Broccoli and Sketchbooks, Rockaway Art Room Brings Art Outdoors for Summer
The Beach 91st Street Community Garden has teamed up with Rockaway Art Room for drawing meet-ups at the garden!
I can’t explain how wonderful it felt to spend an hour and a half outside on a beautiful evening, sitting with a mix of conversation and concentration. People were scattered around the picnic table under the pergola, where the wisteria had finally taken off! Garden members, friends, and their little ones stretched out on a blanket, drawing the plants that surrounded them. My neighbor Anne created lovely black and white pen sketches of those folks on the blanket! Everyone draws whatever inspires them in nature.
I found myself interested in a funny little broccoli plant. Looking at the baby broccoli in such detail allowed me to slow down and focus on what was right in front of me. A therapeutic exercise after a busy work day. The tiny beads that make up the broccoli head are so intricate. To me, the head of broccoli looked like a galaxy of mini cabbages that became clustered stars. As my eye moved from broccoli to my lap, where I rested my sketchbook, I noticed the lined patterns on the leaves mirrored the veins beneath the skin on my wrist. “Everything is connected.”
At the garden’s first drawing meet-up, there was a chance of rain, and the rain came. We all hustled over to the Surf Club for cover and continued drawing, eating tacos, and hanging out. Each Drawing Meet-Up is held every Wednesday from 6-7:30 pm throughout the summer. Drawing materials are supplied, and you can bring your own too. The last meet-up was at the Sangwich shop Panino Bozza (Beach 96 & Shore Front Parkway). Food drawing!
The Beach 91 Community Garden will co-host more meet-ups at the garden. Please join us. We’re building a cute little crew of community members who enjoy art, fresh air, and spending time together. No art skills are required. Just come and put some marks on paper. It feels so good.
If you haven’t heard about Rockaway Art Room yet, it’s a wonderful grassroots project creating opportunities for people to make art, connect with one another, and explore creativity in our community.
I saw in the Rockaway Art Room’s newsletter that founder Jamie Soltis is launching a new initiative that expands the org’s community arts programming into theater. Starting June 8th and continuing on the second Monday of each month, the Rockaway Rehearsal Room will be a free gathering where actors, playwrights, directors, and the curious can come together to play, practice, collaborate, and make new work. This creative “gym” will be held at The Jupiter Club in Arverne.
For more information about art classes, drawing meet-ups, and the rehearsal room, visit jamiesoltis.com/rockawayartroom and follow on instagram @rockawayartroom
