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.
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 pictures of places and moments in time, frozen in my mind, reaching through my fingertips into strokes and brushes of color; collaged 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?
It becomes a daily meditation, a prayer.
Between paint and words, between memories and dreams, that is where my art is created.
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 have felt intense connection, joy, serenity, and freedom to explore my artistic expression.
I work mainly with acrylic paints on mixed media paper, cradled wood panels, and canvas. I use brushes, palette knives, and whatever tools I have on hand; that includes my hands - I love fingerpainting!
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
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 and Threads 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
As a theater major in college, I learned to hone my stagecraft by drawing from my life and experiences to embody depth in a character. Paintg as an adult is very much the same. Painting requires drawing on who I am, where I’ve been, and what I’ve seen and felt in my life, and then being fully present in the moment as I create my art.
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.
I enjoy carving out colorful coastlines, wild gardens, city and towns, and dreamscapes - imagined worlds and places I dream up or picture while reading and listening to music- and paint them into existence, full of color, movement and texture.
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 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: