In the world of Canadian landscape art, few phenomena capture the imagination quite like the Northern Lights. Among the artists who have dedicated themselves to portraying this celestial wonder, Sarah Mackenzie stands out for her luminous, emotionally charged depictions of the Aurora Borealis dancing across Arctic skies. We recently had the opportunity to speak with Sarah about her artistic journey, her techniques, and her deep connection to Canada's northern landscapes.

Finding Her Artistic Voice in the North

Born and raised in Edmonton, Sarah Mackenzie grew up with stories of the Northern Lights from her grandfather, who worked as a wilderness guide in the Northwest Territories. "My earliest memories of art are drawing what I imagined the lights looked like based on his descriptions," she recalls. "It wasn't until I was nineteen that I actually saw them for myself, during a camping trip north of Yellowknife. That experience changed everything for me."

After completing her formal training at the Alberta University of the Arts (formerly the Alberta College of Art and Design), where she studied painting, Sarah spent a year living in a remote cabin near the Arctic Circle. "I needed to immerse myself in that environment, to witness the lights in all their variations through the seasons. To understand how they interact with the landscape beneath them."

This intensive period of observation and experimentation became the foundation for her distinctive approach to capturing the Aurora. "What fascinates me isn't just the lights themselves, but how they transform everything they touch—the snow, the water, the trees. It's a conversation between sky and earth that's never the same twice."

Technical Approach: Capturing Light and Movement

Sarah's paintings are known for their extraordinary luminosity—a quality that doesn't fully translate in digital reproductions. "People often ask if I use phosphorescent paint," she laughs. "I don't. It's all about building up many translucent layers of oil paint, understanding how light passes through these layers and reflects back to the viewer's eye."

Her technical process combines traditional glazing techniques with contemporary approaches. "I begin with a very dark, almost black ground," she explains. "Then I gradually build up the scene—the silhouetted landscape elements first, then the sky, and finally the Aurora itself, which is painted in multiple very thin layers."

What makes Sarah's work particularly distinctive is her ability to convey movement. "The Northern Lights aren't static—they ripple, wave, and pulse. I use a combination of precise brushwork and more gestural applications to capture that sense of motion. Sometimes I'll apply paint with non-traditional tools—feathers, fabric, even my fingers—to get the right effect."

She also emphasizes the importance of color temperature in her work. "The interplay of warm and cool is crucial. Even within what appears to be a single green streak of Aurora, there are subtle temperature shifts that create visual vibration."

Beyond the Lights: The Full Northern Experience

While the Aurora Borealis is the central motif in Sarah's work, she sees her paintings as portraying a more holistic experience of the northern wilderness. "The silence is as important as the visual spectacle," she observes. "There's a profound quiet when you're watching the lights, especially over a snow-covered landscape. I try to convey that stillness alongside the dynamic movement of the sky."

Her recent work has begun to incorporate human elements—small cabins with glowing windows, the occasional distant figure—suggesting the human experience of witnessing these natural phenomena. "We're part of this landscape too. I'm interested in that moment of connection, when a person stands beneath this cosmic display and feels simultaneously tiny and part of something immense."

Climate Change and the Northern Landscape

When asked about how climate change has influenced her work, Sarah grows reflective. "The North is warming faster than anywhere else on Earth. I've seen changes just in the time I've been painting these landscapes—thinner ice, altered migration patterns, shifting vegetation. The Arctic is a canary in the coal mine."

This awareness has added a layer of urgency to her artistic mission. "I'm not creating environmental protest art explicitly, but there's an element of preservation in what I do. I'm documenting these pristine wilderness experiences that are increasingly threatened."

Her recent series "Fragile North" directly addresses these concerns, with paintings that subtly incorporate evidence of environmental change. "I want viewers to fall in love with these landscapes, to feel that they're worth protecting."

New Directions and Upcoming Projects

Looking to the future, Sarah is expanding her artistic exploration of northern phenomena beyond the Aurora. "I've become fascinated by the interaction of light and ice—the way sunlight passes through icebergs, the crystalline structures that form in extreme cold. My new series focuses on these ice formations and their ephemeral nature."

She's also embarking on a collaborative project with Indigenous artists from northern communities, exploring their traditional representations of the night sky alongside her contemporary interpretations. "I believe these different ways of seeing enrich each other. This isn't about appropriation but about respectful dialogue between artistic traditions."

In 2024, Sarah will be artist-in-residence aboard a research vessel traveling through the Northwest Passage, creating works that respond to this changing environment alongside scientists studying its transformation. "Art and science are both ways of observing and interpreting the world. I'm excited to see how these perspectives can inform each other."

Advice for Emerging Artists

When asked what guidance she would offer to artists just beginning their careers, particularly those drawn to landscape painting, Sarah emphasizes the importance of direct experience. "Spend time in the places you want to paint. Photos have their place, but there's no substitute for observing light, weather, and terrain firsthand."

She also encourages artistic courage. "Find the subject matter that moves you personally, not what you think galleries want or what's currently popular. Authentic passion shows in the work and is ultimately what connects with viewers."

Perhaps most importantly, she advocates for persistence. "Developing a distinctive artistic voice takes time. Some of my early Aurora paintings were terrible! But each attempt taught me something. The artists who succeed aren't necessarily the most naturally talented—they're the ones who keep showing up, keep trying, keep learning."

Experience Sarah Mackenzie's Work

Sarah Mackenzie's paintings are featured in our current exhibition "Northern Illuminations" at Geo Canada Art Gallery through August 2023. Her work has also been acquired by the National Gallery of Canada and several major private collections focused on Canadian landscape art.

For those interested in learning more about her techniques, Sarah offers occasional workshops at her Edmonton studio. Information about upcoming exhibitions, workshops, and available paintings can be found on her website, www.sarahmackenzieart.com.