Tech, art and design of ‘smart’ cities converge through Wisconsin company
Six weeks ago in the art-conscious town of Santa Fe, NM, a somewhat eclectic group of technologists, architects, city planners, fabricators and artists of all persuasions got together to talk about the future of art and how it can transform public settings.
Given that southwest city’s affinity for all things creative, perhaps that’s not surprising – except the gathering of about 170 people from around the world revolved around CODAworx, a young Madison company.
Co-founded by serial entrepreneur Toni Sikes, CODAworx is becoming the Amazon of the commissioned art economy. By connecting artists and designers with opportunities that range from private building projects to public works of art to specialty commissions, CODAworx is matching talent and utilizing technology to streamline an often-complicated mating dance.
“I really think this is the most important thing I have ever done in my life,” said Sikes, who built other arts and publication companies in the past. “There has always been commissioned art, but there wasn’t an organized, tech-based way of bringing together the supply with those who had the demand. We’re the hub, the connectors, for all types of people within the industry.”
A Creative Ecosystem
Madison is far from the capital of the art world. But right here in the capital of Wisconsin is the only company of its kind connecting artists to commissioners of art and to the fabricators and installers needed to bring their masterpieces to light.
CODAworx has been around for only five years yet has gained recognition among artists all over the world and will likely expand to serve international clients next year, says founder and CEO Toni Sikes.
CODA stands for Collaboration of Design + Art and CODAworx provides a website where artists can browse requests from architects, cities, companies and others looking to commission artwork. Artists, architects and installers can also showcase their past works and make connections to get their next commission. This synergy drives CODAworx’s success. “We made a statement from the beginning that in order to create these big projects it requires an ecosystem,” Sikes says.
Private Art Commissions: How to Connect With Consultants
Second of a 3-part series on the business of art consulting by Peter Hite. In the first article of this series, we covered the basics of art consultants: who they are, why they matter to you as an artist, and how you can find compatible consulting firms. Remember that a single well-matched art consulting relationship will be much more fruitful than a dozen poorly matched ones—so don’t be afraid to spend time researching before you take any next steps.
Once you have put in the effort and identified several consultants who seem like a good fit, you, of course, have to actually reach out to them. The commissions won’t come to you unless the consultants respond to your emails or find you on CODAworx.
And that’s what we’ll be exploring today: how art consultants prefer to be contacted and how to make a memorable first (or second…or third…) impression.
Manifesting the Spirits of Place: Sculptor Andy Scott’s Monumental Figures and Their Environments
She stands with one pair of arms outstretched, while a second pair arch gracefully behind her. She gathers up the streams of water flowing from the hem of her gown — or do they actually flow from her body? “Arria,’’ the colossal statue created for Cumbernauld, Scotland by sculptor Andy Scott, beautifully exemplifies this artist’s life-long commitment to the classical tradition of sculpture and to giving modern communities a taste of what their ancestors often took for granted: an awe-inspiring public statue that is also a comforting visual anchor in the landscape.
Technologies for Ecstatic Transformation: Chad Mount’s Art of Spectacular Lights and Sensorial Surprises
‘’I strive to create new sensory experiences. I use all kinds of technologies to make my art more surprising, more beautiful, more emotionally moving.” For Oklahoma City-based artist Chad Mount, there is no division between technology and art. ‘’Technology in all of its forms is really important when we’re talking about public art. What’s available now is really mind-blowing. I find that people in tech and the arts are really open to collaborating. We have to be learning from one another to make public art more impactful and meaningful.”
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 2018 CODAawards Winners Announced
When artists, designers, industry resources, and clients work together, common places are transformed into spectacular spaces. CODAworx, the hub of the commissioned art economy, has once again partnered with Interior Design magazine to announce the winners of the sixth annual international CODAawards: Collaboration of Design + Art. The CODAawards recognize collaborations that result in outstanding projects, which successfully integrate commissioned art into interior, architectural, or public spaces.
Private Art Commissions: Navigating the Art Consulting World
First of a 3-part series on the business of art consulting by Peter Hite. As a site-specific artist, private commissions are an important part of my work. They not only stretch me creatively, but they’re also oftentimes more lucrative and less competitive than public commissions—a combination that, as we all know, isn’t always easy to find.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: CODAworx Announces Strategic Partnership with ARTA Shipping
CODAworx, the hub of the commissioned art economy, announced a new partnership with New York-based ARTA Shipping, expanding the CODAworx marketplace to its global network of creative professionals. ARTA provides a full-service logistics operation, powered by an easy-to-use online platform catered to the specialized needs of fine art transport. Their technology helps hundreds of museums, galleries, collectors, and artists streamline the complicated process of moving artwork from one place in the world to another.
Mysterious Glory: The Expansive Visual Poems of Rosemary Feit Covey
Rosemary Feit Covey creates imagery that elevates the natural world to the realm of allegory and fable through her visual poems.