How do you define success?
Kate Van Doren: As an artist and art therapist, I define success by touching the lives of others in some way. If one person resonates with a story I paint, helps raise awareness or changes a perspective, I have done my job.
What is the best thing about being an artist?
Kate Van Doren: We all have the need to be fully seen, heard, and represented in a strength based way. As an artist, I have the incredible opportunity to connect with those whom I draw and paint. Together we are able to tell their stories about what it means to be human. For example, I am an ambassador for Twist Out Cancer, a program that pairs artists with cancer survivors to help share their journeys, aiding in the healing process. I am also on the board of Ser Mujer, a women led program in Mexico to raise awareness and prevention about gender based violence. I have the ability to elevate the voices of others through my artwork, and I find that both inspiring and the most rewarding part about being an artist.
To see more of Kate’s work, visit: https://www.artsy.net/artist/kate-van-doren
Included in Kate’s solo exhibit: The Days Without Women: Honoring the Stolen, March 5th-March 31st at the Fabrica Aurora Gallery, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico and partnering with 33 Contemporary Gallery in Chicago.
