ABOUT THE ARTIST
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.
I grew up on a dirt road in the woods, in the quiet, coastal town of Duxbury, Massachusetts. I studied Theater and Design at Emmanuel College in Boston, and worked for two decades in a variety of creative jobs, while exploring my own art and creativity through photography, painting, and running a handmade Etsy shop.
In 2018, following a devastating pregnancy loss, I leaned heavily into painting as a way of coping with my grief and depression, and continued further into my art journey through Covid and beyond.
When I’m not up to my elbows in paint, I love reading, thrifting, going for nature walks, practicing yoga, crocheting, spending time with my kids, tending to my plants and garden, and Friday family movie nights.
ARTIST STATEMENT
The inner child meets the old soul.
My paintings are a visual portal into how I experience the world, all that is seen, unseen, felt and yearned for. Music, poetry, and stories intertwine with places and moments in time, frozen in my mind, reaching through my fingertips into strokes and brushes of color; channeled bits of memories and the imagination.
Can I show you how it feels to listen to a song that is anchored in my bones? Or to travel through my mind as I read a book, flashes of adventure and imagination blending with a world of words on a page? What happens when a line of poetry interrupts my morning coffee, and I need to sit down and see where it takes me with a brush in my hand?
Can I paint how it feels to hear my childrens’ laughter and the bittersweet ache of motherhood, or the infinitely expansive grief of forever missing someone I love?
The art-making becomes a daily meditation, a prayer.
Between paint and words, memories and dreams…that is where my art is created.
MY ART PROCESS
My process and style are always evolving. While I mainly work with acrylics on a variety of canvases, papers, and wood panels, I seek inspiration in every corner of my life, and ensure that I stay open to exploration and play, finding new ways to create and express myself. Lately, I’ve been especially 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.
As a theater major in college, I learned to hone my stagecraft by drawing from my life and experiences to embody depth of a character. Painting is very much the same, requiring me to draw on who I am, where I’ve been, and what I’ve seen and felt in my life.
I enjoy carving out colorful coastlines, wild gardens, city and towns, and dreamscapes - imagined worlds and places painted into existence, full of color, movement and texture.
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.
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
giving back to various non-profits and organizations (both locally and nationally) to protect, preserve, and restore wildlife and ecosystems.
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
Classes, Shows & Events:
New dates coming soon!
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!
A portion of all sales of my 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: