Scott Froschauer

Scott Froschauer creates playfully experimental art in eclectic projects ranging from large-scale work installed beneath the Nevada desert stars to street sign interventions.

Before concentrating on visual art, Froschauer earned a degree in theoretical linguistics from Syracuse University. Traditional art forms like drawing and painting were not his passion, so he jumped at the opportunity to join a friend at Nevada’s annual Burning Man, an event held in the desert that cultivates a community of self-expression and discovery. Using his engineering knowledge, he helped artists construct their designs in high wind conditions and at monumental scales.

Froschauer has also been inspired by how road signs simultaneously cut through a flurry of advertising messages while flying under the radar of the average passerby. One of his better-known projects — The Word On The Street — recontextualizes Department of Transportation signs to change them into messages of positivity. From a stop sign transformed to read “start” to one of his first designs — a yellow caution diamond with “breathe” written across it — each piece capitalizes on the power of street signs. The idea began when Froschauer made stickers, initially of his cat’s face or other amusing images, which he would place over the heads of existing crosswalk signs. Not wanting to deface key signs in his neighborhood, he later made his own sign and illegally mounted it where it stood for six months.

In 2017, the City of Glendale, California, put out a call for unusual art. Through it, Froschauer earned a commission to make 20 signs for various parks and public locations around the city. In 2018, the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, DC, held an exhibition on Burning Man art and included his signs. Froschauer also exhibited in 2017 at Brainworks Gallery in Los Angeles and in 2018 at the San Diego Art Institute and Grand Rapids Art Museum in Michigan.

On 1stDibs, find a collection of Scott Froschauer’s mixed media and sculptures.

Mixed media is a type of art that sees artists using a range of materials or more than one medium. Find a range of mixed media paintings and other artworks for your space today on 1stDibs.

Mixed media is distinct from multimedia, which describes art involving electronic media, including video, computers and digital elements. Artists combine painting, drawing, photography and sculpture for mixed media art. Instead of sticking to one form, they aim to break boundaries and create unique pieces. Pop art is one of the vibrant periods for mixed media art, with Jasper Johns and Robert Rauschenberg among its most fabled producers. Rauschenberg, like many mixed media artists, used found objects in his work, from cast-off furniture to newspapers.

Collage is one of the most well-known areas of mixed media. Artists use various types of paper, fabric, photographs and more to create one cohesive work. A type of collage is assemblage, which involves 3D objects.

While artists may use fabric in collage, it can be the very substance of the art itself. Fabric art makes extensive use of texture. Artists may paint or embroider on fabric to create layers of texture and color to evoke a specific feeling. They can also transfer photos onto fabric for innovative ways to display visuals.

Resin-based art has clean, sharp lines and a definitive shape. Resin is a liquid that hardens to a high-gloss surface and is used to seal wood, counters and floors. Resin can also seal artwork, and many artists tint it using pigment powder, ink, spray paint and other vivid materials. If water is added, the resin will turn milky instead of being completely transparent. It’s common for artists working in mixed media to use resin on nontraditional surfaces like glass, wood, metal and stone. This creates a shine that’s perfect to brighten a dull space in the home or office.

Find mixed media paintings and other art for sale on 1stDibs.