Steph Doren is an environmental painter and sculptor. Passionate about reducing carbon footprints, slowing or stopping waste streams, and quite simply, protecting the planet one piece of art work at a time, she uses reclaimed materials to create art that does not immediately say "I am recycled." Currently she is using materials that are considered "waste", often leftover from processing, and objects that could be recycled but frequently are not. She is driven by the material and a desire to converse with it. When talking about her work, she says, “We have a tendency as a civilization to "hide" or deny our impact on this planet. Although not always immediately visually apparent, this theme creates the undercurrent that flows through each piece, and I hope will be felt by the viewer upon further contemplation of the work.”
Van Doren’s latest body of work combines sculpture with painted surfaces that evoke images of human forms, landscapes, or natural organisms. At the same time they ask the viewer to become involved on a personal level with the current environmental crisis.