Have you ever encountered a piece of landscape art that felt like a place you’d been before? Something about the shape of the coastline and the hills, or the color of the water, feels familiar and connected to old memories? That’s a feeling you may have a lot when seeing the work of Alimo.
Professionally known as Alimo, Sean Kesterson is a West Coast artist whose minimalist, colorblocked creations are an ode to the ocean, surfing, and the great outdoors in general. From riding waves to hiking, snowboarding, and camping, the simple but striking imagery feels intimately personal to outdoor-lovers.
Inspired by the coasts of the West and forests, beaches, and mountains around the world, Alimo’s artwork isn’t directly tied to a single place, although the influences of a popular California beach or a snowy mountain in Japan may feel right in the viewer’s mind.

Artist Sean Kesterson, aka "Alimo"
As an ocean-loving artist, preserving and taking care of the seas that are both his playground and home is paramount. As such, Alimo’s recent work and partnerships have been deeply rooted in sustainability, whether in supporting environmental causes or directly reevaluating how his own artist production can be made more sustainable.
We recently caught up with Kesterson to learn more about the evolution of his distinct artistic style, where he finds inspiration, and what’s next on the horizon for the nomadic nature lover. Read on and enjoy.
Who are you, where are you from? What do you do?
I'm Sean. I go by the artist name, Alimo. Born and raised in a suburb of Portland, Oregon... currently in Bend, Oregon. I was living in San Francisco [when COVID hit] but generally I'm a bit of a traveling nomad. It is hard to kind of get stuck to one spot, but for now, I'm here.