Ever wondered about how art can capture the essence of a place, person or moment in time? Meet Amelia Chang, a 21-year-old urban sketch artist who has turned her love for architecture into a way of illustrating personal memories. While most of us are still trying to figure out how to preserve our fleeting moments, Amelia is out there capturing them for you, with nothing but pen, ink and watercolour, connecting people to the spaces and experiences that matter most.
In a world where moments disappear as fast as we scroll, authentic connection feels harder to secure. For Amelia Chang, art is a way for her and her customers to slow down, capturing more than just an image, but a feeling. Through her commissioned urban sketches, she’s proving that some memories deserve more than just a 24-hour Instagram story:
“Urban sketching is a very natural form of art, you draw what you see around you in the world, landscapes, buildings, it takes inspiration from any setting.” For Amelia, her passion for architecture has evolved into personalizing her sketches for commissions.
“Every time I go somewhere new I’m always looking and learning. That’s why it’s special to me, because you can find people’s memories everywhere, it’s an art that lends itself to unlimited inspiration.
“I started sketching at around thirteen and I’m 21 now, so it’s been a while. I used to live in London and then moved to a rural town in Wales. There is quite a contrast between the two. It’s allowed me to appreciate both vibrant urban spaces and also the peaceful landscapes.
“I studied art in school, my style now is very different from then. I did a lot of collaging and abstract pieces which are different from the pen ink and watercolour I use now. Moving to commissions in the style I do now has been liberating for me, it takes off the pressure of what to draw as I use other peoples experiences as my end goal, whilst still using my own skills.
“It can be hard to come up with your own ideas, it has been so freeing for me to have the customer involved in each creative process. Customers have a say in the work, what should and shouldn’t be included, and it’s fulfilling to come to a conclusion together. It’s a different case to artists that are creating new ideas all the time, but for me being able to use my skills to make something special for someone else, this is ideal.”
Personalisation is what Amelia has found to be important in her work and how she approaches each commission:
“In the context of my work, personalization is a reminder of how evocative spaces and places are. People will send me over where they went on their first date or a restaurant they met in. It is an honour to capture, it becomes more than its material, physical space. In the process, I’ll receive images or an address from a customer which I’ll then search up to see what stands out about this place; what it’s known for, lighting or colours, I’ll do a draft sketch and send it over.
“This is where the piece gets more personal and you need to be considerate, some people are keen to have loads of details like the drinks or meals they had, or even a particular time of day. Some people ask for changes, which is totally fine because it is their memory and if that is exactly what they experienced then it’s my job to recreate that. Personalisation is integral to what I do so it needs to have consideration at every stage.”
With the existence of many art forms, each piece will have its own point of interest. Amelia said why she thinks people purchase her work:
“I think people enjoy this intimate art because within my work they can see their own love story, they can look at something I’ve done and experience feeling, that is why I feel there is so much interest in it. Everyone has experienced love, it is universal, so being able to put it in a physical form creates this connection for people, even between myself and a customer.
“Most of my pieces are often given as gifts which are sentimental, people are willing to share so much and it’s really touching to be a part of that process.
“I’ve had customers make TikTok’s with their piece and tag me in it, others have sent me photos of it framed, which feels so rewarding.”
Amelia said: “My advice to someone creating personalised art would be to be brave, your style is going to be unique to you and you will discover that more people resonate with it than expected.”
Amelia Chang’s art offers a rare pause, an opportunity to reconnect with places and moments that shape us. She is an example of a welcome slowdown, demonstrating the importance of respect and consideration within the artist and customer dynamic.