Stephanie Harold

I am a sketch artist based in the tiny Southeast Alaskan town of Hoonah, in the mostly wilderness homeland of the Huna Tlingit. Working largely in wild places, I strive to create evocative visual stories connecting nature, science, and culture. That means that I'm often outside: getting wet, trying to keep my paper from blowing away, hoping that my watercolor dries before the next dark squall hits. A clawhammer banjo playing, fat-bike riding sea kayaker, I first practiced nature illustration while recovering from a severe injury that prevented me from being in the wilderness.

In my nature illustration work, I want to offer a sense of wonder and invite my viewers to immerse themselves in the mental and physical calm that comes from fully experiencing the natural world. I hope to inspire stewardship of powerful wild landscapes. I donate a portion of my art sales profits to efforts for conservation and climate change mitigation.

As an educator at Hoonah City Schools and in the community of Hoonah, I want people to put down their phones and look around, grounding themselves in their homeland. I hope to make nature journaling skills accessible to all ages — with a focus on Southeast Alaska as the largest temperate rainforest on the planet.

Contact

https://www.discoverybysketch.com/
stephanie@discoverybysketch.com
@discoverybysketch

Interview

What inspires your art practice and keeps you motivated?
As long as I have space in my days, I automatically want to create. At this point, it's become a basic need for me — like food and rest. The trick is making sure to reserve the time.


How does your mission as an artist influence the work you create?
I do most of my work on location because that way I can more easily capture the experience of place.


Can you share a key part of your creative process that helps you stay focused?
Being outside in nature by myself always focuses me. Going on long wilderness trips with my husband or alone allows me to reconnect with myself.


What mindset tip do you rely on to overcome challenges in your art career?
I've adopted the phrase "moving is winning" from Sarah Histand, a fitness and mental health coach who runs the organization Mind and Mountain. In other words, as long as you keep moving — no matter how fast or slow, you will make progress.


How do you hope your art impacts the world or your community?
In addition to what I said in my bio, I'd like my work to inspire others to "discover by sketch" — in other words, explore the world via art.