87 - 2021 in Review
it's been a good year
👋 Hello, readers!
A snap of the fingers and another year has gone by. Did you notice? Did you hear it pass over, under, and through you?
With this issue, I want to share 4 good things each from the podcast, newsletter and art I have made this year. Enjoy!
🎙 4 Ideas from the SneakyArt Podcast
I recorded 20 episodes of the podcast this year, clocking ~50 hours in wonderful, enriching conversations. Lucky me!
“An illustration is biased towards the subject.” - George Butler
In Ep 15, I spoke with war-illustrator George Butler about the enduring power of illustrations and simple drawings even in this time of multi-platform multimedia content. Listen here.
“Bad doesn’t actually mean anything. Bad is a mistake. Mistakes are lessons. If you make a mistake, it’s because you pushed beyond your comfort zone to try and do something different.” - Danny Gregory
In Ep 20, I spoke with writer, artist, and speaker Danny Gregory about his lifelong pursuit of creativity, and how observational drawing helped him come to terms with adverse life circumstances. Listen here.
“Just the act of drawing a place makes the place magic in many ways. I feel like travel also makes me do it more. So they feed each other.” - Anna Wilson
In Ep 26, I spoke with illustrator Anna Wilson about her journey of self-education to become an illustrator, and how she combines her interests in art, travel and photography in a virtuous cycle to build upon one another. Listen here.
“I love having some kind of structure to hold onto. I have rituals - coffee in the morning, sitting down and taking a moment for that, maybe with the sketchbook, so I have a caffeinated art meditation.” - Koosje Koene
In Ep 29, I spoke with artist and YouTuber Koosje Koene about the practice of being a creative entrepreneur. Listen here.
🖌 4 Moments of SneakyArt
In early March, a drop of water fell on my page right where I drew the rain-drops. I thought about the distance that drop of water had traveled, the oceans or seas or rivers it had been part of, before ending its journey inside the pages of a SneakyArt sketchbook.
I love to draw boats, and I love to watch the gentle lapping waters of False Creek.
If you like what you see, share it with someone else who might enjoy it too!
I drew hundreds of TinyPeople in Vancouver, sometimes even just on a single page! This page was drawn at the peak of summer at the COVID vaccination site downtown. These are people either going for or leaving after their shots.
As temperatures began to fall, I went out on a day that felt like the last day of summer. A lot of other people thought so too, as they lay down mats and blankets to soak in the rays on a late afternoon at Coopers’ Park. The sky showed up with a spectacular light show too, the sun playing hide-n-seek behind great clouds.
✒ 4 Lines from the Newsletter
Issue #36 - Infinity on the Shore
“As I sat there, thoughts of infinity, and time, and the universe, crossed my mind. I get dangerously metaphysical when left to myself…”
Some ideas from a fantastic book called ‘Order of Time’ by the physicist Carlo Rovelli.
Issue #53 - Existentialism of TinyPeople
“The philosophers told me | To taste ‘existence before essence’ | To see the lines, not know them | To draw the shapes, not recognize them. | To see the ‘things themselves’ and reject all else. | It’s a good trick. Try it.”
Some notes on existentialist philosophy from reading and podcasts, and how it applies to my work.
Issue #27 - Putting Things in Boxes
“All the things that have constituted our life for 5 years are being divided into groups. There are replaceable things and irreplaceable things. There are cheap things and expensive things. There are light and heavy things. There are necessary and unnecessary things. But these separations are not neat. They overlap with each other in uncomfortable ways - the expensive with the unnecessary, the irreplaceable with the heavy.”
Relating the experience of packing up our things and moving from Chicago to Vancouver.
Issue #48 - Vertical Lines of Composition
“Composition in art emphasizes its beauty, and has the power to guide your attention across the page. Air flows from areas of high to low pressure, and in the same way attention flows from areas of high to low interest. When directed with care and deliberation, this flow of attention is a soothing and rewarding visual experience for the audience.”
Ideas about composition and framing from SneakyArt as well as the fantastic work of filmmaker Satyajit Ray.
🎅 Sneaky Santa!
Before I close this issue, SneakySanta has a special offer for you!
Hit the button to grab 20% off on my subscription content. This is a great way to get access to the bonus content I offer, while supporting my work as an independent writer, artist and podcaster. (Visit here to read some recent Insider posts.)
To really get in the mood of the season, become someone’s SneakySanta and gift them a subscription too!
Thank you for your time and attention. I wish the best to you and your family in this holiday season, and I will see you next week!
