Episodes
New York-based cartoonist and comedian Jason Chatfield talks about how the business of being an artist has changed over the last two decades. This episode is full of essential advice and our best ideas about sustaining an independent creative career. It is the conclusion of the conversation from Ep 67. 💡 Follow the good ideas and my mind-map from this episode. 📚 Buy Jason’s book, You’re not a Real Parent until… 📲 Check out Jason’s website to learn about all his work and sign up to his...
Published 10/14/23
Published 10/14/23
New York-based cartoonist and comedian Jason Chatfield speaks about taking over Australia’s iconic daily comic strip, Ginger Meggs, at the tender age of 23, and how he sees the path ahead for syndicated comic strips and the newspaper industry. Other topics include - the evolution of humour over time, not doing political comedy, Derrida, and people-watching at the MoMA. Big stuff. Also, the difference between meme-ification and mummification. This is the first episode of a two-part...
Published 09/23/23
London-based educator, artist and author Jeff Schmidt, speaks about his book “Heart Attack - Finding hope, joy and inspiration in adversity”. This conversation is about the big and small things that can transform our life in unexpected ways, and Jeff’s resolution to live inspired - by making room for the things that bring joy to his life. 📚 Buy Jeff’s book, Heart Attack - Finding hope, joy and inspiration in adversity. ☕ Like this episode? Buy me a coffee. 🔥 Love the show? Take the...
Published 08/18/23
California-based illustrator Nina Khashchina shares the experience of daily video calls with her parents in Kharkiv, after Ukraine was invaded and the bombs fell everyday. She speaks about recommitting to the Ukrainian language as part of her war effort. A wild book list appears. This is the second of a two-part conversation. 🎙 Listen to the first part, Ep 64 Growing up in Ukraine w Nina Khaschina. ☕ Like this episode? Buy me a coffee. 🔥 Love the show? Become a SneakyArt Insider (and get...
Published 07/28/23
California-based illustrator Nina Khashchina speaks about her childhood in Kharkiv, Ukraine, growing up in the former USSR, her lifelong journey with art, and how she documents her life through sketchbooks. . This is the first of a two-part conversation. ☕ Like this episode? Buy me a coffee. 🔥 Love the show? Become a SneakyArt Insider (grab the summer discount!) 💡 For all the good ideas from this episode, join 9000+ people and become a reader of the SneakyArt Post. 📲 Follow Nina...
Published 07/14/23
Cincinatti-based Christina Wald speaks about how to live and thrive as an independent artist and illustrator. They discuss Kickstarter, Patreon, and ways to keep the creative process at the heart of your practice, and the creator in the economy. This episode is the second part of the conversation from Ep 62. ☕ Like this episode? Buy me a coffee. 🔥 Love the show? Become a SneakyArt Insider. 💡 For all the good ideas from this podcast, join 8000+ people to become a reader of the SneakyArt...
Published 06/30/23
Cincinatti-based Christina Wald speaks about how to live as, and making a living from, being an independent artist and illustrator. This is a conversation about how to work for yourself while meeting client expectations. It is about Christina’s multiple successful Kickstarter projects, including her latest book (link below). This episode is for anyone eager to chart their own path as an independent creator. Lots of practical advice, listen carefully! 💡 For all the good ideas from this...
Published 06/16/23
Utrecht-based sketcher, illustrator and educator Ellen Vesters speaks about the design-thinking approach to life and all the things she does. After practicing as a psychologist, and getting an MA in Illustration, Ellen founded the Venster Academy to teach art and illustration. Nishant also shares the story of how he accidentally became an artist while trying to become a writer after quitting his PhD program in Neuroscience. If you have wondered about taking a big leap in your life, this...
Published 06/02/23
Host Nishant Jain presents the idea that writing and drawing are literally the same thing. If you can do one, you can also do the other.  This episode was recorded for paid subscribers of SneakyArt. ❤️ Love this show? Become a SneakyArt Insider to support it! More good ideas: 💻 Read The Role of Art in the Age of AI. 📖 Learn why Nishant self-published his first book of art 🔁 Play Finite v Infinite Games and take the Long Path to success 💻 Watch the latest Zoom demo for SneakyArt...
Published 05/19/23
Host Nishant Jain takes a look at Goodhart’s Law, originally coined to describe monetary policy, but applies it instead to the business of being an artist today. No matter how successful (or unsuccessful) you are at social media, here are some good reasons to never look at the numbers. "When a measure becomes a target, it ceases to be a useful measure." - Goodhart's Law. ❤️ Love this episode? Become a SneakyArt Insider and get future Insider episodes directly in your inbox. 👂 Listen to ...
Published 05/05/23
Author, artist, and designer George McCalman speaks about making his award-winning book (Illustrated Black History: Honoring the Iconic and the Unseen) at the intersection of twin curiosities - to learn more about black history, and to find out if he could be an artist. This is a conversation about curiosity, the importance of following your own compass, and the need for every artist to be a work-in-progress. 💡 For all the links and ideas from this conversation, read the show notes. ...
Published 04/21/23
San Francisco based artist, naturalist and educator John Muir Laws talks about nature-journaling and the many benefits of paying deep attention to our natural environment. (00:13:50) Sketching in the wild (00:43:21) Ways to keep a nature journal. (00:59:23) John’s lifelong obsession with field guides and nature conservancy. (01:24:13) They read poems to each other. Aww. (1:34:40) BREAK (1:44:21) How to draw a bird (2:28:55) Nature stewardship, the role of the amateur, and the Wild...
Published 04/07/23
The SneakyArt Podcast returns for a new season. Host Nishant Jain speaks about his recent art residency aboard the TransLink, Vancouver’s public transit system. What can be learned from drawing on trains? Nishant speaks about pushing outside his comfort zone, engaging with the public, and facing his fears. ✍🏼 Read about his experience and see all the drawings. 📺 Catch his TV segment on CBC Vancouver Evening News 📻 Listen to his radio spot on CBC Early Morning Edition with Stephen Quinn. ...
Published 03/24/23
Seattle-based artist and traveller Sunil Shinde speaks about retracing the 1839 expedition of British artist David Roberts through the biblical Holy Land. This conversation is at the intersection of travel, history, and art. In this respect, it is really about three distinct journeys - Sunil’s journey through the Middle East, the 1839 expedition of David Roberts, and Sunil’s effort to combine his words and lines into an excellent book - “From Cairo to Beirut”. 📚 BUY THE BOOK, “From Cairo...
Published 11/25/22
This conversation was recorded immediately after the recordings for Episodes 38 and 39 in April 2022. Sandi and Nishant draw portraits of one another while tying up some loose ends from their epic conversation. Nishant asks how he can build and sustain a YouTube channel. Sandi has some excellent ideas. ✍🏼 To check out their portraits, a summary of the ideas in this episode, and links to other previously paywalled content, visit The SneakyArt Post. 📹 Check out Sandi’s amazing YouTube...
Published 11/11/22
Best-selling author Amy Stewart (”Flower Confidential”, “Drunken Botanist”, “Girl Waits with Gun”) talks about her disinclination to pick a lane, the ideas that have helped her navigate a successful writing career, and the role of art in her creative practice. This conversation addresses several dichotomies of the creative life - instant vs delayed gratification, processes vs results, art vs writing, and sticking to a lane vs sticking to one’s convictions. It is about understanding how Amy...
Published 10/28/22
New York-based artist, educator, and author Samantha Dion Baker shares the profound impact a daily sketchbook practice had on her creative journey. She explains her brave decision to go freelance, and discusses what it means to follow one’s own compass. Is art a solitary pursuit? Would you make art on a deserted island? Why or why not? This conversation has some good answers. ******** 🙌🏽 Follow Sam on Instagram and visit her website to follow her other work. ✍🏼 Follow SneakyArt on IG,...
Published 10/14/22
We’re back! After a refreshing summer hiatus, the SneakyArt Podcast returns with a conversation with Amsterdam-based artist and YouTuber Koosje Koene. They speak about her book “Life is Better when you Draw (it)” and the experience of self-publishing from raw concept to finished product and beyond! 📚 Buy the book! Also find Koosje’s work on IG, and YouTube. 🎙 Listen to our previous conversation, Ep 29 - Doing What’s Fun with Koosje Koene. Also catch the bonus Post-Script segment, about...
Published 09/30/22
The SneakyArt Podcast is currently on summer break. During this period, host Nishant Jain offers a second listen to underrated gems from the archives. *** (Originally aired: July 16, 2021) Mumbai-based artist Zainab Tambawalla speaks about her sketch-reportage project to document the lives of various artisans in Mumbai (India) during the first wave of the pandemic. Her project urges us to notice the lives of other people and pay closer attention to the humanity that constitutes our urban...
Published 09/03/22
The SneakyArt Podcast is currently on summer break. During this period, host Nishant Jain offers a second listen to underrated gems from the archives. *** (Originally aired: May 7, 2021) Roisin Cure, an urban sketcher and illustrator in Galway (Ireland), talks about learning to draw from comic books and the ways that urban sketching has transformed her art and approach to life. *** ⛳️ Follow SneakyArt on IG, Twitter, and TikTok. 📭 Add SneakyArt to your inbox: The SneakyArt Post. ☕...
Published 08/12/22
To celebrate the milestone of 50 episodes, the tables are turned on host Nishant Jain. Uma Kelkar steps in to host an AMA-style (Ask Me Anything) episode, posing the best questions crowdsourced from fans of the show and past guests. Nishant speaks about his journey to be an artist, how the podcast began, and the directions he is now keen to explore. The show is going on a brief summer hiatus. Nishant will be recording new material while travelling! To stay in the loop, add SneakyArt to...
Published 08/05/22
Gavin Snider finds stillness in the busy streets of New York. He talks about growing up in Kansas, drawing with his twin brother Grant (cartoonist of Incidental Comics) and the decision to become an architect. We learn about how Gavin came to New York city, how he began to paint his world, and what it is like to paint the most iconic city in the world. 🖊 Find Gavin’s work on IG or visit his website. ⛳️ Follow SneakyArt on IG, Twitter, and TikTok. 📭 Read the show notes and best insights...
Published 07/22/22
Malaysia-based Alvin Chong talks about finding his way back to art as an adult after deciding to become a tattoo artist. This conversation is about the value of chasing your curiosity, and having the courage to chart your own path. 🖊 Find Alvin’s work on IG or check out links to his work. ⛳️ Follow SneakyArt on IG, Twitter, and TikTok. 📭 Read the show notes and best insights from this episode: The SneakyArt Post. ☕ Did you enjoy the conversation? Buy Nishant a coffee! (and say hello!) 🔥...
Published 07/08/22
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”. They discuss the value of compounding good ideas through a daily practice, and the benefits of participating with an online community. This episode releases on Day 24 of 30x30 Direct Watercolor. Check out the FB group. Follow Marc’s work on his Website and Instagram. -------- 📭 All the good links...
Published 06/24/22