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The SneakyArt Podcast

Nishant Jain

Host Nishant Jain documents his journey of self-education to be an artist, and has deep, insightful conversations with artists and sketchers from around the world.

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20 episodes
Avg 1 hr 21 min
English

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S3 · E80
June 19 · 28 min
Ep 80 - Five Reasons to do a New Thing
At the conclusion of the latest Special Project with paying subscribers, host Nishant Jain looks back at his journey to learn linocut block-printing, and shares five good reasons why everyone should try new things in their creative journey. In the age of virtual reality and artificial intelligences, is there something for the artist to gain from making things by hand? In this episode, Nishant explores how being creative with a whole new mind-body process has transformed his art. The big takeaway of this episode is that all creativity feeds all other creativity. ☕️ If you liked this episode, thank Nishant by buying him a coffee. ❤️ To be in the loop with all Special Projects, grab this special offer to become a paying subscriber. 📚 Buy Nishant's book - Make (Sneaky) Art. 💌 To share your thoughts and experiences from your creative journey, email Nishant - hello[at]sneakyartist[dot]com.
S3 · E79
April 24 · 1 hr 36 min
Ep 79 - Thinking in Watercolor with Jessie Kanelos Weiner
Author, illustrator, and stand-up comedian, Jessie Kanelos Weiner speaks about immigrating to France, performing stand-up in two languages, and her meandering journey as a creative person. She speaks about pivoting from costume design to find work as an illustrator, making books at the intersection of art and writing, balancing a creative career with parenthood, and her latest book - Thinking in Watercolor. 🖌️ Learn more about Jessie's work on her website, follow her on Instagram, and sign up to her Substack newsletter. 📚 Buy her book, Thinking in Watercolor. ☕️ Like this episode? Buy me a coffee! ✍🏼 Follow SneakyArt on IG and sign up to my Substack newsletter. 📚 Buy my book, Make (Sneaky) Art.
S3 · E78
March 27 · 1 hr 26 min
Ep 78 - Being an Artist-in-Residence (forever!) with Maria Coryell-Martin
Maria Coryell-Martin is an expeditionary artist and co-founder of Art Toolkit. In this conversation, she speaks about the historical importance and modern relevance of expeditionary art, and how she uses project proposals and deadlines to structure her artist-life. This episode offers inspiring advice and good ideas to practice your art in a way that resonates with your life and physical environments, while remaining pragmatic about how to make all of that work. Maria is exhibiting art from her ferry residency at the Port Townsend Marine Science Center from May 1st to July 31st. In March 2026, Maria had a studio-based artist residency with Centrum at Fort Worden State Park in Port Townsend. *** 🙌🏽 Find Maria's work on her IG or visit her website. 🎨 Check out wonderful art supplies and books with Art Toolkit. 🎙️ Read episode show-notes and useful links. 📚 Buy Nishant's book: Make (Sneaky) Art ☕️ Like this episode? Buy me a coffee ❤️ Read Portland writer-artist Amy Stewart's inspiring call-to-action to craft your self-appointed artist residency!
S3 · E77
March 13 · 2 hr 35 min
Ep 77 - Understanding Spaces with Stephanie Bower
Architect, teacher, and author of multiple Urban Sketching books, Stephanie Bower does not like to be called an artist. At some point, this conversation addresses how Imposter Syndrome never really lets go of us. Stephanie illustrates the serendipitous journey of her life, from architect to illustrator and traveling the world with her sketchbooks. From one open door to the next, runs a common thread - the desire to learn and the passion to teach others. *** 🙌🏽 [Buy] Stephanie Bower's books on urban sketching, and [Follow] her on IG. ☕️ [Like] this episode? Buy me a coffee! 📫 [Sign up] to Nishant's Substack newsletter, or [Follow] Sneaky Art on IG 📚 [Buy] Nishant's book: Make (Sneaky) Art 💻 [Read/Listen] for the full show-notes + bonus segment of this conversation.
S3 · E76
Dec 13, 2025 · 2 hr 49 min
Ep 76 - The Life and Works of Tommy Kane
Illustrator, author, and former ad man Tommy Kane talks about his journey from obsessively drawing as a child to obsessively drawing as an adult, the creative business of making ads, and the role of serendipity and persistence in his fascinating career. 🖼️ Check out Tom's work + buy his books on his website: https://www.tommykane.com/ 💻 Add SneakyArt to your inbox: https://sneakyart.substack.com/ 📖 Buy Nishant's book "Make (Sneaky) Art": https://geni.us/makesneakyart ☕️ Like this episode? Buy me a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/thesneakyartist/
S3 · E75
Nov 21, 2025 · 54 min
Ep 75 - Live in Portland with Amy Stewart for the Sneaky Book Tour
In this episode, host Nishant Jain speaks with Amy Stewart at the Broadway Books in Portland (OR) at the penultimate stop of his book tour. They speak about creative growth, interactions with readers at book events, and Nishant's philosophies around drawing. The conversation is followed by insightful questions from the audience. 📚 Buy the book: https://geni.us/makesneakyart 💻 Watch this conversation on YouTube: https://youtu.be/IDAJYa-6zdU 💌 Sign up to Nishant's newsletter: https://sneakyart.substack.com/ ❤️ If you enjoyed this episode, buy Nishant a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/thesneakyartist
S3 · E74
Oct 31, 2025 · 37 min
Ep 74 - How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Book Tour
Standing on stage in front of strangers to talk about your book may sound terrifying - and sometimes it can be! - but what are some good reasons to embrace the discomfort? Halfway through the Sneaky Book Tour, I share lessons from the road, and reflect on what excites me about speaking about my book with as many people as possible. 🗓️ Next stops are in Vancouver, Portland, and Seattle. Come see me: https://www.sneakyartist.com/book-tour 📚 Buy Make (Sneaky) Art: https://geni.us/makesneakyart ✍🏼 [Read] On the Road with Make (Sneaky) Art: https://sneakyart.substack.com/p/302 ✍🏼 [Read] The books I talk about (when I talk about my book): https://sneakyart.substack.com/p/303 ✍🏼 [Read] Things go Wrong but that's Alright: https://sneakyart.substack.com/p/304 ☕️ Liked this episode? To show your appreciation just buy me a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/thesneakyartist/ ❤️ Love this show? Become a supporter via Substack: https://sneakyart.substack.com/subscribe
S3 · E73
Oct 17, 2025 · 1 hr 27 min
Ep 73 - Being the Travel Artist with James Richards
Artist, writer, educator, architect James Richards talks about his new book - The Travel Artist - the one that he was "born to write". What does it mean to hold to your creative vision even in the face of contrary professional advice? What do we learn, and what must we unlearn, to take a creative project from ideation to execution? What are the ideas we pick up from traveling and observing the world, and how does Jim embody the spirit of il dolce far niente (the sweetness of doing nothing)? This is a conversation about doing everything and doing nothing, and a life weaving through both of these philosophies. 🎨 Find Jim's work on his website (www.JamesRichardsSketchbook.com) or visit his Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/jrsketchbook/). 📚 Buy The Travel Artist: https://oroeditions.com/product/travel-artist 📚 Buy Nishant's book Make (Sneaky) Art: https://geni.us/makesneakyart 🤳🏼 Follow Nishant's work on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/thesneakyartist/) or sign up to the weekly newsletter if you (too) are sick of social media: https://sneakyart.substack.com/ ☕️ If you liked this episode, buy Nishant a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/thesneakyartist/ ❤️ If you love the show, support it as a paying subscriber: https://sneakyart.substack.com/subscribe
S3 · E72
Oct 3, 2025 · 1 hr 34 min
Ep 72 - Preview the Artist Life with Genine Carvalheira
Ottawa-based artist, urban sketcher, and designer Genine Carvalheira shares sketching adventures from drawing penguins in Chile to a 21-day adventure beyond the Arctic Circle in Norway. A few years ago, when her partner offered Genine the chance to preview retirement, she leapt at the opportunity. How did this transform her art and her sketchbook practice? How does she feel about going back to work again? This is a conversation about belonging - to a country, to a group, even something as simple as a local community of sketchers. 🤳🏼 [Follow] Genine on Instagram 💻 [Watch] Genine's live workshop with Art Toolkit on Oct 4 🎨 [Join] Genine's in-person, week-long art-retreat in Italy in 2026 ✍🏼 [Read] Nishant's newsletter of secretly drawn art of the world + share your thoughts about this episode. 📚 [Buy] Nishant's book - Make (Sneaky) Art: and other ideas to build your sketchbook habit. 🎟️ [Join] the Sneaky Book Tour! Nishant goes on the road to share his sketching experiences, the funny business of writing a book, and why you need a sketchbook habit. Next stop: Oct 13 in New York.
S3 · E71
Sep 26, 2025 · 12 min
Ep 71 - My Big Idea to Save the World
If the modern world runs on the attention economy, are we simply fuel for its fires? If the modern world runs on the attention economy, can we win by reclaiming our attention spans? In this episode, Nishant recounts his experience at the prestigious Aspen Ideas Festival, where he shared his Big Idea to save the world - a cheap sketchbook and a pen. 📚 Make (Sneaky) Art is now out in bookstores and available online. Grab your copy: https://geni.us/makesneakyart. 🎟️ Find Nishant on the SneakyArt Book Tour: https://www.sneakyartist.com/book-tour ✍🏼 [Read] How to Break out of Social Media Prison ✍🏼 [Read] Impressions from Aspen Ideas Festival ✍🏼 [Read] Working with a publisher when you only like working alone ✍🏼 [Read] On pub day, a mild existential crisis appears.
S3 · E70
Sep 19, 2025 · 1 hr 12 min
Ep 70 - Defining your own Adventure with Samantha Dion Baker
New York-based artist and author Samantha Dion Baker introduces her latest book - Draw your Adventures. What are good ways to think of the word 'adventure'? Does it always need to be an exotic, foreign location? Sam and Nishant discuss ways to craft a personal definition of adventure, free of other people (plus social media) opinions. Then big questions creep in! If all knowledge already exists on YouTube, what really is the job of the how-to book? If artists are self-driven, why do we benefit so much from community? Also, are disembodied hands easier to draw than hands attached to their people? BONUS: Sam offers advice for first-time authors (like Nishant!) to deal with the anxiety of expectations. 📚 Buy Draw your Adventures by Samantha Dion Baker 🎨 Check out Sam's exciting new "Write and Draw" workshop in Brooklyn 📚 Buy Make (Sneaky) Art by Nishant 🎟️ Meet Nishant on the SneakyArt Book Tour 🎙️ Listen to Sam & Nishant's first conversation in Ep 52 of the show
S3 · E69
Sep 5, 2025 · 10 min
Ep 69 - And we're back!
After a near 2-year hiatus, the SneakyArt Podcast is BACK with fresh ideas, new perspectives, and the same opening music. (Yay!) In this quick update: Why Nishant stopped and three reasons he decided to resume the show How podcasts are a special thing in the wasteland of the dead internet The show remains the same … but also not? Two book recommendations - Ways of Seeing by John Berger, The Story of Art without Men by Katy Hessel. In lieu of optimized monetization funnels, directly support Nishant's crazy/stupid path of independent art: Buy Me a Coffee Buy Nishant's book - Make (Sneaky) Art. Old listeners, new listeners, and super listeners, share what you like about the show - nishant[at]sneakyartist[dot]com.
S2 · E68
Oct 14, 2023 · 1 hr 25 min
Ep 68 - Making your own Path with Jason Chatfield
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 Substack. ☕ Like this episode? Buy me a coffee. 🔥 Love the show? Support it by becoming a SneakyArt Insider. ✍🏼 Follow SneakyArt on IG, Twitter, and TikTok.
S2 · E67
Sep 23, 2023 · 1 hr 39 min
Ep 67 - Stand up & Sit down with Jason Chatfield
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 conversation. 💡 For all the good links and ideas from this episode, to see the cheatsheet of this conversation, check out the shownotes. 📚 Buy Jason's book, You're not a Real Parent until… 📲 Check out Jason's website to learn about all his work. 📪 Sign up to Jason's Substack. ☕ Like this episode? Buy me a coffee. 🔥 Love the show? Support it by becoming a SneakyArt Insider. ✍🏼 Follow SneakyArt on IG, Twitter, and TikTok.
S2 · E66
Aug 18, 2023 · 1 hr 32 min
Ep 66 - From Heart Attack to Renewal with Jeff Schmidt
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 summer deal to become a SneakyArt Insider. 💡 For all the good ideas from this episode, join thousands of readers of the SneakyArt Post. 📲 Follow Jeff Schmidt on Instagram and check out his website. ✍🏼 Follow SneakyArt on IG, Twitter, and TikTok.
S2 · E65
Jul 28, 2023 · 1 hr 27 min
Ep 65 - War and Not-War with Nina Khashchina
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 a special listener discount!) 💡 For all the good ideas from this episode, read the show notes. 📲 Follow Nina Khashchina on Instagram and check out her Substack newsletter. ✍🏼 Follow SneakyArt on IG, Twitter, and TikTok.
S2 · E64
Jul 14, 2023 · 1 hr 29 min
Ep 64 - Growing up in Ukraine with Nina Khashchina
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 Khashchina on Instagram and check out her Substack newsletter. ✍🏼 Follow SneakyArt on IG, Twitter, and TikTok.
S2 · E63
Jun 30, 2023 · 52 min
Ep 63 - (Part 2) Sketching Here & Everywhere with Christina Wald
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 Post. 📲 Follow Christina Wald on Instagram and check out her linktree for the latest projects. ✅ Catch the Kickstarter discussion supercut ✍🏼 Follow SneakyArt on IG, Twitter, and TikTok.
S2 · E62
Jun 16, 2023 · 1 hr 41 min
Ep 62 - Sketching Here & Everywhere with Christina Wald
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 conversation, become a reader and join 8000+ readers of the SneakyArt Post. 📲 Follow Christina Wald on Instagram and check out her linktree for the latest projects. 📚 Buy Sketching Here & Everywhere: My Sketching Obsession by Christina Wald. ✍🏼 Follow SneakyArt on IG, Twitter, and TikTok. ☕ Like this episode? Buy me a coffee. (and say hello!) 🔥 Love the show? Become a SneakyArt Insider. (and join the Kickstarter discussion next week!)
S2 · E61
Jun 2, 2023 · 1 hr 47 min
Ep 61 - Design Thinking with Ellen Vesters
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 conversation will give you some ideas! 💡 For all the links and ideas from this conversation, read the show notes. 📲 Follow Ellen's work on Instagram and check out her website. 🏫 Visit the Venster Academy. 🎙 Listen to Ellen and Nishant's conversation while sketching in Utrecht, Netherlands. 💌 Join 8000+ readers, add SneakyArt to your inbox. ✍🏼 Follow SneakyArt on IG, Twitter, and TikTok. ☕ Like this episode? Buy me a coffee. (and say hello!) 🔥 Love the show? Become a SneakyArt Insider. (and support my work!)

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