Evelyn Sorohan

As an interdisciplinary environmental artist, I reimagine our relationship with the natural world, exploring climate change, sustainability, and social impact. Blending art, science, and social engagement, I work across photography, painting, installation, and participatory art to provoke reflection and inspire action—echoing Bertolt Brecht’s words: “Art is not a mirror held up to reality but a hammer with which to shape it.”

In the words of Olafur Eliasson, "Art can change the world, but it needs to be embedded in a larger context," a belief that resonates deeply with my practice. With a professional background in Education, Art, and Leadership, my work is both expansive, experiential and deeply collaborative.
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From Studio Practice & Community Engagement
‍Part of my time is spent researching and creating in my home studio, while my social practice thrives through dialogue with scientists and educators. I also co-create and facilitate experiential participatory programs that foster creativity and environmental awareness in schools and community settings. This dynamic interplay between independent creation and collective engagement enriches both my artistic process and its broader impact. I have been fortunate to present four solo exhibitions to date:
‍Past Making Its Presence (2005) London College of English, Dublin
‍From There to Here (2007) Axis Ballymun, Dublin
‍Plastic Imprints (2019) Clare Museum, Ennis, Co Clare, Ireland
‍Change of Climate (2024) Glor Gallery, Ennis, Co Clare, Ireland
My work is held in both private and public collections, nationally and internationally. It has been chosen to be exhibited in groups including shows in GOMA Waterford, The Courthouse Gallery, Straton University and Glor Gallery Ennis.
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‍Background
Growing up on a farm in rural Cavan, I was immersed in nature’s rhythms, where weather dictated daily life and instilled a deep respect for the environment. Now based in County Clare, my art combines personal history, eco-visionary exploration, and community collaboration. Working alongside scientists and educators, I develop interdisciplinary projects rooted in research, participation, and experiential learning. Inspired by Leonardo da Vinci’s integration of science and art, I believe in the interconnectedness of all things, where partnerships and community involvement are key to meaningful creative expression.
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Change Of Climate
My recent exhibition, Change of Climate, uses reclaimed materials—plastic waste, discarded acrylic paint, and debris—to make powerful statements on ecological fragility. Inspired by Professor Ed Hawkins’ Warming Stripes, I incorporate colour-coded barcodes to illustrate biodiversity loss, highlighting that a third of native wildlife in my region has disappeared since my birth year, 1975.
Significantly my stuido work acts as the catalyst for my participatory programmes. My Creative Climate Action Programmes grew out of my piece Change of Climate whilst my current piece Mo Laoch is the launchpad to the socially engaged eco project Im developing for rural communities in Clare.
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Socially Engaged
Guided by Lucy Lippard’s belief that "the best art is not about what it means, but about what it does to us," my socially engaged practice places great value on collaboration. Through the Creative Climate Action Programme for Schools (CAPS), which I co-created with Clare Education Centre and Dr. Alice D’Arcy of STEAM Education, I guide students in exploring climate change through science and experimental art processes. Students invent, plan and create GREEN vehicles and sustainable homes, or repurpose fossil-fueled plastics into collages and sculptures, which then become integral to my exhibitions—reinforcing art as a collective experience.
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Experiential and Participatory
In these participatory scoially engaged programmes and workshops, including BLAST, TAP, Artist in Schools Residencies, and Creative Schools,  the real magic happens. Using contemporary climate art as a launchpad, I invite students to engage physically—moving, breathing, and sweating as a metaphor for our heating planet. Alongside teachers, I co-facilitate science experiments with wind, ice, and solar materials before challenging students to envision and construct sustainable futures powered by renewable energy. Engineering, science, and art merge, unleashing their inventiveness and making them part of the solution.
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Artist as Activist
‍My commitment to environmental and community action is inspired by my father, Sean, and reflected in my involvement with local groups like the Ennis Environmental Group, Ennis Voices for Autism, Inch Tidy Towns, and the Creative Circle Group (Glór). As a committee member and volunteer, these connections ground my work, making it accessible and thought-provoking.
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Bear Witness
Driven by both a fascination with and fear of our climate future, my art bears witness and calls for change. Through ongoing collaborations with scientists, educators, and communities, I aim to spark dialogue, promote sustainability, and contribute to a greener, more just world.