Masterclass: Public Art & Site-Specific Commissions
Tuesday 17th March, 1pm–2pm (UK time)

Public art offers artists the opportunity to create work that transforms landscapes, shapes communities, and responds meaningfully to place. In this masterclass, we will explore the full spectrum of public art and site-specific practice, including how artists can approach commissions, respond to briefs, and navigate the complexities of working in public space. We will also look at Land Art, examining how artists work directly with natural environments and create sculptural interventions that engage with the landscape itself. This session is ideal for artists seeking to expand their practice into public, environmental, or community-based work.

The session will be led by Artist Mentor Karen van Hoey Smith.
Karen van Hoey Smith is an artist mentor, independent art broker, and curator with a degree in Fine Arts Valuation. She has worked across the arts and antiques sectors since 2001, including roles in gallery management, art consultancy, and auctioneering—becoming the youngest female auctioneer in the UK. A member of AWITA and a trustee of the Royal Crown Derby Museum Trust, Karen has also served as a consultant expert for the BBC, press and radio. With a successful brokerage history that includes works by Banksy, Picasso, and Bomberg, she brings deep expertise in artist representation, curatorial practice, and supporting artists to achieve greater sales and institutional recognition.

We are also delighted to welcome guest speaker Pavlina Vagioni.
Pavlina Vagioni is a Houston-based interdisciplinary artist whose work stages encounters between classical mythology and contemporary life through sculpture, painting, sound, mixed media, and digital forms. Her practice is strongly site-specific, shaped by her multicultural and diasporic background, and explores themes such as fear, protection, digital influence, and liminality. She studied at the Athens School of Fine Arts, graduating with honours in painting, sculpture, ceramics, and scenography, and trained for over a decade as a classical soprano—an influence that continues to inform her work. Her practice includes major public art commissions, international exhibitions, and works held in the permanent collection of MOMus–Museum of Contemporary Art in Thessaloniki.

This masterclass is exclusive to VAA Members.

• Premium Members: Free access to all masterclasses
• Standard Members: £12.49 per session

To join the Visual Artists Association, visit: https://visual-artists.org/join