SneakyArt Podcast

This show features conversations with artists who draw their worlds from observation. If you are interested in becoming a better artist, a better observer, or if you’re simply looking for a positive way to engage with your environment, give it a listen.

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Ep 49 - Chasing Stillness with Gavin Snider

Artist, architect, illustrator, designer Gavin Snider finds stillness in the busy streets of New York.

Ep 48 - Getting Inked with Alvin Chong

Malaysia-based Alvin Chong talks about finding his way back to art as an adult after deciding to become a tattoo artist.

Ep 47 - 30 Days of Watercolor with Marc Taro Holmes

Montreal-based artist Marc Taro Holmes (Citizen Sketcher) speaks about two art challenges organizes for thousands of artists around the world - “OneWeek100People” and “30x30 Direct Watercolor”.

Ep 46 - Doodling at Google with Matthew Cruickshank

Matthew Cruickshank (Art Director at Google Doodles) speaks about his sketchbook-ing road-trip down historic Route 66 from Chicago to Los Angeles to create a … doodle!

Ep 45 - Art and Bike-Packing with Mike Shisler

Mike Shisler speaks about leaving home and career to cycle across the US, work as an artist, and live out of a van. Next week, Mike begins a 4000mi bike-packing trip from the northern tip of Alaska to San Diego, California.

Ep 44 - Inventing Life's Meaning with James Richards (Part 2)

The second half of the conversation with Florida-based artist, educator, author and architect James Richards.

Ep 43 - Inventing Life's Meaning with James Richards (Part 1)

Storyteller, artist, architect, educator - Jim has worn many hats in an epic and fascinating life. He speaks about growing up in Louisiana, learning to draw from Mad Magazine, and his close association with the built environment.

Ep 42 - A "30 Days of Vancouver" Retrospective

After completing “30 Days of Vancouver”, Nishant looks back at the goals of this self-imposed drawing challenge and considers the lessons he has learned from drawing everyday.

Ep 41 - Taking the Leap with Don Low

Singapore-based comic artist Don Low talks about taking the leap from an engineering career to becoming a full-time creative. He shares stories from his lifelong journey of self-education and explains the role of urban sketching in his work.

Ep 40 - Deciding to be an Artist with Eleanor Doughty

Seattle-based artist Eleanor Doughty is an independent artist, illustrator and urban-sketcher whose work includes murals, large canvases, prints, Kickstarter campaigns, and now also a book. This conversation explores how an independent illustrator can chart their path, and find a home for their ideas in work for others and themselves.

Ep 39 - Painting for Joy with Sandi Hester (Part 2)

In the second part of their extended conversation, Sandi Hester explains her creative process, her journey across various mediums and tools, and the role of observation in her art.

Ep 38 - Painting for Joy with Sandi Hester (Part 1)

Tennessee-based painter Sandi Hester shares her life’s journey with art, the ideas behind her wonderful YouTube channel, and how she keeps joy at the centre of her creative process. (Part 1 of a two-part episode)

Ep 37 - Drawing Everyday with David Morales

Today’s conversation is about the many things you can gain from having a daily drawing practice. David Morales is an architect and sketcher famous for his linework style, and a daily drawing challenge he has maintained since 2018.

Ep 36 - Finding Reasons to Draw with Rita Sabler

“The question that you should ask yourself is - why are you drawing this? What are you trying to show? And if the answer is not clear to you, it will never be clear to your audience..." - Rita Sabler.

Why is this question important, and is it worth the effort of answering every time? What does the audience stand to gain from this exercise? Rita's thoughts around this become the basis of this lovely conversation.

Ep 35 - Reconnecting with Don Colley

In this episode, I speak with my good friend Donald Owen Colley, an artist based in Chicago

Ep 34 - Being Authentic with Shari Blaukopf

Montreal-based urban sketcher and educator Shari Blaukopf shares her journey to becoming a full-time artist, with practical tips, advice, and ideas for anyone on a similar path.

Ep 33 - Second Conversation with Paul Heaston

In this episode, Paul and Nishant discuss specific ideas around being solo independent artists in the creator economy.

Ep 32 - Rekindling Joy with Emma Carlisle

In this episode, Nishant speaks with Cornwall-based illustrator and artist Emma Carlisle about her work as an illustrator, and how adverse circumstances pushed her to engage in new and meaningful ways with both her art and her thousands of fans.

Ep 31 - Transforming Yourself with Virginia Hein

In this episode, I speak with LA-based urban sketcher and educator Virginia Hein about her education to be a fine artist, her work in the toy industry, and her discovery of urban sketching.

Ep 30 - Illustrating for Science with Oliver Hoeller

I speak with Vienna-based researcher and illustrator Oliver Hoeller about the field of science illustration.

Ep 29 - Doing What’s Fun with Koosje Koene

In this episode, I speak with Amsterdam-based artist and educator Koosje Koene about how she used the restrictions of COVID lockdown to "discover an extended version of the artist" in her.

Catch links and a transcript here.

Ep 28 - Unlocking Creativity with Tomas Pajdlhauser

I speak with Ottawa-based Tomas Pajdlhauser (aka Captain Tom) about his years of work in the animation industry, his passion for skateboarding, and his wonderful book of sketches made in Palestine.

Catch links and a transcript here.

Ep 27 - Understanding Light with Katie Woodward

In the new episode, I speak with NYC-based artist and urban-sketcher Katie Woodward. We talk about her work as a scenic artist for the theatre, her urban sketching, and her upcoming book - Understanding Light - where she brings together the art and ideas of her favorite artists across different media.

Catch links and a transcript here.

Ep 26 - Becoming an Illustrator with Anna Wilson

In this episode, I speak with urban-sketcher and illustrator Anna Wilson. Anna is what I describe as a 'deliberate artist', in that she has taken strong decisions to change her career trajectory towards art and illustration.

I am always interested in speaking to 'deliberate artists', because they have such motivated and well-considered reasons for the things they do. What does a path of self-education in art look like? How do they gather influences, images, and inspirations, to guide this path? Anna tells me about the role that travel plays in shaping her perspectives, the lessons she picks from photography and carrying a little sketchbook, and what she carries from her formal education in human geography. Check out Anna's work on her website.

Catch links and a transcript here.

Ep 25 - Applying Imagination with Felix Scheinberger

In this episode, I speak with Berlin-based illustrator and artist Felix Scheinberger about his work as an illustrator, and the role of travel and urban sketching in his life. He once described illustration as "applied imagination", so I try to learn more about where this imagination comes from, and how it can be nurtured.

Catch links and a transcript here.

Ep 24 - Looking in Layers with Ian Fennelly

In this episode, I speak with Ian Fennelly, an artist and urban sketcher in the UK. We talk about Ian’s unique art style, the way he sees his world, and the decisions he makes when representing it on paper.

Catch links and a transcript here.

Ep 23 - Evolving as an Artist with Marc Taro Holmes

In this episode, I speak with oil painter and urban-sketcher, Marc Taro Holmes, about his evolution over the years as an artist.

Catch links to related subjects and a transcript of the conversation here.

Ep 22 - Capturing the Spirit of Mumbai with Zainab Tambawalla

In this episode, I speak with Mumbai-based artist, illustrator and urban-sketcher Zainab Tambawalla, about her sketch-reportage project to tell the story of 6 artisans practicing different trades in the city of Mumbai, India.

Catch links to related subjects and a transcript of the conversation here.

Ep 21 - Making Storyboards with Alex Hillkurtz

I speak with painter and storyboard artist, Alex Hillkurtz, about working on Hollywood storyboards and how it informs and influences his art today.

Catch links to related subjects and a transcript of the conversation here.

Ep 20 - Documenting Life with Danny Gregory

In this episode, I speak with Danny Gregory - artist, podcaster, and all-around creative person. Danny shares his diverse life experiences, and we talk about creative expression, as well as thoughts around being an artist on social-media.

Catch links from this conversation and read a summarized transcript here.

Ep 19 - Building Platforms with Teoh Yi Chie

In this episode, I speak with Teoh Yi Chie, an urban sketcher, artist and YouTuber in Singapore, about the different ways he engages with his vast audience within what is now called the "creator economy".

Catch links from this conversation and read a summarized transcript here.

Ep 18 - Gone Digital with Rob Sketcherman

In this episode, I speak with Rob Sketcherman, an urban sketcher and digital artist in Hong Kong, about his use of the digital medium and his journey of self-education to become an artist.

Catch links and read a transcript of the conversation here.

Ep 17 - Looking for Magic with Roisin Cure

In this episode, I speak with Roisin Cure, an urban sketcher and illustrator living in Galway, Ireland. We talk about learning to draw from comic books, and the ways that urban sketching has transformed her art and approach to life.

Catch links and read a transcript of the conversation here.

Ep 16 - Telling Stories with Gabi Campanario

I speak with Gabi Campanario, sketch-journalist for the Seattle Times and founder of the Urban Sketchers movement, about the intersections of art and journalism in his life.

In this episode, I speak with Gabi Campanario, sketch-journalist at the Seattle Times and founder of the Urban Sketchers organization. Everyone in the urban-sketchers community knows or knows about Gabi, but often only in the role of being the founder. As I researched this episode, I realized it would be a disservice to speak to him only about this.

Catch links and read a transcript of the conversation here.

Ep 15 - Drawing Across Borders with George Butler

In this episode, I speak with British artist George Butler about his new book covering the migration stories of individuals in conflict zones and refugee camps all over the world. We discuss the challenge of finding subjects for art in such adverse environments, and the larger purpose of sketch reportage in a world saturated by different forms of media.

In this episode of the SneakyArt Podcast, I spoke with British artist George Butler, who makes ink/watercolor drawings of people in conflict-zones and refugee camps all over the world. His latest book (Drawn Across Borders) tells the migration stories of 12 individuals, compiled from travels over the past decade.

Catch relevant links and read a summarized transcript of the conversation here.

Ep 14 - Making it Look Easy with Liz Steel

I speak with Sydney-based urban-sketcher Liz Steel about the different ways she makes her art look so effortless and spontaneous, for the benefit of both herself and her students.

I speak with Sydney-based urban-sketcher Liz Steel about the different ways she makes her art look effortless and spontaneous. Liz took a big leap of faith in her professional life - quitting a career in architecture to become a full-time artist and educator. What does she carry from her education and experience that informs her art today?

Catch links and read a summarized transcript of the conversation.

Ep 13 - Sketch Now, Think Later with Mike Daikubara

I speak with industrial designer Mike Daikubara about how the principles of design intersect with his passion for urban-sketching.

Read a summarized transcript HERE.

Ep 12 - Drawing on the Way with Sarah Nisbett

I speak with New York-based artist Sarah Nisbett, who has been sketching people on the subway for over 9 years. Her work is titled Drawn on the Way, which is an apt description for her art as well as this episode.

I speak with New York-based artist Sarah Nisbett, who has been sketching people on the subway for over 9 years. Her work is titled Drawn on the Way, which is an apt description for her art as well as this episode.

Read a summarized transcript HERE.

Ep 11 - Looking Back with Nishant Jain

I look back at past episodes to follow threads of commonality between guests, conversations, obstacles, and solutions to those obstacles.

The purpose of this episode is to look back at previous conversations and follow the threads of commonality that weave between them. I do not try to portray unique ideas, but ideas that we all have in response to obstacles we all face.

Read a summarized transcript here.

Ep 10 - A Dance of Line and Color with Paul Wang

I speak with Singapore-based educator and artist Paul Wang about the way he dances, using line and color, across the page.

I speak with Singapore-based educator and artist Paul Wang about the way he dances, using line and color, across the page. Paul finds art in the middle of urban chaos and he paints it with dramatic colors and meandering lines. His composition is informed by his education in interior design and theatre production.

Read a summarized transcript and catch links related to our conversation HERE.

Ep 9 - Finding Values with Marek Badzynski

I speak with urban-sketcher Marek Badzynski about being an impatient artist, using the fude nib fountain pen, and the importance of getting started quickly on a sketch.

I speak with Toronto-based urban-sketcher Marek Badzynski about being an impatient artist, using a fude nib fountain pen, and selling art to tourists from different countries. While both of us like to finish drawings quickly, we discuss the importance of getting started quickly.

Read a summarized transcript and catch links related to our conversation HERE.

Ep 8 - Sketching the World with Luis Simoes

In this episode, I speak with travel-artist Luis Simoes about how he came to begin his world sketching tour, and the things he saw along the way.

In the latest episode, I speak with traveler and urban-sketcher Luis Simoes about his journey around the world. Luis quit his job as a graphic designer (in his early 30s) to backpack around the world, drawing all the interesting sights he would see.

Read a summarized transcript and catch links related to our conversation HERE.

Ep 7 - Seizing Opportunity with Suhita Shirodkar

In this episode, I speak with artist and educator Suhita Shirodkar (San Jose, California) about how she finds artistic opportunities in brief moments of calm during her day.

In this episode, I speak with artist and educator Suhita Shirodkar (San Jose, California) about how she finds artistic opportunities in brief moments of calm during her day. From looking at her work, you can tell that Suhita is always working against time. Her sketches are driven by instinct and inspiration.