How Kate Van Doren Uses Empathic Realism to Tell Women’s Stories

Kate Van Doren is an American artist and board-certified art therapist whose powerful realism paintings, drawings, and photography focus on the human condition, especially the strength and resilience of women. Through her words, Kate shares how art can be used as a tool for healing, transformation, and connection.

In the interview, she opens up about her creative process, what inspires her, and how she balances her art career with her personal life. She talks about the incredible women she collaborates with through the Healing Words Project and how their stories of courage deeply shape her work. She also speaks up about the challenges she’s faced, the joy she finds in helping others heal, and her belief in the emotional power of honest, empathetic art. She believes that art is more than just something we see—it can be a bridge between pain and healing, between people and their true selves.

Kate Van Doren (American, b.1978) is a contemporary artist whose realism paintings, drawings, and photography explore themes of the human condition and human rights. With over two decades of experience as a board-certified art therapist, Kate harnesses empathy and connection to foster meaningful engagement with her inspirations to honour their stories. Her work incorporates positive psychology and the use of empowering mantras, transforming adversity into meaningful expression and reclaiming personal narratives.

Kate earned honors degrees in Fine Art and Psychology from the University of Oregon (2002) and a double master’s degree in Counseling and Art Therapy from Marylhurst University (2006). Throughout her career, she has developed and led art therapy programs for at-risk youth, trauma survivors, individuals with severe mental illness, the elderly, and hospice care patients. In addition to her therapeutic work, she mentors artists and art therapy students worldwide, helping them discover their own creative voice.

As the founder of the internationally recognized Healing Words Project, Kate has documented the healing journeys of over 2,000 women through photography and painting. Recognized as an innovative early intervention program to prevent violence against women, the project continues to inspire and empower participants globally.

Kate’s artwork has been exhibited in galleries and museums across the U.S., Europe, and Mexico while being held in private collections worldwide. She has been featured in Art Basel Miami, Fine Art Connoisseur, American Art Collector, PoetsArtists, Mod Portrait, News Week Español and the Art Renewal Center. Kate was a finalist in the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize and earned 2nd Place in the prestigious international FIKVA award for painters. She was also a finalist in the Art Renewal Center (ARC) competitions in both 2022 and 2024 and received 1st place Artist of the Year award with the Circle Foundation for the Arts. Kate’s work is part of the Peregrine Collection, a digitized art and literature time capsule sent to the moon.

Kate is based in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, and the Pacific Northwest, where she devotes her time to her family, art therapy practice, activism work, and fine art studio.

1. What mediums and techniques do you primarily work with?

I attempt to balance tradition and innovation by blending classical techniques in oil painting and drawing with contemporary ideas and media. My foundation in realism and traditional painting methods allows me to honour timeless artistic principles, while my use of photography, video, and modern materials pushes my work into new territory. I incorporate personal mantras, symbolism, and layered narratives to bridge past and present.

Through my art, I collaborate with individuals to reclaim narratives, transforming stories of adversity into expressions of empowerment and resilience.

Kate Van Doren

2. Where do you find inspiration for your artwork?

My work is deeply inspired by the strength and resilience of women—those who have endured trauma and transformed pain into wisdom. I am drawn to the extraordinary stories of ordinary women, painting their journeys so their voices can be heard and honoured. Through the Healing Words Project, I’ve worked with over 2,000 women, each reclaiming their own personal narrative through art. My goal is to capture their empowerment, showing that healing is possible and that their experiences matter. Their courage fuels my work, creating a visual testament to resilience, transformation, and hope.

3. What has been the most rewarding aspect of your art journey?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is the incredible connections I make with the amazing women I work with. I am forever grateful for their voices, wisdom, and trust. Their strength and stories inspire me daily, and I continue to learn from them with every piece I create.

4. Do you have any parting words of wisdom for our readers or aspiring artists?

My advice to aspiring artists is this: Create from your heart. Let your work come from a place of honesty, vulnerability, and connection. Art is not just about technical skill or aesthetics—it’s about truth. As both an artist and art therapist, I’ve learned that when we create from a place of emotional authenticity, the work becomes more than just a visual expression—it becomes a powerful tool for healing. This is especially true when your art involves other people. The individuals we depict in our work are not just subjects; they are whole human beings with stories, emotions, and histories. Honouring their truth is a deep responsibility. It’s important to approach every piece with empathy and respect, ensuring that their experience is reflected with care and intention. Creating with this depth not only strengthens your voice as an artist but also invites others into a space of connection and understanding. Art made from the heart has the power to transform—not only the viewer but the person being portrayed and the artist themselves. That, to me, is the true magic of art.

Art made from the heart has the power to transform—not only the viewer, but the person being portrayed, and the artist themselves.

Kate Van Doren

5. What do you hope people take away from experiencing your art?

My hope is that my final pieces serve as reflections of strength, healing, and self-discovery. I want my subjects to see themselves fully—not just in the artwork but in their own transformation. My goal is for viewers to connect, recognize their own struggles and resilience, and understand that healing and empowerment are possible for all.

Kate Van Doren’s work reminds us that art is not only a form of expression but a path to healing—for both the subject and the viewer. Her deep commitment to storytelling, empathy, and the transformative power of creativity has given voice to thousands of women across the globe. Through her art, she invites us all to reflect, reconnect with our humanity, and recognize that within each story lies the possibility of strength, healing, and hope. To learn more about Kate, visit the links below.