Peter Hassen is an established artist based in the North Bay whose work focuses on themes of nature, science and spirituality. Working in a variety of mediums, such as painting, photography, printmaking and sculpture, Hassen seeks to create a dialogue between these universal themes, and raises questions about societies, cultures, and their commonalities. Having meaning that crosses origins and cultures, his formal compositions are grounded in nature, the cosmos, and in some cases, the landscapes of our imagination. Hassen has installed several public and social practice art projects which encourage reflection and personal discovery. The Values Project is a public art project that gets communities to choose and paint values words in parking lots. In Napa, Hassen and volunteers painted over 500 value words like Integrity, Honor and Compassion in 63 parking lots. The Values Project has since evolved into a series of workshops in schools and nonprofit spaces, interactive elements online, and a more permanent method of installation with words cast in bronze and laid into the concrete of pedestrian thoroughfares. In the studio, Hassen produces mandala-like 2D and 3D works that give new context to the human endeavor. “I am drawn by the underlying power of symbols and have always felt a deep connection to historic cultures. My art practice has always involved an element of revelation, exposing my audience to a thought-provoking idea or fact in a dramatic way.”