Andrew Schoultz, Beau K. Basse, Kristin Farr
Creating Communities with Public Art
a panel discussion moderated by Jason Silva

The Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission presents, “Remarkable Artists”, a series of intimate conversations with local, national and internationally distinguished artists from June - September, 2016. 

In conjunction with the 2016 Sacramento Mural Festival, Jason Silva will moderate a discussion with muralists Kristin Farr and Andrew Schoultz and curator Beau Basse on creating and engaging communities through public art. 

Andrew Schoultz’s mixed-media works have reoccurring themes on the notions of war, spirituality and sociopolitical imperialism.  Kristin Farr explores magic, rainbows, nostalgia, color psychology and positive vibes through her work. Beau K. Basse is the Founder of LeBasse Projects, a contemporary art consultancy, working with clients including international developers, cities and global brands to develop experiential art programming.  Jason Silva is a partner and design principal at Dreyfuss + Blackford Architects and is the current vice-chair of the Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission.

The goal of the Remarkable Artists series is to enrich the cultural and educational life of the Sacramento region through the exploration of a diverse array of provocative cultural, artistic, and educational perspectives represented by artists in a variety of disciplines. Supported in part by a generous grant from the California Arts Council, a state agency and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency, all events are free and open to the public but reservations are required.

Andrew Schoultz, Los Angeles, CA.  Sourcing inspiration from 15th Century German map making and Indian miniature paintings, Andrew Schoultz’s frenetic imagery depicts an ephemeral history bound to repeat itself. In his mixed-media works, notions of war, spirituality and sociopolitical imperialism are reoccurring themes, which shrewdly parallel an equally repetitive contemporary pursuit of accumulation and power.  Intricate line work, painting, metal leaf and collage twist and undulate under Schoultz’s meticulous hand, ranging from intimately sized wall works to staggering murals and installations. While his illustrated world seems one of chaos and frenzy, Schoultz also implies a sense of alluring fantasy and whimsy – a crossroads vaguely familiar to the modern world.  Schoultz (b. 1975, WI) received his BFA from the Academy of Art University, San Francisco (CA). He has had solo exhibitions in Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Copenhagen, Philadelphia, Rotterdam, Boston, London, Portland, Detroit and Milan. He has been included in group exhibitions at the Andy Warhol Museum (PA), Torrance Art Museum (CA), Havana Biennial (Cuba), Hyde Park Arts Center (IL), Laguna Art Museum (CA), San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (CA), among others. His work can be seen in the public collections of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (CA), Los Angeles County Museum of Art (CA), Frederick R. Weisman Foundation (CA) and the Progressive Art Collection (OH), in addition to his publicly funded murals in Portland (ME), Jogjakarta (Indonesia) and San Francisco (CA). Schoultz lives and works in Los Angeles (CA).

Kristin Farr, Richmond, CA. Through her work, Kristin Farr explores magic, rainbows, nostalgia, color psychology and positive vibes. Her signature Magic Diamond design made of multicolored geometric shapes has been painted on many different surfaces in thematically selected palettes, using countless contrasting colors to create structure and dimension. Her round Magic Hexagon paintings are a nod to her family’s roots in Pennsylvania Dutch folk art. “Hex Signs” were painted on barns for decoration, good luck or protection, depending on which legend you believe. Her interest in folk magic contributes to her exploration of human made objects that are believed to have powers or talismanic properties, and she adapts this traditional art practice with contemporary colors and designs. Color is central to her work and she is influenced by a common form of the neurological condition synesthesia in which her mind associates letters and numbers with specific colors. Kristin’s work has been shown throughout the Bay Area at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, The Bedford Gallery, FFDG, Anno Domini and Fifty24SF. She has created public art and murals in San Francisco, Taiwan, Manila and Hawaii. She also produces documentary videos about contemporary artists for PBS and is an editor for Juxtapoz magazine.

Beau K. Basse is the Founder of LeBasse Projects, a contemporary art consultancy, working with clients including international developers, cities and global brands to develop experiential art programming.  Prior to launching the consultancy, Basse owned and operated two contemporary art galleries in Los Angeles for over a decade, producing and curating over 150 exhibitions and events, including gallery shows, museum projects, international art fairs, public art installations and private curatorial events. 

LeBasse Projects is an international arts consultancy that partners with its artists and clients in developing large scale experiential exhibitions and ideas.  With a focus on public installations, sculptures and mural projects LBP can design and develop public art programming that is both exciting and culturally relevant for nearly any size client or project.  We specialize in utilizing public art programming to enhance projects and communities through cultural placemaking. By tailoring artist installations, murals and sculptures to the environment and audience, our projects deliver engaging and experiential art for the public.  Working with an international roster of artists and designers, LeBasse Projects is also able to deliver strong media return for our clients. Our strong relationships with culturally relevant media outlets helps our clients’ projects earn strong critical, institutional and most importantly public reviews. With a series of global projects since our inception in 2012, LeBasse Projects has the proven ability to concept, produce and manage nearly any scale project on any continent for any client.