Hello
I'm Jennifer Sonne, an artist living, working, and creating in Alaska. After moving to Alaska ten years ago, I found overflowing inspiration that out-paced my capacity to get all my ideas down on canvas. I decided at nearly 30 years old to go back to school and work towards my Bachelor of Fine Arts at UAA. I could dabble successfully in painting before, but my art professors turned the light on and empowered me to paint more decisively and more boldly with different styles, a better grasp of color, and an improving command of my media. This change did not happen suddenly or easily, but taking artistic risks became revelatory. My art education is not yet complete, but now I feel more enabled to capture what interests me about this beautiful place and my passion for creating is fully ignited.
How I see it
Alaska is a place full of astounding contrasts. The snow-covered volcanoes towering over the
ocean still make me feel as though I’m visiting another planet. I love the contrast of height to
depth, bright summers to dark winters, the cycle of withering and regrowth, and my proximity to
all of this. My first impression was that Alaska makes you feel small in the best way possible. I
was humbled to walk between glaciers and mountain sides, stare up at sheer cliffs from rocky
beaches, and to gaze at a huge sky full of pink sunset clouds. This state is overflowing with
inspiration, so I try to capture it in my paintings. My work is simply an homage to Alaska’s
natural beauty. I love creating the illusion of depth through color,
line, and perspective.
The most interesting thing I’ve learned is that the artist never stops improving. For me and my
work, this means creating pieces improved in their ability to invite the viewer into the space to
see what I see in Alaska.