New York Artist Sketches Strangers from Her Fire Escape. The Results Go Viral (Exclusive)

• Sabrina Bernstein’s drawings went viral on TikTok, with some videos getting millions of views

• Bernstein, an artist in New York, sketches the people who walk below her fire escape

• The 24-year-old tells PEOPLE about what inspired her to start the series

On a fire escape in Manhattan, a young artist has been quietly documenting the daily life of New Yorkers who pass by her street.

What started as a creative outlet has since transformed into a popular social media series, turning ordinary moments into art — one sketch at a time.

“I remember saying to my roommates when we were apartment hunting that, while it wasn’t a must-have, I had my fingers crossed that we would get a place with a fire escape,” Sabrina Bernstein tells PEOPLE exclusively. “Having a fire escape felt like a quintessential piece of being a young twenty-something-year-old artist in New York City.”

The 24-year-old assistant social media manager luckily got her wish. The fire escape outside her apartment quickly became more than just a safety feature. When the weather is nice, it’s where Bernstein writes, draws, and films videos of herself sketching strangers as they pass by on the sidewalk below.

“It seemed like a good content idea since I’d be able to repeat it if people liked watching,” she explains. The first video brought in over 45,000 views. Others performed even better, with a recent one hitting over 6 million views. “That was enough for me to just keep going,” she says.

Since then, Bernstein has posted numerous videos showing off her drawings, featuring families, friends, or individuals mid-stride.

“The entire thing is a very fast-moving process,” she shares. “I think I naturally gravitate towards subjects who have a unique outfit, hairstyle, or even aura that catches my attention.”

Her favorite subjects are those that express themselves visually. “I always try to capture people with great outfits, the people who already took the time to express themselves externally for the rest of us to notice and enjoy,” Bernstein explains.

She also enjoys sketching couples and groups. “I don’t think we notice how much we move in unison when walking with our loved ones, strides aligning perfectly with one another.”

For Bernstein, sketching is more than just a hobby – it’s a way to focus. “Drawing is the only thing in the world that makes my thoughts slow down,” she explains. “And since I’ve done it my whole life, it scratches an itch in my brain when I capture something or someone the way I envisioned.”

What began as a spontaneous idea has grown into a daily habit, largely thanks to her audience on social media.

“Routine really doesn’t come naturally to me,” Bernstein admits. “Before this, I’d draw a picture, move on after a few minutes, and start painting something, then likely begin to do something else. So I’m grateful that now, yes, I have a newfound routine that holds me accountable to draw.”

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The reactions have been overwhelmingly positive, with followers regularly commenting on her videos. A few people even recognized themselves in her sketches. “Three people have noticed themselves in my videos, and I’ve sent them a digital scan of their portrait,” she shares.

The growing attention has opened up new creative and commercial opportunities. Bernstein has been approached for collaborations on different products, ranging from wallpaper to tote bags and coloring books. Prints of her drawings will be available for purchase soon, and she is considering turning the series into an art gallery or book, with aspirations of creating a children’s book in the same style.

The Brooklyn native says the project has made her feel more connected to the city and its people than ever. “All of this just feels like I’m more actively participating in the human race,” Bernstein says. “The act of noticing, capturing, and sharing New Yorkers in their element makes me feel like this series has real weight and meaning.”

It’s often the collective movement and diversity of the city that inspires her the most. “We’re all characters in our own stories. But it’s when you gather four or five folks onto the same page that the tapestry of the city really comes together, rather than one individual,” she tells PEOPLE.

“I like that drawing the people in this city grants them a kind of immortality,” she shares. “If you go outside in NYC, you’ll always see folks with cameras and notepads and easels feverishly working. We’re all just trying to figure out our means of capturing the nonstop buzzing energy and the fascinating participants.”

Bernstein hopes her art serves as a reminder for viewers to intentionally appreciate the people around them.

Read the original article on People