#33 - Drawing on the Way
new podcast episode, membership, and art
In this week’s post, there is a new episode of the podcast, some humblebragging, membership offers, and SneakyArt.
Last week I shared some first impressions of Vancouver (read here).
What is SneakyArt?
Lots of new subscribers! Allow me to re-introduce my work.
SneakyArt is the practice of drawing beauty from the world around you, without drawing attention.
I draw in public places, inside a sketchbook with a fountain pen. SneakyArt features ordinary people doing ordinary things on ordinary days. It began as a way better understand a foreign world, as an immigrant in the US, while simultaneously learning to draw better. But today it is a project to appreciate the accidental beauty of everyday life.
Drawing on location has helped me become a better artist. Today, I make art on private commission, sell prints of my work, and cover events as an official (but sneaky) artist. See my drawings at Jaipur Literature Fest (2019). My work has been published in newspapers around the world, and featured on radio and television in the US. Last year, my self-published book of SneakyArt won a couple of independent publishing awards.
To learn more about me, read this recent interview with Vancouver Is Awesome.
SneakyArt Podcast
Ep 12 just dropped!
This is a conversation with NYC-based artist, Sarah Nisbett [IG] [Website]. Sarah makes quick, spontaneous drawings of New Yorkers on the subway in a project called “Drawn on the Way”. We talk about how she got started doing this, and what it means to draw people on the way.
Every drawing she makes is like a race against an invisible clock, because she never knows when a subject might enter or leave the frame. This means she must be quick - both to finish and to begin. We talk about some of her favorite subway drawings, and the kind of subjects that captivate her attention.
I like Sarah’s art because it resonates with the viewer at first glance. You could look at a drawing and recall seeing a similar sight yourself. You might even think you could draw just like her. And that is a powerful and deliberate feature of her work - that it empowers others to also create, by demonstrating that good art is not the sole purview of trained artists. In our conversation, we talk about the invaluable self-education provided by the practice of drawing on location.
In addition to her art, we also discuss the importance of social media in the career of an artist. We talk about communicating not only the content but also the context of our work. If you struggle at this, our conversation will give you some confidence and some courage.
Sarah’s new book is available to pre-order. I highly recommend you grab a copy. It features many of her best drawings, and is packed with great advice that will inspire you to also start drawing on the way!
Listen to our conversation on your choice of streaming service:
Spotify | Apple | PocketCasts | Google | Web | Gaana | JioSaavn
Humblebrag
This week I discovered that the SneakyArt Podcast is among the top 5% of all podcasts in the world, according to Listen Notes.
It’s exciting to make such swift progress, and also reaffirms my faith in my pursuits. I thank my guests for their sparkling conversation and wonderful stories, and also the listeners who give me their time and attention.
If you enjoy the SneakyArt Podcast, please consider sharing it - or this newsletter - with one friend today. I would also be grateful if you leave it a review on Apple Podcasts.
SneakyArt
I overheard the following conversation between father and son at the Blue Parrot Cafe in a corner of Granville Island Market.
“Do you like your pizza?”
“Uh huh … What’s that, daddy?”
“It’s a water-taxi.”
“What’s a water-taxi?”
“It’s, like, a bus … that goes over the water.”
“Oh, I see.”
I just instituted a new membership feature for listeners. At the cost of just a couple of cups of coffee every month, you can now support my work and avail exclusive privileges and giveaways. Read full details here.
For example, yesterday I sent an email to members informing them about an upcoming recording session. Members get the chance to submit a question for the guest (or me), which I will pose during the show. I have some truly amazing guests lined up in the coming weeks. Like, I’m giddy with excitement types. So this is an offer you will definitely enjoy.
Of course, membership is not needed to enjoy or to support my work. SneakyArt and the Podcast will always remain free. And you can choose to indicate your support even with just one cup of coffee.
Zoom Workshop
I am conducting a 2-session Zoom-based workshop for beginners. In it, I will cover the basics of urban-sketching, some drawing hacks when on location, with the idea of empowering participants to start sketching their surroundings irrespective of skill level.
It’s almost sold out! Read full details here if interested. (This workshop is FREE for members.)
Traffic Light Portraits
I went to a Blenz Coffee in downtown Vancouver to draw people at the traffic light. I like doing such quick portraits like this because they’re a great training exercise. I get about 5-6 seconds with a subject, or 10 seconds when I’m lucky.
Read an explainer for how that works, on my blog.
I have some fine recommendations for places to check out in Vancouver. But I’m always open to more suggestions. If you know cool places, street corners, cafes, or iconic landmarks that I should check out, hit reply to this email!
Next week I will have SneakyArt to show from my latest explorations, and some new stories. Thank you for your time.