P-25-36-ART Karen Yank Application Package

Karen Yank – Statement of Interest
My goal for the City of Apache Junction’s roundabout sculpture project is to create a
landmark artwork that is welcoming, placemaking, and visually stimulating, while
capturing the spirit, history, and impressive vistas found at Apache Junction. My design
would also reflect and compliment the iconic Superstition Mountains, so important to
this specific site location. Many of my previous public sculptures are for pedestrian
bridges, roundabouts or intersections that must be viewed at varying distances and
speeds.
Each of my projects tells a unique story of people and place. I strive to fold all the
elements that make a community truly special into one cohesive sculpture. All my past
projects are completely site-specific. They belong to the community they serve.
I have been fortunate to create over 60 large-scale public sculptures to date, with the
most recent two located in large roundabouts. I have a great deal of experience working
with public art committees, communities, and city or state design and construction
teams. Through this collaborative process, I have been able to create some of my
strongest public works. My efforts on these projects have earned me several awards for
aesthetics and public involvement, including the PRIDE Award from the American Road
and Transportation Builders Association, the Golden Cumbre Award from the New
Mexico Public Relations Society of America, and the Americans for the Arts Kris Art of
Giving Award. In 2022, I also received the Governor’s Award for Excellence in Art.
In July of 2024, I installed “Crossroads” for the Columbia and Colorado roundabout in
Bend, Oregon (see image #3). My sculpture embraces Bend’s history in the timber
industry with a set of crossing logs, which create a beautiful waterfall along the rocky
cliffs of the Deschutes River. The shift from the history of Bend to its present state is a
story filled with intersections between nature and the arts. To mark the location of this
extraordinary paradigm shift is to further celebrate this fundamental intersection.
I installed my second roundabout sculpture in December of 2024 for Carson City,
Nevada. This sculpture “Sense of Place” (seen in images #1-2) captures many visual
icons that make Carson City unique, such as their Capitol Dome, the first “Seated
Liberty Silver Dollar” minted in Carson City in 1870, their famous Fremont Cottonwood
tree, and the Eagle Valley, which is home to the entire community. With the permission
of the Washoe Tribe, I incorporated their pattern from the Washoe Tribe’s Seal to
include their significant history in the sculpture as well.
One of my most complex and rewarding projects was with the State of New Mexico and
the City of Albuquerque on the I-40/Coors Interchange (seen in images #8-10). I
incorporated circular images with intersecting lines into my artwork on both the Atrisco
and West Pedestrian bridges. These symbols appear to tumble and roll across the
bridges creating a sense of motion. The circles reflecting cycles of life, time, and

repetition, while the “X” embraces transit themes of crossing, intersecting, joining, and
marking a point in time or space. Combining these symbols with escapement elements
unique to this area references the actual movement of the public as they travel through
the space. During the planning stage of this project, I attended every task force meeting
and worked closely with community members to determine aesthetic elements for the
entire interchange. After finalizing those details, I collaborated directly with residents on
the design of my public artworks on both pedestrian bridges and for two free-standing
sculptures in the landscape surrounding the interchange. This project was met with
widespread support from the public, as well as from state and city officials.
I often choose to fabricate with Cor-ten steel and stainless steel because of their
weather-resistant strength and durability, perfectly suited for diverse weather conditions.
My use of these metals provides a beautiful varied tactile presence through different
surface textures and colors. Every weld and grind mark is an intentional decision as I
attempt to reflect beauty that can only be found in the organic. My sculptures will look
virtually the same in twenty years as the day they are installed, requiring little to no
maintenance. They are ADA-compliant and engineered appropriately for high-traffic
public locations. I will ensure that my design for this project will meet and exceed all
ADOT’s safety requirements.
Through my creative process, I have become a visual storyteller. My main goal for your
public art project is to capture the spirit and identity of the Apache Junction creating a
visual gateway and, by doing so, give the community a direct connection to the
sculptures itself.

Karen Yank
P.O. Box 870, Sandia Park, NM 87047 • (505) 269-9959 (Cell)• hamonyank@cybermesa.com
http://karenyank.com/
SELECT PUBLIC COMMISSIONS –IMAGES 1-10
1-2 Sense of Place, South Carson & South Stewart Street Roundabout, Carson City, NV 2024
• Cor-ten, steel, stainless, $190,300 budget
• Funded by Carson City, Video produced by Carson City
• My sculpture titled "Sense of Place" echoes the unique intersection of culture and history found in
Carson City, while serving as a monument to its captivating natural beauty and exciting vibrant
future.
3 Crossroads, Columbia/Colorado Roundabout, Bend, Oregon 2024
• Cor-ten, steel, stainless, $130,000 budget
• Funded by the Bend Foundation and private donations for the City of Bend
• My sculpture embraces Bend’s history in the timber industry with a set of crossing logs, which
create a beautiful waterfall along the rocky cliffs of the Deschutes River. The shift from the
history of Bend to its present state is a story filled with intersections between nature and the arts.
To mark the location of this extraordinary paradigm shift is to further celebrate this fundamental
intersection.
4 Where the Earth Meets the Sky, Albuquerque International Airport, Albuquerque, NM 2023
• 20’ tall sculpture. Cor-ten, stainless, and steel.
• $60,000.00 budget (not include: costs for concrete base, foundation, footing, engineering, and
lighting, which was paid for by Bernalillo County).
• Bernalillo County Public Art Program
• My sculpture features my signature use of the circle to reflect where the earth meets the sky,
which is so beautifully evident and profound at the site location.
5 Heart and Soul, Chadron State College, Chicoine Center, Chadron, NE 2019
• Cor-ten, steel, stainless, $64,000 budget
• State of Nebraska 1% for Art Program
• “Heart and Soul” reflects the prairie grasses of the Great Plains, while highlighting the beautiful
sky and open vistas found in this region. I used the escarpment as a metaphor to symbolize the
strength and growth of CSC, its student population, and its surrounding community.
6 Living Landscape, Vista Grande Community Center, 15 La Madera Rd, Sandia Park, NM 2019
• 2-piece sculpture, Cor-ten, steel, stainless, $125,000 budget
• Bernalillo County Public Art and Cultural Services
• “Living Landscape” is a two-piece sculpture commission that creates a dialogue between the
artwork and the surrounding site location. These sculptures reflect the landscape and beautiful
vistas found at this site giving the community a direct connect to the artwork.
7 Growing Strength, Central New Mexico Community College, Albuquerque, NM 2017
• 20’ tall, 5-piece sculptural environment
• Cor-ten, steel, aluminum, and stainless, $112,750 budget
• CNM Main Campus, New Mexico Arts Division, Art in Public Places
• “Growing Strength,” embraces CNM’s vision to build a strong and stable community that fosters
growth, while showcasing its success. My concept holds the perfect metaphor for the very 4
things that CNM strives to represent: education, community, transformation, and success.

8-10 New Mexico Inspired, GRIP I-40/Coors Freeway Interchange Project, Albuquerque, NM 2005-2008
• 500 feet of sculpture installed on two pedestrian bridges and two freestanding sculptures.
• Three different commissions. Total budget $647,000.
• $180,000 budget for Atrisco bridge, $300,000 budget for West Pedestrian bridge
• Two Freeway Interchange Sculptures, 16’ and 20’ Tall - $150,000 budget
• Sculptor and art consultant - $17,000 budget
• State of New Mexico & City of Albuquerque’s Art in Municipal Places Program
• I worked with the public in creating the theme for the imagery found in both the sculptures and
bridge artwork. My imagery reflects the unique escarpment and big sky of this region. My efforts
on these past projects won several awards for Aesthetics and Public Involvement.

Karen Yank
P.O. Box 870, Sandia Park, NM 87047 • (505) 269-9959 • hamonyank@cybermesa.com •
http://karenyank.com/
THREE PROFESSIONAL REFERENCES
Michelle Laflamme-Childs
Executive Director for New Mexico Arts, Department of Cultural Affairs
407 Galisteo St., Suite 270
Santa Fe, NM 87047
(505)699-8243, (505)827-6490
Michelle.Laflamme@dca.nm.gov
Lori Bagwell
Mayor of Carson City
201 North Carson City, Suite 2
Carson City, NV 89701
(775)283-7144, (775)220-3646
LBagwell@carson.org
Marcelene Trujillo
Administrative Assistant/Project Coordinator for Art in Public Places
409 NW Franklin Ave
Bend, Oregon 97703
(541)382-1662, (541)419-3137
artinpublicplacesbend@gmail.com

Karen Yank
P.O. Box 870, Sandia Park, NM 87047 • (505) 269-9959 • hamonyank@cybermesa.com •
http://karenyank.com/• https://www.instagram.com/yankkaren/
EDUCATION
Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture, Summer, Skowhegan, ME 1987
Rutgers University, Mason Gross School of the Arts—M.F.A., New Brunswick, NJ 1987
University of Wisconsin—B.F.A., Madison, WI 1984
SELECT PUBLIC COMMISSIONS & COLLECTIONS
Community Park Sculpture, College of Osteopathic Medicine, University of Northern Colorado. 2026
• Cor-ten, steel, stainless, $200,000 budget
• 20-foot-tall sculpture
• Installation date March 2026
Sense of Place, South Carson & South Stewart Street Roundabout, Carson City, NV 2024
• Cor-ten, steel, stainless, $190,000 budget
• 20-foot-tall sculpture
• Funded by Carson City
Crossroads, Columbia/Colorado Roundabout, Bend, Oregon 2024
• Cor-ten, steel, stainless, $130,000 budget
• 17-foot-tall sculpture
• Funded by the Bend Foundation and private donations for the City of Bend
Where the Earth Meets the Sky, Albuquerque International Airport, Sunport, Albuquerque, NM 2023
• Cor-ten, steel, stainless, $60,000 budget
• 20-foot-tall sculpture
• Bernalillo County Public Art Program
Silhouette II, Alvarado Square Sculpture Collection, Albuquerque, NM 2022
• Cor-ten, steel, stainless, $13,000 budget
• Bernalillo County Public Art Program
Heart and Soul, Chadron State College, Chadron, NE 2019
• Cor-ten, steel, stainless, $64,000 budget
• State of Nebraska 1% for Art Program
Living Landscape, Vista Grande Community Center, Albuquerque, NM 2019
• 2-piece sculpture, Cor-ten, steel, stainless, $125,000 budget
• Bernalillo County Public Art and Cultural Services
Pride, East Mesa Public Safety Campus, Las Cruces, NM 2018
• Cor-ten, steel, stainless, $30,000 budget
• City of Las Cruces
Growing Strength, Central New Mexico Community College, Albuquerque, NM 2017
• 20’ tall, 5-piece sculptural environment
• Cor-ten, steel, aluminum and stainless, $112,750 budget
• CNM Main Campus, New Mexico Arts Division, Art in Public Places
XO Trio, Western New Mexico University, Silver City, NM 2017
• 5’ by 20’, 3-piece sculpture installation
• Custom galvanized steel with black patina, $35,000 budget
• Light Hall, New Mexico Arts Division, Public Arts Program
Beauty of the West, Ladera Heights, Albuquerque, NM 2016
• 5-piece sculptural environment

• Cor-ten and stainless, $60,000 budget
• City of Albuquerque Capital Implementation Program, Public Arts Program
Current, Junction Place Bridge at Goose Creek, Boulder, CO 2015
• Artwork throughout entire site, includes 10 wall reliefs and 6 freestanding sculptures
• Custom galvanized steel with black patina, $71,400 budget (not including cost for engineering,
foundation, and site preparation, installation, lighting and insurance, all of which are being paid
for by the City of Boulder)
• City of Boulder, CO
Desert Primrose, Academy Hills Park, Albuquerque, NM 2014
• City-wide sculpture project, 8’ by 8’ freestanding sculpture
• $30,000 budget
• New Mexico Arts Division, Public Arts Program
Site-specific artwork designs, Avenida de Mesilla I-10 Interchanges, Las Cruces, NM 2014
• $30,000 budget
• New Mexico arts, New Mexico Department of Transportation
Site-specific artwork designs, Motel Blvd I-10 Interchanges, Las Cruces, NM 2012
• $30,000 budget
• New Mexico Arts, New Mexico Department of Transportation
Sculptures, Albuquerque Museum of Art and History, Albuquerque, NM 2010
• Sculptures included in both the interior collection and sculpture garden
• $25,000 budget
Mountain Reflection, New Mexico Expo, Albuquerque, NM 2010
• 12’ by 14’ free-standing sculpture
• $55,000 budget
• New Mexico State Fair Grounds, entrance to the Fine Arts Building, NM Arts Division
New Mexico Inspired, GRIP I-40/Coors Freeway Interchange Project, Albuquerque, NM 2005-2008
• 500 feet of sculpture installed on two pedestrian bridges
• $180,000 budget for Atrisco bridge, $300,000 budget for West Pedestrian bridge
• Two Freeway Interchange Sculptures, 16’ and 20’ tall, $150,000 budget
• Sculptor and art consultant, $17,000 budget
• State of New Mexico & City of Albuquerque’s Art in Municipal Places Program
Three sculptures, UNM Health Sciences Center Art Collection, Albuquerque, NM 2007
• $29,000 budget
• Barbara and Bill Richardson Pavilion, UNM Children’s Hospital
Museum Collection, Museum of Fine Arts, Santa Fe, NM 2006
• $15,000 budget
Large-scale Public sculpture, University of New Mexico Hospital, Albuquerque, NM 2006
• $23,500 budget
• Outpatient Surgery center
Four sculptures, Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet, New York, NY, 2005
• Installed throughout the ballet
• $32,500 budget
Courtyard Sculpture, University of New Mexico Hospital, Albuquerque, NM 2004
• Health Sciences Center
• $15,000 budget
Sculpture, Capitol Art Collection, Santa Fe, NM 2002
• Sculpture on permanent public display
• $7,500 budget
Four-story high mobile, New Mexico State Library, Santa Fe, NM 1998
• $25,000 budget
• Records Center and Archives
Large-scale public sculpture, New Mexico Junior College, Hobbs, NM 1997
• $10,000 budget

Five sculptures, New Mexico State University, Alamogordo, NM 1996
• Installed in front of Performing Arts Building
• $22,000 budget
Large-scale sculpture installation, Highway and Transportation Department, Albuquerque, NM 1995
• $9,000 budget
Sculpture garden, Silver City Museum, Silver City, NM 1994
• $5,000 budget
Public Sculpture, Hurley Community Center, Hurley, NM 1994
• $7,500 budget
Gateway Sculpture, Jewish Federation of Greater Albuquerque, Albuquerque, NM 1994
• $18,000 budget
Large-scale sculpture, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM 1994
• Installed at entrance to main building
• $18,000 budget
Sculpture, University of New Mexico Hospital, Albuquerque, NM 1993
• Installed at entrance to Emergency Room
• $18,000 budget
Large-scale outdoor installation, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 1987
Large-scale outdoor installation, Ozaukee Art Center, Cedarburg, WI 1985
• Included in private collection
Student collection, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 1984
• Sold four large sculptures to private sculpture garden
SELECT SOLO & GROUP EXHIBITIONS
Turner Carroll Gallery, Karen Yank Solo Exhibition Sept. 19 – Oct. 20, 2025
Santa Fe, NM
Albuquerque Museum of Art and History, Abstracting Nature June 21 – Oct. 12,2025
Curator: Josie Lopez
Brewery Arts Center, Pop Up Exhibition, Carson City, NV Nov. 4th – Dec. 6, 2024
Peterson Contemporary Gallery, Pop Up Exhibition, Bend, Oregon July 16 – 29, 2024
NMSU Art Museum, Agnes Martin & Karen Yank: Mentor & Student June 9 – Sept. 9, 2023
Las Cruces, NM
Turner Carroll Gallery, Karen Yank & Agnes Martin June 2 – 18, 2023
Santa Fe, NM
Art Miami, Turner Carroll Gallery Nov. 29 – Dec .4, 2022
Turner Carroll Gallery, Karen Yank: Aspiration and Reality Sept. 2 – Nov. 20, 2022
Santa Fe, NM
Atelier Newport, Unconscious Equilibrium, Newport, RI Aug. 15 – Sep. 12, 2022
• Featured in Group Exhibition
Atelier Newport, Newport, RI 2016 to 2019
• Six Group Exhibitions, Featured Artist
Turner Carroll Gallery, Santa Fe, NM 2017 to 2021
• Four Group Exhibitions, Featured Artist
Turner Carroll Gallery, Karen Yank and Agnes Martin: 2018
Student and Mentor, Santa Fe, NM
Turner Carroll Gallery, Drew Tal and Karen Yank: 2016
Circumspect, Santa Fe, NM
Zane Bennett Contemporary, Santa Fe, NM 2015
• Solo Exhibition
Zane Bennett Contemporary, Santa Fe, NM 2011 to 2014

• Several featured exhibitions
Zane Bennett Contemporary, Santa Fe, NM 2011
• Solo Exhibition & Lecturer sponsored by the National Museum of Women in the Arts
Lemmons Contemporary, Newport, RI 2011
• Show Room Exhibitions, Featured Artist
Lemmons Contemporary, New York, NY 2009
Lemmons Contemporary, New York, NY 2004-2005
• Solo Exhibition
Chiaroscuro Contemporary Art, Scottsdale, AZ - Solo Exhibition 2004
Chiaroscuro Contemporary Art, Santa Fe, NM - Solo Exhibition 2004
Thomas Ingerick Gallery, Aspen, CO - Solo Exhibition 2004
L.I.C.K. Ltd. Fine Art, Long Island City, NY - Solo Exhibition 2003
The Munson Gallery, Santa Fe, NM - Solo Exhibition 2002
The Munson Gallery, Santa Fe, NM - Solo Exhibition 2000
Edith Lambert Gallery, Santa Fe, NM - Solo Exhibition 1998
Edith Lambert Gallery, Santa Fe, NM - Solo Exhibition 1997
Ozaukee Art Center, Cedarburg, WI - Solo Exhibition 1996
Ralph Greene Gallery, Albuquerque, NM - Solo Exhibition 1994
New Mexico Highlands University, Las Vegas, NM - Solo Exhibition 1993
A.I.R. Gallery, New York, NY - 1990
• First solo exhibition in NYC
Linda Durham Gallery, Santa Fe, NM - Solo Exhibition 1990
• First solo exhibition in a commercial gallery
Mason Gross School of the Fine Arts Gallery, New Brunswick, NJ 1987
• Solo MFA exhibition
University of New Mexico Fine Arts Museum, Albuquerque, NM 1986
• Solo large-scale installation at Popejoy Hall
University of Wisconsin Arts Museum, Milwaukee, WI 1985
• Solo large-scale installation
University of Wisconsin Fine Arts Gallery, Madison, WI 1984
• Solo BFA exhibition
ARTIST VIDEOS
New Mexico Governor’s Awardee Video, 2022
https://youtu.be/H92m-nmUobo?si=mxCHzgB_9yUfKpYw
Sense of Place, Video, Carson City, 2025
https://youtu.be/ydZkZTmJq1E
Where the Earth Meets the Sky, Video, Albuquerque International Airport, 2023
https://youtu.be/EFeuHz_sokY?si=4PG8-28l07xcs89I
PBS NM Colors, Abstracting Nature, Video Interview with Karen Yank
https://www.pbs.org/video/abstractions-in-nature-karen-yank-sx3ssk/
Heart and Soul, Video, Chadron State College, 2019
https://youtu.be/566ORMWdjGU?si=MOy4pSAXdQ4aTGby
Growing Strength, Video, Central New Mexico Community College, Main Campus, Albuquerque, 2017
https://youtu.be/QIpU__AQul0?si=CXwvNHOgXUo47k8V
Current, Video, Junction Place Bridge at Goose Creek, City of Boulder, CO, 2015
https://youtu.be/514E_YhM2EU?si=Et1Lu5KR6IgjIqSY

AWARDS
New Mexico Governor’s Award for Excellence in Art 2022
Americans for the Arts/KRIS Art of Giving Public Art Award 2016
• Third-place winner for public commission titled “Current” for Boulder, CO
PRIDE Award 2008
• American Road and Transportation Builders Association for Aesthetics and Public Involvement
The Golden Cumbre Award 2008
• New Mexico Public Relations Society of America for Aesthetics and Public Involvement
10 National Awards 2007
• Awarded to the Coors/I-40 Freeway Interchange Project
Laird Leadership in Art Award 2003
Buchel Foundation Arts Grant, award both years 1987 & 1991
Scholarship Award 1987
• Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture
TEACHING & PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Museum Lecture, Lessons in Abstraction, Karen Yank & Agnes Martin, Albuquerque Museum. 2025
Public Lecture on Roundabout Sculpture, Brewery Arts Center, Carson City, NV 2024
Public Lecture on Roundabout Sculpture, PCG Gallery, Bend, Oregon 2024
Public Art Lecture & Outdoor Installation, Container Art Space, Santa Fe, NM 2024
Public Outreach with Local Elementary Schools, Sunport Sculpture Project, Albuquerque, NM 2023
Educational Lecture & Visiting Artist, Chadron State College, Chadron, NE 2019
Educational Lecture Series & Visiting Artist, Central New Mexico Community College. 2016 to 2017
• 3 public lectures to include design, fabrication, and installation.
• Visiting artist for a variety of classes and a collaboration with CNM welding students
Guest Speaker, Celebrate Agnes Martin, Zane Bennett Gallery, Santa Fe, NM 2012
• Hosted by the National Museum of Women in the Arts
Sculptor/Art Consultant, GRIP I-40/Coors Freeway Interchange Project, Albuquerque, NM 2005
Visiting Instructor Spring Semester, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 1997
Visiting Lecturer, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD 1993
Visiting Artist, New Mexico Highlands University, Las Vegas, NM 1993
Visiting Artist, T.A.V.S., Tucumcari, NM 1991