The Art of Staying Home, with Phil Dean

Firstly how are you feeling today?

Unsettled. I’m so used to being out and about in London that this lockdown is getting to me a little — and we’re only in the first week! I know it’s for the best, but it doesn’t make it any easier does it?

Tell us about your art and your studio.

My art is urban sketching. I draw everything anything that relates to the city and the people that live in it. My default position is on a street corner with a moleskin and fineliner pen in hand. My studio is a simple desk where I finalise my artwork or if I’m unable to get out and about, create new works using photographic references.

Do you normally work from home?

I have a day job which is running an agency in central London, so working from home all the time is a novelty for me. My sketching work usually takes me outdoors, except in the current circumstances!

How has your day to day life changed since COVID-19?

Dramatically. My daily commute to Soho, lots of face to face meetings, client lunches, the freedom to roam, have all gone. Adjusting to the new normal is taking some getting used to! On top of all this I can't get out and sketch on the streets, which is what I love doing and what my art is all about.

What are you doing creatively to stay calm and mindful?

I’m still sketching every day. I’m drawing scenes from around London using photographs and sharing them on my social media channels. I’m interacting with as many people as possible using message and keeping the connections going. I’m hosting an Instagram live session with Q&As and a sketchbook tour of some of my favourite drawings. I’m also discovering that video calls are a wonderful way of getting face time with people.

Do you have any creative ideas for people to do at home?

Switch off from work at least once a day to draw. Lots of artists on Instagram are posting ‘creative prompts’ for people to get creative. Do something analogue and get away from the computer screen (I'm finding I’m spending way too much time in front of my screen). Dig out that sketchbook that you bought in a cool shop and start sketching the everyday things around you -- the view from your desk or kitchen table, the things that surround you. Everyday things make great subject matter.

What do you think the world will have learned from this?

I hope people will have learnt to appreciate the simple things in life like love, health, happiness, feeling well and connected to people. It’s amazing how quickly literally everything we have in our lives has changed. When things do return to normal we mustn’t forget how we felt when we didn’t have access to all the things we thought we needed.

Stik on Silk Street by Phil Dean