Art Focus
O k l a ho 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 0 N o . 5
September/October 2015
Art Focus
Ok l a h o m a
from the editor Autumn is always a magical time for art. Freshly inspired from summer travels or from two months of air-conditioned incubation, great artists seem to be catalyzed by the crisp fall air – and we as the viewing public have an abundance of great work to see. This issue of Art Focus Oklahoma is packed with just a few examples of the amazing art you can see around the state this fall. Additionally, fall is the perfect time for Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition (OVAC) events. The annual 12x12 Art Fundraiser will be on September 11 this year at Science Museum Oklahoma. For the first time ever, we are honored to announce that we will feature 175 artworks from some of Oklahoma’s finest artists, which is an increase from 150 in the past. All of the works will be up for sale in a blind, silent auction – or bidders who fear losing a piece may trump the auction and “buy it now”. The evening promises to delight all of the senses with live music and A Taste of the City featuring over 25 local restaurants. All proceeds benefit OVAC programming – including our grants program for artists. Following, on October 2, we are excited to open Momentum Tulsa at Living Arts, which will feature emerging artists age 30 and younger. You can get a sneak peak of the exhibition with a month-long preview at Mainline Gallery in Tulsa that opens September 4 featuring the three spotlight artists: Ashley Farrier, Ellen Moershel, and Erin Raux. Want to be in on another little secret? If you look carefully in this issue of Art Focus Oklahoma, you might see some of the work of our multi-talented Momentum Tulsa curators, America Meredith and Mary Kathryn Moeller. So dear Readers, you have your official fall charge – get out there and see some great art! Sincerely,
Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition 730 W. Wilshire Blvd., Suite 104 Oklahoma City, OK 73116 ph: 405.879.2400 • e: director@ovac-ok.org visit our website at: www.ovac-ok.org Executive Director: Holly Moye director@ovac-ok.org Editor: Lauren Scarpello publications@ovac-ok.org Art Director: Anne Richardson speccreative@gmail.com
Art Focus Oklahoma is a bimonthly 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. OVAC Board of Directors July 2015 - June 2016: Renée Porter, Norman (President); Susan Green, Tulsa, (Vice President); Michael Hoffner, Oklahoma City, (Secretary); Gina Ellis, Oklahoma City, (Treasurer); Bob Curtis, Oklahoma City; Hillary Farrell, Oklahoma City; Jean Ann Fausser, Tulsa; Jon Fisher, Moore; Titi Fitzsimmons, MD, Oklahoma City; Joey Frisillo, Sand Springs; Janet Shipley Hawks, Tulsa; Ariana Jakub, Tulsa; Stephen Kovash, Oklahoma City; Travis Mason, Oklahoma City; Suzanne Mitchell, Norman; Douglas Sorocco, Oklahoma City; Christian Trimble, Edmond; Margo von Schlageter, MD, Edmond; Dean Wyatt, Owasso. 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.
Lauren Scarpello publications@ovac-ok.org
Member Agency of Allied Arts and member of the Americans for the Arts. © 2015, Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition. All rights reserved.
Support from:
On the cover America Meredith, Datsetla Asudi (Better Fishing), part of the exhibition Return from Exile. See page 14.
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View the online archive at www.ArtFocusOklahoma.org.
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Stuart Asprey’s Satirical Narratives
OVAC Fellowship Award winner Stuart Asprey’s ceramics are part fine craft and part social commentary.
Inside the Hidden World of Jason Cytacki
OVAC Fellowship Award winner Jason Cytacki paints secret spaces that inspire story-telling in the hearts of viewers.
OVAC Student Awards of Excellence: Ashley Farrier and Kim Rice These two recent award recipients both tackle highly personal, yet highly relevant topics in their work.
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Saving the Planet from Ourselves: Greenbelt Meridian at AHHA
James and Yiren Gallagher explore what it will take to return the 100th Meridian to the wild as a greenbelt.
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10 Spatial Canvases: Crystal Wagner
The internationally-known installation artist brings her interior environments to 108 Contemporary this October.
12 Whimsical Wonderland: Kerri Shadid
Multi-media artist Shadid mixes poetry and imagery to remind audiences to view the world with a playful sense of wonder.
14 Return from Exile: Contemporary Southeastern Indian Art
A new exhibition focusing on contemporary Native society, with echoes of history, will travel from Athens, Georgia all the way to Tahlequah.
16 Venturing Beyond the Frame
Photographer Robert Gerhardt challenges us to rethink our perceptions of national and religious identity.
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19 Doel Reed: Interludes
A focused exhibition on Reed’s ability to inspire a sense of stillness amidst the poetic forms he so artfully captured.
f e a t u re s 20 Artistic Prosperity: Keith Birdsong
Hollywood, Oklahoma is an art place that exists; and Birdsong’s prolific career is living proof.
22 On the Map: Owens Arts Place Museum
Every step of artist Wallace Owens’ incredible journey has led him here.
23 Ekphrasis: Art & Poetry Inspired by Jonathan Hils’ sculpture, poet Victoria McArtor brings what lies within to the surface.
business of art 24 Ask a Creativity Coach: Protecting Your Space How to balance an at-home studio space with family life.
OVAC news 26 OVAC News
(p. 5) Jason Cytacki, Desk, 2014. OVAC Fellowship Award recipient. (p. 8) James and Yiren Gallagher, Greenbelt Meridian exhibition. Image courtesy of the Gallaghers and AHHA. (p. 18) Dole Reed, Interlude, 1939. Etching and aquatint on laid paper. Museum purchase.
27 New and Renewing Members 29 g a l l e r y
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Correction: In the July/August issue Liz Blood was not credited as the editor of the Ekphrasis feature.
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OVAC FELLOWSHIP AWARDS: OVAC FELLOWSHIP AWARDS Stuart Asprey’s Satirical Narratives by: Krystle Brewer
Hatter and depicted on the reverse side of the object. While looking at a molecular diagram of the chemical materials, the Hatter lists the non-food ingredients that cause this chemical reaction turning the sponge cake to a ceramic glaze. Asprey brings all of these facts together, among others, to create a pictorial history of the mass-produced delicacy. An expert draftsman, Asprey creates his images using a combination of traditional drawing techniques and Photoshop that he then transfers to bone-dry English porcelain using tracing paper and pencils. The vignettes are then applied with a Mason Stained slip in tiny brushstrokes to build depth and form in his images. The finished piece is then fired to Cone 6 oxidation to permanently bind the image to the form. Stuart Asprey, Hangover Helper (Lidded Jar), Porcelain, 15” x 8” x 6”, 2014.
Combining humor, narrative, popular culture, and history, ceramicist Stuart Asprey brings together an array of facts in a visual documentation that culminates in his surface decorated ceramic vessels. With a strong sense of curiosity and a love for research, he begins with a topic and collects radiating facts with an element of surprise or humor. He then transfers these facts from text to images that he incorporates into his forms. In a piece titled Twinkie Lore, Asprey created an oversized platter for a Twinkie. The object simultaneously and ironically raises the status of a Twinkie to something homemade, but also critiques the treat for its chemically-based and highly processed recipe. On the front of this piece, in addition to a depiction of the Twinkie as we know it, are bananas representing the banana filling of the original Twinkie, as opposed to the vanilla that is used today. To the right of both of these images is the portrait of Japanese competitive eater Takeru Kobayashi who currently holds the Guinness Book of World Records for most Twinkies eaten in under a minute. The handle of the platter reads “2232°F,” which is the temperature that a Twinkie will actually turn into a glaze when fired in a kiln. The explanation for this is given by the Mad
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“The use of precision detail is a crucial aspect in the relationship my artwork shares with its viewers.” Says Asprey, “While the focal points of emphasis control the overall direction, it can be the less prominent elements that produce aesthetic jabs which can momentarily stun and stop viewers in their tracks – while trying to grasp the minutia of a well-told story.” The minute detail of his compositions draw viewers in closer to examine the intricately painted images and instill admiration for the technical execution, quickly replaced by humor upon the viewer’s grasp of the content. Asprey uses slabs to construct his vessels though the forms are highly influenced by the content they hold on their surfaces. These forms then become a three dimensional canvas for his visual storytelling. “Using porcelain vessels as canvases, my ceramic artwork is a narrative investigation into folklore and popular culture relationships that human civilization has with alcohol and food,” says Asprey. Focusing on American consumption he uses satire and humor to convey his research visually. In another of his works, Hangover Helper, he combines familiar popular culture references such as the boxed meal brand Hamburger Helper and the childhood game of Operation to show not only how alcohol affects the body, but also various cultural
remedies for a hangover. On the front of the vessel ‘Sam’ is displayed, but instead of a broken heart and funny bone, his cartoon body has been replaced with an anatomically accurate depiction of the digestive system. Word bubbles with jagged edges, seemingly to visually convey the shock you might receive from the board game, contain symptoms of a hangover such as “headache,” “dehydration,” “nausea,” and “low blood sugar.” Each bubble contains information on what causes the symptoms and how to cure them. On the back of the vessel in intricate detail, remedies from around the world are included, such as a fried canary in Ancient Rome and rabbit pellet tea from 19th century Oklahoma. Mixed among these past remedies is the chemical model of Acetaldehyde – a contributing factor of hangovers as it produced by the partial oxidation of Ethanol. “This series uses satirical tongue-in-cheek humor, social commentary, human geography, demographic trends, and patterns to focus on the history and mythology of sustenance as the fundamental part of our society,” says Asprey. This mix of commentary on American consumption with humor pokes fun at our heavy reliance on food and alcohol while also pointing out the potential hazards of our behavior. Though Asprey is not suggesting we change our consumer ways, his work encourages an exploration beyond the surface of the consumables. More of Stuart Asprey’s work can be found on the web at www.aspreyart.com Krystle Brewer is an Oklahoma based arts writer, artist, and exhibitions facilitator who can be found at www.krystlebrewer.com. n About the Oklahoma Visual Arts Fellowship awards: Each year the Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition names two Fellows based on outstanding vision and artistic excellence in execution, who are awarded with $5,000 each. This year’s guest juror was Emily Stamey, curator of Contemporary Art at the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art in Scottsdale Arizona. Stuart Asprey was one of two artists recognized in 2015.
OVAC FELLOWSHIP AWARDS: Inside the Hidden World of Jason Cytacki
2015
By Kerry M. Azzarello
Strange and familiar, or perhaps strangely familiar, the artwork of Cytacki expertly utilizes pop culture iconography as a means of exploring how Americans view themselves and their country. Originally from Indiana, Cytacki earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Indiana University South Bend and a Master of Fine Arts from the University of Notre Dame. He and his wife, fellow artist Haley Prestifilippo, moved to Oklahoma in 2011 after Jason accepted a teaching position as Assistant Professor of Painting at the University of Oklahoma. Casual viewers and scholars alike are quick to notice emerging themes throughout Cytacki’s work including nostalgia, play, and the allure of the West. He notes that each new series of work begins as a response to the prior project, thus a brief overview of his artistic progression is in order. Beginning in 2007, Cytacki’s To Be Young series marked his inaugural utilization of childhood items including an Incredible Hulk action figure, plush Ronald McDonald doll, and Peeps marshmallow bunnies as narrative stand-ins. The toys interact with one another in dramatically lit diorama scenes that are photographed before being meticulously replicated in oil paint. Cytacki’s concepts were refined in the subsequent Don’t Fence Me In pieces, focusing his subject matter and challenging the archetypical cowboy image. Each tragic hero quietly exists in a perpetual state of arrested emotional development while physically confined via string, play set fences, or the twining of a Nintendo game controller. The thematic exploration continues with the Into the West series as Cytacki plays with the work’s construction through painterly marks and destruction through dripping and dissolving figures. Cytacki states these techniques allow him to “ultimately show the artificiality and construction of the hyper-masculine cowboy as a black and white archetype.” Scenery becomes subject in See the USA as cardboard mountains and trees point to the complexity of Manifest Destiny while retaining the simplicity of childhood constructions. Individual paintings and drawings reflect Cytacki’s questioning of how these cultural symbols are constructed, often as a mix of
reality and fiction, making them difficult to separate and yet integral to full understanding of the subject. Fiction, reality, habitation, visitation, and abandonment take center stage in his latest works depicting secret lairs. Upon receiving an OVAC Creative Projects grant last year, Cytacki funded explorations that resulted in his current series Fortress of Solitude. He practiced using Great Stuff Expandable Foam to create cave-like spaces and learned to use a Computer Numerical Control (CNC) laser cutter to create precision-cut pieces for his models. Oozing foam blobs, painted with blended shades of pink and purple undulate in and around multi-story lairs. CNC-cut trusses, ladders, stairs, and gears create paths that navigate to new spaces and lead to dead ends. It is an artificial environment that incorporates human-made built structures with organic stalactite-filled caves created by the foam. Whereas western landscapes are often depicted as expansive places of solace for the cowboy, these secret lairs create intimate, enclosed spaces for a yet to be identified protagonist, who although not present, is still very much felt. Laboratories, bizarre machines, and winding paths make up the paintings with quasi-ominous titles such as Subterranean Control, Around and Down, Generator, Ghosts, Catacombs, and Lab. A winding staircase leads to an underground Wunderkammer complete with finger coral specimen and a space ray gun in Trophy Room. Machinery, possibly an active weapon, pierces the upper portion of the image, balancing out the luminescent flooring. Once again, Cytacki combines exacting detail with his loose drips in Entrance, where robotic contraptions and intricately folded foam crags are waiting to either prohibit or allow access to what lies beyond. These pieces illustrate Cytacki’s new direction and are part of Hidden Spaces: surREAL LIFE on Display, the current exhibition at Science Museum Oklahoma in the smART Space (formerly known as Satellite Galleries). The exhibit, which opened June 13 and runs through December 13, 2015, features pieces from Jason’s Fortress of Solitude series alongside intricate charcoal works by Haley Prestifilippo. Cytacki’s portion contains seven oil on panel paintings, four watercolors, two charcoal works on paper, and five three-dimensional models.
Jason Cytacki, Trophy Room, Oil on Panel, 48” x 36”, 2014
Storytelling and exploration of the imagination are at the forefront of Hidden Spaces. According to smART Space director Scott Henderson, “The artworks invite the viewer to create a story by asking questions about what is happening now, what happened before, and what might occur in the future.” Inquisition often leads to innovation, a mentality at the heart of science and technology and – a welldeserved Visual Arts Fellowship Award. To see more of Jason Cytacki’s artwork visit jasoncytacki.com. For hours, programming events, and more information about the Hidden Spaces exhibition at smART Space inside Science Museum Oklahoma call 405-602-3760 or visit www.sciencemuseumok.org. Kerry M. Azzarello is an artist, writer, and marketing manager living and working in Oklahoma City. She enjoys retreating to her own secret lairs and can be reached at kerryazzarello@gmail.com. n About the Oklahoma Visual Arts Fellowship awards: Each year the Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition names two Fellows based on outstanding vision and artistic excellence in execution, who are awarded with $5,000 each. This year’s guest juror was Emily Stamey, curator of Contemporary Art at the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art in Scottsdale Arizona. Jason Cytacki was one of two artists recognized in 2015.
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OVAC STUDENT AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE: Ashley Farrier and Kim Rice By Lauren Scarpello
As a rule, in art writing, we typically don’t review student work. But for this issue, I personally wanted to write about the 2015 OVAC Student Awards of Excellence winners. The Student Awards are presented in tandem with the Fellowship Awards and recognize two students annually who demonstrate unparalleled artistic vision with an honorarium of $500. There is something very pivotal about students who display such promise. When you’re in school, your existence is to experiment – adopt a certain ideology one day, and trade it in for a new one the next. You’re untethered – open and free to create, destroy, and create again. When you find that which speaks so powerfully, you have the time and space to follow it down the rabbit hole. Fresh out of that journey are two intrepid women with whom I recently had the pleasure to talk.
Ashley Farrier
I am standing in Ashley Farrier’s living room looking at a seven foot tall oil painting of her depicted as a queen. With a narrowed gaze, the ruler proudly holds her chin high, adorned with fur and a flowing blue gown, royal jewels, and a majestic staff. In her painting she is not the gentle and soft spoken artist, with wide eyes peering behind glasses, that I’ve come to know. Rather, we see a glowing, confident monarch, with radiating brown skin which seems to pop against the matte black acrylic background. Farrier says she derives her inspiration from past masters such as Caravaggio. This is clear with the dark, subdued mood, but instead of an ethereal chiaroscuro, most of her paintings are saturated with a rich palette, and a clear passion for her subjects. Created during the time surrounding her grandmother’s struggle with cancer and subsequent passing, Farrier developed her series, Royalty Not Lost, casting herself, her grandmother, and her sister in the roles of a fictional royal family from the past. There is a certain position of power an artist has when they reimagine their own image in their work. It is something art legends such as Cindy Sherman and Yasumasa Morimura have long known to be true. But in her depictions of herself and her family as African American royalty, Farrier does not necessarily aim to make any broad commentaries on society, gender, or race. In fact, Farrier’s musings are the result of youthful daydreams and the promise of a new history with the question of “what if?” What if there was a family of black royalty in the past? What were their lives like? Even so, with her stately and highly personal portraits, she may in fact find herself to be a bit of an accidental proselytizer. When I told her that her work was extremely timely considering the recent events surrounding race relations in America and asked her if that was her intention, her response was, “Sort of.” Farrier says she’s always been acutely aware of the fact that the history she learned in school never portrayed black history as particularly triumphant. She also noted that typical depictions of black people in art history usually involved a sense of caricature. These thoughts were definitely a factor in her work, albeit a side agenda. But as often is the case with audience interpretation, I had a much different experience.
Ashley Farrier, Your New Queen, 2014, Oil on Canvas, 80” x 59’
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We live in a society of oversaturation of the white image – and not just in media, but fine art included.
To see large-scale depictions of African Americans on the winning side of history is absolutely an essential experience. It might even be one Farrier is unaware she is capable of evoking in her audience. But, hopefully she will be certain of that now, after reading this. Keep your eye on this one. She speaks softly, yet carries a mighty paintbrush. Ashley Farrier just recently graduated with her BFA from Oklahoma State University. She was selected as a Momentum Tulsa 2015 Spotlight Artist and will be displaying a new body of work at the exhibition titled After the Hopelessness. Kim Rice
Although she recently graduated with her MFA in printmaking from the University of Oklahoma, Kim Rice has been exhibiting professionally for quite some time. With her BFA in Sculpture, she started her threedimensional work by bringing items from home into her studio, deconstructing them, and meticulously weaving them together. As a new mom, these items often included the various detritus associated with raising children – diaper packaging, bottles, etc. Using them in her art was her way of dealing with the volume of “stuff ” that resulted from her major life change. This was the case until a career-changing encounter took place with artist Michael Ray Charles, who was in town as a juror for a student show. The two struck up a conversation about race. Rice, a white woman, is raising two black children with her husband. She had been informally educating herself about race for a while, and so Charles posed the question to her – why didn’t her studio practice match her personal research? From that point, Rice knew that her work – which was always influenced by motherhood – needed to be a conversation about race. But how does a white woman authentically have a conversation about race in America? She talks about whiteness. “We do not see ourselves within the context of race,” says Rice, speaking of White Privilege. “We see ourselves as individuals – the universal norm – and everyone else is in contrast to that.” In her MFA thesis, she cites the work of Beverly Tatum, author of Why
Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? And Other Conversations About Race. Tatum found that from years of asking her psychology students to complete the phrase “I am…” that students of color almost always predominantly identify as their race, while white students never do. If you pick up a magazine these days, chances are the majority, if not all, of the images will be of white people. “Media holds the key to this white dominance.”1 And so Rice has stolen the key, in an effort to unlock the doors that keep certain things from being spoken. And she does so while keeping in tune with her roots of collecting, dismantling, and weaving. Rice has shifted her work toward dicing up the images of white flesh in magazines and pasting together the pinks, Kim Rice, Psychology Today, 2014 peaches, and tans in either epic and underneath her denim jacket, hinting that woven tapestries, or poignantly redesigned if one is “lucky” enough to be born white publication covers. in this country – then they have reached an Her work White Side was her MFA thesis and hung in the main gallery at MAINSITE this past April. Measuring 11’x19.5’, the Tyvek tapestry filled the space from floor to ceiling and wall to wall. The front side was a woven sea of Caucasian flesh toned images pulled from popular magazines. The back was intentionally left blank, as an overwhelming expanse of white, alluding to institutional racism found in both the media and the art world itself. Some of Rice’s equally as clever, yet more subtle pieces are her magazine covers, where a band of woven white flesh is pasted into the image, positioned in way to completely change the meaning behind the headlines and imagery. In Psychology Today, two white people sit on either side of the proverbial “elephant in the room” where Rice has expertly covered the elephant’s head with a web of white skin. She does the same for an issue of Lucky magazine, adding in bands of white behind the model
ideal status, worthy of gracing the cover of a magazine. Rice says it’s important to her to not attempt to speak for other races about the experiences they live every day. Rather, as a white person, she wants to start a conversation with other white people about their place within the context of race in America. She believes that understanding and acknowledging how White Privilege dominates our society is the first step toward dismantling the institutions of oppression. For more information, visit kimrice.net. n Lauren Scarpello is the Editor of Art Focus Oklahoma and can be reached at publications@ovac-ok.org.
1 Kim Rice, Thesis Statement, “Making Whiteness Visible”, accessed 7/2/2015
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James and Yiren Gallagher, Greenbelt Meridian installation. Images courtesy of the Gallaghers and AHHA.
SAVING THE PLANET FROM OURSELVES: Greenbelt Meridian at AHHA Mary Kathryn Moeller
James and Yiren Gallagher have been making collaborative, large-scale environmental installations since late 1980s. On view until September 6th at the Arts and Humanities Council of Tulsa Hardesty Arts Center (AHHA), their latest project Greenbelt Meridian explores the impact of man on the Earth’s resources and the possibility of returning a piece of land to nature. This global effort, which the Gallaghers hope to initiate, is created in the gallery via paintings, ceramic pieces, and light and sound installations. The central feature of Greenbelt Meridian is a narrow strip green light project across the gallery floor. The light simulates the ancient concept of a greenbelt that has been used worldwide as an undeveloped borderland around urban space. The space is marked with the Gallaghers’ version of geological survey markers that speak to the absurdity of man’s attempt to control the natural world. As the Gallaghers write on their blog chronicling their project (greenbeltmeridian. blogspot.com) their greenbelt is a conceptual no man’s land standing as an “earthwork monument dedicated to the continuation of life on our planet.” The meridian to which they are referring is the 100th Meridian West that passes through the Dakotas, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. Significantly, the point at which the 100th Meridian crosses the OklahomaTexas border is what the Gallaghers refer to as “ground zero” for the Dust Bowl. This location and event have come to represent much what the artists believe is man’s destruction of natural resources. Influenced by Donella H. Meadows’s 1972 book The Limits to Growth, the Gallaghers ultimately hope to petition the federal government to establish a monument at the 100th Meridian. With that action taken, they hope to facilitate the returning of the 100th Meridian to the wild as a greenbelt. Another key component to the exhibition is Yiren’s ceramic cantaloupes that have previously been installed on the garden steps at AHHA. Highly realistic, these melons are symbolic of the Earth and water usage. They also connect to the fruit production of the far western Xinjiang Province of
James and Yiren Gallagher, Greenbelt Meridian installation. Images courtesy of the Gallaghers and AHHA.
China. Yiren traveled to this area, famous as the heart of the Silk Road, in 2013. She was struck by the similarities between the two western frontiers – Oklahoma and Xianjiang – and the strain on resources as man attempts to feed the ever-growing population. For the Greenbelt Meridian exhibition, the ceramic cantaloupes are displayed as if for sale at a farmers’ market. In fact, viewers are able to purchase a melon. Doing so earns them membership into the Greenbelt Meridian Growers Association and places them as collaborators with the Gallaghers.
The Gallaghers are not particularly interested in the political and economic ramifications of what the establishment of the GBM would mean. They are aware that most politicians and economists would scoff at the idea and that the bureaucracy of international cooperation would likely prevent the GBM from ever becoming a reality. Such deterrents, however, do not diminish their belief in its necessity nor in the power of art to make it a possibility. In fact, the Gallaghers argue that the only way it could happen is through art. As James states, “art is the only thing that can do it.”
The majority of the paintings in the exhibition are James’s work, including a massive piece entitled All the Animals Known to Man in which a procession of animals start from the center of a stage framed by red curtains and progress towards the Greenbelt Meridian (GBM). The elephant, giraffe, eagle, and others, form a line that connects to the GBM painted white around the Earth, bisecting it longitudinally. The overall effect is that of a vintage circus poster advertising sideshow attractions. Yet the true “freak show,” the Gallaghers would argue, is the excesses and waste visited upon the planet by man. The strain placed on the land and resources has created an aberrant sense of existence: man continues to destroy the land on which he seeks to live.
Greenbelt Meridian will be on view through September 6th at AHHA, located at 101 East Archer Street in downtown Tulsa. For more information call 918-584-3333 or visit ahhatulsa.org. n Mary Kathryn Moeller is an arts writer, curator, and educator. She is available via e-mail at mkmoeller77@gmail.com. Editor’s note: The Gallaghers received an OVAC Creative Projects Grant in 2014, which helped fund the creation of this body of work.
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Crystal Wagner, Fall, 2015 Installation at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, images courtesy of Crystal Wagner Studio.
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Spatial Canvases: Crystal Wagner By Britt Greenwood
Attempting to contact artist Crystal Wagner wavers near impossible. No qualms towards the artist, of course; she has achieved what every creator salivates over—demand. When corresponding with Wagner’s exhibit venue, 108 Contemporary, it was mentioned, “I know she is really busy with an installation in Times Square.” Krystle Brewer, Associate Director of 108 Contemporary said, “Wagner’s work is really unlike anything 108 Contemporary has brought to the Brady Arts District before. Her work interacts with the existing gallery, while simultaneously transforming it into a whole new space to be experienced by viewers in a way never before possible.” Wagner’s flowing chicken wire and paper/ plastic product installation in Time Square was a massive 117 foot wide and 30 foot tall piece—on par with most of her exhibits—and recognized by Art News, the New York Times, and more. But, it was just one of several projects. Responding to an interview request, her representative wrote, “Crystal is on the tail end of three massive installations (one in Singapore).” He said her 14-hour workdays for three weeks strait had been hindering interview abilities. Luckily, Wagner did sculpt a period of time to answer questions for Art Focus Oklahoma regarding her pseudo-futuristic 108 Contemporary show Biotica running Oct. 2-Nov. 22. BG: What can viewers expect from the exhibit?
CW: The exhibition is a combination of paper sculptures housed in custom built wood boxes and a large scale installation piece. I am interested in how the immersive environment can offer the viewer an opportunity to be an integral aspect of the work in one way, and then in how the boxes can offer a finer examination of the more detailed things that would populate the surface of such a place. The colors will be silver and fluorescents. I tend to let the commercially driven sense of aesthetic infiltrate the work, and currently bright neon colors and metallic seem to be working their way through our popular culture.
What mediums are used?
With the installation works, I am interested in re-contextualizing everyday materials. In them you will find paper, birthday party table cloth, chicken wire, and cable ties. With the smaller sculptural works, I screen print every sheet of paper before cutting it up from which to grow the work. They are made with paper, paint, wood, UV Opt. 3 plexi, and can range in size. Can you explain how much time and planning goes into the installations and smaller works?
It’s actually really difficult to quantify because of my process. With the exception of the printed components for the installation and picking a color palette, the installations are entirely intuitive. I usually use the word ‘grow’ to explain my process. The space that work populates is the raw canvas, and the installation work is just drawn through space. I think about distinct architectural characteristics that a particular building may have, I ask questions like: where can I not grow this? I see every cubic square inch as an opportunity for exploring the physical experience that someone may have with the work. The smaller pieces are built in a similar fashion—free form. I let the work build upon itself. In so many ways the work feels alive as I watch it develop, mature, and solidify.
in the context of our modern landscape. Forms found in nature are seemingly familiar and, yet, foreign at the same time. The forms and structures in both the large and small works are born from the same organic infrastructure—reassembled hybrid bio-forms that pull from places that people know. But as our relationship with these forms gets more disconnected, the forms become more extreme, more alien, and more exotic. I hope viewers leave with a sense of wonder that is thought provoking and directs their attention to this disconnection. We surround ourselves with artificial things on a daily basis and, sometimes, we reach for things that are organic by placing aquariums or exotic flowers in our homes. Biotica delves into the realm of exotic and asks questions about its origin and potential outcome. n Britt Greenwood is freelance writer covering news and stories for publications in the Tulsa area.
What factors do you consider while working in 3-D compared to 2-D?
I want to know what paper is capable of – and not just in the simplest sense where we see people just cut an intricate design from the paper, and the spectacle of it being an ‘intricately cut piece of paper’ is what makes the piece successful. The work should be seen first, and then the realization that it is paper should follow. With both the installation works and the smaller sculptural works, I am constantly thinking about creating mass. Then, I’m constantly cognizant of the fact that what the forms are actually doing is reorganizing the space around them. What do you hope viewers learn or experience from your show?
Biotica is an immersive experience that explores ideas about what exotic means
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WHIMSICAL WONDERLAND: Kerri Shadid by: Karen Paul
Elements of childhood, whimsy, and the absurd will challenge viewers to think differently about their everyday existence during Oklahoma City artist Kerri Shadid’s solo exhibition on October 2-31, 2015 at The Project Box in Oklahoma City. This currently untitled show will showcase Shadid’s unique style of art, which incorporates visual, written, and performance elements in unexpected settings. “I have always been performing and writing,” Shadid said. “I like to think of my show as a playground of curiosity that incorporates whimsy, fantasy, play and the unexpected. I like having an interaction between my audience and the absurd.” Shadid’s art, which incorporates diverse techniques such as elaborate marbleizing, Alice in Wonderland characters, and written original poetry, is designed to expose audiences to a sense of the unexpected, allowing their minds to play and to experience something new. Through elements that appear playful, Shadid uses subjects that initially seem light to make serious statements in a way that eliminate emotional barriers for her audiences. “Alice is a great example of the absurd,” she said. “The Wonderland characters live in a world that appears to be nonsense to us, but it makes perfect sense to them. Everything in their world has a larger meaning.” Shadid believes that one of the great losses in life is when we stop seeing the world with a childlike sense of wonder. If her audiences engaged in life more and experienced the small moments of whimsy and wonder that children do when seeing things for the first time, it could completely change their world. “Life can be a playground if you embrace it,” Shadid said. “For me, whimsy is a good anecdote to the absurdity of life. It’s the impetus for everything that I do creatively.” Shadid’s artistic process reflects this idea of embracing life and being open to new experiences. Although the visual elements of her work usually come before the Kerri Shadid, Happy Pills All Around!, 2015 Marbled Vellum on Wood
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written elements, she approaches each new piece with an open mind, instead of a preestablished process. “I don’t go into any piece of art with a plan,” she said. “I just practice mindfulness and meditate to clear my mind and then create. I have an extensive background in philosophy and literature, so a lot of times the end result pulls from years of deep contemplation and awareness on these subjects.” Shadid’s exhibitions also frequently include her Poetry Stand, where she creates unique works of small poetry for audiences based on individual words that they give her. “My art is a combination of interaction and creation in a single moment of time,” she said. “It is gratifying to see the viewer’s reaction to the final creation. I’ve had amazing experiences where viewers say that they feel like I know them based on
the end piece of art that they receive. It’s amazing how much strangers can show you about themselves with just a few words and their body language.” By being open creatively with her audiences, Shadid takes calculated artistic risks in a supportive environment. “My Buddhist beliefs allow me to be gentle with myself and my art,” she said. “It’s been a long spiritual journey not to take myself too seriously and to allow my work to be imperfect. On the other hand, it also gives me the strength to try new things.”
A Native Oklahoman, Karen Paul earned her master’s degree from the University of Oklahoma’s Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication and can be contacted at karenpaulok@gmail.com.
Shadid also credits the Oklahoma City arts community and the women of local arts group Fringe for being so supportive of her innovative work. “I feel like I’m falling into the life I was always supposed to live,” she said. “I think it’s the result of living my most authentic life.” n
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RETURN FROM EXILE: Contemporary Southeastern Indian Art James McGirk
(left) Troy Jackson, Letter of Acceptance, ceramic. (right) Roy Boney, Jr., Live Long and Prosper, acrylic on panel.
In August, work from 34 contemporary Oklahoma Native artists will be packed into crates donated by the Gilcrease Museum and depart for a series of shows in what used to be territory belonging to the Five ‘Civilized’ Tribes. It’s a powerful concept, echoed in the exhibition’s title: Return from Exile. The travelling exhibit debuts in Athens, Georgia and will be the first major survey of Southeastern Indian art in the region. “Athens is historically important because it relates to the forced removal of the Five ‘Civilized’ Tribes—Creek, Chickasaw, Cherokee, Choctaw and Seminole—to Indian Territory, now Oklahoma.” says co-curator Bobby C. Martin. The Oconee River, which runs through the city, was the traditional dividing line between Creek and Cherokee territory, and the state of Georgia was the beginning of the Cherokee’s forced removal (The Trail of Tears). “Jace Weaver, Director of the Institute of Native American Studies at the University
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of Georgia, approached me a couple of years ago about putting together a show of Oklahoma Native artists in Athens,” says Martin. “As we discussed the idea of bringing back artists to our original homelands, the concept of returning to the land from a place of exile took shape. I think it was [co-curator] Tony Tiger who came up with the title Return from Exile, which perfectly captures our theme of reintroducing artists to their former homelands, while addressing themes of relocation and resilience.”
that have roots in the land, and reminding them that even though events from centuries ago aimed to eradicate Southeastern tribal peoples, we’re still around and thriving.”
Taking the art out of Oklahoma and into “occupied territory” adds a unique layer of context to the work. “As Native artists, we tend to stick within the closed loop of Indian art shows, galleries and markets,” says Martin. “While that’s not a bad place to be, we wanted to bust out of that constraint in order to introduce the rest of the world to our little corner. It was also important to return to the Southeast with Southeastern-specific Native art—introducing people to art and artists
That said, “We didn’t want the work to solely focus on the removal,” says Tony Tiger. “We wanted it to speak to contemporary society in Native America. The resilient nature of the human beings redeeming a negative experience.”
To keep the show focused the curators—Tony Tiger, Bobby C. Martin, Jace Weaver—gave artists strict parameters for entering work into the show. The solicitation letter invited them “to create work that responds, in whatever way the artist chooses, to the themes of exile, removal, relocation, resilience and/or return.”
The curators have yet to receive all the work expected for the show, however, but what they have received is ambitious in size and scale. “Several artists have been working
perfect sense,” says Martin. Tahlequah was the end of the Cherokee Trail of Tears so the two venues (Athens and Tahlequah) nicely bookend the show. So far Return from Exile is scheduled to visit the Sequoyah National Research Center in Little Rock, Arkansas, the Collier County Museum in Naples, Florida and the Hardesty Arts Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma (co-sponsored by the Gilcrease Museum). n
Confirmed Schedule: August 22-October 10, 2015: Lyndon House Art Center, Athens, Georgia October 2015-January 2016 (exact dates TBD): Collier County Museum, Naples, Florida February-April 2016 (exact dates TDB): Dr. J.W. Wiggins Gallery, Sequoyah National Research Center, Little Rock, Arkansas October 1-November 20, 2016: Hardesty Arts Center (AHHA), co-sponsored with Gilcrease Museum, Tulsa, Oklahoma
Troy Jackson at work on his Return from Exile piece.
quite large,” says Martin, “which we hoped would happen. In fact, some artists (Roy Boney, Jr. and Troy Jackson in particular) have created their largest works ever specifically for Return from Exile.”
June 2-August 20, 2017: Cherokee Heritage Center, Tahlequah, Oklahoma James McGirk is an Instructor in English at Northeastern State University. He is the author of American Outlaws (2014). For more information please visit: jamesmcgirk.com.
The show will definitely be thought-provoking, says Martin. Shan Goshorn’s baskets, for example, specifically deal with ideas of sovereignty. While Martin says that as a curator he doesn’t have a political agenda, given the history related to removal, politics will be unavoidable. “Identity politics, Native stereotyping, U.Stribal relationships, sovereignty—it’ll all be in there somewhere. But there will also be plenty of personal stories of resilience and relation to place as well.” Martin and Tiger are among the artists submitting work. “We created a room-sized installation based on a traditional Creek gravehouse,” Martin says. Both he and Tony Tiger usually work in two dimensions. “The responses to the theme have also been incredibly varied, which we hoped would happen too. We definitely didn’t want this to only be about responding to some historic event, but to bring the responses into the present, which these artists have done with some rich, compelling work.” The show has also expanded in size and scale since its inception. “Originally the show was going to be a one-shot deal at the Athens venue,” Martin says. “But as we widened our view and talked to colleagues in the museum world, it became evident that this theme and this group of artists needed to be exposed to a much wider audience.” The first group to come onboard was the Cherokee Heritage Center in Tahlequah. “Hosting the show in Tahlequah made
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Venturing Beyond the Frame by Louise Siddons and Pouya Jahanshahi
Robert Gerhardt, Student Reading the Koran Before Friday Afternoon Prayers, Islamic Society of Wichita, Wichita, KS, 2013, Gelatin Silver Print, 16” x 20”
“Muslim/American, American/Muslim.” The title of the exhibition currently on view at the Nona Jean Hulsey Gallery at Oklahoma City University immediately raises questions about our perceptions of national and religious identity, and how the two intersect. In a series of black and white photographs taken in communities across the United States, artist Robert Gerhardt invites us into his own exploration of those questions—without offering definitive answers. Gerhardt began photographing Muslim subjects in 2010, after a proposal to convert a disused convent on Staten Island (NY) led to vocal protests. Newly sensitive to the persistent violence against Muslims in the U.S. after 9 /11, Gerhardt
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realized that for many people, including himself, Muslim American experience was mostly unfamiliar. He began to take photographs in an ongoing series from which this exhibition is drawn. One significant difference about this exhibition is the impression that it was created in order to share the artist’s questions, rather than present the viewer with answers. Viewers are invited to place themselves within the space each photograph provides, a behavior suited to the medium’s sense of immediacy. Although each image acts as a portal to a unique realm, the photographs work best as a group rather than as standalone images. As we move through the
exhibition, our individual encounters build on one another to create a richer, more complex experience of diverse people and places. As a result, the photographs become a conversation the artist is offering to the audience rather than a declarative statement. “I see [the series] as contributing to the conversation about religion and national identity,” Gerhardt noted recently, being careful to clarify that he is not Muslim himself, and doesn’t have all the answers to the questions that conversation raises. Those familiar with the history of photography will not be surprised to learn that Gerhardt cites W. Eugene Smith and Robert Frank— photographers who found a balance between
aesthetic appeal and documentary reportage— as influences. Gerhardt’s commitment to a traditional, film-based process is symptomatic of his love of the materiality of photography. His straightforwardly representational style exploits our instinctive belief in the reality of photography, creating a strong connection between the viewer and the subject(s) of each image. For over a century, photographers have been using this style of documentary to inspire viewers to open their minds to new ideas—or their hearts to the needs of the oppressed—and Gerhardt embraces that legacy with conviction. “A lot of the violence against Muslims comes out of misunderstanding,” he says, “and people being afraid of something that they know nothing about… So I work to try and show what Muslim American lives really are like.” His images invite us to cross over imaginatively into the spaces they depict, asking us to venture beyond our preconceptions shaped by news and popular media, and challenging us to draw our own conclusions. Implicitly, Gerhardt’s photographs ask us to see ourselves reflected in his subjects. “People in the various communities [I focus on] are not very different from everyone else,” he points out. The images in “Muslim/American, American/Muslim” invite empathy—through familiar body language, open gazes, and everyday settings. A student in a mosque wears a baseball cap in place of a more traditional head covering, for example; and a classroom full of girls includes one, fully engaged, who has chosen not to wear a headscarf (hijab). Both choices make Gerhardt’s subjects more accessible to a nonMuslim audience, because they are choices that audience might make themselves. Speaking in a different context about our responses to racially motivated violence, the President of the United States recently observed that, “justice grows out of the recognition of ourselves in each other.” Gerhardt’s photographs often surprise us with that recognition—unexpected at first, and then obvious in people who might easily be our neighbors. His statement about the series likewise invites an empathetic approach to the images, asking that we “attempt to 1 Robert Gerhardt, email correspondence with the authors, June 18, 2015. All quotes from the artist, unless otherwise cited, come from this source.
erase the boundaries that engender a sense of ‘them’ and begin to foster a sense of ‘us.’” While the objective of this collection may be to show common denominators between Muslim American communities and American society as a whole, the contrasts they present are, in fact, just as valuable to recognize within our multicultural society. As the impetus for Gerhardt’s project suggests, we often don’t realize how diverse our communities are until they are struck by tragedy or violence motivated by fear of our differences. Hidden layers within Gerhardt’s photographs touch on their difference—precisely what we cherish as an essential characteristic of American society, where diverse perspectives gather in order to help us rise to a higher plateau, individually and culturally. In a conversation with Hulsey Gallery director Donald Longcrier, we discussed the romanticized qualities sporadically present in Gerhardt’s photographs. In some cases, the images evoke the Orientalizing sensibility—of free access, exotic aesthetics, and political control—that has often colored EuroAmerican representations of Muslim people and Islamic architecture. However, rather than detracting from the exhibition, these allusions serve a dual purpose, furthering the invitation to the audience at hand. Somewhat paradoxically, while the photographs touch on the continuation of the Orientalist perspective of the past century, they also encourage and facilitate a soft entrance into to the complex subject matter at hand. Thus, a photograph of a solitary man seated beneath characteristically Islamic horseshoe arches strikes us, at first, as a familiar and thus timeless image of Eastern mysticism and solitary devotion. But almost as soon as we file the figure away as a familiar stereotype, another photograph depicts a young boy holding a basketball or a woman in fashionable glasses engaged in conversation. How we reconcile images of tradition and contemporaneity is precisely the question that Gerhardt repeatedly invites us to answer—for his subjects and for ourselves.
Private Prayer, The Islamic Center of Greater Valley Forge, Devon, PA, 2012, Gelatin Silver Print, 16” x 20”
As part of its teaching mission, Oklahoma City University is a leader in interfaith dialogue in the city, and as such is an ideal venue for Gerhardt’s photographs to be shown. For Longcrier, the exhibition is a nuanced introduction to that dialogue—and the programming that has been organized around the exhibition supports its realization. The exhibition runs through October 11. For more information, visit the Hulsey Gallery on Facebook or at okcu.edu/artsci/visualart/exhibits/index. n Louise Siddons is an associate professor of American, modern, and contemporary art history at Oklahoma State University. She is currently writing a book about Oklahoma modernist J. Jay McVicker. Pouya Jahanshahi is an assistant professor of graphic design at Oklahoma State University.
2 Barack Obama, “Remarks by the President in Eulogy for the Honorable Reverend Clementa Pinckney,” College of Charleston, Charleston, SC, June 26, 2015. whitehouse.gov/the-pressoffice/2015/06/26/remarks-president-eulogy-honorable-reverendclementa-pinckney, last accessed July 3, 2015.
3 Robert Gerhardt, Portfolio statement, robertgerhardt.com/ portfolio/Muslim-American/1, accessed 6/28/15. 4 Donald Longcrier, personal communication, 6/16/15.
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DOEL REED: Interludes by Alison Rossi
Doel Reed, Cow Creek Country, 1937. Oil on canvas.
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Forms in Doel Reed’s compositions empty adobe dwellings, monumental female figures, and elements of brooding landscapes - possess both structural weight and the heavy air of a quiet, mysterious encounter. Doel Reed: Interludes, the title of an exhibition opening this September at Philbrook Downtown, subtly references the artist’s “poetic and often lyrical tones and titles as well as his work’s sense of stillness” according to Catherine Whitney, Philbrook’s Chief Curator and Curator of American Art. Comprised of over twenty-five of Reed’s famed etchings and aquatints, oil and casein paintings, and charcoal drawings, the exhibition, though not intended as a comprehensive retrospective of Reed’s lengthy career, traces the evolution of his oeuvre over many decades. Cow Creek Country, a 1937 oil painting, evokes 1930’s Regionalist sensibilities with its depiction of rural life in America’s heartland. Still, something about the barren landscape, ominous sky, and dramatic tonal variations of the work hint at the somber imagery that characterizes much of Reed’s later work. The artist’s extraordinary sensitivity to value relationships as evidenced in Cow Creek Country proved conducive to the execution of the technically challenging aquatint medium. As a student at the Cincinnati Art Academy in the years immediately preceding and following his service in World War I, famed painter and influential teacher L. H. Meakin invited Reed to watch him print from a plate by the late Frank Duveneck. Reed, who had never visited an etcher’s studio, was so enthralled by the demonstration that it ultimately inspired the trajectory of his work. After careful study of Francisco Goya’s prints, Reed begin experimenting with the aquatint technique popularized by the Spanish artist to achieve similar atmospheric gradations and depth of values. Reed produced his first aquatint in 1929, five years after he accepted a teaching position at what would become Oklahoma State University in Stillwater. The university’s purchase of a press early in his career at OSU confirms Reed’s commitment to the graphic arts. Spring, a print produced in 1941, reflects Reed’s already well-developed skills as an
artist working in etching and aquatint. The fecundity of a reclining female figure and nearby budding trees juxtapose a vast and barren landscape punctuated with plateaus. The composition is imbued with sensuality, starkness and solitude realized through deft application of dramatic tonal values. In his 1965 tutorial Doel Reed Makes an Aquatint published by the Museum of New Mexico, Reed cogitates on the printing process to which he was deeply devoted: “The aquatint offers such a broad field for the expression of beauty, strength and drama that, regardless of the frequent disappointments, the great possibilities of the medium always serve as a renewing inspiration.” While the aquatint provided Reed with a strong platform for expression, it was the compelling landscapes of northern New Mexico that captivated Reed’s mind and constituted a significant portion of his subject matter until his death in 1985. After annual visits to the Taos area beginning in the early 1940’s, Reed and his family relocated permanently to Talpa, a village just outside of Taos, in 1959 after he retired from OSU as Professor Emeritus of Art. Of his time in Taos, Reed recounted that “the development of my own style might not have materialized elsewhere.” As Mark White of the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art has noted, the themes of time and loss seem to have been central for Reed throughout his career. However, the artist’s post-war work developed in New Mexico portrays particularly haunting imagery featuring abandoned structures amidst chiseled, geometric terrain. Reed’s moody, eloquent landscapes and bold renderings of the female figure did not go unnoticed. The October 1951 issue of American Artist identifies Reed as “one of the best known printmakers in America…” and asserts that “...in the field of aquatint, he has no peer.” Indeed, the artist had become so synonymous with the aquatint medium that at an exhibition reception in Kansas City, Thomas Hart Benton reportedly spotted him across the room and yelled “Hey! Aren’t you the guy who does those swell aquatints?” Though Reed diligently promoted himself as master of the aquatint, the designation
may well be warranted. In 1952, he was the only Oklahoman ever to be elected as a full member to the National Academy of Design, a professional, honorary organization of the highest ranks of American artists and architects. Throughout his career, Reed won hundreds of awards and prestigious prizes for his work that has been widely exhibited and populates prominent museum and private collections both nationally and internationally. Reed’s relationship with Philbrook commenced at least as early as the 1940s and his work has been exhibited at the museum numerous times, including in a 1957 retrospective show. The majority of the works featured in Doel Reed: Interludes hails from Philbrook’s own collection with additional works drawn from the Eugene B. Adkins collection jointly held by Philbrook and the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art and others on loan from private collections. Interlude, a 1938 etching and aquatint on laid paper purchased by Philbrook in 1942, inspired the exhibition’s title. Interlude confronts the viewer with the visage of a striking woman who seems to invite the viewer to pause within her gaze and surrounding topography - timeless, mythical and translated through the imagination and by the hand of Doel Reed. Doel Reed: Interludes opens on September 12, 2015 and runs through March 27, 2016 at Philbrook Downtown, 116 E. M. B. Brady St. Tulsa, OK 74103. n Alison Rossi teaches Art History and Humanities in higher education and serves as a museum consultant.
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Artistic Prosperity: Keith Birdsong By Renee Fite
A well-kept local secret is that the man behind the popular Star Trek art is an ‘Okie’. Artist, illustrator, and designer Keith Birdsong was originally discouraged by his agent to try out for the Star Trek novels, but he stayed up all night to complete a sample, and had her submit anyway. From that day forward, for over a decade, Birdsong was their main artist. Birdsong has painted about 200 paintings for the Star Trek franchise over the course of his prolific career. This month he was notified that his design for the 50th Anniversary of Star Trek Poster has just been approved by CBS Studios (which owns the trademarks to Star Trek). He’ll be painting it live in Las Vegas in August at The Official STAR TREK 2015 Convention. The event promises to be a momentous occasion – Birdsong notes, “This will probably be my last Star Trek painting.” Birdsong use a mixture of graphite, acrylic, and mostly colored pencil (about 90% colored pencil) to create his art pieces. A self-taught artist, Birdsong said he’s been drawing and painting since the age of two. “I could draw before I could talk,” he said. Birdsong lived in Muskogee until the 9th grade, Long Beach, California for the 10th grade, and Kerrville, Texas for the 11th. He graduated from 12th in St. Louis, Missouri, where he eventually got married and joined the army. The purchase of an Artist Market Book at a bookstore, which listed thousands of potential clients, opened up opportunities for Birdsong. He submitted to magazine and book companies while in the 82nd Airborne Division at Ft. Bragg, NC. While in the Army, he won the Keith L. Ware award for top published artist in the DOD and won many awards for book covers. He really doesn’t submit to competitions though. “I was doing magazine and book illustrations while I was still enlisted,” he said.
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Images courtesy of Keith Birdsong
paintings were not so much realistic, and sometimes characteristic, but they seemed alive. I guess you would call it ‘life-istic,’” he said.
His art has been featured on 13 USPS postages stamps and eight of his works hang in the Smithsonian Institution. “I enjoyed my run working with Star Trek and Star Wars. I also enjoyed the 13 USPS stamps,” he said, “and I especially enjoy paintings that I do just for myself.”
“Art is one of the things that make us human and is sometimes very emotional. In fact, really good art should make you feel something. That is usually in the realm of fine art,” he said. About a year ago he completed digital art training at a tech school.
A recent inventory for auction has sadly revealed many of his paintings are missing. He’s been posting those paintings on his Facebook page along with who he believes to have some of them. “I am about to auction them off for the 50th Anniversary. I’ve had about 50 of them stolen; a few sold. And I have the rest stored in a climate controlled facility,” he said.
“If you are going to pursue a career in art or illustration, not only learn hand skills, but also digital,” he said. “I am playing with stepping away from spot-on illustration. My paintings are sometimes too realistic.”
Birdsong cites Norman Rockwell as his biggest photorealism influence. “It wasn’t the ‘realism’ – his
Pin up girls are now one of his most popular digital designs. “I like pin ups. I am
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trying to develop a style with pin ups that is a little more stylized,” he said. “Women are the biggest consumers of pin up art.” “Beauty inspires me. Old things that are not so beautiful also inspire me. Other artists inspire me. Living inspires me,” said Birdsong, who creates art, “because I have to. I would be lost without it.” Find Birdsong’s art through Creation Entertainment, Lightspeed Fine Art, the USPS, Bookstores, Trading Cards, Collector’s Plates, and various galleries. Many pieces are soon to be auctioned by Heritage. n Freelance writer, photographer, and artist Renee Fite is the founding president of the Arts Council of Tahlequah, wife of musician John Fite, mother of five, and grandmother of three.
MAT TERS OF DIS-EASE: SUSAN TABER AVILA August 7 – September 20, 2015 Opening Reception: August 7, 2015, 6-9 PM Artist Talk: August 8, 11am - 12pm 108 East M.B. Brady Street, Tulsa, OK 74103 www. 108contemporary.org
Image: (left) Emboli, free motion stitching over pre-consumer waste and industrial felt, Model: Leticia Garay, Photo: John Bagley, Design by Cristina Moore, Third Floor Design, University of Tulsa School of Art
Brady Craft Alliance, Inc., dba 108|Contemporary is a charitable organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
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On the Map: Owens Arts Place Museum
ON THE
by Molly O’Connor
Nestled in a quiet Guthrie, Oklahoma neighborhood is a one-of-a-kind cultural arts space where one can see paintings, sculptures, and drawings or experience spoken word poetry by various Oklahoma artists. The Owens Arts Place Museum, which is the first fine arts facility in Guthrie, was founded and established by Wallace Owens, Jr in 2005 to serve as a place where artists and community members could convene. The building, which was originally built as a church over 100 years ago, recently hosted a 10th anniversary celebration as an arts center. But to understand how this gem came about, one must come to know Owens’ personal story of artistic development, and journey of lifelong learning and worldwide travel. Born in Summit, one of Oklahoma’s historic black towns, the young Owens was constantly drawing, despite not having arts education or training in school. Owens first worked as a sheet metal specialist in Wichita, Kansas. It was there that he helped build a B-52 aircraft that is still used today. He later moved to Phoenix, Arizona to attend college, but was soon drafted to serve in the Korean War in 1953. Once discharged from the military, Owens enrolled at Langston University as an art major. Owens said, “It was there that I received my first formal training in art. I studied under Eugene Brown and Jack Jordan. I received a Bachelor of Art in Arts Education. My first teaching job was at Sterling High School in Greenville, South Carolina. One of my students was the Reverend Jesse Jackson. I taught there for two years and established the first arts program at the school. Then, I moved to Silicon Valley in San Jose, California.” Employed by Lockheed in Silicon Valley, Owens’ work involved building rockets and the Gemini capsule. He saved money so that he could return to Oklahoma and pursue a Masters in Art Education from the University of Central
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Oklahoma. From there, he went on to earn a Master of Fine Arts at the Instituto Allende in San Miguel de Allende in Guanajuato, Mexico in 1966. He eventually returned to Langston University to teach art. “Teaching art at Langston University was a good venture, because it allowed me to travel throughout the world.” At the pivotal moment in history when Neil Armstrong was taking his first steps on the moon, Owens was in turn venturing out in his own explorations. As a Fulbright scholar, Owens continued his art history studies at the University of Rome. Travel studies included cities throughout Europe and China. Owens was also awarded a grant through Howard University to tour South Africa and study and research the art and culture of West Africa. He was hired to teach Art History at UCO in 1980, and while there he also traveled and studied in the Middle East. Owens credits his traveling to his now personal growth and artistic education, “I really didn’t have a chance to be exposed to art as a young person. I did as much traveling as I could and learned about the arts. I have been very fortunate in the journey that I did take. It is definitely important for artists to travel and see other cultures. You see what the artists are doing. You get inspiration from other works of art. You get an understanding of their technique. You can analyze other media and it’s indispensable. That’s part of the orientation if you are going to be an artist is to see works of art.” Several of Owens’ paintings don the walls of the museum, and the influence of Picasso and the Cubist movement is apparent. By incorporating geometric shapes, bold color schemes, abstracted objects, and lines that suggest rapid movement, the paintings of Wallace Owens seem as though they could have been painted in Paris during the early 20th Century.
After retiring from the University of Central Oklahoma in 1988, Owens dedicated his time to regular studio practice, and his work shifted from 2-D to 3-D. “Since I retired, I started concentrating solely in metal sculpture – welding and so forth. It kind of gives you an outlet away from painting. I like it very much.” The museum collection includes Owens’ largescale metal sculptures, which often have an abstract figurative quality. For the centennial celebration at Langston University in 1996, Owens was commissioned to create a 22-foot metal sculpture for the campus. This sculpture, Uranus, is an abstract representation of the planet Uranus and is dedicated to the Universe. A prolific artist and arts educator, Owens’ work has been on exhibit at universities across Oklahoma, and he has a painting in the Oklahoma State Art Collection. Despite retirement, Owens does not skip a beat and divides his time between the museum operations and working in his studio. “It has been very rewarding to buy this building to set up the museum. I taught in this area. I have lived in Guthrie over forty years. It’s small and the people are friendly. There is always some festival happening. And I think it’s a good place to live.” The Owens Arts Place Museum offers free admission and is open Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 1:00 to 4:00 and Sundays from 1:00 to 4:00. For more information, visit owensmuseum.com n Molly O’Connor is a multidisciplinary artist from Oklahoma City. She also serves as the Cultural Development Director for the Oklahoma Arts Council. She can be reached at moconnor1122@yahoo.com
EKPHRASIS: Art & Poetry Edited by Liz Blood
GETTING TO THE CORE OF OUR ARGUMENT
Billowed, barbed and menacing, the shape cannot hold the eye without shifting. At any moment this division could unknot and bridge my perspective to yours. The clearing inside every storm. unlimited in depth and before you know it, vanishing. I had been thinking for a long time
Jonathan Hils, Division, 2012, welded and powder-coated steel, 33” x 31” x 28”
that we are like our divisions: never seen with disguise, never seen without one.
In a tangle of steel and memory, poet Victoria
The core of our disunity is empty.
McArtor finds metaphor
I don’t know, what do you see?
and a question at the heart of artist Jonathan
Poet Bio: Victoria McArtor holds an MFA from Oklahoma State University, works for a residential mortgage team, and serves on the board of directors for Camp Fire, a nonprofit youth organization focused on building leadership skills and social responsibility. Her book, Reverse Selfie, is coming soon.
Hils’ sculpture, Division. Artist Bio: Jonathan Hils lives and works in Norman, OK where he is an Associate Professor of Sculpture at the University of Oklahoma School of Art & Art History. His work has received numerous exhibition awards across the country and his studio has completed public artworks in the US, China, Malaysia, and Australia.
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ASK A CREATIVITY COACH: Got Talent? Motivation Matters More by Romney Nesbitt
ASK A CREATIVITY COACH:
PROTECTING YOUR SPACE
by Romney Nesbitt
Dear Romney, My studio space is in my home. I’ve set “studio hours” but my kids seem to think it’s okay to walk in to “see what I’m doing.” How can I honor my studio time and not alienate my family? —Not Home Alone Dear Home, Working at home is challenging—especially when you have children. In order to protect your studio space you will need to share information, set boundaries, and include your family members in your creative life. Share information. Does your family know what you’re doing and why? There’s nothing more intriguing than a closed door. Invite your family members in for a tour of your work space. Explain that some of your art materials are not kid-friendly and paintings
School of Art Norbert Herber is a musician and sound artist.
His work explores the relationships between people and sound within mediated environments – spaces created by software, sensors, speakers, and other mediating technologies. This music is more likely to be heard on a personal computer, mobile device, or installation space than on CD or vinyl. Field recordings, live instruments, and electronics are brought together in an ever-changing, generative mix of texture and tone that leverages the processing capabilities of contemporary technology to create music specific to a place and time. Using this approach Norbert is focused on creating sound and music in digital environments for art, entertainment, and communications applications. His works have been performed and exhibited in Europe, Asia, and South America and in the United States. This exhibition will be at the Alexandre Hogue Gallery from October 1-29; the gallery is open Monday through Friday from 8:30- 4:30 p.m. and is free to Some of its Parts installation by Norbert Herber the public.
f e a t u re
For more information, visit www.cas.utulsa.edu/art/ or call 918.631.2739
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business of art
TU is an EEO/AA institution
should never be touched (a lock on the door could protect your supplies and works in progress). Share your creative goals in a sentence or two, “As you guys know, I’m a painter and I have a show soon. That means I have a lot of work to do and this is where I do my work.” Set boundaries. In a shared space such as your home, your studio hours should be posted on the door. Ask one of your children to keep track of your work times on a chart. This includes your family in your creative success and will boost your productivity too. Take a short break every hour to check in with your family to eliminate “whatchadoin?” interruptions. When you are interrupted calmly say, “It’s almost time for my break. Could I talk with you about that in a few minutes? I want to give you my full attention, okay?” Include your family in your creative life. Share your progress, highlight contacts made with galleries, leave out your art magazines and supply catalogs etc. Make your show opening a family event. Encourage your kids to develop their talents. Over time your kids will learn about entrepreneurship, goal setting, and self-discipline. You are the only one who can protect your studio time. Including your family members in your creative life is a win-win for everyone. n Romney Nesbitt is a Creativity Coach and author of SECRETS FROM A CREATIVITY COACH. She welcomes your comments and questions at romneynesbitt@gmail.com. Book her to speak to your group through OVAC’s ARTiculate Speakers Bureau.
free to public bring own art supplies all ages music food
2015 Sept 14 Oct 16 Nov 9 Dec 7
SOCIAL
2016 Jan 25 Feb 22 NORICK ART CENTER at OCU March 21 April 18 6:00 - 8:30 OCUSchoolofVisualArts OCUSchoolof Art
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OVAC NEWS
SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2015
Save the date for this year’s annual 12X12 Art Fundraiser taking place on Friday, September 11. This event raises funds for all of OVAC’s programs, making Oklahoma a place where visual artists thrive and contribute fully to their communities. We are also excited to announce that this year the number of artists represented will increase to 175 (previously 150). Each artist creates a work that conforms to the dimensions of twelve-by-twelve inches. The artwork is sold in a surprising silent and blind auction, meaning bidders will not know what others have bid. Bids for each piece begin at $175. Collectors who fear losing a piece of art in the auction may “Buy It Now” to trump the auction. The 12X12 Art Fundraiser pairs Oklahoma’s finest artists with local restaurants and live music to create a memorable one-night-only event! For more information, visit 12x12OKC.org. The Oklahoma Art Writing & Curatorial Fellowship reconvenes on September 26 with a free public panel about art criticism & publishing. Attendees will hear from three visiting experts: James McAnally, executive editor and co-founder of Temporary Art Review and founder,
Co-Director, and Curator of The Luminary in St. Louis, MO; Orit Gat, a New York and London based writer, contributing editor to Momus, and currently the managing editor of WdW Review; and Buzz Spector, artist, art critic, co-founder of WhiteWalls magazine, and Professor at the Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts at Washington University in St. Louis. The panel will be held Saturday, September 26, 1-3 pm at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art. Visit write-curate-art.org for more information. We are excited to unveil our new Collector Level Membership + Community Supported Art (CSA) Program, which is a new way to connect art buyers with local artists. Through the CSA Program, collectors will receive 2 original pieces of art by Oklahoma artists and enjoy all of the additional benefits at the Patron Member level. For more information, please visit ovac-ok.org/get-involved. Artist INC Live Tulsa is a cuttingedge training program that addresses the specific business needs and challenges of artists. Limited to 25 participants, artists gather once a week for eight weeks to learn business skills specific to their art practice and apply those skills cooperatively with their peers. Through mentorship, expert presentations, and peer networks, artists gain tools and skills in arts planning, marketing, finance, law and technology. Applications accepted October 1 - November 1, 2015 and the program is open to any artist of any discipline, emerging or established. For full application guidelines, please visit ovack-ok.org/programs/ask-workshops. Presented as a collaboration of the Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition, Artist INC, the Thomas K. McKeon Center for Creativity and Tulsa Film & Music Office, with support from the Mid-America Arts Alliance.
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ovac news
Momentum Tulsa is an interactive, multidisciplinary art event presented at Living Arts in Tulsa, opening October 2. There will be over $1,500 in prizes selected by curator America Meredith and emerging curator Mary Kathryn Moeller. Additionally, there is a $100 Viewer’s Choice Award selected by the audience. For more information on the event, or to submit your entry, visit MomentumOklahoma.org. The next quarterly OVAC Grants deadline is October 15. Please visit ovac-ok.org/ programs/grants for a complete list of the available opportunities. Art People
The Arts & Humanities Council of Tulsa welcomed new Executive Director Holly Becker in July. Becker formerly held the position of Vice President of Business Operations at the Tulsa Zoo. Becky Weintz recently joined the Oklahoma City Museum of Art as Marketing and Communications Manager. Weintz holds a B.S. in Business Administration from Washington & Lee University in Virginia and a Masters of Education from the University of Oklahoma n
Thank you to our new and renewing members from May and June 2015 Drew Ackerman heather ahtone & Marwin Begaye Nicki Albright Bobby Anderson Robert & Mary Anthony Margaret Aycock Kerry Azzarello and Adam Lanman Rex Barrett Fran Barton Pam Battle Haley Biram Cynthia Boatright Bryan Boone Barbara Fluty Boydstun Patti R. Bray & Bill Birchall Krystle Brewer J. Alva Brockus Caryn Brown Martha Burger Dennis and Deborah Burian Zach Burns Amena Butler Claudia Carroll-Phelps Jane Jolly Chappelle Lydia Cheshewalla W. Maurice Clyma
Erin & Tim Cooper Janet Cowden and Audrey Hornsby Ryan Cunningham Sarah Day-Short and Kevin Short Angela Deen Alicia Diehl Joseph Donley Julia DuBreuil Donna Edwards Douglas Shaw Elder Yusuf Etudaiye Daniel Farnum Birthe Flexner Randy Floyd and Michael Smith Jack Fowler Ellen Frank Amy Jo Garner Joeallen Gibson Marsha Gulick steffanie halley Virginia Harrison Amanda Henslee Linda and James Hiller Michael Hintze Barrett Hird Kim Hodges
Cecelia Hussein Nancy Junkin Kreg Kallenberger Kelsey Karper Chad Keith Laura Kent Allin KHG Sarah King Joseph K. Kirk Andrea Kissinger Kate Kline Patsy E. Lane Klair Larason Bobby Lee Jolene Loyd Forbes, Paseo Art Works Gilbert Magdaleno Bobby C. Martin Suzanne Wallace Mears Janette Meetze Sunni Mercer Michelle Metcalfe Sylvia Miller Stacey D. Miller Renee Montgomery Caryl Morgan Maggie Munkholm and Barrett Hird
Regina Murphy Deborah Myers Kimberly Nguyen Ryan Pack Jacklyn Patterson Daisha Pennie Maurice Perez Nancy Peterson Eric Piper Julie Plant Jason Poudier Cristiana Prado Leslie Prudhomme Suzanne King Randall Tessa Raven Bayne Tim Richmond Christine Rodgers Timothy Ryan Jessica Seikel Steve and Karen Seikel Melanie Seward Carl and Beth Shortt Gloria Shows Louise Siddons Tamara Sigler Silver Kathy Soliday Brenda Spencer
Julie Strauss Carla Strohmeyer Michi and Charles Susan Suzanne C. Thomas Alexander Tomlin Chuck and Ann Tomlins Brooks Tower Alex True Spencer Ulm Dusty and Kristen Gilpin Aubrey Van Tassell Joshua Vaughn Adam Vermeire Dillon Votaw Shel Wagner Tim and Jarica Walsh Daniel Walters Pamela and Michael Washington Kay West Sandi Willhite Dawn Williams Emily Williams John Wolfe Dean and Kelly Wyatt
ovac news
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Gallery Listings & Exhibition Schedule Ada
Chickasha
Edmond
Idabel
Blake Morgan Through September 61st Annual Faculty Exhibit September 29 – October 23 Erin Shaw October 27 – November 24 The Pogue Gallery East Central University 900 Centennial Plaza (580) 559-5353 ecok.edu
The Ceramic Artwork of Oklahoma Artist Stuart Asprey Artist’s Reception September 4, 7 pm Through September 11 2015 Seven-State Biennial Exhibition Opening September 26, 7 pm Through October 30 Nesbitt Gallery University of Science and Arts Oklahoma 1806 17th St (405) 574-1344 usao.edu/gallery/schedule
Donna Nigh Gallery University of Central Oklahoma 100 University Dr (405) 974-2432 uco.edu/cfad
40/40 (III): 40 years, 40 objects Through September 6 40/40 (IV): 40 years, 40 objects September 15 – November 8 Museum of the Red River 812 E Lincoln Rd (580) 286-3616 museumoftheredriver.org
Alva Contemporary Visions Exhibit Feat. Edana Caldwell, Roxy Merklin, and Andrew Lauffer September 4 Artist Round About Exhibit Feat. Clarence Johnson, Connie Moore, Megan Hughes, Joshua Talley, and Joeallen Gibson October 2 Graceful Arts Gallery and Studios 523 Barnes St (580) 327-ARTS gracefulartscenter.org
Ardmore
Voyages: A Fiber Art Exhibition Featuring Pauline Bustamante, Carlene Fullerton, Sharon Kilfoyle, Leandra Spangler, Margaret Roach Wheeler and Suza Wooldridge Closing October 8, 6 – 7 pm Bobbie Moline-Kramer October 13 – November 6 Opening October 16, 5:30 – 7 pm The Goddard Center 401 First Avenue SW (580) 226-0909 goddardcenter.org
Bartlesville 2015 Family Arts Festival October 17, 10 am – 4 pm Price Tower Arts Center 510 Dewey Ave (918) 336-4949 pricetower.org
Broken Bow Masters at Work: Woodturning Competition & Exhibit September 12 – October 19 Forest Heritage Center Beaver’s Bend Resort (580) 494-6497 beaversbend.com
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gallery guide
Claremore Rogers State University 1701 W Will Rogers Blvd (918) 343-7740 rsu.edu Wolf Productions: A Gallery of the Arts 510 W Will Rogers Blvd (918) 342-4210 wolfproductionsagallery.com
Davis Dugout Canoe Exhibit Through September 27 1700s Beadwork of Southeast Tribes Exhibit Through November 30 Chickasaw Nation Welcome Center 35 N Colbert Rd (580) 369-4222 chickasawcountry.com/explore/view/ Chickasaw-nation-welcome-center
Duncan Woodland Hymn: Sketches and Paintings by Christen Walden Through October 31 Chisholm Trail Heritage Center 1000 Chisholm Trail Pkwy (580) 252-6692 onthechisholmtrail.com
Durham Metcalfe Museum 8647 N 1745 Rd (580) 655-4467 metcalfemuseum.org
Edmond Historical Society & Museum 431 S Boulevard (405) 340-0078 edmondhistory.org Fine Arts Institute of Edmond Atlas Pine Through September Joan Frimberger Through October 27 E Edwards St (405) 340-4481 edmondfinearts.com Melton Gallery Alchemy Through September 17 Prospective Opening Reception September 24, 4 – 7 pm Through October 15 Graphic Advocacy: International Posters for the Digital Age 2001–2012 October 27 – November 20 University of Central Oklahoma 100 University Dr (405) 974-2432 uco.edu/cfad University Gallery Oklahoma Christian University 2501 E Memorial Rd 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.wordpress.com Owens Arts Place Museum 1202 E Harrison (405) 260-0204 owensmuseum.com
Guymon All Fired Up Art Gallery 421 N Main (580) 338-4278 artistincubation.com
Lawton The Leslie Powell Foundation and Gallery 620 D Avenue (580) 357-9526 lpgallery.org Museum of the Great Plains Grand Re-Opening October 10 601 NW Ferris Ave (580) 581-3460 discovermpg.org
Norman The Crucible Gallery 110 E Tonhawa (405) 579-2700 thecruciblellc.com Dope Chapel 115 S Crawford (580) 917-3695 Downtown Art and Frame 115 S Santa Fe (405) 329-0309 Dreamer Concepts Second Friday Art Walk September 11, 6 – 9 pm Second Friday Art Walk October 9, 6 – 9 pm 428 E Main (405) 701-0048 dreamerconcepts.org Firehouse Art Center Firehouse Talent 2015 September 4 – October 17 444 S Flood (405) 329-4523 normanfirehouse.com Jacobson House 609 Chautauqua (405) 366-1667 jacobsonhouse.org Fred Jones Jr Museum of Art A World Unconquered: The Art of Oscar Brousse Jacobson Through September 6 The Jerome M. Westheimer, Sr. & Wanda Otey Westheimer Distinguished
Visiting Artist Chair: James Surls Opening Reception October 1, 7 pm Through January 555 Elm Ave (405) 325-4938 ou.edu/fjjma Lightwell Gallery University of Oklahoma 520 Parrington Oval (405) 325-2691 art.ou.edu MAINSITE Contemporary Art Gallery 122 E Main (405) 360-1162 normanarts.org Moore-Lindsey House Historical Museum The Art of the Quilt September - October 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 aka gallery 3001 Paseo (405) 606-2522 aka-gallery.com [ArtSpace] at Untitled Exquisite Corpse Opening Reception September 17 1 NE 3rd St (405) 815-9995 artspaceatuntitled.org Brass Bell Studios 2500 NW 33rd Contemporary Art Gallery 2928 Paseo (405) 601-7474 contemporaryartgalleryokc.com DNA Galleries Dylan Bradway September DNA Anniversary Show October 1705 B NW 16th St (405) 371-2460 dnagalleries.com
Exhibit C 1 E Sheridan Ave Ste 100 (405) 767-8900 chickasawcountry.com Gaylord-Pickens Oklahoma Heritage Museum Bert Seabourn: American Expressionist Opening Reception September 10, 5 – 7 pm Through January 9 1400 Classen Dr (405) 235-4458 oklahomaheritage.com Grapevine Gallery 1933 NW 39th (405) 528-3739 grapevinegalleryokc.com Howell Gallery 6432 N Western Ave (405) 840-4437 howellgallery.com In Your Eye Studio and Gallery Rita Ortloff: Acrylic Painting September 4 Basil Martin, III: Contemporary Metal Sculpture October 2 3005A Paseo (405) 525-2161 inyoureyegallery.com Individual Artists of Oklahoma Premiere on Film Row September 18, 7 pm Premiere on Film Row October 16, 7 pm 706 W Sheridan Ave (405) 232-6060 iaogallery.org Istvan Gallery at Urban Art 1218 N Western Ave (405) 831-2874 istvangallery.com JRB Art at the Elms David Crismon & Sohail Shehada Opening September 4, 6 – 10 pm Pamela Joye, Jose Rodriguez & Patrick Riley Opening October 2, 6 – 10 pm 2810 N Walker Ave (405) 528-6336 jrbartgallery.com Kasum Contemporary Fine Art Plaza District Festival September 26, 12 pm – 10 pm 1706 NW 16th St (405) 604-6602 kasumcontemporary.com
National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum Remembering Chris Ledoux Through October 18 End of the Trail: A Centennial Celebration Through October 25 1700 NE 63rd (405) 478-2250 nationalcowboymuseum.org Nault Gallery 816 N Walker Ave naultfineart.com Nona Hulsey Gallery, Norick Art Center Oklahoma City University 1600 NW 26th (405) 208-5226 okcu.edu Oklahoma City Community College Gallery 7777 S May Ave (405) 682-7576 occc.edu Oklahoma City Museum of Art Faberge: Jeweler to the Tsars Through September 27 415 Couch Dr (405) 236-3100 okcmoa.com Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center Orly Genger: Terra Through October 2 (new downtown location) 3000 General Pershing Blvd (405) 951-0000 oklahomacontemporary.org Oklahoma State Capitol Galleries Larry Hefner: Abstruse Deception Through September 6 Heather Clark Hilliard Through September 13 Marwin Begaye September 7 – November 8 Noel Torrey September 14 – November 15 Freda de Odis Flatt September 21 – November 22 2300 N Lincoln Blvd (405) 521-2931 arts.ok.gov Paseo Art Space 3022 Paseo (405) 525-2688 thepaseo.com
The Project Box Shel Wagner September 4 – 26 Kerri Shadid October 2-31 3003 Paseo (405) 609-3969 theprojectboxokc.com Red Earth Red Earth Master Artist Show September 1 – June 30 6 Santa Fe Plaza (405) 427-5228 redearth.org Satellite Galleries Science Museum Oklahoma 12×12 Art Fundraiser: Basic Facts September 11, 7 pm 2100 NE 52nd St (405) 602-6664 sciencemuseumok.org Summer Wine Art Gallery 2928 B Paseo (405) 831-3279 summerwinegallery.com Tall Hill Creative First Sundays on Villa September 6 First Sundays on Villa October 4 3421 N Villa artorwhatever.com The Womb 25 NW 9th St wombgallery.com
Park Hill Cherokee National Historical Society, Inc. 20th Annual Cherokee Homecoming Art Show & Sale Through September 27 CHC Staff Art Show September 1 – October 31 Pottery Sculpture Class September 12, 10 am – 3 pm Finger Weaving and Twining October 24, 10 am – 3 pm 21192 S Keeler Dr (918) 456-6007 cherokeeheritage.org
Piedmont Red Dirt Gallery & Artists 13100 Colony Pointe Blvd #113 (405) 206-2438 reddirtartists.com
Ponca City
Tulsa
Ponca City Art Center 41st Annual Fine Arts Festival September 12 – 13 819 E Central (580) 765-9746 poncacityartcenter.com
108 Contemporary Susan Taber Avila: Matters of Disease Through September 20 Biotica & Follies: Crystal Wagner and Kathleen Trenchard Opening October 2, 6 – 9 pm 108 E MB Brady St (918) 895-6302 108contemporary.org
Shawnee Mabee-Gerrer Museum of Art St. John’s Bible Heritage Edition Through October 14 1900 W Macarthur (405) 878-5300 mgmoa.org
Stillwater Gardiner Gallery Mayumi Amada Through September 25 Faculty Exhibition September 30 – October 23 Senior Graphic Design Portfolio Exhibition October 28 – November 13 Oklahoma State University 108 Bartlett Center for the Visual Arts (405) 744-4143 museum.okstate.edu Oklahoma State University Museum of Art Wákàtí: Time Shapes African Art September 21 – January 16 Opening October 7, 5 – 6 pm An Ode to Hands: Selections from the Permanent Collection Opening September 10, 6 – 8 pm Through October 24 Print Beyond Pop: American Lithography After 1960 Opening September 10, 6 – 8 pm Through October 24 720 S Husband St (405) 744-2780 museum.okstate.edu
Sulphur Chickasaw Visitor Center 901 W 1st St (580) 622-8050 chickasawcountry.com/ explore/view/Chickasaw-visitor-center
Tonkawa Eleanor Hays Gallery Northern Oklahoma College 1220 E Grand (580) 628-6670 north-ok.edu
aberson Exhibits Morgan Robinson Through September 9 3624 S Peoria (918) 740-1054 abersonexhibits.com Gilcrease Museum California Impressionism: Selections from The Irvine Museum Through September 6 On 52nd Street: The Jazz Photography of William P. Gottlieb Through October 11 1400 Gilcrease Road (918) 596-2700 gilcrease.utulsa.edu Hardesty Arts Center Greenbelt Meridian Through September 6 TAC@AHHA September 19 – November 22 101 E Archer St (918) 584-3333 ahhatulsa.org Henry Zarrow Center for Art and Education First Friday Art Crawl September 4, 6 – 9 pm First Friday Art Crawl - Our 100th Art Crawl October 2, 6 – 9 pm Joe Johnson, Photography Exhibit October 2 – November 29 The Art of Charles Addams Through September 27 124 E MB Brady St (918) 631-4400 g ilcrease.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
(continued to page 30)
gallery guide
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(continued from page 29) Joseph Gierek Fine Art 1342 E 11th St (918) 592-5432 gierek.com
Mainline 111 N Main Ste C (918) 629-0342 mainlineartok.com
Living Arts The Two Room Schoolhouse: Installation/Performance by Mark Wittig & City of Cyclone II: The Wrath of Corn Opening September 4, 5 – 7 pm Through September 24 New Genre XXIII September 6 – 12 Half Life: Cloud Eye Control September 11, 8 pm Fragmented Lives September 26, 8 pm Dialectic Grio: Spoken Word Event October 17 307 E MB Brady St (918) 585-1234 livingarts.org
M.A. Doran Gallery 3509 S Peoria (918) 748-8700 madorangallery.com Lovetts Gallery The Birds Opening October 24, 10 am – 5 pm 6528 E 51st St (918) 664-4732 lovettsgallery.com Philbrook Downtown The Art of Ceremony Through September 6 Doel Reed September 12 – March 27 Off the Wall: Street Art by Thomas “Breeze” Marcus October 24 – May 15
Teresa J. Wilber October 2 – 31 9 E MB Brady St (918) 592-0041 tacgallery.org
Philbrook Museum of Art The Figure Examined Through September 13 Andy Warhol: In Living Color October 18 – January 17 Modern Times: British Prints from the 1920s and ‘30s Through October 25 2727 S Rockford Rd (918) 749-7941 philbrook.org
Tulsa Performing Arts Center Gallery 110 E 2nd St (918) 596-2368 tulsapac.com
Pierson Gallery 1307-1311 E 15th St (918) 584-2440 piersongallery.com
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, www.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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Plains Indians and Pioneers Museum 2009 Williams Ave (580) 256-6136 pipm1.info
Waterworks Art Studio 1710 Charles Page Blvd (918) 596-2440 waterworksartcenter.com
Wilburton The Gallery at Wilburton 108 W Main St (918) 465-9669
Tulsa Artists’ Coalition Eric Mecum September 4 – 26
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.
· · · · ·
Woodward
Nir Evron Through October 18 116 E MB Brady St (918) 749-7941 philbrook.org
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, 730 W. Wilshire Blvd, Ste 104, Oklahoma City, OK 73116 Or join online at www.ovac-ok.org
Double Wedding Ring Quilt, 1940. Pieced cotton plain weave top, cotton plain weave back and binding; quilted. Gift of the Pilgrim / Roy Collection, 2014.1945. Photograph Š 2015 Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
.
Art Focus
Ok l a h o m a
Annual Subscriptions to Art Focus Oklahoma are free with OVAC membership.
Sept 11:
12X12 Art Fundraiser (OKC)
Sept 26:
Public Panel: Art Criticism,
Critique and Publishing (OKC)
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.
Non Profit Org. US POSTAGE PAID Oklahoma City, OK Permit No. 113
Visit www.ovac-ok.org to learn more.
Oct 2-23: Momentum Tulsa Oct 3/21: ASK: What Works/What Doesn’t? Tulsa Oct 15:
OVAC Quarterly Grants for Artists
Deadline Oct 15:
Concept Focus Application
Deadline Nov 15:
Art 365 Application Deadline
View the full Oklahoma visual arts calendar at ovac-ok.org/calendar.
SEPTEMBER DAVID CRISMON JOSE’ RODRIGUEZ JOSEPH MILLS
Opening Reception: FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 4
6 - 10 P.M.
OCTOBER SOHAIL SHEHADA PAMELA JOYE PATRICK RILEY Opening Reception: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2
6 - 10 P.M.
Gallery Hours: Tue - Sat 10 am - 6 pm Sun 1 pm - 5 pm DETAIL
2810 NORTH WALKER PHONE: 405.528.6336 www.jrbartgallery.com
JRB ART AT THE ELMS