Steven Nederveen's art centers on the ever-changing relationship we share with nature, a connection that often oscillates between admiration and devastation. Beneath the overtly positive and uplifting depictions of natural landscapes, there lies a subtle exploration of the darker facets of the human psyche. His representations of oceans and forests are idealized, emanating an inner radiance that burns with intensity. This heightened effect reflects our own yearning for a deeper connection with nature, a desire to both harness and be moved by its power, ultimately revealing the complexity of our bond with the natural world.
After receiving his Bachelor of Design from the University of Alberta, the Canadian artist moved to Vancouver where he lived between the mountains and ocean, undertaking a committed practice of meditation as well as hiking and sailing. Nederveen combines painting and photography to express the complex relationship we have with the natural environment. He travels extensively to photograph landscapes around the world. He looks for either quiet moments in a dramatic scene or dramatic moments in quiet scenes.
Printing these images at canvas size, he then starts the slow process of concealing and revealing areas with acrylic paint, mixing impasto techniques with splatters and scrapes, often leaving just a small area of a photo remaining. He uses meditation and time spent in nature to inform his images, finding a language to express the connection between inner and outer worlds. These mixed media paintings blur the lines of realism and experience, photography and painting.
