Alumni Spotlight: Jenna Noordstra

Seneca alumni Jenna Noordstra graduated from the Illustration diploma program in April 2023. Since then, she has explored various creative ventures including editorial illustration, printmaking, and package design. She enjoys bringing stories to life through imaginative, colourful, and humorous imagery.

During her time at Seneca, Jenna specialized in children’s illustration. She recently did a page for Chickadee magazine’s June issue as well as the cover of Chickadee’s summer digest that was released in July.

“It has been fun to see my illustrations actually published and in print. In my spare time, I’ve been working on a few children’s book ideas. It’s my goal to illustrate children’s books, and maybe even write a few.”

Jenna recently returned home from backpacking in Europe for three months. She loves to travel and always finds inspiration in new places and new experiences. She recalls scribbling down a specific artist residency from the program’s Professional Practices class that piqued her interest. One year later, Jenna was able to spend a week at Art Print Residence in Arenys de Munt, Spain this past May.

“I really enjoyed my printmaking class at Seneca – it was something that I was not very familiar with, but quickly learned to love. At this residency, I was able to expand my knowledge and my appreciation for this art form. At Art Print Residence, I was taught photo etching on photopolymer plates, as well as chine collé – two methods of printmaking that were completely foreign to me. I collaged together a whole bunch of photographs that I took throughout my travels of different houses and buildings. I created three different photopolymer plates containing these collaged elements, that when placed side by side, formed a house. The concept of ‘home’ is something that I thought a lot about while travelling, and I was able to express, in these prints. I had an amazing week working alongside other printmakers and experimenting with a medium that is outside of my usual realm of work. This was my first artist residency, and definitely will not be my last.”

Currently, Jenna is working on designing a wine label for a small batch winery in New Hampshire. She has always loved beer can art and is excited to see wine label designs launch her work in a similar creative direction. 

“My journey as an illustrator is just beginning, but it’s already proving to be a very exciting career.”

Images courtesy of Jenna Noordstra

View more of Jenna’s work here: https://www.jennanoordstra.com/