On The Road with Make (Sneaky) Art
a sneaky artist takes centre-stage + link to NYC signing
Dear reader,
How do I explain how great this week was?
Make (Sneaky) Art officially released on Tuesday, going up on bookshelves and out to preorders globally. The first event, in Vancouver on Friday, was completely sold out, with room left only for standing. On Saturday morning, I flew down to San Francisco and met with old friends and ate good food. I walked up and down the streets of downtown, drew buildings and streets and pigeons and people. And on Sunday at Book Passage in the Ferry Building, they ran out of seats and books and I had to sign a bunch of bookplates. I got an email from the publisher this morning, saying that the extra copies I had ordered to my address will be delayed until December because they are completely out of stock. A second print run is happening.
Thank you, everyone that preordered the book. And thank you, all the wonderful people who came to see me this week. Many of you are readers of this newsletter as well, and some of you are paying subscribers already. I am glad for the chance to share this journey with you. In today’s post, a few more thoughts (and some pics) from Stops 1 and 2 of the Sneaky Book Tour.
How would life change if, whenever you had a free moment, you reached for a sketchbook instead of your phone? Make (Sneaky) Art will give you the right ideas, tools, and techniques to reclaim your attention span and build a sketchbook habit that feeds your curiosity.
🎟️ [Tickets] Stop 3 of the Sneaky Book Tour is at the Book Club Bar in New York City, on Monday 13th October.
🎙️ Stop 1, Nooroongji Curation Bookstore, Vancouver
Nooroongji Books is my favourite bookstore in Vancouver, which is no easy feat in a city with many wonderful, independent bookstores. So it was an honour to see my book on their shelves this week. And a greater honour to make this the first stop on the Sneaky Book Tour.
Because I love browsing this bookstore so much, and because I love pushing people towards the books I love, I already had a clever activity in mind for this event.
When I pitched the idea a few months ago, Jennifer, the store owner, was immediately enthusiastic. As it turned out, we are both fans of each other’s work.
The idea was this: Before the event began, I would leave signed drawings beside my favourite books in the store. As attendees settled in, I would invite them to look around, pick up any drawings they found, and also check out the books.
It was such a success, I am now doing it everywhere I go!
On the day, I arrived an hour early, and browsed the shelves to calm my nerves. If you have ever seen me at an event, you probably would not guess that I can be nervous about such things, but that’s because of my most-excellent extrovert switch.
Five minutes before time, the sound-system stopped working. A couple of minutes later, it was back on again. So it goes.
Of the 60+ people in attendance, I knew only 10-15, which I reckon is a good thing? At the signing, I asked them questions, or simply let them speak, and learned many things. What did they want from this book? Why did a sketchbook habit appeal to them? What would they take away from the talk? Where had they found my work?
The next day, I realized I had very few pictures. I asked Jennifer and she said that the staff person assigned to do so “became so enraptured by our talk” that she forgot to take pics. Which is so flattering and so wonderful, but I still would like some pics, so if you were there, maybe share pics and videos on this Google folder?
🎙️ Stop 2, Book Passage, San Francisco
I spent the hours leading up to my book event in SF walking about the Embarcadero neighbourhood, making tiny drawings to hide in the bookstore. It was a smaller store, and earlier in the day I had learned that they only sold 17 tickets, so I figured it would be a more intimate gathering. But when I arrived for the event, more than 30 people were already seated, and the store was out of books!
We exchanged stories and laughter and ideas, all the stuff of real human connection.
This event was self-hosted which meant that, after a brief introduction by the manager, I did all the talking. I even had a slide-deck, though it had little to do with what I said. I do not like scripts, and I already knew the 5 or 6 things I wanted to touch upon. So the slides were just a bunch of drawings, and I let myself talk over and around them.
The thrust of my talk was this: I did not want to write a how-to book, so I wrote a why-to book. Because there are already so many great how-to books. Because I am a contrarian who does not want to do what others have done. Because the why is more important than how. Because a fulfilling sketchbook habit has nothing to do with how well you draw.
Reader, when you speak from the heart, without a script, looking straight into the eyes of your attendees, you take in a lot of little things. It is such a silly/funny/amazing thing to do. You on stage, and the people who came just to see you. The familiar faces in the front row, and the strangers you will greet afterward. You sharing your obsessions and them nodding their heads. You hearing their questions and seeing in them what you once needed to know. Exchanging stories and laughter and ideas, all the stuff of human connection.
The event closed with signing dozens of books. The store ran out of copies and started giving out bookplates. I feel a little bad about that (for the buyer), but also really good (for the sales). I signed everything with a little drawing.
The Q&A was a delight.
Bill noted an intimacy in my drawings of Rohan that was absent in my urban sketches of people. I had not thought about this before.
Gigi asked about the pros and cons of drawing on location v using reference pics, and I had a lot to say.
Anne asked how my recent experiences with nature journaling have influenced my sketchbook habit. Find one page of that answer here.
Chelsea asked if my use of negative space was intentional, and I answered - Yes, because I am lazy and I want to own as much space as possible even when I do not draw in it.
Kevin spoke about pivoting in his creative practice and thanked me for the ideas about curiosity.
Van stopped by briefly but had me sign her copy and bless her new sketchbook with a quote. Flattered!
Sherilyn gave me zines.
Gargi and Akshay drew me while taking notes through the talk and I did not even notice. So sneaky!
🤳🏼 If you were at the event, please drop pics and videos from the session here.
👋🏼 Reader, did I see you on the Sneaky Book Tour this week? Will I see you in the coming days?
The word ‘attention’ comes from the Latin attendere, which means “to stretch towards”. It forms, I think, the scaffolding of all human connection.
Thank you for your time and attention.
📚 Buy the book
🎟️ Grab a seat on the book tour
My copy arrived the same day my book plate arrived, thanks to my friend @Sherilyn Lee who drove up to your book signing! 💕
Bought ticket to go to Vancouver to your November signing because I couldn't get to the upcoming Portland one. See you soon...your Bainbridge Island retreat friend!