KRISTINE'S STORY
Kristine sits in her Los Angeles art studio (2024); PC: Baha Danesh
For years, multidisciplinary artist Kristine Schomaker has been known to friends and fellow artists as the Great Connector—the person who can help you find whatever you need. This reputation stems from more than just her generous spirit; it reflects a deep understanding of what artists truly need to thrive in an often challenging creative landscape.
Based at the Brewery artist complex in Los Angeles, Kristine has been a driving force in the city's art community for over a decade. After earning her BA in Art History and MA in Studio Art from California State University at Northridge, she began exhibiting her own work in the late 1990s. Her artistic practice centers on conceptual autobiography, exploring the complexities of body image, gender identity, and society's relationship with beauty through painting, photography, performance, digital media, and social practice. Drawing inspiration from groundbreaking artists like Lynn Hershman Leeson, Hannah Wilke, and Ana Mendieta, her work has been featured in prestigious venues including Cal State LA, UCLA, the Torrance Art Museum, and 18th Street Art Center.
But Kristine's impact extends far beyond her own studio practice. During her tenure as President and Social Media Manager of the Brewery Artwalk Association, she realized a crucial truth: most artists would rather focus on working in the studio than handling the business side of art. Many talented creators needed help getting their work out to the public, media, and galleries—they needed someone who understood both the creative process and the practical realities of building an art career.
Kristine and fellow artists at Shoebox Art's 1st anniversary party (2015); PC: Baha Danesh
With her extensive leadership experience, intricate knowledge of the art world, and history of teaching art history at multiple California Community Colleges, Kristine recognized she was uniquely positioned to fill this vital role. In 2014, she founded Shoebox Arts, a company designed to help artists with marketing and the business practicalities of art. This wasn't just another art service—it was a mission born from genuine care for her community.
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Through Shoebox Arts, Kristine has spent over a decade organizing workshops where artists meet to receive feedback, discuss business strategies, and help each other navigate the often perilous waters of the professional art world. Simultaneously, she launched Art and Cake magazine in 2015, championing underrepresented artists and creating vital community connections throughout Southern California. She currently runs Shoebox Projects, an alternative art space that provides emerging artists with professional opportunities they might not otherwise access.
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Now in its 10th year, Shoebox Arts continues to expand, helping Kristine bolster a vibrant, diverse community of artists. Her work represents more than business development—it's about recognizing that artistic success requires both creative vision and practical support, and that the strongest art communities are built when established artists lift up those still finding their way.