222. Between Two Posts
in the same places at the same times, life renews itself.
Dear reader,
What a gift it is to be able to regard something and lose ourselves in it, even in the midst of everything else. Even in the same old places, even on the same old days, at the same times, seeing the same old things, the mind can see the same old world as something fresh and new. What we see is a matter of how we see.
SneakyArt started from a curiosity to understand my new world. As a recent immigrant in America, I wanted to make sense of the strangers living their strange lives in my strange new environment. The sketchbook offered a way to observe them discreetly.
In today’s post, a way to look at people, and the city around them.
The SneakyArt Post is a publication of secretly drawn art of the world. Every week, I share the latest drawings from my sketchbook, and the best ideas from my journey as an artist and writer.
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As my flat white rested on the counter-top, commuters and tourists crossed the street leading to the Waterfront Station in downtown Vancouver. Every few seconds, as the lights changed colour, a new carousel of life passed between the lamp-posts, under the cables, this way and that.
If you observe anything carefully, other things fade away. This is the nature of concentration. For a while, as I followed the lines from the window to my page, I forgot about my coffee, rapidly cooling. The voices around me descended into white background noise pierced by occasional laughter and the sound of steam escaping the espresso machines. The grey sky and rolling clouds of white, the architectural ornamentations of the station entrance, the vehicles on the road, all fell into the same pit of inattention. For the moment, they did not exist.
Can you tell?
Process Scenes
These process scenes received interesting comments and attention when I shared them on Substack Notes. I figured you might like to see them too? Ask questions (if any) in the comments!
People Watching
People watching is about the nuances of human physical expression - pose, lean, gait, clothing, and that ineffable quality of how we position ourselves in public spaces.
I think about that a lot. As our screens make us acutely conscious of our appearance and self-image, do we become more like ourselves? Or is everyone imitating the person they think they are supposed to be? Does information help us find ourselves, or do we lose ourselves in the ghosts of people past, present and future?
Are such existential questions new to our human experience, or has it been this way forever? Human things are, after all, human things.
There are so many ways that we are unique from one another, and so many ways we are alike.
Are we more alike in our differences, or more apart in our similarities?
A Good Idea
Seeing this note by Samantha Dion Baker , I thought about the positive impact of procrastination in my life.
Dear reader, I am glad to have a space in your inbox. Thank you for your time and attention.
PS. This weekend is the next Insiders Hangout! For a chance to connect, look at my sketchbook pages, and ask questions about anything at all, sign up to become a SneakyArt Insider and get the link in your welcome email.
This is thoroughly engaging. Nice perspective of Waterfront station, Nishant. Thanks for sharing the process and the ambiance.
I am fascinated by watching people draw, probably because I am terrible at it. Love how you have captured the scene, and your subtle use of colour and the bright white highlights just make the whole picture pop.
People watching is one of my favourite pastimes, and I think sadly most people are imitating who they think they should be. This means however, when you catch someone who forgets themselves for a second, adjusting their underwear, or bopping along to their music, or laughing uncontrollably, etc it makes it all the more special.
Thank you for sharing this.