By Gus Saltonstall
JJ moved to the Upper West Side two years ago and quickly found a community within a Being Neighborly Facebook group, but she did not always feel that she had something to contribute.
Then she realized she did. Her art.
“There are different ways to contribute, some people have stuff, other people do beautification work in the neighborhood, art was the way I wanted to contribute — hopefully to help people appreciate the environment and seasonality of our community,” JJ told West Side Rag.
She had previously given away her art and done specific pieces for members of the Upper West Side Facebook group, but she hatched a new idea last month.
The Upper West Sider, who uses JJ as her artist name, is a trained architect and current teacher of design, creativity, and social innovation at Princeton University.
“Drawing is in my blood,” she told the Rag, explaining that she first began sketching while living in Europe to help her better remember the different places she visited.
This January, when the weather took a significant turn toward cold, combined with the desire to contribute, JJ decided to start a 30-day challenge where she would sketch a different place on the Upper West Side every day.
“When I started, it was really cold, so nobody was traveling. I love walking around the neighborhood, because I have a dog, so I just thought, I’ll challenge myself to sketch something in the neighborhood every day, rain or shine,” she said.
That sketch series went from January 12 to the Lunar New Year on February 10, and included sketches of popular Upper West Side restaurants, typical townhouse buildings, and areas of the parks.
“The series is an appreciation for the neighborhood….We talk about a few buildings all the time because they are famous, but there are also all these other elements we don’t pay attention to,” JJ explained. “So, the series is to appreciate all the ‘moments’ in a neighborhood, and look at the community we live within in a different way.”
JJ did all the sketches using a Micron Pen and a 15 to 20-minute timeframe for each work.
She also posted all of the drawings to her JJ’s Tiny Sketchbook Instagram page, which she has used since 2014, with corresponding captions. The sketches have garnered a strong response, both on her Instagram account and within the Upper West Side Being Neighborly group.
“I’ve loved this walk around your neighborhood ,” a commenter wrote on the post of the 30th-day sketch.
Here is an assortment of JJ’s neighborhood sketches.
All sketch photos courtesy of JJ.
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My friend used to laugh at me because on her visits to the city I’d always be like “look up there at that rooftop, isn’t that interesting?” and the like. The UWS is great for odd little mundane details. Nice work capturing some!
Beautiful! Does she sell copies of the sketches? or do commissions? Either for profit or to donate to charity.
Thanks JJ. What beautiful sketches those are, each and every one. And juxtaposing each sketch next to the photograph of the site it depicts adds to the visual interest.
Great work!
Oh, please, find a way to sell the sketches. They are wonderful!
You should contact her.
They should be donated in the interest of social innovation.
Fascinating that you want HER work to be donated — & in “the interest of social innovation,” whatever the heck that is.
Wow, that first sketch of Barney Greengrass blew me away. I grew up in that building and I often meet and smelled (fish) Barney! My schoolteachers at PS 166 often took their lunches at Barney Greengrass’s little restaurant, and I often brought Jewish Rye and pickles straight from the barrel there. Haven’t lived on the West Side for 60 years now. but as you can see, I still keep in touch..
Being an artist too I must recognize your Excellent drawings which are done with such care.
We , fellow neighbors, thank you.
First of all, great sketching! I love your style, very energetically rendered and speaks of the fast-paced fun we love here as residents, makers, builders and creators! Second, I would love to see a greeting card series whether it’s online or printed. Third, doing what you love really matters and your love of architecture is clear – keep going!
These are exquisite. Thank you for the loveliness.
Excellent work. Lots of great subject matter on the great UWS … basically every street an adventure.
What a wonderful story…and the sketches are pretty great too.
Nice work.
Nice person.
Nice dog.
Kudos!
Thanks JJ…
I am working on sketching the UES..
MM