The time of an Artist Laureate is brief, but the impact is lasting. Following Dr. Janet Cameron Hoult and Alexey Steele, Katy Krantz has been the the third to hold the post, and the first ceramicist. On Feb. 10, 2025, she stepped down from the position and took her final farewell at the Culver City Council meeting, at the Culver City Senior Center.
With a short video featuring her two big public works – “Dear Culver City…” and “Beloved Community, the mural and mosaic work on the former gun store, her art works as Laureate were completely documented.
With a Proclamation from the council, effusive thanks from both the Culver Arts Foundation and the Cultural Affairs Commission, Krantz graciously received her thanks from the city, and offered her thoughts in return.
Krantz highlighted the concept of Beloved Community, a phrase that she chose to place on the building at 11029 Washington Boulevard, the former gun store that the city purchased in 2023.
“It was an idea that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. talked about, it was also used by Thich Nhat Hanh…it originated with philosopher Josiah Royce. Royce said that ““My life means nothing, either theoretically or practically, unless I am a member of a community.”
“It’s meant so much to me to be able to do these [art pieces] with the community. When people get together, working with their hands, it leads to some easy conversations…and that creates relationships.”
Culver City Crossroads was able to do a brief interview with Krantz, prior to the meeting.
How did you discover/decide to apply for the Artist Laureate position?
I saw the city’s posting for the position in an email that was sent out. I decided to apply because I had been doing community based ceramic tile mural work and loved the idea of doing a project in the community where I live.
Which of your projects did you think the most significant? Which one was the most fun?
I can’t decide. They were both so meaningful! I loved doing the “Dear Culver City” project because it was a blast to work with so many different people in the nine months of workshops I conducted. I met kids at the afterschool programs, folks from the Senior Center, youth at the Teen Center among many other places. It was so fascinating to work with such a broad swathe of the community. I also loved collaborating with the poets who read at the opening event. “Beloved Community,” the project at the former Retting gun store, was also so rewarding. I grew to really love that neighborhood. It was such an honor to be able to transform that building. While I were installing the mosaics, people would come up to me and tell me what the building had meant to them. I met many people affected by gun violence and I really hope the project is in some way healing for them.
What part of being the Laureate surprised you?
I had no idea that I would meet such fantastic people. Some of the people who I’ve met while working on these projects are now friends— that has been such a sweet surprise.
What advice would you offer to the next artist?
Be patient and persistent. The process of working within city government can have its challenges, but it’s ultimately such a worthy pursuit!
You can find more of her work at www.katykrantz.com
The City is still accepting applications for the next Artist Laureate – www.culvercity.org/Explore/Arts-Culture/Artist-Laureate-Program
Judith Martin-Straw
Photo – Vice Mayor Freddy Puza with retiring Artist Laureate Katy Krantz