Public Art - a small and distinctive industry

The Public Art world, a surprisingly small yet distinctive industry, came to California last week, and we were delighted to welcome them. CODAsummit 2023 was hosted in San Jose, California. Many of our team were able to attend in person to learn, network and celebrate the Public Art World community. Marcus and Nick gave a talk: ‘From Ideas to Icons: Crafting Artist Visions.’ It was very well attended. If you’re interested, Contact Us, and we’ll send you a link to the deck.

Here’s a quick synopsis of what moved us as individuals:

Marcus Guard, Co-Founder & Chief Creative Officer

This year's Codaworx event was undoubtedly the best one yet. The fact that it was hosted in our hometown made it all the more special. This experience truly highlighted the essence of our small and distinctive industry. I felt a deep sense of joy being surrounded by so many individuals who share our professional language and passion. We are excited to be a part of this thriving community. The Coda team deserves immense credit for fostering these valuable connections. Engaging with numerous other studios and exchanging ideas and insights proved to be an invaluable experience. I've always maintained that I don't view other businesses in our field as competitors; instead, I see them as potential collaborators. I believe we can all support one another and mutually benefit from our collective efforts. It was a pleasure to meet Demiurge, Dimensional Innovations, Gizmo Art Fabrication, and all the other talented professionals at the event.

Caitlin Jewell, Marketing Director

"I was surprised and delighted to see how many Arts Commissioners from all over the country were in attendance. I had a delightful lunch with Elisabeth Gordon from Boston's Children's Hospital. She shared the journey to commission art for the hospital's chapel and how helpful the RFP process is when working through CODAworx. From Salt Lake City, San Jose, Georgia and Louisville, I had the most beautiful conversations with Public Art Commissioners and Curators. On a personal level, as a painter, I was over the moon to meet my hero, Sweedish Painter Helene Steene. I had no idea she was coming from Kentucky, and I was able to sit down with her and see some of her works in progress. Meeting sculptors in person was very exciting as I'm thinking through the process of moving from 2D to 3D in my work. I was thrilled to chat with Gail Folwell. Her sculpture is so exciting and passionate.”