Art Focus Oklahoma Summer 2018 by Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition

Art Focus

O k l aho m a V i s ual A r ts C oal i t i on

Ok l a h o m a Vo l u m e 3 3 N o . 3

| Summer 2018

A M A N DA M C C AVO U R : C O N S U E L O J . U N DE R W OOD:

Thread Songs from the Borderlands

Diaphanous Embroidery

August 3 - September 23, 2018

June 1 - July 22, 2018

OPENING RECEPTION: August 3, 6:00 - 9:00 PM

OPENING RECEPTION: June 1, 6:00 - 9:00 PM

ARTIST TALK: August 4, 1:30 - 3:00 PM

ARTIST TALK: June 2, 1:30 - 3:00 PM

WORKSHOP: August 4, 9:30 - 5:00 PM Register at 10 8contemporar y.org

GALLERY HOURS: Mon & Tue: Closed Wed - Sun: 12 - 5 PM

F R E E A DM I S S I O N 108 East Mathew Brady Street | Tulsa, Oklahoma 74103 918.895.6302 | www.108contemporary.org Brady Craft Inc., dba 108|Contemporary is a charitable organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. 108|Contemporary is an equal opportunity employer committed to principles of the broadest form of diversity. Image credit: C Jane Run, Consuelo J. Underwood (top); Pink Field Blue Fog, Amanda McCavour (bottom)

Art Focus

Ok l a h o m a Vo l u m e 3 3 N o . 3

| Summer 2018

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AMANDA MCCAVOUR: Diaphanous Embroidery by Jennifer Farley Gordon, Ph.D.

8 Whiteout at Campbell Art Park by Penny Snyder

11 A More Familiar Language: Andrew Hladky at ahha Tulsa by Zack Reeves

14 Traditional Roots, Modern Branches by Karen Paul

F e a t u re s 17 Modella Gallery Invites Stillwater to Explore Contemporary Art by Roxanne Beason

19 Enduring Creativity: Regina Murphy by Erin Schalk

21 Cat Castle by Laurence Reese

24 EKPHRASIS: Art & Poetry edited by Liz Blood

26 OVAC News 28 Gallery Guide (top) On the cover: Irmgard Geul, Color Code, acrylic paint on 90 lb. mixed media paper stitched together with hemp, 60 x 60 inches, page 14 (bottom) Projection by Stev Blesch and improvisational dancers, photo by Emily Soreghan, page 21 Support from:

Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition 730 W. Wilshire Blvd., Suite 104, Oklahoma City, OK 73116. PHONE: 405.879.2400 WEB: ovac-ok.org Editor: Krystle Brewer, director@ovac-ok.org Art Director: Anne Richardson, speccreative@gmail.com Art Focus Oklahoma is a quarterly publication of the Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition dedicated to stimulating insight into and providing current information about the visual arts in Oklahoma. Mission: Supporting Oklahomaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s visual arts and artists and their power to enrich communities. OVAC welcomes article submissions related to artists and art in Oklahoma. Call or email the editor for guidelines. OVAC welcomes your comments. Letters addressed to Art Focus Oklahoma are considered for publication unless otherwise specified. Mail or email comments to the editor at the address above. Letters may be edited for clarity or space reasons. Anonymous letters will not be published. Please include a phone number.

2017-2018 Board of Directors: President: Susan Green, Tulsa; Vice President: John Marshall, Oklahoma City; Treasurer: Gina Ellis, Oklahoma City; Secretary: Laura Massenat, Oklahoma City; Parlimentarian: Douglas Sorocco, Oklahoma City; Marjorie Atwood, Tulsa; Bob Curtis, Oklahoma City; Hillary Farrell, Oklahoma City; Jon Fisher, Oklahoma City; Barbara Gabel, Tulsa; John Hammer, Tulsa; Ariana Jakub, Tulsa; Travis Mason, Oklahoma City; Michael Owens, Oklahoma City; Renee Porter, Oklahoma City; Amy Rockett-Todd, Tulsa; Dana Templeton, Oklahoma City; Chris Winland, Oklahoma City, Dean Wyatt, Tulsa; Jake Yunker, Oklahoma City. The Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition is solely responsible for the contents of Art Focus Oklahoma. However, the views expressed in articles do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Board or OVAC staff. Member Agency of Allied Arts and member of the Americans for the Arts. ÂŠ 2018, Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition. All rights reserved. View the online archive at ArtFocusOklahoma.org.

AMANDA MCCAVOUR: Diaphanous Embroidery By Jennifer Farley Gordon, Ph.D.

Amanda McCavour, Pink Field, Blue Fog, Louisiana Tech University School of Design Gallery, Ruston, Louisiana, 2016. Photo by Amanda McCavour

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When visitors enter Amanda McCavour’s new exhibition at 108|Contemporary in Tulsa, they become not just viewers, but participants of a sort. The very presence of bodies moving in the space causes a ripple effect on McCavour’s work, a large-scale installation comprised of thousands of lightweight, vibrant circles of embroidery (which she refers to as spirographs) that move and sway as audiences maneuver around and through the work. Her dreamlike installation, Amanda McCavour: Diaphanous Embroidery, has been years in the making, and its ethereal nature belies the meticulousness of the artist’s creation. For some time, McCavour, jokingly referring to herself a “human spirograph” machine, has produced about thirty to forty circles a day, slowing building enough pieces for the cohesive installation that will float within the gallery. McCavour’s work challenges traditional definitions of embroidery. For centuries, textile artists have used embroidered motifs to bring surface beauty to the fabrics we wear and the textiles in our homes. Her process, on the other hand, reconceives embroidery as an extension of drawing, and transforms thread from a decorative element to the work’s structural core. This process was developed largely through experimentation. As a student at York University in Toronto, she began to view thread as a “sculptural line,” challenging herself to produce embroidery without backing, and settling on a water-soluble fabric as her favored material. To form each thread spirograph, she works with an embroidery hoop and a sewing machine, turning the hoop in much the same way the familiar mechanical spirograph drawing toys operate. McCavour builds layers of connected stitches to produce the characteristic geometric curves, before dissolving the fabric and starching and shaping each standalone threaded piece to give dimension to the flat embroidery. According to McCavour, “the overlapping lines [within the spirograph design] create the strength in the work.” Despite appearances to the contrary, hers is no fragile, delicate art. These connection points brace the circles and are not easily undone. Rather, the pieces are durable, flexible, and resilient—all qualities that appeal greatly to the artist. Each individual spirograph is a building block, but McCavour’s vision is not fully realized until they are brought together in the space. “They really need those spaces to exist,” she has observed. From her perspective, it is after installation and the opening of (continued to page 6)

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Visitors experiencing McCavour’s work from another vantage point. Amanda McCavour, Pink Field, Blue Fog, Louisiana Tech University School of Design Gallery, Ruston, Louisiana, 2016. Photo by Amanda McCavour

the gallery’s doors that the work is brought to life: So much of “the art happens when people are viewing it.” For this exhibition, McCavour has chosen to illuminate the environment with a brilliant palette of neon green, neon pink, and bright blue, colors selected for the optical effects they create. As she noted: “It’s hard for your eyes to focus on one line of the thread… When I start to build up those multiple lines, it creates this sense of saturation…. a blur or glow to it.” Through this effort, the viewer becomes much more aware of how he or she is viewing the work. McCavour’s thoughtful attention to audience interaction is aided by her background working in a public gallery and her careful observation of how visitors engage with the art on display. At 108|Contemporary, visitors will see the expansive Pink Field, Blue Fog as well as new work made for the exhibition, all

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A spirograph in progress. Photo: Amanda McCavour

designed and installed to be experienced not just through shape and color, but also through movement. Pink Field, Blue Fog draws some of its inspiration from the pathways created within garden spaces, elements McCavour was drawn to while working on her MFA at Temple University in Philadelphia. As she explained, “In 16th century garden design you were meant to look at your garden through your kitchen window… so it operated very much like a picture. But as garden designs developed, there was this idea that you’d walk through the garden and that’s how you’d experience it.” One reading described this sea change in design as “dissolving composition,” a sentiment apropos to McCavour’s own way of working. Like a garden pathway, she stated, “There’s an invitation to walk in amongst the works and see them as you move through them.”

McCavour experiences her own work in a very tactile way. “I would say that a lot of my enjoyment in the making process comes from interacting with the material and touching and moving that material around.” Viewers are also similarly drawn to the textile-based work, and while handling of an artwork is generally not permitted within galleries, she sympathizes with the desire to “understand it through touch.” For that reason, she is holding a oneday workshop in conjunction with ahha Tulsa. “Once you know how the pieces are made, you can in your head understand it, but then to go through the steps of working with the material, and being with the sewing machine, and dissolving the work… when you return to the exhibition, you see it in a different way.” She hopes that viewers will embrace the idea of looking at her work from multiple vantage points, even encouraging viewers to

Installation of Pink Field, Blue Fog, Amanda McCavour, Louisiana Tech University School of Design Gallery, Ruston, Louisiana, 2016. Photo by Amanda McCavour

lay beneath the installation—a practice she has adopted upon completion of the work. Some may find the installation joyful, others meditative. “There’s no one way to look at it.” Like the lines of thread that form it, McCavour’s work has many interconnected layers. Amanda McCavour: Diaphanous Embroidery is on view at 108|Contemporary, 108 East MB Brady Street, Tulsa, from August 3 – September 23, 2018. Registration and further details for

the workshop, “Experimental Surfaces: Machine Stitching and Unexpected Materials,” held on Saturday, August 4, 2018, can be found at ahhatulsa.org. n Jennifer Farley Gordon, Ph.D. is a Tulsa-based researcher, writer, and curator specializing in textiles and clothing. She can be reached at jennifer.f.gordon@gmail.com.

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Whiteout Will Dazzle This Winter in OKC By Penny Snyder

One of the first questions Oklahoma Contemporary Curatorial and Exhibitions Director, Jennifer Scanlan, asked light and space artist Erwin Redl was if he could make his installation Whiteout flash the words “Go Thunder” on NBA game days. Although Redl declined to oblige the request, that didn’t diminish Oklahoma Contemporary and Oklahoma City’s enthusiasm for Redl’s unprecedented and iconic installation coming to the city this winter. Whiteout will brighten Oklahoma Contemporary’s Campbell Art Park located at NW 11th and Broadway this winter from October 2018 through March 2019. The installation is comprised of around 900 white orbs that each contain a LED light, suspended from wires connected to a square grid. It was previously on view at Madison Square Park in Manhattan. … Whiteout is meant to be viewed at night during the winter. Programmed by an algorithm, the orbs, which are constantly moving due to wind, light up and the dark steel scaffolding from which they hang recedes from the view in the darkness. Collectively the orbs create cascading and mesmerizing light patterns that come in and out of focus, appearing as waves of light. During the dim months of winter, Oklahoma Contemporary staff expects that Whiteout will be a draw and beacon for drivers, pedestrians, and even streetcar passengers. Redl’s use of light as one of the primary media of the sculpture harkens back to “the ways that people use light in winter, in particular,” explains Scanlan. “It’s very symbolic to have Menorahs and Christmas tree lights. Light is a symbol of all kinds of things such as hope and spirituality in the darkness of winter.” Whiteout’s infinitely undulating light patterns produce a visceral and emotive reaction, but the installation isn’t merely a set of twinkling Christmas lights. Redl has explored the intersection of digital structures, such as computer code, with the physical realm using the language of minimalist sculpture throughout his artistic career.

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As Redl explains in an interview with his alma mater, the School of Visual Arts in New York, where he received an MFA in Computer Art, “The project is part of my recent series of works investigating emergence, the way complex systems and patterns arise out of a multiplicity of simple interactions.”1 Upon daytime inspection of Whiteout, viewers might have an entirely different perspective of the work and its artist. Scanlan likens the installation in the day to an upsidedown building or an anti-structure. As opposed to its nighttime appearance, its rigid rectangular grid, almost like a foundation, is most apparent; the orbs dangle gently a few feet off the ground. Oklahoma Contemporary’s presentation of Whiteout will vary slightly from its original installation in Manhattan. The globes will still be arranged in a grid but will be presented as two rectangles with their short ends adjacent, due to the shape of the Contemporary’s site at the Campbell Art Park. The artist visited the site and is excited about the new possibilities for Whiteout in Oklahoma City. Scanlan explains that Redl often, “works with architectural space and the urban environment.” He has “an interest in coding and patterns and how human beings respond to the movement of light and pattern.” … The climate and Oklahoma wind might have an outsize effect on the piece, as the globes are suspended from hanging cables, which animate the piece as the orbs dance in the wind. The urban context will also vary significantly from the Manhattan skyline; Madison Square Park is on Madison Avenue near the Flatiron District and within view of the Empire State building. 1 Drew, Emma. “Artist and SVA Alumnus Erwin Redl on the Kinetic Lights of ‘Whiteout’.” Features, School of Visual Arts , 12 Jan. 2018, sva.edu/ features/artist-and-sva-alumnus-erwin-redl-on-thekinetic-lights-of-whiteout.

Oklahoma Contemporary’s presentation of Whiteout will be an opportunity to understand how the experience of the work will shift in a new context. And, the urban landscape in this particular area of Oklahoma City is rapidly changing—with the help of Oklahoma Contemporary’s new forthcoming building and home base in Automobile Alley designed by Rand Elliott of Elliott + Associates Architects. Scanlan emphasizes that viewers will see Whiteout’s vibrant lights in context of the experience of Broadway, one of the major arteries that passes from uptown to the heart of Oklahoma City. And, holiday light enthusiasts might be drawn by the annual Automobile Alley Lights on Broadway event, which is just a few blocks to the south. The installation will be in view of construction lights as well as the frame of the new Oklahoma Contemporary building as it is constructed. While the rest of the Whiteout’s urban context is relatively sparse—a few car dealerships and a gas station—perhaps its iconic presence is a signal of what’s to come in this area of Midtown through the new building and development it might spur. In fact, Whiteout builds on several years of installations and programming that have activated this under-used stretch of Broadway and helped build excitement for Oklahoma Contemporary’s new arts campus. Campbell Art Park has hosted significant large-scale public installations including Orly Genger’s massive red rope sculptures and Tomás Saraceno’s stacked geodesic-inspired domes. Oklahoma Contemporary has also hosted events and local artists in the Showroom, a temporary structure made of shipping containers. … (continued from page 10) (top) Whiteout at Madison Square Park. Photo by Moorehart Photography (bottom) Whiteout at Madison Square Park. Photo by Rashmi Gill

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Regardless of the landscape that surrounds the piece—whether it’s the Empire State Building or the skeleton of a daring new art museum—Whiteout is a compelling piece of artwork in its own right. During the dark months of winter, Whiteout is sure to dazzle Oklahoma City with light and joy. n Penny Snyder is an advid museum-goer, urban explorer, and writer. She graduated from Wesleyan University in 2016 and is the PR & Media Manager at the Blanton Museum of Art in Austin, Texas. Read more of her writing at penny-snyder-writes. squarespace.com.

(top) Whiteout at Madison Square Park. Photo by Moorehart Photography (bottom) Whiteout at Madison Square Park. Photo by Rashmi Gill

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A MORE FAMILIAR LANGUAGE: Andrew Hladky at ahha Tulsa by Zack Reeves

Andrew Hladky, I Wish I Never Saw The Suns Shine, oil on board, 28.5 x 42.5 x 1.5 inches

You can approach English painter Andrew Hladky’s work from several different angles. In fact, he’d prefer it if you did. It’s this tension, between an artist’s intent and the viewer’s perception of it, that Hladky takes up in his solo exhibition The Nite in the Nite and the Nite in the Daytime, running through July 22nd at ahha Tulsa in the Tulsa Arts District.

getting his BA, he used small amounts of paint, then rubbed off even that small amount, in order to create smudged, minimalist works. Frustrated with the results, he turned his paintbrush around and, scratching into the plywood to create tiny scratch-marks and ridges of paint, began to create the kind of work he does today.

A Philadelphia-based painter who left London in 2015, Hladky began his practice at Newcastle University. Initially, while

“The ridges got taller and taller, and the sticks got thinner and thinner,” Hladky said as we stood in ahha, surrounded by the

work. Seeing Hladky’s work from the side, you might look at its thick, intestinal lines or its bedraggled and pencil-thin webs of paint, and think you’re looking at a sort of sculpture. You’d be sort of right. Hladky, though, calls them oil paintings. The work is composed by sharpening bamboo sticks and dipping them in oil paints, then painting with them. Hladky uses the small shredded pieces that come off of the sticks during sharpening to (continued to page 12)

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Andrew Hladky, Just Remember Death Is Not The End, oil on board, 28.5 x 42.5 x 2.5 inches

form the thin webs that rise up from the paintings. And to add what he calls “the worms,” he’ll squeeze out whole tubes of oil paint. “And at some point I started squeezing paint straight from the tube and leaving it there, and building structures out of the by-products of the painting process. And I quite like that, that it recycles everything I use back into the piece: it’s all either paint or the things I paint with.” The result is a multilayered, almost hallucinogenic piece of work, threedimensional, which rises up off of the plywood board and strikes the viewer in multiple ways. Haunting, bold lines

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weave themselves in and out of the images, creating the look of a brain or a set of intestines, usually surrounding a surreal set of naturalistic imagery: in one, a mountain and lake, in another, a grove of trees. “The worms” often get a strong response: they’re far and away the most intrusive part of the paintings. Sometimes they weave just around the outside, as though they’re a frame (or even a light infestation); other times they take over the bulk of the piece, protruding inches away from the work, resembling a living organism as much as anything else. The show’s title is a nod to Riddley Walker, a science-fiction novel written by

American-born writer Russell Hoban. Set 2,000 years after a nuclear apocalypse, the novel is narrated in a phonetic reimagining of an English accent. This makes reading the book a singular—and slow—experience, as the reader must come to terms with its difficult diction: “I dont think it makes no diffrents where you start the telling of a thing. You never know where it begun realy. No moren you know where you begun your oan self.” Despite this difficulty—or perhaps because of it—the book allows the reader incredible access to the mind of the narrator, maybe because the reader must slow down in order to read it. “You have to piece together what’s being said,” Hladky said. “It gives

School of Art, Design, and Art History The School of Art at the University of Tulsa offers majors in Art History, Digital Media, Drawing, Graphic Design, Painting, Photography, and Printmaking. The University of Tulsa’s School of Art, Design and Art History is an intimate school where students are encouraged to thrive as individuals with their own goals, talents and vision. It’s an academically rigorous and personalized environment for students to study, practice and advance the visual arts. After a solid grounding in established art-making practices, students explore innovative and interdisciplinary approaches.

Andrew Hladky, Its Some Kynd of Thing It Aint Us But Yet Its In Us, oil and bamboo sticks on board, 12 x 18 x 10 inches

you the narrative more forcefully than if it had been written from a god’s-eye perspective. You get far more of a feeling of what it’s like to actually be there, inside this different way of perceiving the world. Reassembling this language gives you a glimpse into this different experience more forcefully than if it was written in a more familiar language.” The same could be said of Hladky’s paintings. While they could be described as intense or even disturbing, there are also elements of wonder and beauty in the works, which are undeniably original. As pictures, many of the pieces offer simple imagery: the mountain, the tree. But the manner in which they are presented is so complex, and so new, that I couldn’t help but see them in a completely different way.

M.F.A. student, Devin Howell came to TU to empower her artistic vision. “The art program provides me with time, space and guidance to develop as a painter,” Howell said. The highlight of Howell’s academic career was winning the Best in Show at the 50 th Annual Gussman Juried Student Exhibition. The show celebrates the best in student art and allows the students to be judged by a nationally-recognized juror. This year, the Gussman was curated by TU alumna and Curator of Latin American Art at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Ronda Kasl. TU challenges students to develop the highest professional standards in concept, technique and presentation. Students build their portfolios and resumes by doing internships and practicums, which allow them to apply what they learn in class in professional settings. By cultivating the critical thinking tools and creative skills necessary to realize their artistic vision, students are prepared to embark on their careers.

“You’re forced to piece together the image, rather than it just being there and apparent,” he said. Just like the story inside Riddley Walker, the power of Hladky’s images relies on the power of the human mind to be capable of perceiving it. For more information on The Nite in the Nite and the Nite in the Daytime, visit ahha’s website at ahhatulsa.org. For more information on Andrew Hladky’s work, visit his website at andrewhladky.co.uk. n Zack Reeves is a freelance writer and editor who writes about current events, art, and food for The Tulsa Voice, Edible Tulsa, TulsaPeople Magazine, and others. Zack can be found at zackreeves.com.

Please Follow us on Facebook. www.facebook.com/utulsaschoolofart/ For more information, visit www.cas.utulsa/edu/art/ or call 918.631.2739 • TU is an EEO/AA institution

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Irmgard Geul, Zoom, acrylic and oil pastels on canvas, 36 x 35 inches

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Traditional Roots, Modern Branches By Karen Paul

Oklahoma traditions merged with contemporary patterns, designs, and concepts at the Vantage Point exhibition in May 2018. Held at The Vault Art Space and Gathering Place in Pauls Valley, this exhibition, which featured contemporary artists Michael Mahoney and Irmgard Geul, deliberately challenged perceptions of how art should look and feel in a small, rural Oklahoma town. Like the gallery itself, Mahoney and Geul’s brightly colored artworks occupied a middle ground between traditions and modernity. Their artwork, which often incorporated vibrant colors and nature imagery, seemed even brighter when set against the gallery’s exposed brick and white walls, and when reﬂected off a renovated tin ceiling. Geul’s Color Code, the show’s only threedimensional piece, welcomed visitors to the exhibition that explored a changing Oklahoma trying to ﬁnd itself in between deep rooted traditions and a need to evolve. Inspired by Sudoku grids, Geul assigned a color to each number of a completed puzzle. A 20-year Oklahoma resident originally from the Netherlands, Geul drew on her Danish background to select a series of fabric squares that were bright and friendly. Assembled with a combination of dark thread falling downward and stitching with light threads extending from the sides of the sculpture, Color Code was suspended from the ceiling, allowing visitors to view it from multiple angles as the air from a nearby fan moved the colorful squares and waving strands. It created an experience reminiscent of Oklahoma winds. Like Oklahoma’s weather, Vantage Point offered a temporal experience for viewers. Each artist who agrees to be part of an exhibition at The Vault must also agree to install his or her artwork in conjunction with any other artists participating in the exhibition and with the gallery’s owner and curator, Susie Agee. This process allowed those individuals associated with Vantage Point to create a unique experience for viewers that cannot be replicated again.

The intention of creating a dialog between participating artists, their work, and the gallery space was evident throughout the exhibition. Paintings from Mahoney, who lives in Colorado, but has deep ties to Oklahoma, and Geul, who lives in Pauls Valley, were interspersed throughout the show. In theory, it’s an arrangement that could be challenging, given their differences in styles, backgrounds, and subject matter. However, the exhibition’s structure carried viewers on a natural journey that flowed comfortably between traditional Western images and abstract shapes. Vantage Point introduced a series of paintings from Mahoney. Rooted in traditional Western motifs such as fields of flowers, desert landscapes, and cowboys, these paintings could have created a jarring contrast for viewers. Instead, Mahoney’s use of Western and outdoor imagery transitioned smoothly from the more abstract work of Gerd. In works such as Wildflower Impressions and Desert Moon, Mahoney utilized an Expressionistic style with vivid colors influencing his subject matter. This arrangement created natural landscape images that, at times, seemed almost abstract and an extension of the show’s colorful spirit established by Gerd. Mahoney’s painting style also reinforced Michael Mahoney, The Pub, acrylic on canvas, 16 x 20 the tactile impression created by the three-dimensional Color Code. He utilized a heavily applied, Impressionistic painting style that involved layers of paint, color, and brush strokes. This application, which was consistent throughout his paintings, seemed nearly three-dimensional at times, inviting viewers to viscerally sense the natural world he attempted to replicate. The bright yellows, blues, and greens found in Mahoney’s nature scenes provided a connection to a series of abstract paintings by Gerd. This set of nine, neoncolored paintings functioned in many ways as one complete painting. By utilizing a series of heavy, offset black boxes and (continued to page 16)

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(continued from page 15) Michael Mahoney, Wildflower Fox, acrylic on canvas, 12 x 16

textured paint that created a sense of organic, almost branching elements, they continued the show’s theme of remaining connected to traditions, while simultaneously pushing visual boundaries.

open throughout the week and as part of Pauls Valley’s Fifth Friday Artwork. Information on upcoming exhibitions is available on their Facebook page. n

This tactile sense of connectivity was continued into the exhibition’s last painting, Mahoney’s The Pub. On the surface, this painting was the most non-traditional of the entire show, showcasing two men in an indoor social setting. Upon closer examination, the The Pub eloquently closed the exhibition on a gentle, quiet note, like an Oklahoma sunset. Through the use of an almost monochromatic yellow color scheme, The Pub glimmered against a golden background of nature imagery created by artist Skip Hill.

Karen Paul is an Oklahoma native who has written for Art Focus Oklahoma since 2009. She has a Master’s degree from the University of Oklahoma’s Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication. You may contact her at karenpaulok@gmail.com.

As a whole, Vantage Point leads viewers through a creative exploration of traditions and perceptions that leaves viewers feeling connected to their roots and growing into the future. The Vault Art Space and Gathering Place is

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MODELLA GALLERY: Exploring Contemporary Art in Rural Oklahoma By Roxanne Beason

Roland Bernier, Words on Wheels, painted wood and string, from Text and Textile

Nestled in the historic heart of Stillwater’s downtown Mainstreet, the Modella Gallery serves as a new space to view changing exhibitions of up-and-coming and established contemporary Oklahoma artists. After only one year, this non-profit gallery has become a cornerstone in this rural college town’s art scene as a place to engage with not only the visual arts, but also a place to enjoy films and performance art. Since their first launch in April 2017, Modella Gallery has had at least 8 rotating exhibitions featuring artists from around the state working in a variety of mediums from painting, sculpture, and fiber arts to performance artists. A recent exhibition, Observations: Bloodgood and Bonifield, formerly on display from March to April, was a major success for the gallery because it showcased local abstract painters Dean Bloodgood from Stillwater, Oklahoma and Jay Bonifield from Lawton, Oklahoma. Currently on display until June 6th is a show entitled, Text and Textile, which features selected fiber pieces and mixed media works by Cherrie Hampton, Janis Updike Walker, Judy Laine, Miriam Young, and Roland Bernier. Most artists in rotation are local, but since Modella’s opening, no two shows have been exactly alike. Additionally, to further engage Stillwater with contemporary visual works, Modella is also hosting events that highlight

Opening reception for Ingrid Hendrix: Archetypal

local performance art such as poetry readings, film screenings, and live music. Valerie Bloodgood, the board president, explains how the Modella Gallery allows for flexibility while still retaining the serious nature of its exhibitions, which still allows room for creativity and growth. Bloodgood reinforces her ambitions for the gallery in her statement, “We want to morph and regenerate interest in art for the Stillwater community.” Bloodgood’s grandmothers, Alice Modella Mae and Hazel are revered as the gallery’s namesakes because of their profound influence on their children’s and grandchildren’s lives, she explains, “Both these women raised children to be successful, hardworking, and tenacious and passed that on to each generation. Each of my grandmothers had dreams and hopes they pursued and achieved.” With a concentration on engaging the community with art in a variety of interactive ways, the Modella Gallery is how Valerie Bloodgood is successfully achieving her goals of proving a space for her community to absorb a refreshing intake of contemporary art. Not only serving as a space to exhibit contemporary art, the Modella Gallery’s specific mission as a non-profit gallery is encouraging appreciation and understanding of original works of art by supplying a direct

presence. One of the ways Modella successfully encourages visitors to engage with the work is by hosting regular artist talks, receptions, and events that feature various performance artists. Mondays at Modella are select Mondays which feature live performances of Stillwater’s signature music genre, Red Dirt Music, and other touring and local singersongwriters while the gallery is open to the public. Also open for viewing, Modella’s hosts a monthly film series, the Mecca at Modella, which features avant-garde, independent, and experimental films. The Modella Gallery can also be visited during its participation in Stillwater’s new monthly art crawl, Final Fridays. With most of the viewing audience being the student body of Oklahoma State University, Modella has worked to incorporate students by giving them opportunities to volunteer and display their work. By helping with events and being present during gallery hours, students are learning necessary ways to interact with audiences and help facilitate a conversation about contemporary art with visitors. Because of this mutually beneficial relationship between students and the gallery, Modella allows for students to organize and host their own periodic pop-up student work shows, which increases exposure for both parties. (continued to page 18)

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Jay Bonifield, Air Arrives, acrylic, from Observations: Bloodgood & Bonifield

Moreover, allowing for students and local art lovers alike the opportunity to volunteer and be involved is one of the main ways Modella Gallery is achieving its mission of, “encouraging appreciation and understanding of art through direct contact with original works of art.” Looking towards their second year, Modella is adding a shop where works of art and locally made jewelry will be showcased and sold. This addition will help the nonprofit bring in earned revenue to support their programming as well as providing income streams for local artists. By treating the space as an “incubator of ideas,” the board of directors at Modella Gallery is constantly trying to find new ways to provide access and inspire Stillwater residents to take an interest in contemporary art. Bloodgood states, “I think that Stillwater has such growth and opportunity in the arts…we have a great art culture here.” This is evident through the success of connecting Stillwater with contemporary art at Modella Gallery. n Roxanne Beason is an artist, activist, writer, researcher and graduate student at Oklahoma State University studying art history with an emphasis on contemporary American art based on gender, sexuality, ethnicity, and racial identities. She can be reached at roxanne.beason@gmail.com

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Dean Bloodgood, Understory, oil, from Observations: Bloodgood & Bonifield

ENDURING CREATIVITY: Regina Murphy By Erin Schalk

Regina Murphy, The Blues, acrylic on canvas, 24 x 24 inches, 2018

Oklahoma City-based artist Regina Murphy’s longstanding career first began with the encouragement of her daughter, Michelle (‘Mickie’) Metcalfe. When Michelle was an art major at the University of Oklahoma, she asked her mother to become involved in painting activities. By 1994, Murphy became one of the founding members of Studio Six, located in Oklahoma’s historic Paseo Arts District. Originally a gas station, Studio Six underwent extensive renovations and now houses a gallery and working studios. Today, Murphy continues to make new work in her studio on a regular basis, and she feels she owes a great deal to her connections at Studio Six. Murphy explains, “The interaction with other artists was invaluable; I learned so much from them. The studio also provided me with a place to display my art to the public on a regular basis and to

Regina Murphy, Delicate Balance, acrylic on canvas, 12 x 12 inches, 2017

develop a following, which would not have been possible if I had just painted in my backyard studio.” Unsurprisingly, Murphy’s extensive career has given her the chance to experiment with a wide array of subject matter. For many years, she focused on representational paintings of classically-composed still lives with succulent fruit and elegant flowers, as well as forested landscapes bathed in dappled light. As her career progressed, Murphy had opportunities to take international tours with fellow artists to Guatemala, the Netherlands, France, Italy, Morocco, Bali, and China. These excursions provided her with direct insight into diverse cultures, as well as time to sketch the unique details of each location at close range. As a result, her work took on new subject matter, including paintings inspired by Eastern Orthodox religious icons, Dia de los Muertos skeletons, and

the intricate patterns and saturated hues of traditional Balinese shadow puppets. Many of these international tours were facilitated by Murphy’s cherished mentor: acclaimed artist and educator Douglas Walton. Walton was once a professor at Louisiana Tech where Murphy took some of his 2-week sessions at the university. Over the course of her studies with Walton, Murphy enjoyed valuable opportunities to enrich and expand her art practice. On one occasion, Walton had students paint a large watercolor in only 45 minutes. During another lesson, he required everyone to finish a 4 x 5 foot painting in just half of a day. Despite the challenging nature of these exercises, Murphy now credits Walton for some of her most critical artistic breakthroughs -- the ability to paint rapidly and with greater spontaneity. (continued to page 20)

f e a t u re 19

(continued from page 19) While Murphy’s artistic development continued to flourish, it took her a number of years before she felt the courage to expand from her representational roots into abstraction. As Murphy describes, “I think it took me far too long to make the transition to abstraction, but I had so many areas to explore in realism to move on sooner…[for awhile,] I just didn’t trust my judgement in doing something without a subject.” Today, Murphy’s paintings have shifted to images that push the boundaries of abstraction and non-objectivity. In her Geometrics series, rough-edged planes of color press against each other, creating tense compositions. Like stress fractures that radiate through panes of glass, each shape seems to be holding the others in place with only the most tenuous of pressure. Moreover, these paintings merit careful inspection as Murphy often reveals aspects of her process. Process is especially apparent in works like Delicate Balance and A Way in and a Way Out. In these richly-layered canvases, viewers can glimpse slashing strokes, as well as soft shapes and pastel tones peeking up from partially obscured underpaintings. Murphy’s Renewed Spirit series also reveals her great love of experimentation. Recently, she has become fascinated with spreading black paint across a clean canvas using a palette knife and improvisational movement. She is especially drawn to the palette knife’s capacity for unpredictable marks. Her resulting paintings, such as Trapeze and The Blues, have a central nexus of angular shapes and dashes, much like her Geometrics work. Yet, these paintings make use of atmosphere beautifully; ethereal blues, ivories, and pale greys float along the edges to counterbalance the center’s dynamic energy. Murphy has many honors to her credit, including work in the Mabee-Gerrer Museum of Art, the University of Science and Arts in Chickasha, and the art collection at the Oklahoma State Capitol. Her work is also featured in numerous private and public collections. According to Murphy, “I have been making art for over 50 years. I will be 97 years old in June [2018], and I don’t intend to stop any time soon.” For more information, visit art-by-regina.com to see more of Murphy’s work including images from her Renewed Spirit, Geometrics, and Harmony series. She may also be reached at regina@reginamurphy.net. For more information about Paseo Arts District’s Studio Six, visit studiosixokc.com. n Erin Schalk is a visual artist and writer based in the greater Los Angeles area, California. She may be reached at eschalk@saic.edu.

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(top) Regina Murphy, A Way in and a Way Out, acrylic on canvas, 24 x 35 inches, 2018 (bottom) Regina Murphy, Trapeze, acrylic on canvas, 16 x 12 inches, 2017

CAT CASTLE: Cultivating Artistic Friendships By Laurence Reese

Cat Castle Logo by Felix Blesch

A big red barn may seem like an unsuspecting place for one of Oklahoma’s most radical residency programs, but Cat Castle, in Ramona, OK, doesn’t rely on pretension to support artists. Cat Castle is run by two artists, Steve and Felix Blesch, with backgrounds in painting. After Felix graduated from the University of Oklahoma, Norman, the couple moved close to Steve’s family in Ramona. Both Steve and Felix had run DIY spaces out of houses in Tulsa and Norman before, but now out of college, with time and freedom, they wanted to create something beyond a venue to exhibit works. The big red barn, the Cat Castle itself, is their home, their studio, as well as a large wood-working space, and a barn with goats, a donkey, an old pig, and, of course, many, many cats.

Inside this studio, Steve, Felix, and their daughter all make art, but they also brainstorm opportunities to work with artists across the country. Every year, in the summer, Cat Castle is home to a weekend retreat for artists. They don’t describe it a “residency” where artists come with the intention of making work, but as a retreat, where artists can connect with one another in a quiet, rural environment away from the city. “We really exist as our baby entity to nourish artistic friendship,” says Felix. “Our heart is doing things that are free for artists to grow and feel connected to other artists.” With two children, both Steve and Felix started Cat Castle after noticing what few opportunities there were for people like them. “We both want to go to residencies, but there’s a gap in what we can do,” she

says. “You know, you apply to 10 and maybe get 1, but applying to more than 2 at a time is a lot for me. It’s exhausting.” Steve and Felix attended the first ever Common Field Convening in Minneapolis in 2015. This conference brings together experimental art spaces and organizers from all over the country to collaborate, network, and learn from each other. “[When] we went to the first Convening, we were way in over our head since it seemed like everyone had way more experience. But, then we heard about all the different ways anyone could do it,” Felix says. They attended a panel in which a speaker talked about ways to create residencies. “She said they started a residency where they just traded houses because they figured, if you can put a name (continued to page 22)

f e a t u re 21

(continued from page 21) on it, you can put it on your resume. You use your friends and contacts to get where you want to go, and then make opportunities for each other.” Realizing that they could create a residency program for their friends, they started inviting people they knew at first. Then, the next year, it became friends of friends, and as they move forward, they want to grow and expand their circle. “Our retreats are all ages. So far, it’s only been our kids and one other family with children, but eventually it would be amazing for us to have some artists and friends who are teenagers or elderly friends,” says Felix. “We really want to see more diversity in types of artists as well. We had a florist who made arrangements for the house from our wildflowers, and this year I’ve invited a bead artist.” The retreat itself is open-ended. There is little structure, as they want to nourish and create space for artists to create work. At their past residencies, they have had tables for artists to draw together, make stickers, but also just freely roam the land, help in their vegetable garden, and pick wildflowers. Artists created work for their own projects, but often, they also created work and made ephemeral works, without any purpose of documentation. Steve recounts, “The first year we did it, Laine Bergeron [Norman, OK musician] and I set our instruments out in the yard, and played out into the open air at night. We spent a small amount of time recording some of it, but it was more about the exercise and the experience. Everything is so much slower out here.” This radical creation of work, without a purpose of documentation or intention of an exhibition, gives artists freedom to connect and refill their creative energy. “Sometimes outside of the art world, it seems people get to know each other with the intention of what they can offer each other,” says Felix. “But, we’re interested in meeting people to see what we can do together.”

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Summer Ranch Retreat 2016, (Left to Right: Andrew Kern, Emily Soreghan, Laine Bergeron, Zimi & Felix Blesch, Alli Campbell, Xiu Xiu the dog, Eric Piper, and Jenna Bryan), photo by Stev Blesch

The idea of nurturing creative friendships, and slowly building a community is very much at the heart of what Felix and Steve Blesch hope to make happen wherever they go. As they grow the program, they see an opportunity with their connections to create programming beyond traditional means. Part of Cat Castle is a mail art program in which they collect work from artists all over the country and create zines. They are currently working on purchasing equipment to make more zines and start publishing more works. “With equipment and through the internet, we can make connections with people from out-of-reach places, bringing shows in by printing files they send to us,” says Steve. “Once the retreat grows, our network becomes a lot broader.” Felix and Steve, with two younger children, plan on moving to Tulsa. They both commute a considerable amount, and this clearly takes a toll. But they don’t want

to stop creating a residency out in the countryside. “Eventually we want to have a winter retreat in the city, as the city seems so quiet, and then a summer retreat out here,” Steve mentions. Both these artists, and their children, are making something amazing happen in an unsuspecting place. In Oklahoma, many who grow up here are familiar with areas of land like this, but for those who live elsewhere, or even in the cities in Oklahoma, a retreat like this is a rare opportunity to escape deadlines, From the retreat, Steve and Felix have created exhibitions, and this year, they will exhibit the works from the retreat, scheduled for July 13-16, at Resonator Art Space in Norman. “We are also looking at venues in Tulsa,” says Felix, and they hope to connect to more artists as they grow their own studio practices, and their projects through Cat Castle.

(top left) Monica Kirana and Jenna Bryan in front of outdoor fiber installation, photo by Felix Blesch (top right) Jenna Bryan and Eric Piper (of Resonator, Norman) working outdoors. (bottom left) Emily Soreghan working at a group table, photo by Felix Blesch (bottom right) Laine Bergeron with foraged wildflower bouquets, Summer Ranch Retreat 2016, photo by Felix Blesch

Cat Castle encourages participants in their mail art program. You can reach out to them via email at catcastleart@gmail.com, and learn more about their work on the Common Field website at commonfield.org/ network/1080/cat-castle. n

Laurence Myers Reese is an artist and arts educator in Norman, OK. His work can be viewed at lmyersreese.com

f e a t u re 23

ekphrasis

EKPHRASIS: Art & Poetry edited by Liz Blood

Ekphrasis is a place for

If You’ve Ever Hunted a Giant

poets to respond to a visual

you’d know those first few seconds

work of art. Here, both poet and artist consider the possibilities expressed in

pass comically, like a string of mimes aping the stride of a man in a rush. You squint, you shake, you cock your puppy head; you learn

a vast, Western Oklahoma

to call slack-jawed awe by its first name.

landscape.

simply to see what happens,

You might pick up a paver and throw how far your depth perception has fallen off for the illusion of telescopy. When it sits down to eat: that’s the time. Its back leaned against a butte, the tabletop of a mesa set with wayward cattle, switchgrass, a stolen player piano for accompaniment. Three stories up, that Adam’s apple leaps

Poet: Colin Pope lives in Stillwater.

His poetry has appeared in Rattle, Slate, Willow Springs, Texas Review, Poet Lore, Los Angeles Review, Linebreak, and Best New Poets, among others. He’s the recipient of two Academy of American Poets prizes and is a Ph.D. candidate at Oklahoma State University, where he serves on the editorial staff at Cimarron Review.

Artist: David Morrison is an

Oklahoma artist who lives and works in Owasso. Morrison’s paintings are based on scale, form, and color to reform the dialogue on traditional painting subjects. He employs a minimalistic approach to increase the dynamic between audience and painter, remove sentiment, and open a visual investigation of familiar subjects.

David Morrison, Black Mesa, 2016, acrylic on canvas, 72” x 84”

like a bull over a fence and you begin to wonder about the mother whose love it must be missing by now. About the moonless nights when it trips over a copse of jackpines just trying to make it back to the empty, empty creek bed where it sleeps. If the giant’s puddle-wet eyes weep, if it screams and cries when you slip the needle of cyanide in, it’s okay to apologize. You’ll want to sit with it for a while as it rages, shatters the plateau to shards, claws the landscape down to white bone. When it falls, you’ll feel hard inside. Larger, somehow, so when you next speak you might hear nothing but an echo.

e k p h r a s i s 25

OVAC NEWS

SUMMER 2018

This month we kick off a yearlong celebration of OVAC as we commemorate our 30th Anniversary. Thirty years ago this month, John McNeese, signers Laura Warriner and Mark Briscoe, and a group of trailblazing individuals founded the Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition to support Oklahoma’s visual arts and artists and their power to enrich communities, and especially to provide funds to individual artists. That first year, they started Cross Currents, which later evolved to be the magazine you read now. And the next year, they awarded the very first Artist Award of Excellent to recognize exceptional merit. Since then, OVAC has grown exponentially as exhibitions were added, granting programs established, and professional development opportunities initiated. Over the next year we will spotlight these landmarks on their anniversaries though a social media campaign utilizing the hashtag #ovac30th. Additionally, we have created a mini-website to house highlights from OVAC’s rich history that includes a responsive timeline, interactive map, and an oral history project capturing the stories of board members, staff, volunteers, and artists. You can find all of this at ovac30th.org. Krystle Brewer, Executive Director

26 o v a c n e w s

Additionally, we are kicking off a campaign to raise $200,000 in conjunction with our annual 12x12 Art Fundraiser. Save the date for this year’s event taking place on Friday September 28th. These funds will directly

support our Grants for Artists program and grow our cash reserve, which will secure a financial safety net to ensure a vibrant future. Since grants for artists was the foundation upon which OVAC was built, we felt it only appropriate to celebrate the occasion by growing and supporting our granting program. Help us keep this founding dream alive by donating to our campaign and supporting the artists of Oklahoma who do so much to make our state a thriving and culturally-rich place to live. Of course, OVAC wouldn’t exist without countless volunteers who are incredibly generous with their time and resources and the amazingly talented artists in our state that we serve. To celebrate this group of individuals who have made OVAC what it is today and to look forward to the next thirty years, we invite you to our Annual Members’ Meeting in Tulsa on July 21st. This is an opportunity to network with other artists, give us feedback on OVAC programs, and to celebrate another year of accomplishments. Hope to see you all there! Sincerely,

Krystle Brewer Executive Director

Thank you to our new and renewing members from February through April 2018 Linda Alegria Marjorie Atwood Marc Barker Randall Barnes Craig Baron Duff Bassett Doug Bauer Jonathan Bennett Andrew Boatman, Blue Sage Studios Colby Bowers Michelle Bradsher, Blue Tree Studio Aundria Braggs Patti R. Bray & Bill Birchall Steven L. Brown Stephanie Brudzinski Kevin Burchett Dennis and Deborah Burian Ellen Bussard Gayle Canada Kafie Carman Karam Cheong Caroline Cohenour Elisa Cossey Joan Cowden Kelly Coy

Melissa Coy Colin Cumming Ryan Cunningham Cynthia Curry Gayle Curry Bob Curtis Jason Cytacki and Haley Prestifilippo Glenn Herbert Davis Kay Deardorff Anke Dodson Michael Downes Amber DuBoise Denise Duong Tony Dyke and Susan Morrison-Dyke Douglas Shaw Elder Sarah Engel-Barnett Kris Fairchild Carla Folks Jack Fowler Joey and Al Frisillo Katie Gibbons Linda Godbold John Gooden Shan Goshorn Grace Grothaus Stephanie Grubbs John and Carla Hammer

Frame John Marshall Janice Mathews-Gordon Andy Mattern Brett McDanel Earl and Marie Miller Mitzi Morgan Muskogee Youth Sports Ann L Neal Anh-Thuy Nguyen Nina Nguyen Galen Nichols Mary Nickell Mabrie Ormes George Oswalt Christie Fleuridas Owen romy owens Taylor Painter-Wolfe Billy Palumbo Karen Paul Katie and Chuck Pernu Jennifer Perry Marissa Raglin Michelle Firment Reid Lauren Riepl Liz Roth Ernest Russell Diane Salamon Lynda Savage

Steve Hare Carla Hefley Allison Hix Devin Howell Helen F. Howerton Kaylee Huerta Pamela Husky Sarah Iselin Sheri Ishmael-Waldrop Jacqueline Iskander Jenny James Cynthia and Thomas Janssen Didier Jegaden Michael W. Jones Aubree Karner Jean Keil Joseph K. Kirk Julia J. Kirt Judy Laine Erin Latham Roger K. Lawrence Cayla Lewis Melinda LittleCook Jean Longo Lana Lopez Solomon Mahlatini Eric Maille Mark Woods, Wyman

Jim and Melanie Shelley Rob Smith Sandy and Bob Sober Lisa Sorrell Shauna and James Struby William R. and Nancy Struby Cindy Swanson Julia Swearingen Jim Terrell Skip Thompson Steve Tomlin Ashley Trattner Alex True Audra Urquhart Albert Vadnais Cindy Van Kley Jordan Vinyard Carmen Schaar Walden McSherry Weber Angela AK Westerman Dean Wilhite Christopher and Lori Winland Mark Wittig Thomas Young

OU SCHOOL of VISUAL ARTS, DEGREE OFFERINGS:

BFA

all

MFA

Art History

Visual Communication

Art with an emphasis in:

Art, Tech & Culture

Studio Art

Visual Communication

Art History

Art with an emphasis in:

for you.

Ph.D. Art History

OU School of Visual Arts

We offer a comprehensive package of

The University of Oklahoma

degrees in art, art history, and design.

For more info: art.ou.edu

Schedule a tour to visit OU SoVA.

o v a c n e w s 27

Gallery Listings & Exhibition Schedule Ada

Claremore

The Pogue Gallery East Central University 900 Centennial Plaza (580) 559-5353 ecok.edu

Studies at Large August 30 – September 21, 2018 Art of Subjective Learning September 27 – October 26 Foundations Gallery Rogers State University 1701 W Will Rogers Blvd (918) 343-7740 rsu.edu

Altus Wigwam Gallery 117 W Commerce St (580) 481-3150

Alva Photography July 2018 Artist Now and Then August 2018 Native American Art September 2018 Graceful Arts Gallery and Studios 523 Barnes St (580) 327-ARTS (2787) gracefulartscenter.org

Ardmore The Goddard Center 401 First Avenue SW (580) 226-0909 goddardcenter.org

Bartlesville The Art of Skateboarding May 18 to August 26, 2018 Price Tower Arts Center 510 Dewey Ave (918) 336-4949 pricetower.org

Chickasha The Artwork of Joeallen Gibson August 26 to September 30, 2018 Nesbitt Gallery University of Science and Arts Oklahoma 1806 17th St (405) 574-1344 usao.edu/gallery/schedule

28 g a l l e r y g u i d e

Davis Chickasaw Nation Welcome Center 35 N Colbert Rd (580) 369-4222 chickasawcountry.com

Duncan Chisholm Trail Heritage Center 1000 Chisholm Trail Pkwy (580) 252-6692 onthechisholmtrail.com

Durant Centre Gallery Southeastern OK State University 1405 N 4th PMB 4231 (580) 745-2000 se.edu

Durham Metcalfe Museum 8647 N 1745 Rd (580) 655-4467 metcalfemuseum.org

Edmond Donna Nigh Gallery University of Central Oklahoma 100 University Dr (405) 974-2432 uco.edu/cfad Work, Fight, Give: American Relief Posters of WWII July 5, 2018 Edmond Historical Society & Museum 431 S Boulevard (405) 340-0078 edmondhistory.org

Fine Arts Institute of Edmond 27 E Edwards St (405) 340-4481 edmondfinearts.com Melton Gallery University of Central Oklahoma 100 University Dr (405) 974-2432 uco.edu/cfad University Gallery Oklahoma Christian University 2501 E Memorial Rd (800) 877-5010 oc.edu

El Reno Redlands Community College 1300 S Country Club Rd (405) 262-2552 redlandscc.edu

Guthrie Hancock Creative Shop 116 S 2nd St (405) 471-1951 hancockcreativeshop.com Owens Arts Place Museum 1202 E Harrison Ave (405) 260-0204 owensmuseum.com

Guymon

All Fired Up Art Gallery 421 N Main (580) 338-4278 allfiredupok.com

Idabel Island Spirits June 26 – October 28 Arts of the Southwest June 12 – August 19 Andean Textiles August 28 – November 4 Acrocanthosaurus Summer 2018 Museum of the Red River 812 E Lincoln Rd (580) 286-3616 museumoftheredriver.org

Lawton The Leslie Powell Foundation and Gallery 620 D Avenue (580) 357-9526 lpgallery.org Museum of the Great Plains 601 NW Ferris Ave (580) 581-3460 discovermgp.org

Norman Downtown Art and Frame 115 S Santa Fe (405) 329-0309 Firehouse Art Center 444 S Flood (405) 329-4523 normanfirehouse.com Jacobson House 609 Chautauqua (405) 366-1667 jacobsonhouse.org Still Looking: The Photography Collection of Carol Beesley Hennagin June 12 to December 30, 2018 Visual Voices: Contemporary Chickasaw Art June 8 to September 9, 2018 Fred Jones Jr Museum of Art 555 Elm Ave (405) 325-4938 ou.edu/fjjma Lightwell Gallery University of Oklahoma 520 Parrington Oval (405) 325-2691 art.ou.edu Marissa Raglin and J. Chris Johnson June 8 – July 14, 2018 MAINSITE Contemporary Art Gallery 122 E Main (405) 360-1162 mainsite-art.com

Pioneer Cooking May 5 to July 21, 2018 Quilt Show May 5 to July 21st Moore-Lindsey House Historical Museum 508 N Peters (405) 321-0156 normanmuseum.org The Depot Gallery 200 S Jones (405) 307-9320 pasnorman.org

Oklahoma City Acosta Strong Fine Art 6420 N Western Ave (405) 453-1825 johnbstrong.com Once Old is New June 14 to August 18, 2018 One Thousand Tears September 6 to October 13, 2018 [ArtSpace] at Untitled 1 NE 3rd St (405) 815-9995 1ne3.org Brass Bell Studios 2500 NW 33rd (405) 361-3481 facebook.com/BrassBellStudios Contemporary Art Gallery 2928 Paseo (405) 601-7474 contemporaryartgalleryokc.com Oklahoma Illustrators: Arjan Jager, Jeff Sparks, and Greg White June 7 – July 8, 2018 Best In Show: Colby Bowers, Erin Curry and Holly Wood July 12 to August 5, 2018 Ruth Loveland and Kalee Jones W. August 9 to September 9, 2018 DNA Galleries 1705 B NW 16th St (405) 371-2460 dnagalleries.com

Exhibit C 1 E Sheridan Ave Ste 100 (405) 767-8900 exhibitcgallery.com IKBI: Chickasaws and Choctaws Sharing Our Culture and History Through Art June 7 – September 1, 2018 Gaylord-Pickens Museum, home of the Oklahoma Hall of Fame 1400 Classen Dr (405) 235-4458 oklahomahof.com Grapevine Gallery 1933 NW 39 (405) 528-3739 grapevinegalleryokc.com Howell Gallery 6432 N Western Ave (405) 840-4437 howellgallery.com In Your Eye Studio and Gallery 3005A Paseo (405) 525-2161 inyoureyegallery.com Individual Artists of Oklahoma 706 W Sheridan Ave (405) 232-6060 individualartists.org JRB Art at The Elms 2810 N Walker Ave (405) 528-6336 jrbartgallery.com In the Principles Office: Tom Ryan the Art Student April 7 – November 11, 2018 46th Annual Prix de West Art Exhibition & Sale June 8 – August 5, 2018 National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum 1700 NE 63rd (405) 478-2250 nationalcowboymuseum.org Nault Gallery 816 N Walker Ave (405) 642-4414 naultfineart.com

Nona Hulsey Gallery, Norick Art Center Oklahoma City University 1600 NW 26th (405) 208-5226 okcu.edu Inasmuch Foundation Gallery Oklahoma City Community College Gallery 7777 S May Ave (405) 682-7576 occc.edu Isabelle De Borchgrave: Fashioning Art from Paper June 16 – September 9 Oklahoma City Museum of Art 415 Couch Dr (405) 236-3100 okcmoa.com Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center 3000 General Pershing Blvd (405) 951-0000 oklahomacontemporary.org Oklahoma State Capitol Galleries 2300 N Lincoln Blvd (405) 521-2931 arts.ok.gov Paseo Art Space 3022 Paseo (405) 525-2688 thepaseo.org Red Earth 6 Santa Fe Plaza (405) 427-5228 redearth.org smART Space Science Museum Oklahoma 2100 NE 52nd St (405) 602-6664 sciencemuseumok.org

Park Hill Cherokee National Historical Society, Inc. 21192 S Keeler Dr (918) 456-6007 cherokeeheritage.org

Pauls Valley

Sulphur

Wanderlust June 7 – July 9, 2018 They’re a Riot July 27 – September 3, 2018 Figuratively Speaking September 8 – September 30, 2018 The Vault Art Space and Gathering Place 111 East Paul Avenue, Suite 2 (405) 343-6610

Chickasaw Visitor Center 901 W 1st St (580) 622-8050 chickasawcountry.com/explore/ view/Chickasaw-visitor-center

Ponca City

Tonkawa

Ponca City Art Center 819 E Central (580) 765-9746 poncacityartcenter.com

Shawnee Mabee-Gerrer Museum of Art 1900 W Macarthur (405) 878-5300 mgmoa.org

Stillwater From the Archive: Student Work July – August, 2018 Jiawei Gong September – October, 2018 Gardiner Gallery of Art Oklahoma State University 108 Bartlett Center for the Visual Arts (405) 744-4143 art.okstate.edu Layered Voices May 1 – August 18, 2018 Oklahoma State University Museum of Art 720 S Husband St (405) 744-2780 museum.okstate.edu Modella Art Gallery 721 S Main modellaartgallery.org

Tahlequah Cherokee Arts Center 212 S Water Ave (918) 453-5728 cherokeenationart.com

Eleanor Hays Gallery Northern Oklahoma College 1220 E Grand (580) 628-6670 noc.edu

Tulsa Consuelo J. Underwood: Thread Songs from the Borderlands June 1 – July 22nd, 2018 Amanda McCavour: Diaphanous Embroidery August 3 – September 23, 2018 108|Contemporary 108 E MB Brady St (918) 895-6302 108contemporary.org Aberson’s Exhibits 3624 S Peoria (918) 740-1054 abersonexhibits.com Exploring the Big Trail May 1 – December 31, 2018 Gilcrease Museum 1400 Gilcrease Road (918) 596-2700 gilcrease.utulsa.edu Andrew Hladky: The Nite in the Nite and the Nite in the Daytime May 4 – July 22, 2018 Spect.ion August 3 - September 23, 2018 Hardesty Arts Center 101 E Archer St (918) 584-3333 ahhatulsa.org

Henry Zarrow Center for Art and Education 124 E MB Brady St (918) 631-4400 gilcrease.utulsa.edu/Explore/ Zarrow Alexandre Hogue Gallery University of Tulsa 2930 E 5th St. (918) 631-2739 utulsa.edu/art Holliman Gallery Holland Hall 5666 E 81st Street (918) 481-1111 hollandhall.org Joseph Gierek Fine Art 1342 E 11th St (918) 592-5432 gierek.com Land-Sc(r)aping: Development, Community, Affect May 4th - July 12th Living Arts 307 E MB Brady St (918) 585-1234 livingarts.org Mainline 111 N Main Ste C (918) 629-0342 mainlineartok.com M.A. Doran Gallery 3509 S Peoria (918) 748-8700 madorangallery.com Lovetts Gallery 6528 E 51st St (918) 664-4732 lovettsgallery.com Rena Detrixhe: Red Dirt Rug March 14 – July 22, 2018 Philbrook Downtown 116 E MB Brady St (918) 749-7941 philbrook.org

(continued to page 30)

g a l l e r y g u i d e 29

(continued from page 29)

Innovative Impressions June 9 – September 9, 2018 Philbrook Museum of Art 2727 S Rockford Rd (918) 749-7941 philbrook.org Pierson Gallery 1307-1311 E 15th St (918) 584-2440 piersongallery.com Urban Art Lab Studios 2312 E Admiral Blvd (918) 747-0510 urbanartlabstudios.com

Tulsa Performing Arts Center Gallery 110 E 2nd St (918) 596-2368 tulsapac.com WaterWorks Art Center 1710 Charles Page Blvd (918) 596-2440 waterworksartcenter.com

Weatherford

Wilburton The Gallery at Wilburton 108 W Main St (918) 465-9669

Woodward Plains Indians and Pioneers Museum 2009 Williams Ave (580) 256-6136 nwok-pipm.org

SWOSU Art Gallery 100 Campus Drive (580) 774-3756 swosu.edu

Tulsa Artists’ Coalition 9 E MB Brady St (918) 592-0041 tacgallery.org

Become a member of the Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition. Join today to begin enjoying the benefits of membership, including a subscription to Art Focus Oklahoma. Collector Level + Community Supported Art (CSA) Program $1,000 ($85 a month option) · · · · ·

2 original and quality pieces of art by Oklahoma artists 2 tickets to CSA Launch Events twice a year 2 tickets to 12x12 Art Fundraiser $400 of this membership is tax deductible All of below

PATRON $250 · · · · ·

Listing of self or business on signage at events Invitation for 2 people to private reception with visiting curator 2 tickets each to Momentum OKC & Momentum Tulsa $200 of this membership is tax deductible. All of below

FELLOW $150 · · · · ·

Acknowledgement in Resource Guide and Art Focus Oklahoma Copy of each OVAC exhibition catalog 2 tickets to Tulsa Art Studio Tour $100 of this membership is tax deductible. All of below

FAMILY $75

· Same benefits as Individual, for 2 people in household

INDIVIDUAL $45 · · · · ·

Subscription to Art Focus Oklahoma magazine Monthly e-newsletter of Oklahoma art events & artist opportunities Receive all OVAC mailings Listing in and copy of annual Resource Guide & Member Directory Invitation to Annual Members’ Meeting

Plus, artists receive: · Inclusion in online Artist Gallery, ovacgallery.com · Artist entry fees waived for OVAC exhibitions · Up to 50% discount on Artist Survival Kit workshops · Affiliate benefits with Fractured Atlas, Artist INC Online, Artwork Archive, and the National Alliance for Media Arts & Culture.

STUDENT $25

· Same benefits as Individual level. All Student members are automatically enrolled in Green Membership program (receive all benefits digitally).

MEMBER FORM ¨ Collector Level + Community Supported Art Program ¨ Patron ¨ Fellow ¨ Family ¨ Individual ¨ Student ¨ Optional: Make my membership green! Email only. No printed materials will be mailed. Name Street Address City, State, Zip Email Website

Phone

Credit card #

Exp. Date

Are you an artist? Y N Medium?________________________ Would you like to be included in the Membership Directory? Y N

Would you like us to share your information for other arts-related events?

Detach and mail form along with payment to: OVAC 730 W. Wilshire Blvd, Ste 104, Oklahoma City, OK 73116 Or join online at ovac-ok.org

Isabelle de Borchgrave: Fashioning Art from Paper features the life-size, trompe l’œil paper costumes of Belgian artist Isabelle de Borchgrave (born 1946). This exhibition is organized by Dixon Gallery and Gardens, Society of the Four Arts, Oklahoma City Museum of Art, Frick Art and Historical Center, and Artis—Naples, the Baker Museum.

Art Focus

Ok l a h o m a

UPCOMING EVENTS July 15: OVAC Grants for Artists Deadline

730 W. Wilshire Blvd, Suite 104 Oklahoma City, OK 73116 The Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition supports Oklahoma’s visual arts and artists and their power to enrich communities. Visit ovac-ok.org to learn more.

July 21: Annual Member Meeting Aug 1: 12x12 Preview opens at Zarrow in Tulsa Aug 6: 12 x12 Preview open at Leadership Square in OKC Aug 13: 24 Works on Paper opens at Guymond Public Library & Arts Center Sept 15: ASK Workshop: Business of Art 101 Sept 28: 12x12 Art Fundraiser

Celebrate 30 years of OVAC! Since its inception in 1988, the Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition has supported Oklahoma artists, transforming the arts community in our state— a feat we couldn’t have done without you! Our 30th Anniversary Campaign will directly support the OVAC Grants for Artists program and grow our cash reserve.

Your donation will make a diﬀerence.

www.ovac30th.org

Non Profit Org. US POSTAGE PAID Oklahoma City, OK Permit No. 113