Dancing Lessons from God

#253 with a flight delayed, and the exquisite indian art of doing nothing at all.

Dear reader,

My 90-minute flight from Lucknow to Kolkata was delayed by over 2 hours. At the time I had expected to reach Kolkata, the plane had not even taken off. Naturally, it was frustrating. But I had a sketchbook and always, with a sketchbook, there is opportunity for sneaky art.

I took heart from the quote by Kurt Vonnegut in Cat’s Cradle (one of my favourite novels of all time) -

“Unexpected travel suggestions are dancing lessons from God.”

No matter the situation, a sketchbook in hand is a licence to observe. And when you pay attention to your world, you will find rewards. Because beautiful things are everywhere, and sneaky art is often hiding in plain sight, waiting to be seen. This ties into an idea I shared last month at Wild Wonder Conference, so today’s post continues the mini-series of ideas from that session (Part 1 | Part 2).

Also, read to the end for India’s (unofficial) national sport.

The SneakyArt Post is a publication of secretly drawn art of the world. Every week, I share the latest pages from my sketchbooks, and the best ideas from my journey as an artist and writer.

If you like having this newsletter in your inbox, tell a friend about it?

To Begin, the Artist is Sneaky

I was tremendously self-conscious when I started drawing from observation - desperate to learn, but embarrassed by the whole business of trying.

I did not want to be seen so I drew from corner seats, or stood away from other people, or waited until I was sure no one could peer over my shoulder. I drew quickly too, so I could get out of there before I was discovered.

Would I be better off if I did not feel this way?

We are so eager to solve ourselves, to defeat our weaknesses and perfect our lives, but I’m not sure. Maybe imposter’s syndrome can be good for you?

I am now more secure about what I do, but still self-conscious in public spaces. So I continue to play it sneaky. From my sneaky perspective, with a coffee at Lucknow Airport just before security check-in, I observe the staff of Indigo Airlines informing incoming passengers about the delay, commiserating, shrugging shoulders, giving directions, and looking faintly embarrassed because Indigo has a reputation for always being on time.

The Art is Sneaky Too

A sketchbook is like a permission slip in your pocket. It grants you permission to pause, to look, and to look again. It lets you articulate your observation in the language of lines and shapes and colours.

That is how you learn the first of many lessons - that beautiful things are everywhere. The artist is not the only one being sneaky. The art is sneaky too, hiding in plain sight, waiting to be seen.

You can not know where you will find it. You can not know when. The job of the sneaky artist is to be alert and ready, quick to see, quick to move. Dancing lessons from god.

At the Wild Wonder Conference (video passes available), artist and naturalist John Muir Laws spoke about the importance of journaling as a process of taking a thought out of our mind and expressing it on paper. Of externalizing your mind as a way to learn about yourself.

A drawing is a translation of visual sensory information, an expression of mind enacted by body. It externalizes many deeply-held, subconscious ideas that lie outside the realm of language. If you let it, the page can reveal to you your taste, your likes, and your dislikes, sometimes without a single word getting in the way.

Keeping calm and drawing on.

---

The National Sport of India

Officially it is hockey, popularly it is cricket, but seeing its people as they go about their lives, it is easy to conclude that the real national sport of India is the concept of timepass.

“What is timepass?” you should ask an Indian person. Each of us has different answers.

It is many things all at once but at its heart it is the practice of stillness in the midst of chaos. It is the car and occupant gently idling in rush-hour traffic. It is the commuter swaying with countless others in a packed bus. It is the person waiting for a train that will arrive at an as-yet-undisclosed time. It is the idea of just five minutes that means anything between five and twenty five. It is the idea of two minutes only that ranges from two to fifteen. Or fifteen minutes away which can easily become an hour. It is a relationship with time in a world where too many variables compete, and many things are not in your control. It is a philosophy from a language that uses the same word for yesterday and tomorrow. A practice of being so still that you can see time pass you by.

It can take a lot of words to explain so, when I saw it at the Jharkhandi Railway Station in Balrampur (U.P) where my in-laws live, I made sneaky art to show you what it looks like.

🎟️ Insider Updates

Things have been quiet this month because I am on vacation in India. But next month I begin a new journey with SneakyArt Insiders, the paid subscribers of this publication. I am learning to bind my own sketchbooks, and Insiders are invited to learn with me. We will have weekly Zoom hangouts through November and December to talk about choice of papers, stitching techniques, and put in the time to make our sketchbooks together!

Will you join me?

Also, drawing workshops resume in December to which Insiders get FREE seats. I will share dates soon. Sign up to be in the loop.