Granddaughter and I need to get there this summer. We go every year since she was little.
The sketches are great. I didn’t know the Husband liked to draw! Your sketchbooks are the BEST!
June 24, 2013 at 12:32 pm
Carol King
You will have to visit one of these days. You will get a kick out of Coney Island. Matt never really sketched before, but he’s always wanted to, so I’m glad he came along.
Aren’t those sketchbooks neat. When my sister gave them to us I was thrilled.
June 24, 2013 at 11:32 am
Jana Bouc
Terrific sketches both of you! I just signed up for the NY USK group since I’m going to be there September 24-30 and hope to join in the fun. I would have loved to go sketch in the cemetery. My plein air group meets in an old one here every year for some painting. I hope to visit Brooklyn while I’m there and would love to connect with you for some sketching or a cup of tea, if it fits into your schedule. Or maybe at the NY USK sketchcrawl if there’s one that weekend. Do they meet weekly or monthly?
June 24, 2013 at 12:33 pm
Carol King
Hi Jana. YAY for a visit to NYC! Maybe by September the City won’t smell as much as it does in July and August. LOL! I would love to meet you when you are here. The NYC urban sketchers meet every weekend, so I’m sure there will be something fun to do/sketch when you get here.
June 24, 2013 at 2:20 pm
Nuno
Very nice sketches. It seems you had a great day. By the way, I was seeing a couple of old Japanese books this morning and they are binded using that technique.
June 29, 2013 at 4:27 pm
Carol King
Hi Nuno, I think that is a pretty common binding technique. Thanks for your visit.
June 25, 2013 at 4:04 pm
jimmyboi2
Lovely! Just before the arch, on the left and right as you come in the gate from Fourth Avenue, you’ll find my Dad and a host of other family members. I love The Green-Wood Cemetery… !
June 29, 2013 at 4:27 pm
Carol King
I always think of Tony when I pass the cemetery.
July 16, 2013 at 2:48 pm
Irina
This is great idea to go sketching together with your husband. I always feel a bit uncertain when sketching alone. Look forward for more sketches of you both!
You look great, couple simpatico.