The Open Sketchbook Podcast

Welcome to a special three-part series where host Evan Kitson sits down with three remarkable teaching assistants from the New York Academy of Art. In this episode, Evan talks with artist, printmaker, and educator Sarah Annesley, who has spent the last seven years transitioning from student to studio leader.

Together, they explore:

Affordable framing and archival storage strategies for artists on a budget

The logistics of mounting, protecting, and transporting artwork

Sarah’s process-driven approach to drawing, color pencil work, and reverse-engineering outcomes

The emotional and professional transition from student to teaching assistant to instructor

Career paths in art-adjacent roles like art handling, framing, and production

How teaching transforms your own practice, mindset, and clarity

When and how to invest in your presentation and framing

The importance of building a resilient creative process and recognizing growth- even when it doesn’t feel like it

Practical Tips Include:

Why you should never let your artwork touch the glass in a frame

How to prep for group shows without breaking the bank

Budgeting for your first exhibition and how to future-proof your framing choices

Join the Conversation:

Have you ever had an unforgettable experience with a teaching assistant?

What challenges have you faced with presentation and framing?

Is drawing your primary visual language too?

Subscribe, share, and leave a review- it helps support the show and spread the word.

Want to watch our conversation? We're on YouTube!
Watch this episode: https://youtu.be/ZfOPiR74I10
Our YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/@theopensketchbook

The Open Sketchbook
https://theopensketchbook.com
https://www.instagram.com/the.open.sketchbook/

The Virtual Studio - Join for Exclusive Podcast Content and More!
https://learn.theopensketchbook.com/bundles/virtual-studio

Our Weekly Newsletter, The Drawing Board:
https://theopensketchbook.kit.com/posts

GUEST: Sarah Annesley
https://www.instagram.com/yelsennas/

Sarah's Recommendations:
Studio Ghibli Films:
Princess Mononoke 
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind

HOST: Evan Kitson
https://evankitson.com
https://www.instagram.com/evan_kitson/
The New York Academy of Art
https://nyaa.edu/
https://www.academyeverywhere.com/collections?q=kitson

In this host-led episode, Evan explores the multifaceted concept of creative peers- from trusted studio mates and former instructors to students, teaching assistants, and even art-historical influences. This episode was inspired by two simultaneous exhibitions Evan is participating in: “In Good Company” at the Demuth Museum and “6x10B” at Curio- both of which revolve around collaboration, friendship, and the shared creative impulse. 

Want to watch our conversation? We're on YouTube!
Watch this episode: https://youtu.be/N1rTGQfxKE0
Our YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/@theopensketchbook

The Open Sketchbook
https://theopensketchbook.com
https://www.instagram.com/the.open.sketchbook/

The Virtual Studio - Join for Exclusive Podcast Content and More!
https://learn.theopensketchbook.com/bundles/virtual-studio

Our Weekly Newsletter, The Drawing Board:
https://theopensketchbook.kit.com/posts

HOST: Evan Kitson
https://evankitson.com
https://www.instagram.com/evan_kitson/

Curio.
https://curiolancaster.square.site/
Demuth Museum Invitational: In Good Company
https://www.demuth.org/exhibitions/in-good-company
Willem de Kooning's "Bowl, Pitcher and Jug"
https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/482728

In this episode, Evan Kitson sits down with one of his longtime painting heroes, Julie Heffernan, for a rich and wide-ranging conversation. Julie is renowned for her lush, allegorical paintings, but in recent years, she’s taken a surprising and thrilling turn into the world of graphic novels with her debut book Babe in the Woods: or, The Art of Getting Lost.

Together, Evan and Julie dive into:
The origins of Babe in the Woods and the unlikely software behind it (spoiler: Microsoft Paint!)
How narrative and composition intersect in both her paintings and her book
The difference between critique and personal exploration in visual storytelling
Trees, mark-making, and the visual vocabulary of digital drawing
What it means to truly respond to your own work- and how to let go of what no longer serves you
The role of beauty, mystery, and formal relationships in building meaningful art
The powerful influence of image streaming on her creative process
Julie’s upcoming second graphic novel, plus her thoughts on artists, films, and books that shaped her journey
Want to watch our conversation? We're on YouTube!
Watch this episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ihkU4rUDJs
Our YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/@theopensketchbook

The Open Sketchbook
https://theopensketchbook.com
https://www.instagram.com/the.open.sketchbook/

The Virtual Studio - Join for Exclusive Podcast Content and More!
https://learn.theopensketchbook.com/bundles/virtual-studio

Our Weekly Newsletter, The Drawing Board:
https://theopensketchbook.kit.com/posts

GUEST: Julie Heffernan
https://www.julieheffernan.net/
https://www.instagram.com/julie_heffernan_/

Heffernan's Amazing Graphic Novel:
Babe in the Woods: or, The Art of Getting Lost
https://amzn.to/41pAR6I (this is an affiliate link)

Julie's Book Recommendations:
Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese
https://amzn.to/3DU9oCq

When We Cease to Understand the World by Benjamín Labatut
https://amzn.to/4ciUMJC

In the Distance by Hernan Diaz
https://amzn.to/4j1aX0e

HOST: Evan Kitson
https://evankitson.com
https://www.instagram.com/evan_kitson/

Welcome to The Open Sketchbook Podcast! In this host-led episode, Evan Kitson explores how the Pomodoro Technique can help creatives reclaim their time and boost productivity- without burning out. From studio habits to classroom parallels, Evan shares how this simple time-chunking method supports deep focus, rest, and sustainable creativity.

In this episode:

Why “productivity” became Evan’s word of the year
How the Pomodoro Technique works (and why it’s tomato-shaped 🍅)
Parallels between studio practices and figure drawing sessions
The role of planning and rest in creative momentum
How to build intuitive time awareness
Why group work and community help us keep going
A drawing demo using the Pomodoro Technique (YouTube exclusive!)

Want to watch the drawing demonstration? We're on YouTube!
Watch this episode: https://youtu.be/gb97lMVaXBU
Our YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/@theopensketchbook

Featured Technique:
20 minutes on / 5 minutes off: a rhythm used in both creative work and figure drawing classes to maintain focus and prevent burnout.

Weekly Sketch Starter:
Draw your creative space- or a tomato, if you’re feeling brave!

The Open Sketchbook
https://theopensketchbook.com
https://www.instagram.com/the.open.sketchbook/

The Virtual Studio - Join for Exclusive Podcast Content and More!
https://learn.theopensketchbook.com/bundles/virtual-studio

Our Weekly Newsletter, The Drawing Board:
https://theopensketchbook.kit.com/posts

HOST: Evan Kitson
https://evankitson.com
https://www.instagram.com/evan_kitson/

BLOG POSTS TO CHECK OUT:
Creative Productivity: Pomodoro Technique
https://learn.theopensketchbook.com/pages/blog?p=productivity-pomodoro-technique

Evan Kitson's Graphite Drawing Materials Kit
https://learn.theopensketchbook.com/pages/blog?p=graphite-drawing-materials

NEWSLETTER ISSUES TO READ:
Writing Lists & Finding Priorities + A New Weekly Sketching Prompt!
https://theopensketchbook.kit.com/posts/writing-lists-finding-priorities-a-new-weekly-sketching-prompt

Productivity: Commitment to our Creative Habits + Blog Post Roundup and more!
https://theopensketchbook.kit.com/posts/productivity-commitment-to-our-creative-habits-blog-post-roundup-and-more

Productivity: Removing Friction + A New Course Starting Soon!
https://theopensketchbook.kit.com/posts/productivity-removing-friction-a-new-course-starting-soon

In this episode, I sit down with painter Leah Gardner, whose luminous still-life paintings capture the magic of light & form, and focus on composition. Leah shares how she pivoted from a career in marketing to becoming a full-time artist, the role that daily painting played in developing her skills, and how she navigates running an art business as a full time artist.

We also discuss the challenges of selling art online, the joys and struggles of social media, and why composition plays a bigger role in her work than the objects themselves. Plus, Leah shares insights into her process, from photographing references to making prints and engaging with her audience.

Whether you're an artist looking to refine your practice or someone curious about the life of a working painter, this episode is packed with insights and inspiration!
Want to watch instead of listen?
Our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@theopensketchbook
Watch Episode 4: Leah Gardner
https://youtu.be/s2oNIqAQ8jk
The Open Sketchbook
https://theopensketchbook.com
https://www.instagram.com/the.open.sketchbook/

The Virtual Studio - Join for Exclusive Podcast Content and More!
https://learn.theopensketchbook.com/bundles/virtual-studio
Stay Connected, Subscribe to Our Weekly Newsletter:
https://theopensketchbook.kit.com/posts

HOST: Evan Kitson
https://evankitson.com
https://www.instagram.com/evan_kitson/
GUEST: Leah Gardner
https://leahgardner.art/
https://www.instagram.com/leahgardner.art/
BOOKS & ARTISTS MENTIONED:
Daily Painting: Paint Small and Often To Become a More Creative, Productive, and Successful Artist by Carol Marine
https://amzn.to/3DDD5HN *affiliate link
Zoey Frank
https://zoeyfrank.com/
Jeremy Miranda
https://www.instagram.com/jeremy_miranda_/
Christina Weaver
https://www.christinaweaver.com/
And Libby (free library app for audiobooks & ebooks)