Season Eight - Episode Ten - Something Sketchy - Bad Drawing Only

When was the last time you felt free to be creative? To just let loose and tap into your creativity in an inviting and supportive space? I was thinking about these points when I took in the Something Sketchy – Bad Drawing Only event in January.  This gathering comes from the wonderful mind of Jaymie Raefta, a Saskatoon illustrator and artist who has become one of my favourite people in the past few years.  Once every few months in a warehouse space in Riversdale, Jaymie hosts a gathering of people who love to draw, no matter their ability, and encourages them to draw badly. Very badly.  Jaymie, who uses they/them pronouns, emcees the evening. They embrace the role with the vigor and charm of a late-night television talk show host. Jaymie’s quick wit and humour, along with quirky musical selections, create the perfect vibe for people to draw.  The drawing comes from specific prompts which Jaymie comes up with. My favourite was the following: draw your favourite co-worker as a cold baked potato.  You have two minutes to complete your drawing, and at the end of each round, the table votes on the best bad drawing.  What I love about these Something Sketchy nights is the creative community they are forming in Saskatoon. The room was packed with more than 30 people who giggled and laughed throughout the night while making new friends and reconnecting with old ones. The people came from all walks of life: artists, graphic designers, potters, and even a mailman. You will hear from these people how much it means to them to have a devoted set time and space to be creative in this episode, and you will hear why these Something Sketchy nights mean so much to Jaymie.  This has been an amazing season of YXE Underground, and I am so thrilled to end it with such a fun and meaningful episode.  If you want to learn more about the Something Sketchy – Bad Drawing events, look up Plastic Salad on Instagram. This is an illustration collective created by Jaymie to promote illustration in Saskatchewan, and there’s a Something Sketchy event happening on Wednesday, June 17th, from 6:30pm-8:30pm that you should totally check out!  A big thank you to Jaymie and everyone at the Something Sketchy for letting me share their stories on the podcast.  If you have enjoyed this episode and are a fan of the podcast, please feel free to leave a glowing 5-star review and share it with your friends. Word of mouth is, I think, the best way to share podcasts, and so I really do appreciate your support in spreading the word about YXE Underground. You can find the podcast on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Simply search YXE Underground. A big thank you to all of you listeners for continuing to support a local, independent podcast. It means the world. I will drop a few bonus episodes this summer, but Season 9 will launch in September. I can’t wait to share more stories of people and organizations who are making a difference here in Saskatoon. If you have someone who you think should be on the podcast, send me an email: [email protected] I would like to acknowledge these interview were gathered on Treaty Six territory and the traditional homeland of Metis.  YXE Underground is a production of the Salthammer Production Company. My name is Eric Anderson. Thank you so much listening and we’ll talk to you soon, Saskatoon.     Host, Producer, Editor: Eric AndersonTheme Music: Andrew DicksonWebsite: https://www.yxeunderground.comRecorded: On Treaty 6 Territory and the traditional homeland of the Metis