ABOUT SHANNON

In this space, I…

Color outside the lines.

Make happy little accidents.

Celebrate messes.

Shift perspectives.

Feel in the moment.

Seek JOY.

Ask a lot of questions.

Dream.

Imagine.

Explore.

Play.

Keep learning.

And always follow my curiosity.

Hi there, I’m Shannon Sorensen, a contemporary fine artist, living and working from my home studio in central Connecticut. My vibrant and playful style of painting reflects my lifelong love of growing up surrounded by nature in New England. I always aim to bring nature into our cozy home spaces, full of color and healing energy.

Common themes of my pieces include coastlines and seascapes, wild and colorful gardens, mountains, dreamy cities and towns, music and poetry.

Following a difficult personal loss in 2018, I started painting more frequently, and found it to be deeply soothing and healing. Even while navigating waves of grief, I felt intense connection, joy, serenity, and a new openness to exploring my artistic expression.

I work mainly with acrylic paints on mixed media paper, cradled wood panels, and canvas. I use neocolor artist crayons and an assortment of mark making tools, brushes and palette knives to add texture and “spice” to each piece. If I’m being completely honest, my favorite tool is my hands - I prefer fingerpainting over anything else!

I believe we should “give more than we take,” and do my best to honor that through all aspects of my art and business, including sourcing used or local materials and recycled packaging, eco-minded shipping practices, and giving back to various non-profits and organizations (both locally and nationally) to protect, preserve, and restore wildlife and ecosystems. I practice new techniques on used canvases, participates in art material swaps, and use leftover paint on my palette to make eclectic earrings and other small artworks.

In everything I do, I hope to pass along a spark of joy and curiosity for art, learning, play, self-growth and development, and tuning into doing more of what you love.

When I’m not up to my elbows in paint, I love going for nature walks, practicing yoga, crocheting, taking my kids to the park to climb trees, tending to my plants and garden, reading, and Friday family movie nights.

Connect with me on Instagram if you’re interested in seeing more of my day to day life and work, and check out my painting process and creative living channel on Youtube.

Projects, Shows & Events:

August 2022 - Art on display at Starbucks on Main St & Cedar in Newington, CT

November 2022 - Art on display at Lucy Robbins Welles Library in Newington, CT

Interested in showing my artwork in your business, gallery or at an event? Email me at hello@shannon-sorensen.com with your inquiry, and I’ll be in touch soon!

New on YouTube:

ARTIST STATEMENT

The physicality of painting is a dance - a way of expressing a story, a moment, or feeling, through movement, energy and being fully present in the moment.

My process and style is always evolving. I mainly work with acrylics on a variety of canvases, papers, and wood panels, in order to create movement, texture, and layering of colors. I often reuse canvas (from my own studio or recycled from thrift stores) which adds unique character to the new painting.

Lately, I’ve been enjoying painting with my fingers and hands. It’s a raw, vulnerable, yet playful feeling to apply the paint and move it around with my body.

I enjoy carving out colorful coastlines, wild gardens, city and towns, and dreamscapes. I think of familiar places I love, and imagine worlds and places where I’d like to be, and paint them into existence, full of color, movement and texture. Some pieces are more abstracted, depending on the day and how I feel like creating.

Painting is a deeply meditative and healing modality for me. Each piece of art I make embodies a different energy that I’ve channeled through my mind, body, and spirit; through my memories, dreams, travels, and how I experience the world around me.


A portion of all sales of my original art gives back to the trees, bees, and seas.

Planting trees in areas in need of reforestation throughout North America:

One Tree Planted is a Vermont based non-profit planting trees worldwide in areas in need of reforestation. Plant your first tree for free. Each additional tree is $1.

Supporting bees, butterflies, and local food through wildflower and land conservation:

Connecticut Beekeepers Association, New Haven, CT

Elizabeth Park Conservancy, West Hartford, CT

Connecticut Land Conservation Council

Coastal preservation and resilience projects to protect the sea and its ecosystems:

Duxbury Beach Preservation, Duxbury, MA

New England Coastal Wildlife Alliance