Isaiah Somsen
Isaiah Somsen was our pilot long-term artist in residence from May 1, 2021 until September, 2022, supported through Griffin Art Projects. As both an artist in residence as well as consultant on the project, we are grateful for all the work he offered to help us launch the residency program.
Isaiah Wolf Somsen (b. 1992, Salt Lake City, UT) is a visual artist living in the British Columbia Interior. After pursuing a degree in Environmental Science at the University of Utah, Isaiah moved to Vancouver and received his BFA from Emily Carr University. Undoubtedly influenced by a longstanding interest in the sciences, Isaiah’s artistic practice is an interrogation of painting and printmaking processes through constant material experimentation. Isaiah’s most recent body of work, involving watercolor and photo-collage, is a personal reflection on his year spent in the Lower Similkameen Valley, living through fires, floods, blizzards, and general global pandemonium.
To hear more about Isaiah’s body of work and residency in Keremeos, please watch his artist talk below hosted by Griffin Art Projects.
Image: Isaiah Somsen
“Participating in the Similkameen Artist Residency was a pivotal decision in my artistic career. The studio space was a blank canvas that allowed me to try something new that I would not have otherwise done and I found inspiration in the dramatic landscape that is the Similkameen River valley. I recommend this to anyone looking for reprieve from the chaotic urban environment and for anyone looking to explore new ideas in a neutral space. Visit in the spring when the wildflowers are in bloom!”
Isaiah Somsen
