Suhita Shirodkar, an artist and educator from San Jose, shares her dynamic approach to capturing life through swift sketches. She discusses finding artistic inspiration in fleeting moments and how regular drawing helps her evolve. Suhita emphasizes the joy of urban sketching and the emotional connection with her subjects. The conversation also touches on the power of color, the importance of community during the pandemic, and breaking down barriers in art education, promoting creativity and collaboration for all.
Suhita Shirodkar emphasizes the significance of seizing brief moments for sketching, transforming quick drawings into vibrant expressions of daily life.
The urban sketching community fosters mutual support among artists, allowing for creativity and exploration in a non-judgmental environment.
Suhita advocates for a learning approach that prioritizes joy in drawing over perfection, encouraging beginners to build confidence through experience.
Deep dives
The Evolution of Sketching as Art
The perception of sketching as a legitimate form of art is gradually changing, primarily due to the emergence of urban sketching. This practice blurs traditional hierarchies found in art, as it encourages artists to work in various media without the pressure of adhering to conventional standards. With urban sketching, artists like Suhita Shirotkar demonstrate that even quick sketches have artistic value and can serve as personal journals of everyday life. This democratization of art allows anyone to appreciate the beauty in their surroundings through the simple act of sketching.
The Role of Time in Artistic Expression
For many urban sketchers, time is an essential factor influencing their work. Suhita often creates sketches in under 30 minutes, capturing fleeting moments in her daily life. This rapid approach pushes her to be instinctive and sensitive to her surroundings, which opens her up to a wider array of drawing opportunities. By embracing the limitation of time, she produces dynamic and lively artworks that reflect the constant movement and happenings of urban life.
Community and the Power of Connection
The online urban sketching community serves as a supportive network for artists at all levels, fostering creativity and collaboration without imposed hierarchies. By participating in various platforms and sharing experiences, sketchers find permission to explore and experiment without the fear of judgment. The shared passion for art breaks down barriers, allowing individuals from diverse backgrounds and skill sets to connect through their love of drawing. This sense of belonging enhances the overall artistic journey for many, enriching their practice and encouraging them to push their creative boundaries.
Teaching and Learning from Each Other
Urban sketching emphasizes a flat learning structure where experienced artists can also serve as learners, allowing for mutual growth. Instructors encourage students to embrace the joy of drawing rather than fixating on perfect results, creating an environment ripe for exploration. Suhita’s approach to teaching also includes understanding beginners' fears and tailoring strategies that allow them to build confidence over time. This cycle of teaching and learning cultivates an atmosphere where everyone can share insights, experiences, and techniques, enhancing the community as a whole.
The Joy of Everyday Observations
Urban sketching fosters the ability to find beauty in mundane environments and everyday moments. Artists like Suhita seek inspiration in their immediate surroundings, drawing what they see rather than adhering to preconceived notions of worthy subjects. By treating ordinary scenes as valid artistic subjects, they not only showcase their creativity but also encourage others to appreciate the beauty in their own everyday lives. This focus on observation transforms simple moments into a visual narrative, promoting a deeper connection to the world around us.
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. By drawing quickly, her work captures a domestic life that is nonetheless dynamic, people who are doing things, and settings that are alive with activity and color. We talk about the importance of drawing regularly to “turn the page” as an artist, the idea of the sketchbook as art, and the interesting ways she is reaching out to students and followers during lockdown.
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