Today we’d like to introduce you to Jennifer Alton.
Hi Jennifer, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I’ve always had a deep admiration for nature — the kind that makes you stop in your tracks and just take it in. Creating artwork from the beauty around me has been a lifelong dream, but for a long time I didn’t believe the opportunity to be a full-time artist would truly present itself.
I spent ten years working in a field completely unrelated to art, feeling creatively stuck but quietly building something of my own. I started Sitkas & Seas while still working that job, sharing my pieces one at a time. People began connecting with the detail in my work and the way I translate the rawness of the Pacific Northwest onto paper. That encouragement pushed me to work harder — refining my skills, learning how to build a website, market my art, and move past the fear of putting myself out there.
Eventually, I took the leap. I left my job, moved to Squamish, and chose to pursue my art full time. It was a huge shift — saying goodbye to comfort and familiarity — but I had incredible support. Now I spend my days creating in the forests, rivers, and mountains of BC, fully immersed in the landscapes that inspired this dream in the first place.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. Alongside the normal challenges of building a business, and the hurdles of showcasing who I am as a person, I’ve also navigated ongoing health struggles with epilepsy. The unpredictability of it made long-term career security feel fragile at times. Not knowing how I’d feel day to day added a layer of uncertainty that’s hard to explain unless you’ve lived it.
But in a strange way, it also gave me clarity. It created a sense of urgency — a reminder that I didn’t want to spend my life feeling stuck or disconnected from what I love. Choosing to pursue my art wasn’t just a career decision, it was choosing myself. Since making that shift and surrounding my days with nature and creativity, my health has felt more stable. It’s almost as if my body needed me to move toward the life that felt aligned all along.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
What sets me apart is the way I create — most of my work begins en plein air, fully immersed in the environment I’m drawing. I don’t just work from a photo; I sit with the landscape and translate what it feels like to be there.
My pieces are built through a detailed lens. Often at a very small scale, to larger pieces that challenge me, which gives them an intimate, almost meditative level of detail. There’s a minimal, timeless quality to my work, but when you look closer, you see the depth and patience within it. I think that combination of immersion, precision, and genuine reverence for the land is what makes my work distinct.
What matters most to you? Why?
What matters most to me is nature — and the people who’ve supported me in building a life around it.
I never grow tired of the same landscapes. The way mist moves through the canopy, the way light shifts with the seasons, how a familiar mountain can feel completely different depending on the day — that constant change keeps me inspired. Nature feels grounding and infinite at the same time, and it’s where I feel most myself.
Just as important are the people who’ve believed in me — the ones who encouraged me to take the leap, who collect my work, and who allow me to stay immersed in this dream every day. Without that support, I wouldn’t be able to spend my life creating in the places that mean the most to me.
Pricing:
- My original work can vary depending on the size and length of time, I love creating them but know the value in my work so they can be from $50- $1200
- My prints are more reasonable from smaller sizing of 8×10” for $32 to 11×14” at $48, every piece is printed, packaged and mailed by me and hand inspected before going to their new home to be appreciated
- I also sell stickers of my works for $6, I love seeing my artwork appreciated on every scale.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.sitkasandseas.com
- Instagram: @sitkasandseas
- Other: https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/SitkasAndSeas
