DERBY, Colo. — In a world filled with fleeting moments and digital snapshots, Paul Heaston has carved out his own space as a unique urban sketch artist. Gaining popularity online, with over 1 million followers, his sketches are of everyday life — everything from architecture, classic cars, to busy coffee shops.
Heaston mostly takes his art studio on the road, drawing what he sees from his car.
Based in Derby, near Commerce City, Heaston operates out of the Magnolia Street Art Space studios. There, he hosts drawing workshops and spends hours on commissions. But in 2009, after a tragic event, Heaston realized that sketching is his life's mission.
"I never understood why I was making art until I started this sketchbook practice," Heaston shared. "Then I realized this is what I'm supposed to be doing."
Heaston began sketching seriously in his twenties, initially using it to document personal experiences.
"I started, sort of, documenting my day-to-day life," he said. "I've never really been attracted to the postcard type of drawing, and I'm interested in something that you might encounter every day."
Heaston's journey took a pivotal turn in 2009 while living in Bozeman, Montana. While working on a project to sketch all the buildings on Main Street, Heaston had unknowingly recorded a snapshot of history. A few months after he completed his work, a natural gas explosion leveled the buildings he had drawn and killed one person.
"Every single thing you see here was leveled," he recalled, pointing to a sketch that now serves as a memorial for the lost buildings. "I realized how my sketches were connecting to people, and documenting a time and place was really important."
Some of his most popular pieces now come from sitting in the front seat of his car, exploring his local community.
"There is a sort of delight that people get when they see somebody sketching," Heaston said. "They feel flattered that their community is interesting to somebody or has value."
Heaston argues that sketching reveals beauty in the mundane.
"A lot of people can feel overlooked, and it’s fun when they feel seen in their community," he said.
Armed with a sketchbook, pencils, pens, and ink wash, Heaston emphasizes the accessibility of his art form.
"It’s inexpensive, really," he said. "You just need something to draw with and something to draw on."
Watch Paul sketch the Denver7 studio
Paul visited Denver7's downtown studios on Monday, March 10, 2025. He sketched the studio during the broadcast of Denver7 News at 6 p.m. See the sketch come together in the video player above.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, Heaston often turned to sketching from inside his car when public spaces became limited. He found inspiration in the everyday sights, from construction machinery to people going about their routines. This new method allowed him to connect with his environment in an intimate way.
"I can remember the smells, the weather, even the wasps bothering me," he said. "Those memories come back to life when I look at my sketches."
Heaston hopes his work inspires others to slow down and appreciate their surroundings.
"All you need is some spare time to start this process," he said, noting the positive interactions he experiences when he's sketching in public. "People are generally supportive and curious about what I’m doing."
With every drawing, Heaston continues to build a visual narrative of the community he loves—a world often overlooked, yet brimming with beauty.
If you'd like to see Heaston's work for yourself, you can find him on Facebook, Instagram, Tik Tok, and other social media platforms. Just search for his name, Paul Heaston.
