For artist Jessie Somers, creativity has never been just about making art — it is about helping others discover they can make it too.

The University of the Fraser Valley alumna has been selected as the 2026 featured artist for the alumni wine program, with two of her paintings — Misty Island and Golden Sunset — appearing on this year’s wine labels. Jessie graduated from UFV’s Bachelor of Fine Arts program in 2010.

The works offer a glimpse into the beauty of life in British Columbia, from quiet, mist-covered waters to vivid sunsets glowing through the trees. Together, they capture familiar moments in the Lower Mainland landscape through Somers’ distinctive use of watercolour and alcohol ink.

“From moody, rain-drenched afternoons to vibrant, rich sunsets, I couldn’t be happier to call British Columbia home,” says Jessie.

But while the labels showcase her work as an artist, much of Jessie’s impact happens in classrooms, studios, and community spaces, where she helps others discover their own creative confidence.

After graduating from UFV with a BFA in 2010, Jessie built a career balancing her own artistic practice with teaching. She spent years leading children’s art camps and creative programming before joining the City of Surrey’s community arts team, where she now facilitates art programs and teaches drawing and painting to both children and adults.

“People who are so fresh and so new and nervous — you can see so much potential. You just have to encourage them to enjoy the process and not be so hard on themselves.”

For more than 15 years, she has worked as an art educator, helping people move past self-doubt and reconnect with creativity.

“Adults are so hard on themselves and results focused,” she says.

In many ways, art teachers stand at the front lines of “converting” artists — helping hesitant beginners discover they are more creative than they believe. Somers sees that transformation often, particularly among adults who arrive convinced they lack artistic ability.

“There’s something really beautiful about working with the community in general,” she says. “People who are so fresh and so new and nervous — you can see so much potential. You just have to encourage them to enjoy the process and not be so hard on themselves.”

That philosophy reflects Jessie’s own journey with art.

Born and raised in B.C., she grew up in the woods outside Mission near Cascade Falls, spending much of her childhood exploring nature — an experience that continues to shape her work today. For Jessie, the trees depicted in her work represent memory and fond connection to those early days of childhood exploration and creation.

“My brother and I would just roam around back there,” she says. “I think that just sort of infused itself into my work. For my own practice, it’s very much process over product. It’s about connecting with whatever you’re making.”

She has been drawing and painting since childhood and describes art as both a creative outlet and a way of processing the world around her. At UFV, Jessie immersed herself in drawing and painting while also experimenting with sculpture, printmaking, and photography.

“Being able to use all the facilities there was such a treat,” she says. “The instructors at the time were absolutely amazing. They really formed my experience there.”

Though watercolour would eventually become one of her signature mediums, Somers says much of that learning happened independently.

“I still consider myself self-taught that way,” she says. “Watercolour classes are actually pretty rare in post-secondary settings.”

Her practice evolved further while working at Opus Art Supplies, where experimenting with materials introduced her to resin and alcohol ink — mediums she now uses to create luminous, richly textured work. By mounting paintings on wood panels and sealing them with high-gloss resin, she found a way to preserve the vibrancy and immediacy she wanted viewers to feel.

“I wanted to make my watercolour look like it was still wet and really vibrant,” she says.

The two paintings selected for the alumni wine labels reflect both the landscapes that inspire her and the emotional resonance she hopes viewers experience.

Misty Island, one of her most popular works, was inspired by ferry trips to Vancouver Island and the sight of mist settling across the water in the early morning. Influenced by author Brené Brown’s Daring Greatly, the painting explores ideas of resilience and conviction — standing firm even when the path ahead feels uncertain.

Its companion piece, Golden Sunset, shifts the mood entirely. Created in alcohol ink, the work captures a glowing sunset filtering through trees, inspired by a fleeting moment Somers experienced outdoors watching the changing light.

Whether she is teaching someone to pick up a paintbrush for the first time or creating work inspired by the forests and coastlines of British Columbia, Jessie sees art as an invitation — to slow down, notice beauty, and create without fear.

Now, through the alumni wine program, alumni and supporters will be able to take home not only a bottle of wine, but a small reflection of the landscapes — and creative spirit — that continue to inspire one of UFV’s own.