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 4 N o . 2
| Spring 2019
Chalice and Tanalian Mountain II, Beth Lipman
BETH LIPMAN: ACCIDENTAL VESTIGES April 5 – May 26, 2019
Fireflies in a Mason Jar, Todd Sanders
www.108contemporary.org 108 East Mathew Brady Street Tulsa, Oklahoma 74103 | 918.895.6302 Laid (Time-) Table with Cycads, Beth Lipman
TODD SANDERS: ROADSIDE NEON
June 7 – July 21, 2019
ARTIST TALK WITH TODD SANDERS AND CONCERT WITH WAYNE HANCOCK At Guthrie Green | FREE June 22, 7:00 pm
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.
Art Focus
Ok l a h o m a Vo l u m e 3 4 N o . 2
| Spring 2019
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24 Works on Paper: The Traveling Exhibition for Contemporary Oklahoma Art by Carleigh Foutch
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Beth Lipman: Accidental Vestiges by Kerry M. Azzarello
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Sun, Fun and Friends by Lucie Smoker
12 Deep Deuce Déjà Vu by Mandy Messina
F e a t u re s 16 Murals at Mother Road Market by Jill Farr
19 Jasmine Jones: Creating a Prescription for Healing by Ayanna Najuma
22 Full Circle: The Life and Art of Shan Goshorn by Christina Burke
24 EKPHRASIS: Art & Poetry COVER: Tatyana Fazlalizadeh, Black Motherhood, 2019, oil. paper, and wheatpaste on canvas, 60” x 48”, page 12. TOP: Carla Waugh, Flowers (detail), watercolors, pen and ink, 20” x 16”, from 24 Works on Paper, page 4.
edited by Liz Blood
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BOTTOM: Linda Guenther, Oklahoma Barns, limited edition, gallery wrap, 16” x 20”, page 9.
Support from: Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition PHONE: 405.879.2400 1720 N Shartel Ave, Ste B, Oklahoma City, OK 73103. 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 Oklahoma’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.
2018-2019 Board of Directors: President: John Marshall, OKC; Vice President: Douglas Sorocco, OKC; Treasurer: Dean Wyatt, Owasso; Secretary: Laura Massenat, OKC; Parliamentarian: Jake Yunker, OKC; Susie Marsh Agee, Pauls Valley; Marjorie Atwood, Tulsa; Bob Curtis, OKC; Gina Ellis, OKC; Jon Fisher, OKC; Barbara Gabel, OKC; Saiyida Gardezi, OKC; Susan Green, Tulsa; Kyle Larson, Alva; Travis Mason, OKC; Diane Salamon, Tulsa; Chris Winland, OKC 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. © 2019, Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition. All rights reserved. View the online archive at ArtFocusOklahoma.org.
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Mark Sisson, Portrait of Cameron Richardson: Peace, Piece 2, linocut, woodcut and lithograph, 28� x 22�
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24 WORKS ON PAPER: The Traveling Exhibition for Contemporary Oklahoma Art By Carleigh Foutch
LEFT: Claire Holloway, Regrowth, cut paper, 16” x 20” RIGHT: Jason Cytacki, Samson’s Trip, graphite on paper, 22” x 28”
24 Works on Paper, the biennial travelling art exhibition that showcases contemporary Oklahoma artists in primarily rural communities, is in full swing throughout the year (so be sure to check out a show near you!). The 2018-2020 exhibition began its journey August 13, 2018 in Guymon, OK and will continue its trajectory across the state until January 17, 2020 at the Gaylord Pickens Museum in Oklahoma City. Curator and associate professor at Oklahoma State University, Louise Siddons, says that 24 Works is currently one of the most relevant and necessary art shows in the state—not only for Oklahoma artists, but for current high school and college art students as well. “I say this in my curator’s statement, but one of the most important aspects of 24 Works is how it speaks to the vitality of arts education at every level in this state. Particularly as it travels to venues all around the state, I hope that people recognize the role played by school, university, and extracurricular arts programming in developing the artistry on view,” she said. “Particularly at a moment when we’re being asked to defend our children’s right to basic education, we need to see that the arts are included in that base. 24 Works is a show that has something for
everyone to love—but it also has at least one thing that will command respect from everyone who sees the show.” Featured artist Carla Waugh can attest to Siddons’ statement. As a former art teacher herself, she’s seen first-hand the kind of advocacy efforts the arts have in rural Oklahoma communities. “I’ve taught some rural communities and I know that they don’t have the best art to look at let alone participate in. The fact that it travels all over the state gives people the opportunity to see different art that they may not have access to,” she said. Waugh’s featured piece in the exhibition, Flowers, plays around with her preferred medium of watercolor. For Waugh, watercolor allows her an unbridled amount of exploration, but it also happens to be one of the cheapest mediums that rural schools can afford in their arts programs, making it easily accessible and familiar to the potential students who view this year’s exhibition. “I’ve moved onto mulberry paper and I wanted to do something that hadn’t been done yet in the watercolor world, wanted to explore new ways of using watercolor. While I was teaching, it was a way to experiment with
watercolors and show students there was a different way of using the medium.” While the artists chosen for the 24 Works on Paper are only relegated to creating a piece on paper, their work is anything but restrictive. Waugh, along with her fellow featured artists Claire Holloway, Mark Sisson, and Jason Cytacki have created works that weave a myriad of immensely powerful stories. Nature, social justice, and graphite dreamscapes are just some of the pieces that students will be privy to. “I wanted to show the stark contrast between nature and the manmade. Both worlds constantly battle over our earth, and it`s remarkable how easily nature can take over,” Holloway—an Oklahoma City-based artist— said. “Even as we continue to expand our population and our cities, nature continues to fight back in ways we don`t expect.” For Jason Cytacki, a Norman-based artist, the ethereal realm of escapism inspired him. “I was interested with the idea that when faced with an uncertain world outside, losing ourselves within a world of escapism has its benefits, but can also leave us without a voice, in a sense making us vulnerable,” he said. (continued to page 6)
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Siddons said that as curator, one of her main challenges was creating a show that told a cohesive story. “For 24 works of art by 24 different artists to look great together, they need to create a conversation amongst themselves, as well as holding their own individually. Chosen well, conceptually speaking, 24 Works reinforces the breadth of possibilities paper holds for artists, as well as the incredible skill and insight of artists across the state, so as curator, I was looking for diverse media and methods, put to compelling use,” she said. “I really appreciate [that] OVAC does this; there’s nothing else really like this out there right now. It serves a very valuable function; I wish we had more things like this. It’s nice to feel like there are these opportunities for artists in the state,” said Stillwater-based artist Mark Sisson. “It’s the only survey I’m aware of right now in the state for 2D work and an opportunity to showcase that work. You get to go to the far-flung corners of Oklahoma, which I like, and it allows people to see a sampling of contemporary Oklahoma art.” Siddons is excited for the exposure that students will get to the Oklahoma art scene, as well as dispel any myths or stereotypes that good, poignant
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contemporary art only exists in large art markets. “How many other exhibitions travel to a dozen venues within the state? 24 Works is unique because it is about Oklahoman artists speaking to Oklahoman audiences. If you’re the kind of person who thinks that the most important art is the most famous, then 24 Works might not be for you. But if you think that the most important art is work that shows us something about ourselves, then there’s no better exhibition. I use the word ‘conversation’ a lot when I talk about curating; the best exhibitions invite their visitors to contribute to the conversation that they’ve started between the artworks in the gallery. 24 Works on Paper is ultimately a conversation about us,” Siddons said. For a full schedule of 24 Works on Paper tour dates, visit 24works.org. Art classes and the general public are encouraged to attend, so be sure to check out some amazing Oklahoma art near you! n Carleigh Foutch is a writer and activist living in Oklahoma City. She received her BA in journalism from the University of Oklahoma and continues to write stories of all kinds in her spare time. To learn more about Carleigh and her work, visit carleighfoutch.weebly.com.
TOP LEFT: Louise Siddons, 24 Works on Paper Curator (Photo credit: Jason Wallace/OSU Marketing) ABOVE: Carla Waugh, Flowers, watercolors, pen and ink, 20” x 16”
BETH LIPMAN: Accidental Vestiges By Kerry M. Azzarello
Beth Lipman, Laid (Time-) Table with Cycads, 2015, glass, adhesive, wood, paint, 92” x 57” x 192”. Permanent collection of Museum of Art and Design.
108|Contemporary highlights the beauty and thought-provoking work of Beth Lipman in their latest exhibition. Beth Lipman: Accidental Vestiges offers glimpses into the many artistic sides of the Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin-based artist–from her renowned glass assemblages to site-specific compositions captured in photographs and micro-environments preserved in metal. Lipman is most recognized for her works in clear glass, a medium that aptly translates the impermanence of life. While color prohibits light refraction, the transparent glass allows for the object’s essence to remain while nearly relinquishing all materiality. One may look at, look through, and look beyond, disrupting the viewers’ gaze to even be able to focus on the objects themselves. She explains, “These objects are historic forms and when you remove the color, they become more elusive
and beg the viewer to go beyond the color. You can’t visually own it if the color is removed.” In a world seemingly more and more captivated with perfection, it is important to note the artist’s deliberate choice to incorporate every object created– flawed and flawless co-existing. Each item captures a moment in time, thus speaking its own truth and subsequently earning a place at the table. Tables, specifically Haarlem style laid tables, have been a source of inspiration and central component of Lipman’s work for over a decade. Arrangements often include food, flowers, kitchen utensils, and other household objects, evoking notions of consumption and desire. Using varied processes combining blown, lamp-worked, solid sculpted, and kiln formed glass the artist creates tables overflowing
with a multitude of glass objects. According to Lipman, “The works are portraits of individuals and our society through inanimate objects. The process of creating defines the final composition; mimesis is abandoned. Mortality, consumerism, materiality, and temporality, critical issues since the inception of the still life tradition in the 17th century, continue to be relevant.” Visitors will be drawn to the exhibition’s centerpiece work Laid (Time-) Table with Cycads. Completed in 2015, the 16-foot table is covered with hundreds of individual glistening glass objects such as bowls, goblets, plates, vases, and books. This top layer speaks to the excess and consumption associated with mankind. Below the table are numerous plant formations, again in clear glass, representing the natural world. Uniting the two strata (continued to page 8)
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are three cycads, ancient Paleozoic Era plants, that are rooted in nature, grow unimpeded by the clutter of the inanimate objects and continue to thrive above the table. Lipman’s Distill series also intertwines elements of the natural and the manmade, however she opts to capture these moments in metal rather than glass. The artist arranges organic matter such as conifers and ferns alongside modern model furniture and domestic items in cardboard boxes. The dioramas are then filled with molten iron, destroying the created environment, leaving behind fossil-like preservations. Nine Distills, made of cast iron, chrome, and brass are on display. The photographs included in the exhibition were taken during the artist’s retreat to Lake Clark, Alaska in 2014. The c-prints are created in editions of three, after which the glass is destroyed and recycled. The image that remains is a moment in time, captured then altered, never to be experienced in the same way again. In Chalice at Priest’s Rock the glass chalice stands upright in still water. The object’s form is recognizable and centered in the print. However, the soft blues of the sky and water shine forth nearly unimpeded through the glass. Similarly, Chalice with Detritus places a hand-sculpted chalice in a natural setting, this time a forest. The grasses, and trees comingle with refuse that has been left behind, abandoned by human hands. Already it is apparent that nature will soon overtake the discarded items, ultimately turning their object-ness into transparent forgotten-ness. Also featured are Whatnot I & Whatnot II, two examples where Lipman deviates from her use of clear glass. These monochromatic sculptures stand 7-foot high and feature 4-tiers of opaque black objects resting on black wooden shelves. The artworks’ titles allude to their form and history. The what-not, a popular furniture item from the 19th century, was designed to display items such as china and trinkets on
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Chalice at Priest's Rock, Lake Clark, AK, 2014, 60” x 44”, c-print on aluminum with glossy laminate.
its numerous tiered shelves. Lipman’s modern take draws the public in to embark on an exploratory journey of the numerous objects before them that simultaneously offers an opportunity for self-reflection. With a mix of beauty, chaos, consumption, growth, and decay, Lipman’s work may be enjoyed by the casual and sophisticated viewer alike. Each is allowed to make personal connections to the works, interpreting them through their individual life schemas. This accessibility is not lost on 108|Contemporary Exhibition Director, Jen Boyd, who explains, “There is a unique access point in this artwork because we all surround ourselves with glass, windows we look through and the cups out of which we drink, and I think that lends itself to feeling familiar. It also is quite literally the things of everyday life. Sometimes artwork takes on greater meaning for a viewer who can make connections to something personal and this work can certainly facilitate that kind of meaning.”
Boyd notes this exhibition is three years in the making and that the selected works have changed rapidly over the past six months. In addition to the challenge and cost associated with shipping such large and delicate pieces, museums have been purchasing works for their permanent collections. For example, Laid (Time-) Table with Cycads was recently purchased by the Museum of Art and Design, making Tulsa the piece’s final stop before joining the MAD permanent collection in New York City. Beth Lipman was previously one of 20 featured contemporary glass artists included in the 2012 exhibit FUSION [A New Century of Glass] at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art. 108|Contemporary is excited to bring a wider variety of her pieces back to the state, highlighting an artist using glasswork as a medium for conceptual craft. Boyd states, “Our mission is to support Oklahoma contemporary fine craft artists and we feel that bringing artists like Beth Lipman to Tulsa can inspire and educate artists and audiences
The University of Tulsa’s School of Art, Design and Art History is an intimate school where students are encouraged to thrive as an individual with their own goals, talents and vision. As a graphic design student, TJ Treece is not only grounded in traditional art-making practices, but also, he discovered his artistic voice. “Learning technical skills like Photoshop and InDesign are great, but the modern conveniences of design work aren’t going to be useful unless you understand how to cultivate good creative ideas.” Beth Lipman, Laid (Time-) Table with Cycads (detail), 2015, glass, adhesive, wood, paint, 92” x 57” x 192”. Permanent collection of Museum of Art and Design.
Distill #1, 2015, brass, 9” x 13” x 4.5”. Photo credit: John Michael Kohler Arts Center/ Kohler Co.
At TU, graphic design work is not confined to a classroom. Treece is involved with Third Floor Design, a student-operated graphic design agency. By working with real-world clients, students build their portfolios by designing logos, posters, brochures, motion graphics and other collateral material for local nonprofits. Graphic design combines a student’s artistic ability with the people skills necessary to understand the client’s objective. “More than anything, I think the School of Art teaches design students how to be problem-solvers,” Treece explained. “The curriculum is all about giving you the tools you need to be able to provide answers to any kind of creative question.”
about the breadth of and possibility within contemporary fine craft.” While glass work has previously been included in survey exhibitions at the gallery, never has it been on such full display in the quantity and size of the current pieces. They would like to continue this trajectory by representing more glass work from Oklahoma artists. Beth Lipman: Accidental Vestiges is on view April 5 - May 26, 2019 at 108|Contemporary, located at 108 E MB Brady Street in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Gallery hours are 12-5pm Wednesday through Sunday and admission is always free. An artist talk is scheduled for Saturday, April 6, 2019. Visit 108contemporary.org for more information. n Kerry Azzarello lives and works in Oklahoma City. She strives to let the flawed and flawless co-exist to create a fuller, more complete life. She can be reached at kerryazzarello@gmail.com.
Please Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. www.facebook.com/utulsaschoolofart/ @utulsaart For more information, visit www.cas.utulsa/edu/art/ or call 918.631.2739 • TU is an EEO/AA institution
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Sun, Fun and Friends By Lucie Smoker
Carolina Elizabeth, Yellow Roses, 2017, oil on Canvas, 7” x 5”
“I want people to smile at my glass,” says Jolene Loyd Forbes of her sculptures for Sun, Fun and Friends at Graceful Arts. The threeartist showcase is like a girls’ day out on the road with your besties. Setting the almostquilted photographs of Linda Guenther next to tiny still-lifes by Carolina Elizabeth and dancing fused glass by Forbes, it laughs at itself, reflects on a lost past and celebrates every petal of an opening rose. “You have to be really quick because it does change every five minutes,” says Carolina Elizabeth. Photographer Linda Guenther might have inspired the title with her road trips. She grabs one of her best girlfriends and heads down the highway, Thelma and Louise style. Raised a country girl, she looks for country barns, falling-down structures, and wooden grain elevators. “When I see these old structures, the first thing on my mind is: what was it like back in the day?” says Guenther. She composes each image based on what she feels in that place, with her friend. Sometimes joyful, sometimes reflective, she researches the legends and moments behind the structure, then enhances
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Jolene Loyd Forbes, Little Bi, 2018, fused glass wall hanging, 15” x 3”
the image to reflect its story. Guenther brushes on birds photographed elsewhere or fuses together barns from across the state to create a more-real-than-reality landscape. While she relishes the photography trips with all sorts of friends, it is that research—those family stories—that instill the spirit of place. “The most important thing to me is to feel the history in the presence of these buildings,” she says. Her paintings do resonate with a stillness that contrasts with the energy of farm couples who fell in love, raised the kids, and made a living there. “Some remind me of the Dust Bowl. They resurrect a feeling in me that I, in turn, hope somebody else will feel.” Where Guenther’s imagery reflects Oklahoma’s wide-open horizons, Carolina Elizabeth’s tiny oil paintings instill a sense of intimacy. She says, “If you paint tiny things, people do have to get close.” She paints mostly five-by-seven or eight-byten images florals with extreme delicacy. “The roses are the most challenging,” she says, and paints almost exclusively roses. At that size, every brushstroke can make or break
Linda Guenther, Country Elevator, photograph with texture overlays, 24” x 18”
the painting. “I have always been drawn to the intimacy of small objects.” She enjoys the challenge that comes with capturing the personality of the rose. Elizabeth creates most of her paintings from still-lifes, “because you get all the nuances.” She paints fast because “You turn and one petal has moved.” Her colors caught my attention at first glance. A yellow rose might contain forty nuances of color—at that tiny scale. Elizabeth keeps the palette small, then blends both on the painting and the palette. She has to be careful not to over-blend. Again, at this size, muddiness might be one brushstroke away. Carolina Elizabeth was born in Honduras but has called Oklahoma her home since age eight. She credits her mom and a teacher, Joyce Jackson, for empowering her creativity. “If my mom wanted to try something, she would just do it.” She brought Elizabeth with her to learn floral design at age fifteen. Ms. Jackson did something even greater. She walked into the classroom each day, perfectly coiffed, led them in studio art, and between the lines, taught her students that art is a valid profession.
Linda Guenther, Wind Pump, photograph with texture overlays, 16” x 20”
But it is Elizabeth’s roots in sculpture that give these teeny paintings a depth beyond their size. I asked her about the vases and the feeling of space. She shared, “You have to pay attention whenever you are sculpting to how that object is going to affect the space it will sit upon.” She applies that three-dimensional wisdom to her oils and her online gallery has attracted collectors from all over the globe. Jolene Loyd Forbes also builds art outside of her original area of study—with a shot of exuberance. As accomplished painter, she took up fused glass on a lark using scraps from her friend, Nicki Albright Townley. Still creating in both media, Forbes might paint an animal or person, then sense something in the scene that will translate well to glass. “I’m all about color, shape, and design. Where my art is structured, my glass work is haphazard.” She starts working and lets the glass itself and her feelings determine the final form. While she did study stained glass at USAO, Forbes prefers the freedom of
the kiln-fired art. She says, “Fused glass is my fun side.” Forbes opened her gallery, Paseo Artworks, about five years ago. She represents many artists, but says, “No one at that time was showing this type of glass work here. I wanted to stretch the thinking of what art is.” She gets a sense of freedom from it. And her sculptures exude that freedom. They light up a room like Robert Redford’s smile in the Great Gatsby. Energetic, colorful, and brave, they glow with the warmth of friends sharing good days. Sun, Fun and Friends will kick off with Alva’s First Friday Art Walk on May 3rd from 6-8pm at Graceful Arts, 523 Barnes St in the downtown arts and shopping district. Sounds like a sweet road trip. n
ABOVE TOP: Jolene Loyd Forbes, Wild hair day, 2018, fused glass, 4.5” tall BOTTOM: Carolina Elizabeth, Roses in Glass Vase, 2018, oil on Canvas, 5” x 7”
Lucie Smoker is a suspense author, poet, and freelance writer. Check out her latest words at luciesmoker.wordpress.com.
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Deep Deuce Déjà Vu By Mandy Messina
LEFT: Tatyana Fazlalizadeh, Ashley, 2019, paper and wheatpaste installation, dimensions variable RIGHT: Tatyana Fazlalizadeh, Progressive Citizens, 2019, paper and wheatpaste installation, dimensions variable
A looped projection of the artist’s work and historic photos of black Oklahomans form a silent rhythm in the background. A videographer is documenting in the corner. This is Tatyana Fazlalizadeh’s artist talk. She’s creating space for a community conversation on black experiences in Oklahoma. A mic is passed around to collect the stories. Just over a century ago, Roscoe Dunjee was collecting stories too. Fittingly, Oklahoma’s first black newspaper was founded in OKC’s first black district—Deep Deuce. The only distinction from other Oklahoma newspapers was that The Black Dispatch was making space for black experiences. This was during an era
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when lynchings and cross-burnings were as common as police shootings of unarmed black men are today. In order to fight injustices, you need a means of documenting abuse.
of the artist, tells me he suggested a variety of prominent community leaders from the Northeast. She insisted on interviewing regular people from her old neighborhood.
Today, The Black Dispatch is archived at various institutions in microfilm. It illustrates what black life in Oklahoma City was like. Imagine, if we relied exclusively on archives unconcerned with, or which actively dismissed black experiences, an entire version of history would be unheard.
“I think when you talk specifically to individuals who talk about social barriers and injustices every day,” Evans told me, “you kind of miss those small nuanced things that people experience on a daily basis.”
Fazlalizadeh ended the meeting by asking interested community members if they were willing to be interviewed and photographed in their homes. Lance Evans, a long-time friend
One experience mentioned at the meeting was living in a food desert. While the solution of a community garden shouldn’t be discounted completely, it quickly revealed itself to be impractical and unfair. One community member asked, “Is there anyone else in OKC
we’re asking to plant and grow their own food—as if that is a sustainable way of living in 2019?” Another factor of daily life was that for many families, renting their home was not a first choice. They are unable to invest in their neighborhood and buy property, because of certain barriers to entry. Tulsa and Oklahoma City are today among 61 cities with documented discriminatory lending practices. Despite the fact that some black and white applicants have similar if not matching financial histories, black applicants are routinely denied loans. With the recent sweep of legislation for redevelopment, disproportionately targeting the Northeast side, the anxiety felt around property ownership has surged. It’s one thing for redevelopment to bring grocery stores to the district, but what agency over these developments do the community members have? Ashley Dickson-Oso raises an urgent cause for concern—the city’s history of traumatizing marginalized communities through aggressive redevelopment. “Without a concrete plan to address the PTSD associated with years of strategic oppression…conditions [are] ripe for re-injury and gentrification.” In the 1920’s heyday of Deep Deuce, it was illegal for the rapidly growing black community to expand. This overcrowding resulted in highly inadequate living standards. Segregation laws in the city made sure black families purchasing homes across the redlines were immediately arrested. Dunjee saw these entrances into the legal system as another method for documentation of abuse. He encouraged community members to expand home-ownership across the unspoken barriers by bailing them out and involving the NAACP. “What I had not known before going to that meeting was that the East side wasn’t the first Black area in Oklahoma City.” Lance Evans tells me. That’s no coincidence, and today Bricktown is better known than its neighbor, Deep Deuce. Manufacturing an impression of the historic black district as a mere extension of Bricktown, is an example of that “strategic oppression.” There’s actually a term for what happened in Deep Deuce: third-wave gentrification. Instead
of individuals changing an area, the culprits are the state colluding with large commercial developers. For the Deep Deuce community, the most significant redevelopment was in the 1970s as a result of petroleum company, Kerr-McGee, and later in the early 1990s, through Brown Development company. Couple these companies’ aggressive redevelopment, with the state demolishing most of Deep Deuce to construct I-235, and we have a direct instance of the traumatization of black communities in OKC. It’s easier to celebrate the vibrant jazz history than to acknowledge Jim Crow laws and the shameful erasure of black historical spaces. Imagine, if relying exclusively on archives unconcerned with, or which actively dismissed black experiences, an entire version of history would be unheard. Today only one black owned business remains in Deep Deuce. Fazlalizadeh is best known for her wheatpastes, specifically her viral campaign, Stop Telling Women to Smile. Her graphite portraits of people of color, with typed text are photocopied on paper and wheatpasted in public spaces. Evans tells me that since the installation spaces are public, you have more eyes on the work than if it were in a gallery. With more eyes come more opinions. The reaction to one of her 23rd street wheatpastes, Oklahoma is Black, was the word “HATE” sprayed over the portrait of the black man. Her original text, “We will not be defined by whiteness,” was defaced so that the last word reads witness. Author Robin DiAngelo summarizes this sentiment: “More and more, I think about being white as never having to bear witness to the pain of racism on people of color, and rarely ever being held accountable for the pain that I have caused people of color.”
Tatyana Fazlalizadeh, Love, oil on canvas, 36” x 48” with text from the exhibition
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Tatyana Fazlalizadeh, Black Boy, 2019, paper and wheatpaste installation, dimensions variable
“That pushback to the work identifies why it’s so important.” Evans tells me, “Tatyana’s work is about inclusion. I remember seeing those statements “America is Black, Oklahoma is Black”—it just talks about where we belong and where our spaces are and that’s right among you.”
Which exhibitions get top billing? Which artists get solo exhibitions? A museum that is only showing white men, or that is focusing on European art, or whose labels center the white European-American experience, is also making a political statement.”
If the idea of making space for black bodies and their experiences, is met with such hostility outside Oklahoma Contemporary, what happens when it’s installed in the space the gallery provides?
Oklahoma Contemporary’s mission, she says, is to add an Oklahoma perspective to a national conversation that is currently underway. The artist crafted a “love letter” for marginalized people in OKC, and is creating a safe space within the gallery.
Curator Jennifer Scanlan tells me, “It is a political act to insist that black Oklahomans deserve space and a voice within our art institutions.” She goes on to suggest that no art curatorial choices are free of a point of view and therefore, of political implications, “Take a look at any museum: which galleries are at the center of the building and take up the most space?
Ashley Dickson-Oso said that inviting the artist into her home, and having her just bear witness to the everyday experiences was a first. She realized that as a black woman living in OKC, she hadn’t been offered that kind of safe space in a long time. Until then she hadn’t realized how desperately she needed or missed it.
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“What Tatyana is doing is important work because she’s giving voice to something that often times cannot be expressed with words. Her beautiful images so eloquently capture struggles not spoken of in our society. She’s giving power back and that’s what I’m all about.” Tatyana Fazlalizadeh: Oklahoma is Black runs February 22 - May 19, 2019 at Oklahoma Contemporary. Gallery Talks are scheduled for 6pm February 26, March 5 and 9, April 9 and 23, and May 7. n Mandy Messina is a non-binary, South African artist and writer living in OKC. Projects include CriticalCanon.com, and OKInstituteForCorrections.com. Find their work at MandyMessina.com
Large-scale immersive art in Tulsa: What will you EXPERIENCE? “Get it, Tulsa!” -Meow Wolf
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Now open! Learn more: ahhaTulsa.org #TheExperienceTulsa #KeepTulsaCreative
Pictured: Science Fiction-inspired tunnels with eye-opening video art, both by one of five EXPERIENCE Lead Artists, Daniel Sutliff.
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Janet Fadler Davie and Yatika Fields, America’s Main Street Tulsa, mural
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Murals at Mother Road Market By Jill Farr
If you’re unfamiliar with the historical and cultural significance of Route 66, hearing it referred to as the “Mother Road” might seem like overkill at first glance. But it’s a meaningful moniker (coined by John Steinbeck in The Grapes of Wrath); Route 66 was the original roadway linking the American coasts, and although the modern interstate highway is more efficient, the nostalgia associated with the first path “from sea to shining sea” means that it still holds a place in many hearts and minds. The Mother Road Market in Tulsa is both an homage to the spirit of openness and freedom that the first great American road represents, and an attempt to foster a place for Tulsans to launch enterprises and buy local. Primarily a restaurant and retail collective (with other amenities such as a multi-use patio and a mini golf course), the space also houses Kitchen 66, a kickstart program designed to assist up-and-coming food entrepreneurs by providing affordable commercial kitchen space, business training programs, and sales and distribution opportunities. An innovative community space like the Mother Road Market naturally cries out to showcase local art. When developers began the process of renovating the 27,000 square foot historical 1939 Scrivner-Stevens Grocery Building, a natural course to follow seemed to be engaging muralists. Three murals adorn the building, inside and out, and they are the product of four artists. Natalie Deuschle, Director of Grants and Impact for the Lobeck Taylor Family Foundation, the entity behind the Mother Road Market, explains the process that was used for engaging the artists responsible for the murals. “We held a public submission contest for the outdoor mural space facing Lewis Avenue. A judging committee comprised of LTFF staff and board of directors reviewed all of the applicants before identifying the winner. Once we selected the winning muralist team, Yatika Fields and Janet Fadler Davie, we realized that we also really could not part with one of the other designs submitted
by muralist Ghazal Ghazi. We thought it would be a great fit for the outdoor patio. We invited Ghazal to create the design on the back patio, and she agreed. For the mural space inside Mother Road Market, we knew that we wanted to do something Route 66-themed. Sarah Sullivan came highly recommended to us and we loved the design concepts she proposed. It all worked out beautifully.”
... the mural is alive and bright with classic and contemporary ornamentations particular to the Tulsa area. “It was incredibly important for us to incorporate the work of local artists to help bring the authenticity and energy of the neighborhood into the building. Mother Road Market is all about showcasing the best that Tulsa has to offer, and we’re proud that that philosophy includes the creative economy.” Ghazal Ghazi, or Zeynab (ZYNB), is an illustrator, painter, and poet, in addition to creating amazing murals. Her work exhibits the influence of the regions and continents where she has lived: the Middle East, South America, and North America; and a goal of her art is transformative social healing and cultural intervention. Sarah Sullivan is a textile artist and painter who created her first mural in 2017 as part of HabitFest, a local mural festival. “Since HabitFest, I’ve painted about fifteen murals in between Tulsa and OKC,” Sarah says. “Murals are the perfect alternative to my textile work because I can cover a lot of ground in a shorter period of time. Making art on such a large scale has a major appeal for me.”
“I met with the Lobeck-Taylor team to collaborate on the Mother Road Market design, which we always knew was going to have a Route 66 theme. I’m a born-andraised Tulsan, so I am very familiar with the icons along Route 66. It seemed like a natural decision to make a rough map of my favorite landmarks. When I look at this mural, I think of memories of road trips with my family and day trips with my friends. I’ve been to every place that I painted!” Sarah reflects. The duo initially chosen to create the first mural for the market was an artistic pairing born from another Tulsa art community event. “I met Janet at a First Friday event through the Tulsa Artist Fellowship,” says Yatika Starr Fields of Trompe L’oeil titan Janet Fadler Davie. “She showed me some of her work and I was prompted to ask if she had done any murals; I felt her work and mine would correspond well together.” Starr Fields grew up in Oklahoma and lives in Tulsa now, but his art carries an urban feel and graffiti influence that evokes his education at Boston College, his time spent in New York, and his travels across the United State adorning buildings with his murals. Fadler Davie has provided art for private homes and businesses in the Tulsa area for two decades; her portfolio includes furniture painting and framed work in addition to murals. This might seem like an unusual pairing, but like so many matches that defy convention, the results are unique and insightful. “When I saw the call for artists to apply for the Mother Road Market mural, I thought this would be a good project for us to collaborate on,” Starr Fields explains. Once the pair was notified of acceptance they began to design something with elements that would capture a combined Tulsa and Route 66 spirit, with subtleties of sustenance and organics pertaining to the placement and food. “We worked a few mock-ups together until we agreed on one that we felt was the winner,” Starr Fields says. “We completed the mural in 4 days during the summer. Much (continued to page 18)
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(continued from page 17)
work went into it and the heat of the days didn’t go unfelt. Overall the mural is alive and bright with classic and contemporary ornamentations particular to the Tulsa area. By giving it a sun filled horizon in the background we allow the pastimes and decor to be felt as vibrant and welcome the many visitors that might come across it-- as the many people who have traversed route 66 in its history. It continues to change but stays inspiring and hold stories. This is just another in the series.” Mother Road Market is located at 1124 S Lewis Ave in Tulsa. For hours and more information, visit motherroadmarket.com. n Jill Farr lives and writes in Norman. You can see more of her work at jillfarr.com and contact her by email at info@jillfarr.com TOP: ZYNB (Ghazal Ghazi), Astral, mural RIGHT: Sullystring, Homestretch, mural
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JASMINE JONES: Creating a Prescription for Healing by Ayanna Najuma
At the onset, many patrons of the visual arts first ask the question, in what medium is the artist presenting their work? Is it printmaking, or painting or could it possibly be sculpture? As a young student at Carl Albert High School in Midwest City, Oklahoma, Jasmine Jones realized that exploring concepts that were fresh and new allowed her to begin to develop her own style. She taught herself how to create digital art on a tablet using technology. The idea of combining technology and art took her outside of the traditional medium of painting on canvas and she loved the idea of figuring out how things worked. In her early works, she created figurative images with decorative elements and started to utilize Photoshop to expand its interpretation. After graduating from high school, Jasmine studied at Rose State College in Midwest City and was introduced to other methods of projecting images onto a surface. She began to create embroidery on canvas and embrace the use of fiber and textiles in the process. Art students are introduced to a variety of different techniques and mediums and they begin to determine what resonates with their spirits, what allows them to start creating bodies of work that tell stories or develop messages that speak to the essence of who they are. For Jasmine, the utilization of textiles, fiber, and paper present a message of flexibility and softness, which is her goal rather than materials that require more accuracy in creating a body of work and telling a story. Materials such as wood, steel, or metal require a great deal of manipulation
in order to create a piece of work and does not present the actual composition of life that Jones wants the viewer to feel—healing, growth, and self-reflection. At the University of Oklahoma, Jasmine started to hear the voice of charcoal calling her name. By using charcoal as the background, she was able to create a new body of work called Portraits. The works in Portraits are comprised of a collage of wallpaper, scrapbook paper, and tea-stained paper cutouts to create shadowed silhouettes in diptychs, which blend the charcoal and wallpaper. It also shows how the patterns interact with each other. Jasmine’s self-portrait allowed her to ask herself the questions: Who am I? Why am I making art? and Is my art supposed to come straight from the me? As one views the body of work, they possibly may be motivated to take a good look at their own lives and do some self-reflection. Unlike some artists, Jasmine Jones is a multidisciplinary artist that creates work for herself and to help others. The motivation and inspiration for creating the work is to help others in the healing process, which is so greatly needed in our society. In a second body of work, Jones has created an installation entitled Spirit Development. This installation encourages the viewer to ask the questions: How do you love? Are you living life in the most passionate way? and finally, Have you taken a moment for personal insight into how you are living your life? This body of work also encourages the viewer to ask the question: Are you only listening and doing things to please others or are you living your authentic life?
Jasmine Jones, Flourish II, 2017, charcoal and wallpaper on Bristol, 14” x 11”
“These are questions for contemplation and consideration,” says Jones. The installation presents softly colored pieces of hanging paper, which shows light, free-flowing movement of the paper. “The light colors are used to present a dreamy impact.” Jones wants the artwork to present a reflection on life and of this world, and possibly something even deeper. “The birds in the work are extremely important,” says Jones, “because symbolically they can travel and are on the ground and in the air. They are not a part of the world. The question is at what point do humans feel a need to help enhance the quality of life and create the healing needed to make society a better place?” (continued to page 20)
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The eye in this piece symbolizes the fact that many times we do not always understand things and are seeing with our minds and not seeing the essence of who we are. “By seeing the essence of who we are,” says Jones, “there is an opportunity to release the tension and stress of life and see life more clearly.” The position of the paper, the birds, and the eyes are mixed, hanging throughout the installation to reflect the importance of spirit development. Jones has created a new series, which incorporates nature in its most perfect form. It utilizes lavender, rosemary, and sage to express the importance of using our senses for healing and therapeutic reasons. This body of work has also been created to provide a dreamy, light feeling, which allows one to be in the moment and to eliminate the troubles impacting society. Her intent is to focus on therapeutic growth. The watercolor images of the lavender, the rosemary, and the sage will do just that. The lavender aroma presented in the work is used for healing as well as the other two herbs. “The underlying meaning,” says Jones, “is to eliminate a feeling of isolation that people feel. In the real world, nature helps to support us and have a long-lasting impact.” If one asked the question “Who is Jasmine Jones?” The answer would be easy. Jasmine Jones is one who is honing her talent, learning lessons as she grows as an artist and a human being, and is committed to helping others to heal. n Ayanna Najuma is an art advisor, curator, and journalist. She is a civil rights icon, founder of I HAVE A VOICE NOW! a movement to educate and empower youth on the importance of advocacy and activism and WHAT LIES BETWEEN US with Ayanna Najuma, a conversational platform on social justice.
OPPOSITE PAGE: Jasmine Jones, Flourish I, 2017, charcoal and wallpaper on Bristol, 14” x 11”
Jasmine Jones, Spirit Development, 2018, installation using PVC, thread, papers, charcoal, wax pencil, and gold leaf pen, 15’ x 4’ x 5’
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FULL CIRCLE: The Life and Art of Shan Goshorn By Christina Burke
Artist Shan Goshorn (Eastern Band Cherokee, 1957-2018) with her work
Artist and activist Shan Goshorn (Eastern Band Cherokee, 1957-2018) lived her values in every way imaginable. Inspired by her ancestors as well as her fellow artists, she worked tirelessly to bring Indigenous voices into contemporary conversations about education, the environment, history, and politics, among other subjects. Her profound respect for life—human and non-human, Native and non-Native—was the foundation of her artwork, her advocacy, and her dayto-day existence. From her commitment to defending human rights to her passion for wildlife rescue, Goshorn was dedicated to the greater good. Her death on Dec. 1, 2018 at the age of 61 was a great loss to the Native
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art world and the community at large, but her many friendships and contributions will continue to resound long into the future. Goshorn was born and raised in Baltimore, MD before the family relocated to her mother’s homeland in Cherokee County, NC. It was there she had the opportunity to learn more about Cherokee ways, including working at the Qualla Arts and Crafts Cooperative the summer after graduating high school. This led to a job working with the Indian Arts and Crafts Board (IACB), a federal agency within the Bureau of Indian Affairs, in which she helped organize exhibitions for Native artists and photographed their processes gathering
and preparing materials to make baskets, carvings, and other cultural arts. She was also commissioned by the IACB to illustrate traditional Cherokee basket weaving patterns, an experience that taught her the “math and rhythm” of weaving, a skill to which she returned later in her career. By 1979 she had earned a Bachelor’s of Fine Art from the Atlanta College of Art, now part of the Savannah College of Art and Design. Two years later she moved to Tulsa, OK, a place to which many Cherokees and other Native people had been forcibly removed by the federal government during the Trail of Tears in the 1830s. Indeed, Oklahoma is
home to 38 tribes, including those whose homelands were always here, as well as tribes who were violently relocated throughout the 19th century. It was in this community that Goshorn focused on raising her family, with husband Tom Pendergraft whom she married in 1985, and developing a full-time career integrating the roles of artist and activist. From early on, Goshorn worked in a variety of media including photography, glass, textiles, and painting. Regardless of materials or techniques, she always explored Native experiences of the past and present, bringing the images and voices of Indigenous people to the forefront of discussions about identity, political power, and human rights. In the early 1990s, Goshorn’s work became more overtly political; like many Indigenous artists, she created work responding to the 500th anniversary of Columbus’ arrival in this hemisphere, addressing human rights issues by challenging commonly-held stereotypes of Native people that reduce them to caricatures or mascots for sports teams. Often, she combined materials and techniques to create mixed media pieces, hand-tinting photographs, or adding found objects to paintings on canvas, using relevant media to make a point. Goshorn often worked in series, creating individual pieces within larger bodies of work focused on a single issue, like racial stereotypes, environmental degradation and the threat to Native sacred sites, and domestic violence. She also lent her voice to addressing these subjects, lecturing at museums, in classrooms, and other venues. Often, though, audiences were too uncomfortable with the subject matter to engage in meaningful dialogue about these issues, and Goshorn often left frustrated at the lack of substantive communication. Out of this frustration came inspiration; in 2008 Goshorn returned to the art and science of weaving baskets which she’d begun exploring years before. She saw the form of baskets as a non-threatening way to draw people into to discussions of important but difficult subjects like Native sovereignty. With weaving, she could literally illustrate the tension between tribal nations and the federal government in the process of combining
splints. She chose to weave using paper splints on which were printed images (often from historical and/or contemporary photographs) and texts (from treaties, historical maps, and other documents), integrating the two to demonstrate a pattern of miscommunication and misunderstanding between Native and non-Native communities that continues to this day. For Goshorn, basket weaving was more than a way to continue an historical art form. It was a means of combining skills and techniques she had been using throughout her three decades as a professional artist. She set her sights on intensive research of both museum collections and archival documents as source materials for her creations, making the most of fellowship opportunities at the Smithsonian Institution and other repositories to search for significant photographs, documents, images, and even quotes to shed light on Indigenous lives of the past and present…and the connections between the two. Not satisfied with mastering the traditional Cherokee single-weave technique, Goshorn continually challenged herself with learning the more complicated double-weave which begins at the bottom inside of the basket. Splints are then woven up the sides to the desired height, and then down again to the bottom exterior. The challenge is to weave the splints in such a way as to hide them in the sides of the vessel, “with no obvious indication of beginning or end.” Goshorn challenged herself in other ways, too, experimenting with unexpected materials that were specific to the issue at hand. For instance, she wove splints made from x-rays into baskets addressing the issue of repatriating human remains from museums back to the Native communities from which they came. She would also crowd-source images and stories, asking for people from throughout Indian Country to pose for photographs for a basket about domestic violence. Throughout her extensive and varied career, Goshorn earned many accolades, awards, fellowships, and grants. Honors were in recognition of her incredible art, but also allowed for further research in the creation
of new pieces. Even now, her baskets are on display in exhibitions in New Mexico (Art for a New Understanding: Native Voices 1950 to Now, organized by Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art currently at the Museum of Contemporary Native Art in Santa Fe) and Pennsylvania (Resisting the Mission; Filling the Silence at the Trout Gallery at Dickinson University. In addition, her art is now in public and private collections throughout the world, including the Denver Art Museum (CO), the Gilcrease Museum (OK), the Museum of the Cherokee Indian (NC), the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of the American Indian (DC), and the North American Native Museum in Zurich, Switzerland among others. Beyond her striking and powerful art, Shan Goshorn also created a beautiful family with husband Tom, and an extended family of artists, collectors, curators, scholars, and others whose lives she touched. Her warmth and strength will continue to sustain and inspire us for years to come. n Christina E. Burke is Curator of Native American & Non-Western Art at the Philbrook Museum of Art in Tulsa, OK.
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EKPHRASIS: Art & Poetry edited by Liz Blood
Erin Shaw, Hoopisatok, 2018, mixed media on panel, 12” each
Allison Adelle Hedge Coke’s poetry books include The Year of the Rat, Dog Road Woman, OffSeason City Pipe, Blood Run, Burn, and Streaming, as well as her memoir, Rock, Ghost, Willow, Deer. She is a Distinguished Professor at the University of California, Riverside and director and PI of the VA’s NCA Legacy Program, Along the Chaparral: memorializing the enshrined, and of the Sandhill Crane Migration Epicenter retreat.
Erin Shaw is a Chickasaw-Choctaw painter of borderlands, the spaces between worlds. Her art faces the dualities we all carry inside of us, synthesizing them into understanding through narrative. Shaw earned her BFA in studio art from Baylor University and her MFA from the University of Oklahoma. Erin currently serves as Assistant Professor of Visual Arts at John Brown University in Siloam Springs, Ark.
Ekphrasis is an ongoing series joining verse and visual art. If you are an Oklahoma poet and would like to participate, please write to krystle@ovac-ok.org with “Ekphrasis” in the subject line. 24
ekphrasis
for Hoopisatok Deep in the eye, the universe lingers turning. Seen, unseen reveal what will, what is, what knowing. In the still scape, curvilinear sketch bird head, no cry echoes through hard night rain, no daytime hurry. A calm rest pools, illuminates flush color pools reflection, interpolating sequence scatter across bluest band, indigo its depth cosmogonic, beautiful soul here unparalleled but in story, longest lineage collective, not singular self, yet is all everlasting, and here always was a subtle glow, glint, all who loved could see. It is in love the light finds principle, glory and in love the lean beyond appearance, reckoning – e k p h r a s i s 25
PERPETUAL
MOTION DANCE PRESENTS
’strā
e
JUNE 7TH & 8TH 8:00 | JUNE 9TH 2:00PM JUNE 14TH & 15TH 8:00PM | JUNE 16TH 2:00PM
TICKETS AVAILABLE AT PERPETUALMOTIONDANCE.ORG Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center 3000 General Pershing Blvd | OKC, OK 73107
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OVAC NEWS
SPRING 2019
Last month we announced two incredible opportunities for artists—Oklahoma Visual Arts Fellowship & Student Award of Excellence and Concept/Focus. The Fellowship and Awards recognize exceptional past achievement and future promise of artists in Oklahoma. The deadline to apply is April 30th. Additionally, Concept/Focus provides the selected artists with a stipend of $1,500 and curatorial guidance to realize a new body of work that will show both in Tulsa and Wichita. The deadline to apply is June 15th. As always, if you would like an OVAC staff person to review your application prior to the deadline, don’t hesitate to reach out! We are here to help!
Krystle Brewer, Executive Director
Since August of 2018, our cohort with the Oklahoma Art Writing & Curatorial Fellowship has been working closely with guest Mentors to refine their writing and curating skills. The next issue of Art Focus Oklahoma will be a special issue that is fully dedicated to the program featuring essays by the Fellows. Alongside the publication of the next issue, the Fellows will also have exhibitions opening at the Henry Zarrow
Center for Art & Education in Tulsa both in July and August. For more information about the exhibitions and programming, check our website and social media channels. In case you missed the big news, we moved our office to a new location closer to the heart of OKC. In addition to being closer to our OKC partners, this new location has space to set up a photography studio for our members to photograph their work. For just $10 an hour, these photography sessions will include the use of backdrops and lighting equipment as well as an OVAC staff person to assist you. These monthly photography days will start in July, so keep an eye out for the registration. Feel free to drop by the new office for a visit any time! Sincerely,
Krystle Brewer Executive Director
Thank you to our new and renewing members from November through January 2019 Anita Albright M.J. Alexander Kylie Anderson Marilyn Artus Paul Bagley Keith Ball and Marti Jourden CJ Barnes Joy Reed Belt, JRB Art at The Elms DiAnn Berry Holly Bjorkstrom Julie Marks Blackstone Brent Brander Autumn N. Brown Tammy Brummell Nelda Burrows Cady Dill Carlson Stan Carroll Ben Chaney Jack Chapman Maria Chaverri Terry Clark Terry M. Clark John Clegg Bob Curtis
Rachel Davis Emma Winters Difani Liz Dueck Jay Exon Beverly K. Fentress Jim and Linda Franklin Barbara Gabel Saiyida Gardezi Almira Grammer Bill Green Chazz Grey Sue Hale Lindsay Harkness, DNA Galleries Calli Heflin Lydia Jeffries Patricia Jellerson Todd Jenkins Dan and Renee Jones Joseph K. Kirk Katelynn Knick Melinani Kopta Amanda Lane Taylor Lawrence Beverly Layton
Araina Leatherock Ashley Lewis Dana Lombardo Patta LT Butcher Eric Lyons John Marshall Mitzi Massie Lauren Midgley Carla Groschick Miller Nicole and Astrid Moan Josephine Morrison Ayanna Najuma Shirley Pace Katie and Chuck Pernu Stan Pollard Phyllis Ann Price Shirley Quaid Megan Rieff Lauren Riepl Ariana Riera Connie Rish Gabriel Rojas Lynda Savage Maddie Schmidt Sherry Schoenfeldt
Courtney Segrest Tyra Shackleford Polly Sharp Byron Shen Sabrina Sims Virginia Sitzes Janetta Smith Douglas Sorocco, Dunlap Codding Laurie Spencer Eric Spiegel Laura Story Mary Hockett Thoma Cathryn Thomas Shel Wagner Randall Watters Carla Waugh Carol Webster Lamont Weldon Jennifer Woods Joanne Woodward May Yang Malcolm Zachariah Lisa Zarrow
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Gallery Listings & Exhibition Schedule Ada
Claremore
The Pogue Gallery East Central University 900 Centennial Plaza (580) 559-5353 ecok.edu
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 “Tour de Quartz”: Quartz Mountain Traveling Exhibit and Blown Glass by Paul Bevilacqua April 5 – 30, 2019 Sun, Fun and Friends May 3 – 31, 2019 Art on the Salt Fork June 7 – 30, 2019 Graceful Arts Gallery and Studios 523 Barnes St (580) 327-ARTS (2787) gracefulartscenter.org gracefulartscenter@gmail.com
Ardmore 49th Annual Juried Exhibit April 25 – June 30, 2019 The Goddard Center 401 First Avenue SW (580) 226-0909 goddardcenter.org
Bartlesville Price Tower Arts Center 510 Dewey Ave (918) 336-4949 pricetower.org
Chickasha Nesbitt Gallery University of Science and Arts Oklahoma 1806 17th St (405) 574-1344 usao.edu/gallery/schedule
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Davis Chickasaw Nation Welcome Center 35 N Colbert Rd (580) 369-4222 chickasawcountry.com
Duncan Regional Artist Spotlight: Dee Dodson, cowboy photographer March 1 - April 30, 2019 Featured Artist: Sandy Magrath: Dogs of the Southwest May 1 - June 30, 2019 Bison - Ancient. Massive. Wild. May 24 - July 27, 2019 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
Fine Arts Institute of Edmond 27 E Edwards St (405) 340-4481 edmondfinearts.com
Museum of the Great Plains 601 NW Ferris Ave (580) 581-3460 discovermgp.org
The Depot Gallery 200 S Jones (405) 307-9320 pasnorman.org
Melton Gallery University of Central Oklahoma 100 University Dr (405) 974-2432 uco.edu/cfad
Norman
Oklahoma City
Downtown Art and Frame 115 S Santa Fe (405) 329-0309
[ArtSpace] at Untitled 1 NE 3rd St (405) 815-9995 1ne3.org
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 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
Donna Nigh Gallery University of Central Oklahoma 100 University Dr (405) 974-2432 uco.edu/cfad
Native American Cradles Now through April 14 Wood Relief Painting April 23 to June 16 Art of the Aloha Shirt: Keoni of Hawaii 1938 – 51 June 25 to September 11 Museum of the Red River 812 E Lincoln Rd (580) 286-3616 museumoftheredriver.org
Edmond Historical Society & Museum 431 S Boulevard (405) 340-0078 edmondhistory.org
The Leslie Powell Foundation and Gallery 620 D Avenue (580) 357-9526 lpgallery.org
Metcalfe Museum 8647 N 1745 Rd (580) 655-4467 metcalfemuseum.org
Edmond
Lawton
Firehouse Art Center 444 S Flood (405) 329-4523 normanfirehouse.com Jacobson House 609 Chautauqua (405) 366-1667 jacobsonhouse.org Westheimer Distinguished Visiting Artist Chair: Mildred Howard January 5 – April 7, 2019 Testimony: The Life and Work of David Friedman January 25 – May 26, 2019 Fred Jones Jr Museum of Art 555 Elm Ave (405) 325-4938 ou.edu/fjjma Gerald Clark Exhibition March 25 – April 9, 2019 Lightwell Gallery University of Oklahoma 520 Parrington Oval (405) 325-2691 art.ou.edu MAINSITE Contemporary Art Gallery 122 E Main (405) 360-1162 mainsite-art.com Spring Exhibition: William Flood’s Woodworking Tools February 5 – April 27, 2019 Moore-Lindsey House Historical Museum 508 N Peters (405) 321-0156 normanmuseum.org
Contemporary Art Gallery 2928 Paseo (405) 601-7474 contemporaryartgalleryokc.com Oklahoma Photographers / Nghbrs + Sarah Black + Ian Spencer March 7 – April 7, 2019 Abby Stiglets + Natalie Miller + Trisha Thompson Adams April 11 – May 5, 2019 Support Local Art Show May 9 – June 9, 2017 Alicia Saltina Marie Clark June 13 – July 7, 2019 DNA Galleries 1705 B NW 16th St (405) 371-2460 dnagalleries.com Blazing a Trail March 1 – June 30, 2019 Exhibit C 1 E Sheridan Ave Ste 100 (405) 767-8900 exhibitcgallery.com Artster Oklahoma February 21 – May 18, 2019 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 Kasum Contemporary Fine Art 1706 NW 16th St (405) 604-6602 kasumcontemporary.com In the Principles Office: Tom Ryan the Art Student November 17 – July 14, 2019 Horseplay November 17- May 12, 2019 Cowboys in Khaki February 8 - May 12, 2019 Ancient. Massive. Wild. The Bison Exhibit 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 Tatyana Fazlalizadeh: Oklahoma is Black February 22 – May 19, 2019 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 Beautiful Minds – Dyslexia and the Creative Advantage Now – July 14, 2019 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 Wanderlust June 7 – July 9, 2018 The Vault Art Space and Gathering Place 111 East Paul Avenue, Suite 2 (405) 343-6610
Ponca City 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 Graphic Design Capstone Exhibition March 29 – April 11, 2019 Annual Juried Student Exhibition April 17 – May 7, 2019 Graphic Design MFA Thesis Exhibition: Mario Bocanegra May 6 – 31, 2019 Gardiner Gallery of Art Oklahoma State University 108 Bartlett Center for the Visual Arts (405) 744-4143 art.okstate.edu 50 States: Oklahoma, Texas, Colorado and Wyoming February 12 – June 29, 2019 Oklahoma State University Museum of Art 720 S Husband St (405) 744-2780 museum.okstate.edu Modella Art Gallery 721 S Main Modellaartgallery.org
Sulphur Chickasaw Visitor Center 901 W 1st St (580) 622-8050 chickasawcountry.com/explore/ view/Chickasaw-visitor-center
Tahlequah Cherokee Arts Center 212 S Water Ave (918) 453-5728 cherokeenationart.com
Tonkawa Eleanor Hays Gallery Northern Oklahoma College 1220 E Grand (580) 628-6670 noc.edu
Tulsa Beth Lipman: Accidental Vestiges April 5 – May 26, 2019 Todd Sanders: Roadside Neon June 7 – July 21, 2019 108|Contemporary 108 E MB Brady St (918) 895-6302 108contemporary.org
Aberson’s Exhibits 3624 S Peoria (918) 740-1054 abersonexhibits.com
Mainline 111 N Main Ste C (918) 629-0342 mainlineartok.com
The Chisholm Kid: Lone Fighter for Justice for All December 14 – May 5, 2019 Pulitzer Prize Photographs March 29 – July 14, 2019 Gilcrease Museum 1400 Gilcrease Road (918) 596-2700 gilcrease.utulsa.edu
20th Annual Contemporary Realism Survey May 16 – June 21, 2019 M.A. Doran Gallery 3509 S Peoria (918) 748-8700 madorangallery.com
Mitochroma: An Installation by Krista Jo Mustain and Sarah Sullivan April 5–May 26, 2019 Stillness/Movement: Contemporary Art from the Korean Cultural Center June 6–July 21, 2019 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 Yatika Starr Fields - New Works April 25 – May 25, 2019 Six Six at Six on Route 66 June 6 – July 6, 2019 Joseph Gierek Fine Art 1342 E 11th St (918) 592-5432 gierek.com Living Arts 307 E MB Brady St (918) 585-1234 livingarts.org
Lovetts Gallery 6528 E 51st St (918) 664-4732 lovettsgallery.com Joel Daniel Phillips: It Felt Like the Future Was Now February 1 – May 19, 2019 Richard Barlow: A Sea of Ice, Receding February 1 – May 19, 2019 Peggy Weil: 88 Cores February 1 – May 19, 2019 Larry Clark: Tulsa May 31 – November 10, 2019 OK: Jason Lee Photographs May 31 – November 10, 2019 Philbrook Downtown 116 E MB Brady St (918) 749-7941 philbrook.org Sharon Louden March 1 – November 3, 2019 Making Modern America February 10 – May 26, 2019 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 Artists’ Coalition 9 E MB Brady St (918) 592-0041 tacgallery.org (continued to page 30)
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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
Woodward
Momentum 2019 March 26 – April 26, 2019 SWOSU Art Gallery 100 Campus Drive (580) 774-3756 swosu.edu
The Gallery at Wilburton 108 W Main St (918) 465-9669
Paul Laune High School Art Competition March 9 – April 10, 2019 Plains Indians and Pioneers Museum 2009 Williams Ave (580) 256-6136 nwok-pipm.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).
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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?
Y
N
Detach and mail form along with payment to: OVAC 1720 N Shartel Ave, Ste B, Oklahoma City, OK 73103 Or join online at ovac-ok.org
Mount Williamson, the Sie rra N evad a, f rom M anzanar, C al i forni a, 1 94 5 . Photograph by Ans el Adam s Co l l ect i o n Cen ter fo r C reat i ve Photog raphy ŠThe A n s el Adam s P u bl i s h i n g Ri gh t s Tru st
Art Focus
Ok l a h o m a
UPCOMING EVENTS March 11- April 19
24 Works on Paper, Artesian Gallery, Sulphur
April 2
ASK Workshop: Intellectual Property for Artists, OKC
April 20
OAWCF Art Writing and Criticism II, Tulsa
April 30
Fellowship and Student Award deadline
May 9- June 9
Tulsa Art Studio Tour Preview Exhibition, Tulsa
May 11 - June 14
24 Works on Paper, Leslie Powell Gallery, Lawton
June 1-2:
Tulsa Art Studio Tour
June 11
ASK Workshop: Public Art Opportunities in OKC
June 24 - August 2
24 Works on Paper, Prairie Art Center, Stillwater
Non Profit Org. US POSTAGE PAID Oklahoma City, OK Permit No. 113
1720 N Shartel Ave, Suite B Oklahoma City, OK 73103 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.
April 20, 2019, 1-3pm 108|Contemporary Panel discussion with gues t mentors: Sharon Louden, Chautauqua Ins titution Cameron Shaw, Pelican Bomb Lindsay Pres ton Zappas, Contemporary Art Review Los Angeles
CALL FOR ENTRY DEADLINE: JUNE 15, 2019 Exhibition at ahha, Tulsa February 2020
Moderated by Kirsten Olds, PhD, panel discussions are free and open to the public.
Exhibition at Harvester Arts, Wichita June 2020
write-curate-art.org
concept-ok.org