Because clever words won't save your soul.

Insider #117 with the best lines of 2023.

Dear Insider,

This year, we have confronted many difficult words. Words that left a bitter taste in the mouth. Words that were terrible to behold. Bad words attached to good things. Scary words arranged in familiar lines. Confusing words. Hypocritical words. Clever words that mean something else and clever people hiding behind them. Words of great sorrow. Words of great pain.

In today’s post, find few words and the best lines.

The SneakyArt (Insider) Post is written for patrons and supporters of SneakyArt. This month I am conducting a year-end audit of my work. I wrote about Art and Artificial Intelligence, the best ideas from the Podcast, and why this was my year of Zero Commentary.

Become a SneakyArt Insider.

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I bought a grey-toned sketchbook and quickly gave up on it, until reviving it later in autumn.

In January, my Instagram account exploded from <20k to over 250k. I wrote about making this a year about not looking at the numbers.

In February, I shared scenes from a big, beautiful Indian wedding.

Monkeys guard a 700-year old temple inside a fort inside a tiger sanctuary in Rajasthan.

I played games with colour in pocket sketchbooks.

In March, I invited readers to write tiny stories for tiny people from New York.

In April, I released a conversation with naturalist, educator and sketcher John Muir Laws that sparked my interest in drawing trees.

I started getting free merch from art supply brands. This was drawn in a sketchpad by SM/LT Art.

I looked for ways to fit colour on my page.

In May, I started thinking about the role of art in the age of virtual reproduction.

In June, I launched a second print collection with great expectations and no one bought anything and I was shattered.

I looked for things that only colour could say.

Blackwing sent me some pencils and it helped me think about values.

In July, I met dozens of fans and listeners at Sketcher Fest and debuted a new workshop.

In August, I sent tiny drawings to SneakyArt Insiders all over the world.

Tiny people helped me ground myself.

On a kayak, letting gentle waves move us around.

In September, I spoke in front of a sold-out audience at the Vancouver Playhouse, shared one of the last comics I made, and tried to escape the panopticon of social media.

In October, I shared beautiful words from the most beautiful novel.

I changed the sky from negative space to positive space on my page

In small ways, I was able to fit lines and colours together.

In November, I thought about how drawing helps me buy time from the universe.

In December, I left a drawing at the mall for a stranger to find.

I am finding ways to more clearly say what I want to say, without getting into the words of it all.

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Thank you for supporting my work and giving me a space in your inbox. I am glad to have a share of your time and attention this year. Use [SNEAKYREADER] for a special deal on all prints. Talk again soon.