CODAsummit: Art, Technology and Place
September 29 – October 1, 2026
Santa Fe, NM
CODAsummit Roundtables
CODAsummit Roundtables are intimate, discussion-driven sessions where artists, engineers, fabricators, and creative leaders share hard-won insight on the challenges facing public art today. Explore this year’s topics and the voices leading each conversation below, or check out the agenda to see when each session takes place.
Roundtable: Best Practices for Commissioners
Anton Morton
Principal, Kasum MANIFOLD
Virgil Ortiz is one of today’s most visionary artists—fusing Pueblo culture with sci-fi, fantasy, and fashion to create unleashed new worlds. Drawing from ancestral storytelling and his family’s legacy of Cochiti Pueblo potters, Ortiz transforms clay, couture, film, and digital media into futuristic narratives that captivate audiences worldwide. His saga Revolt 1680/2180 reimagines Pueblo history with time- traveling warriors, igniting Indigenous Futurism on the global stage. With exhibitions from Paris to Miami, Ortiz inspires a new generation to see art as rebellion, resistance, and survival—blazing a path where culture collides with imagination, and the future is unbound.
Kimberly Towne
Special Projects Manager, City of Suwanee, GA
Kimberly Towne is the Special Projects Manager within the Economic and Community Development Department for the City of Suwanee, Georgia. She serves at the executive director of the City’s council-appointed public arts commission, and in that capacity manages the procurement, placement, and maintenance of the City’s public art collection. She is also the liaison with the Suwanee Arts Center, a joint venture with a local non-profit that manages a gallery and classroom space and doubles as the City’s welcome center. Kim has held multiple roles within the City, and earned recognition as Event Director of the Year by the Southeast Festivals and Events Association. She most recently earned her Travel Marketing Professional (TMP) designation in 2026.
Home at NE 36th and Lincoln by Kasum MANIFOLD
Roundtable: Emerging Technologies in Public Art
Anaïsa Franco
Owner + Artist, Anaïsa Franco Studio
Anaisa Franco specializes in integrating parametric digital fabrication mixed with technology with a mission to activate the body and the public space through a playful and interactive approach. Her pieces reflect the curved and smooth forms found in basic life at the molecular and macro levels, connecting and reshaping the way we view the world. Her collaborative creative Studio is constantly prototyping new digital fabrication techniques, experimenting with new materials and technology to apply in future projects. With two decades of dedicated work, she has completed 40 interactive projects exhibited in the USA, China, Taiwan, Korea, Australia, Brazil, Ireland, UK, Germany, Switzerland, Spain, France, Portugal, Italy and The Netherlands.
Marc Aptakin
President, MAD
Marc Aptakin is the founder and CEO of Mad, a multidisciplinary creative agency he launched over two decades ago with just a laptop and a passion for innovation. With roots in fine art photography and graphic design, Marc grew Mad into a 100+ person company spanning Mad Agency, Mad Studio, Mad Dev, Mad Arts, and MadLabs, with locations across the U.S. and in São Paulo, Brazil. Under his leadership, Mad delivers end-to-end branding and immersive, tech-driven experiences.
Sander Henriksen
Creative Director, Heavy
With a background in sculpture and visual arts, Sander brings the knowledge necessary for the planning phase of the PLAN—BUILDTM process. His experience working on the fabrication of projects, coupled with his creativity in the arts, gives him a unique perspective when working with clients. Sander believes in the lasting value of placemaking, and is driven by the ability to contribute to our communities by making them more beautiful one installation at a time. Sander brings 15 years of experience working with Heavy. Prior to his role as Creative Director, Sander worked in the Heavy shop, participating on complex projects that included architectural features and iconic public art. He is well-known for his involved approach when working with creatives and managing the discovery and conceptual development phases.
Twenty-Five: A Game by Tile Artisans Digital Imaging
Roundtable: Bridging the Gap between Vision and Budget in Large-Scale Public Art
London Clark
Director of Marketing, Tile Artisans Digital Imaging
London Clark is a marketing strategist, public art advocate, and media professional who connects artists, institutions, brands, and communities through storytelling and creative placemaking. With nearly a decade of experience in content, marketing, and brand strategy, he helps elevate creative voices across the arts, design, and cultural sectors. As Director of Marketing for Tile Artisans Digital Imaging, Clark supports large-scale public art, architectural art, and custom tile mural projects nationwide—handling artist outreach, project development, and strategic partnerships that bring public artworks from concept to installation. He also serves as Content Director for stupidDOPE.com, a nationally recognized lifestyle publication covering art, design, culture, and innovation, and contributes to Robb Report, exploring craftsmanship, design, and luxury culture. Clark remains dedicated to turning creative ideas into impactful, lasting projects.
Gail Folwell
Owner + Sculptor, Folwell Studios LLC
Gail Folwell is a multifaceted artist, sculptor, designer, and painter. Her deep understanding of human movement and body language transforms her abstractly figurative works into complex conceptual narratives. Gail’s monumental and commissioned sculptures are featured in the collections of the Denver Art Museum, University of Notre Dame, Vail Resorts, Silver Oak Cellars, and numerous private, civic, and academic institutions nationwide. Her work has earned numerous honors, including being named Sports Artist of the Year by the United States Sports Academy. Born in Ontario, Canada, Gail Folwell studied graphic design at the University of Denver. Her celebrated early career in design, focused on the sports industry, evolved into a more personal form of expression through sculpture. Her uniquely abstracted and dynamic approach to the figure led to monument-scale commissions and launched her vibrant sculpture practice in 1995. Today, Folwell expresses her diverse interests and emotional range across a variety of media, including sculpture, design, and painting.
Matthew Geller
Artist, Matthew Geller
In his public art practice, Matthew uses materials from the everyday outdoor environment—anything from swings to canopies to pipes to water. The sculptures playfully riff on an industrial aesthetic in which beauty is partly driven by function and efficiency. Their success lies in their physical, experiential nature, allowing viewers to recognize their place within the artwork by fostering intimate moments within public areas. The sculpture becomes a destination, encouraging a sense of community around an unexpected object or location. Matthew has also exhibited in museums in the United States and Europe and received fellowships from the American Academy in Rome, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the New York Foundation for the Arts. Additionally, he has received grants from Creative Capital, the New York State Council on the Arts, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Jerome Foundation, and the Greenwall Foundation, among others.
Joe O’Connell
Founder + Artist, Creative Machines
Artist Joseph O’Connell founded his studio, Creative Machines, in 1995. Creative Machines has grown to become one of the largest and most capable studios run by a single artist. Creative Machines has created and installed over 100 public art and exhibits for clients throughout the world, including some of the largest and most complex kinetic and lighting projects ever. They work in a wide range of media and have developed extensive processes for community engagement. Because they take projects from start to finish, they can prototype ideas extensively during the design and involve communities from start to finish.
Leaves by Rbhu Engineering
Roundtable: AI to Installation: Turning Digital Concepts into Buildable Public Art
Brett Barney
President + CEO, American Fine Arts Foundry
Brett Barney brings a unique blend of manufacturing expertise and creative vision to his role as President & CEO of American Fine Arts Foundry. Since taking the helm in 2004, Brett has led the company’s transformation into a premier partner for artists and publishers by embracing innovation, craftsmanship, and service. Under Brett’s leadership, the foundry pioneered a cutting-edge digital workflow that replaces traditional mold-making with wax-infused 3D-printed PMMA, streamlining production while preserving artistic detail. He has also expanded the foundry’s finishing capabilities, offering an extensive library of patina options that go far beyond conventional bronze tones to include vibrant, custom-developed chemical finishes. In his 20 years with American Fine Arts, he has built a culture centered on partnership, guiding artists through every stage of the casting process with a level of care and responsiveness that has become a hallmark of the foundry’s reputation.
Gazelle Dasti
Artist, Engineer & Public Sculpture Technologist
Gazelle Dasti is an Iranian Artist-Engineer, immersive technologist, and cultural storyteller creating monumental interactive public art that bridges mythology, engineering, and emerging technology. She holds a BS in Electronic Engineering, an MSc in Technology Management, and an MFA in Computer Arts. Her latest work, ZARVAN, is a 23-foot Burning Man 2026 Honoraria installation inspired by the ancient Iranian deity of infinite time. Gazelle is the first Iranian woman to create a monumental steel sculpture of this scale. Her work celebrates Iranian culture while fostering human connection through immersive, interactive experiences.
David Martin
Senior Project Manager, Atthowe Fine Art Services
David Martin is an art installer and project manager with more than 26 years of experience working with private clients, museums, galleries, and art service companies, including 18 years with Atthowe Fine Art Services. His work has ranged from private installations and museum exhibitions to monumental public artworks, with experience in art handling, transportation, installation, and project management. David loves being involved in the planning and installation of public artwork that creates a sense of beauty and wonder in the city and community he calls home.
Selinda Martinez
Principal, RBHU
Selinda Martinez is the Co-Founder and Principal of Rbhu, a structural engineering firm dedicated to bringing ambitious architectural and public art projects to life. She is passionate about transforming creative ideas into built realities, partnering with artists, architects, and fabricators to solve complex design challenges while preserving artistic vision. Driven by the belief that engineering is about more than making things stand, Selinda sees structural engineering as a creative discipline that enables art to inspire, connect communities, and enrich the built environment. Through her work at Rbhu, she is committed to advancing collaboration between engineering and the arts and helping realize projects that leave a lasting impact.
Ready to connect with your peers at CODAsummit?
September 29 – October 1, 2026 | Santa Fe, NM