August Outing: Alexandra Palace

A select group of four artists assembled on the terrace of Ally Pally on 22 August, where we enjoyed a balmy day.   Externally, Ally Pally offers lots of artistic interest.  We focused on the architecture, both pristine and unrepaired, the expansive views of London, and the electric colours of the dragons and swans on the boating lake.  There are more subjects, not least people enjoying themselves.    Art in the Park will be sure to go again, because there are also indoor options in the Palm Court and the Phoenix Cafe (and the Boating Cafe) if the weather fails.

July outing

Five of us met at the Eastern Curve in Dalston. This is a community garden and urban oasis currently fighting off development plans. Dalston is recently gentrified but retains its urban grit. At the Curve there is a garden, vegetables, a children's play area and a cafe. Our pictures show the space and a kind passer by took a photo of the happy band of artists.

Do join us at our next outing to Alexandra Palace on 22 August. Details are already on the blog.

Art in the Park: Next sketching day Tuesday 22 August at Alexandra Palace, Alexandra Palace Way London N22 7AY

We are going to revisit Alexandra Palace and tackle it from the outside this time on our August Art in the Park sketch-day.   There are many possibilities with the Italianate architecture, as well as the panoramic view of London and trees and parkland views.   There is also a boating lake at the back of the Palace, with Lakeside cafe. 
  

We will assemble at 11am on the front steps outside the main entrance at the western end of the Palace.   We hope very much that we will have a dry day, but if it is wet we can paint the Palm Court once more, or sit in the Victorian pub-restaurant (the Bar & Kitchen).

Refreshments can be bought from the Bar & Kitchen which has full facilities, and has views from the windows, and an outside terrace.  The bar has tables in the Palm Court, if we use these we should buy some drinks or food. Otherwise we suggest you bring your sketching stools.

Ally Pally has two car parks, the closest one to the front entrance is in The Grove, (if you are coming from the Crouch End direction turn to the left just after the Garden Centre entrance, and please do not park in the Garden Centre). The other car park is at the far end of the building beside the entrance to the skating rink. We are going on a non-event day so there should be no parking difficulty, no crowds, nor any entrance fee.

Alternatively, various buses go through the park. You can find a map and full travel details here.

We look forward to seeing a good number of sketchers, both newcomers and regulars. Sue's telephone number for the day is: 07975 864142.

July Outing

The next outing is on Tuesday 25 July to the Eastern Curve Garden in Dalston, described on its website as 'a meeting place for people and plants'. Meet there at 11 am. There is a cafe and loos and undercover drawing space if it is too wet to sit in the garden itself. The address is 13 Dalston Lane, London E8 3DF. It is near to Dalston Kingsland and Dalston Junction Stations and buses run along Kingsland Road and Balls Pond Road. The Curve is threatened by development, so now is the time to go.

They are expecting us and more information can be found on their website dalstongarden.org.

June Art in the Park

Our outing to the Islington Ecology Centre was on a very wet day indeed. Your intrepid organisers Janet and Sue did meet up at the venue as advertised but it was far too wet to draw outside and the forecast was not good. Much to our disappointment we were the only people from IAS to show up. So after waiting a decent interval we switched to plan B, which was to go to nearby Blighty cafe on Blackstock Road and draw inside. The Gandhi vegan breakfast was a definite winner but we did do some work as well as the pictures show. 

Our next outing will be to the Curve, a community garden in Dalston, where we hope for much better weather and to back up to our usual attendance.

Next Art in the Park sketching day: Tuesday 6 June at Gillespie Park, Islington Ecology Centre 191 Drayton Park, Highbury, N5 1PH

We have realised that we have not yet visited Islington’s flagship nature park, Gillespie Park, right on our doorstep.   There are several smallish meadows, with areas of woodland, generally varied habitat as befits a nature reserve.  We expect that the Park will be looking very floriforous in early June, in particular the lupins will be in flower in one of the meadows, and there should also be highly visible ox-eye daisies and wild carrot in bloom, as well as many other wildflowers, dog roses, etc.   The Park has several ponds, with bridges, so an opportunity to paint reflections.     Lots of details, including a map of the Park, can be found here

We will meet at 11 o’clock, when we will be greeted by a member of the Ecology Centre’s staff.   (So it would be good if we made it by 11!)  The Islington Ecology Centre is close to the Drayton Park entrance, and contains within it the all-important lavatories.    The Park has various access points:  Drayton Park, Gillespie Road, Quill Street and Seven Sisters Road.    The nearest tube station is Arsenal, but Finsbury Park is close to the northern extremity of the Park.   Drayton Park overground station is also close.    The following buses go reasonably close: 4, 19, 236.

There is no catering in the Ecology Centre, so you will need to bring your picnic lunch.   If the weather is nice, we can all eat together out in the fields somewhere.   If the weather is not good, we have decided to go on to Blighty Coffee, which is a cafe on the Blackstock Road up near Finsbury Park Station. (Address: 35-37 Blackstock Road, N4 2JF).    Its interior bristles with things to draw, with a British wartime emphasis.   A good series of photos can be seen here     It also has good reports of its coffee and catering.

We suggest that you bring your sketching stools, as there are seats around but not necessarily where you want them, and we look forward to seeing everyone.    Sue’s telephone number for the day is: 07975 864142.