AUGUST 2016
f o e t a t S t r A the seums u m t r a Area nding are expa ing and thriv
e v i t a N s e r u s a TrPereserving a Native t n a r b i v n America culture
N O I T A C U D E ISSUE SING U O H • LOGY TECHNO JORS NEW MA BROAD STUDY A STEM CLUBS • ES FINANC
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Features August
43 Education
2016 Oklahoma Magazine Vol. XX, No. 8
At the beginning of every school year, new problems and advancements arise to change the educational atmosphere. There are technological developments in the classroom, a progression of financial planning assistance, a rising number of STEM majors and much more to explore in terms of education in around the state.
56 Oklahoma’s Promising Youth
Those entering college this fall represent the future leaders of our nation. Oklahoma Magazine, with the help of recommendations from several schools around the state, has collected 12 excellent representatives of the talent, smarts and ambition that embody our Oklahoma youth.
64 Oklahoma Olympians
Reaching the Olympics is the pinnacle of any athlete’s career, and to represent the United States is an honor. Several Oklahoma athletes received that privilege in the Rio Olympics this year.
74
Lights From the Past
Native Americans are the beating heart of Oklahoma with their continual contributions to the state’s cultural and economic growth. Four tribes take different measures to preserve their heritage through utilization of language programs, a resurgence of traditional sports, additions of customary dance classes and much more.
AUGUST 2016
August 2016
68 State of the Art
A state is only as great as the culture that it cultivates. In Oklahoma, several museums offer a wide variety of art and exhibitions to educate the locals. Oklahoma Magazine takes a look at museums in Tulsa, Oklahoma City and the surrounding state lines.
2
OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | AUGUST 2016
e of StatA rt e h t museums Area art ing are expandg and thrivin
e Nativ res Treasug a Preservin tive Na vibrant American culture
CATION EDISU SUE USING LOGY • HO TECHNO JORS NEW MA ROAD STUDY AB STEM • S UB CL S FINANCE
ma’s
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ON THE COVER: OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE CHOSE 12 HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS FROM AROUND THE STATE THAT ARE POISED FOR SUCCESS IN THEIR RESPECTIVE FIELDS OF INTEREST. HUNTER HILL, PICTURED ON THE LEFT, WILL HEAD TO WEST POINT THIS FALL. PHOTO BY DAN MORGAN
Want some more? Visit us online. MORE GREAT ARTICLES: Read
expanded articles and stories that don’t appear in the print edition.
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View expanded Scene, Fashion, Taste and Entertainment galleries.
MORE EVENTS: The online calendar of events includes even more great Oklahoma events.
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Departments
ALL THINGS OKLAHOMA
11 The State
Car clubs in Oklahoma are breaking the mold. They’re more than just groups of automobile enthusiasts – they’re also community leaders and philanthropists.
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16 18 20 22
People
Tulsa Mayor-elect G.T. Bynum looks to the future after winning a campaign based on uniting Tulsans behind a common goal.
Sports Culture OK Then Insider
25 Life & Style 26
32 35 36
40
Interiors
Oklahoma City designer Justin Venk helped create Scout Fresh Foods and Cafe, a timeless restaurant in Ardmore.
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11
Fashion Scene Destinations
The Wequassett Resort and Golf Club in Cape Cod provides the perfect get-away from the Oklahoma heat with its picturesque views and moderate climate.
Health
83 Taste
Mickey Mantle’s Steakhouse in Oklahoma City represents the trifecta of a perfect restaurant: superb food, excellent service and captivating ambiance.
84 86 87 87
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Local Flavor Chef Chat Random Flavors In Season
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89 Entertainment
August in Oklahoma is overflowing with entertainment options. From festivals to concerts to art exhibits, there’s an option for everyone.
90 94
In Tulsa/In OKC Film and Cinema
96 Closing Thoughts
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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | AUGUST 2016
89
The cure for childhood cancer is closer than ever.
Jordan, Age 5
A world-class affiliation is now in Tulsa. On July 1, The Children’s Hospital at Saint Francis became an affiliate of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. We are only the eighth hospital in the nation to be chosen for this distinction—and the only one in Oklahoma. This is the beginning of a new era for children of this region who are diagnosed with cancer or blood disorders. Here they will benefit from the state-of-the-art treatment and innovative clinical trials that are the hallmarks of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. This is truly world-class care. Right here at home.
saintfrancis.com/childrenshospital The Children’s Hospital at Saint Francis | 918-502-6000
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CONTACT US ADVERTISING INQUIRIES: ADVERTISING@OKMAG.COM EVENTS AND CALENDAR SUBMISSIONS: EVENTS@OKMAG.COM QUESTIONS OR COMMENTSABOUT CONTENT: EDITOR@OKMAG.COM ALL OTHER INQUIRIES: MAIL@OKMAG.COM Oklahoma Magazine is published monthly by Schuman Publishing Company P.O. Box 14204 • Tulsa, OK 74159-1204 918.744.6205 • FAX: 918.748.5772 mail@okmag.com www.okmag.com Subscriptions are $18 for 12 issues. Mail checks to Oklahoma Magazine P.O. Box 14204 Tulsa, OK 74159-1204 Copyright © 2016 by Schuman Publishing Company. Oklahoma Wedding, The Best of the Best, 40 Under 40, Single in the City, Great Companies To Work For and Oklahomans of the Year are registered trademarks of Schuman Publishing Company. All rights reserved. Reproduction without written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited. All photographs, articles, materials and design elements in Oklahoma Magazine and on okmag.com are protected by applicable copyright and trademark laws, and are owned by Schuman Publishing Company or third party providers. Reproduction, copying, or redistribution without the express written permission of Schuman Publishing Company is strictly prohibited. All requests for permission and reprints must be made in writing to Oklahoma Magazine, c/o Reprint Services, P.O. Box 14204, Tulsa, OK 74159-1204. Advertising claims and the views expressed in the magazine by writers or artists do not necessarily represent those of Oklahoma Magazine, Schuman Publishing Company, or its affiliates.
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INTERVIEW WITH G.T. BYNUM
In this month’s issue, Oklahoma Magazine interviews Mayor-elect G.T. Bynum to find out his plans for Tulsa during his upcoming term as mayor. After reading the story, be sure go to okmag.com and watch our webexclusive video interview with Bynum.
Oklahoma
PHOTO BY BRENT FUCHS
Socialites ANDREW FITZPATRICK @80FITZ
PHOTO COURTESY ANDREW FITZPATRICK.
“80FitzOfficial” 39.4k @80Fitz 10.4k “80Fitz” 45.3k @80Fitz 170k @80Fitz 1.1m Oklahoma City native Andrew Fitzpatrick – better known as “80Fitz” on social media – is a beatboxer, music producer and actor who has been performing a cappella professionally for over a decade. Fitzpatrick impresses his fans with performance videos showcasing a variety of pop and electronic music, featuring beats impressively produced on-camera with only his voice. On platforms such as Vine, YouTube and Instagram, Fitzpatrick shares his video content on a regular basis to over a million followers, and his content includes beatboxing tutorials, guest collaborations and original music compositions. In 2015, he was thrust into the Hollywood spotlight when he was featured in the box-office hit Pitch Perfect 2, utilizing his vocal skills to perform as a member of The Bellas’ opposing German rival team Das Sound Machine. After moving from Minneapolis to Los Angeles, Fitzpatrick has continued his acting career in 2016 with appearances on the Disney television show Penn Zero: Part-Time Hero and the film-drama Sleight. Follow 80Fitz on Vine for a blended mix of mind-blowing beatboxing samples and witty short-form comedy skits. With a unique talent like 80Fitz’s, you never know where his musical ability and sense of humor will take him next.
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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | AUGUST 2016
E D I T O R ’S L E T T E R
Our past is linked to our future, and it’s possible nothing in Oklahoma illustrates that idea more than the state’s Native American tribes. Native American nations are a crucial part of Oklahoma’s economy, and they are a key element of the state’s future. Even as the nations move forward, however, they recognize the importance of their past. Nations in Oklahoma are preserving their heritage and traditions – from artwork to language, from traditional sports to repopulating the state with buffalo, Native American tribes are focused on what shaped who they are today (pg. 74). Author Margaret Verble drew on her own family’s past in Oklahoma Indian country when she was writing Maud’s Line, her first published novel. The novel, which was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize in fiction, takes place in Indian Country in 1928 and examines the impoverished conditions many Native Americans lived in nearly 100 years after being removed from their homes and force to march to Oklahoma on the Trail of Tears. As Verble says, Maud and her relatives would never have been able to envision the current vitality of their tribe (pg. 96). Oklahoma’s past is also on display at our area art museums – and those museums have a bright future. Many museums in the area are in the process of expanding their campuses or programs, and the visions of these institutions are helping shape the state’s ever-growing culture (pg. 68). As always, feel free to contact me at editor@okmag.com. Justin Martino Managing Editor
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ALL THINGS OKLAHOMA
A Wheel-y Good Time Car clubs in Oklahoma also focus on community and charitable service.
W PHOTOS BY BRENT FUCHS
hen you hear the term car club, you might think it’s only for people who own or share a common interest in a particular type or brand of automobile. While the initial draw for automotive enthusiasts is a love of cars, these groups are more than just wheels, motors and nifty modifications. Many car clubs engage in activities that include car meets, community service, parades, DIY projects or even non-automobile related activities like watching movies or dining. Several have also added an online presence and have forums for members to share information or ask questions about their vehicles.
Coffee and Cars
Coffee and Cars OKC is one of the auto groups that gather to bask in their enthusiasm for automobiles. The group was formed in 2011 to bring car lovers of various backgrounds together for free. “We started Coffee
and Cars as a free gathering for our clients at Synergy Advisors Group,” says financial planner John Terrill. The group has continued to grow and includes a variety of participants. “Coffee and Cars OKC is unique because of the eclectic mix of cars that attend,” Terrill explains. “You can see a VW Bug, McLaren 675 Spider and everything in between.” Anyone is welcome to the car meet-ups that take place 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. on the first Saturday of every month in the parking lot at Northpark Mall in Oklahoma City. It doesn’t cost to join, and there is no need to register – just show up and follow the general rules, which include no racing, burning out or parking on the grass, no parking in handicap spots without a permit, picking up trash, following traffic laws and being respectful. Going beyond the sleek, new and restored cars, members of the group also believe in supporting the community. The group’s participants have given thousands of dollars to local organizations such as Heartline, Love OKC and Citizens Caring for Children. AUGUST 2016 | WWW.OKMAG.COM
11
The State
Corvettes, Cruisers and More
It’s a Jeep Thing
While auto clubs are generally about a shared love of vehicles, some are more specific about their passions. Red Dirt Jeeps (RDJ) is an organization that focuses on community and off-roading. Started in 2011, RDJ has grown from a small group to more than 3,600 online participants. Members do not pay dues and the only stipulations to join are that you own a Jeep and live in Oklahoma. “Nazih ‘Bug’ Al-Mufleh started RDJ because he wanted to have a club that was family-oriented and allowed us to share our passion for off-roading,” says Chris “Indy” Watham, one of the club’s administrators. “We’re one of the only familyfriendly offroad groups in Oklahoma. It’s the best feeling in the world to listen to my 6 year old giggle nonstop in the backseat when we splash through mud holes or climb the side of a mountain.” There are plenty of opportunities for members to come together, from every other Thursday meet-and-greets at the Bass Pro in downtown Oklahoma City to dinner invasions to charity events to parades and more. The group supports the Oklahoma community as much as it can by running food and toy drives for the homeless and supporting a variety of charities. “Last year we had an enormous presence at the Back the Blue initiative,” Watham explains. “We started a Back the Blue poker run. We had 250 vehicles involved, including other car clubs, and raised more than $2000.” If you’re a Jeep owner looking for a club to join, RDJ might be the right group for you. “We have the best group of members in the state,” Watham says. “They are what make the club what it is and are a great source of knowledge. If there is anything you need to know about Jeeps or offroading, I guarantee you one of members can answer it or has done it before.” 12
OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | AUGUST 2016
A WIDE VARIETY OF CAR OWNERS AND ENTHUSIASTS MAKE IT OUT TO CAR SHOWS ON THE WEEKENDS.
From late 1950s to brand new 2016 models, the Central Oklahoma Corvette Club (COCC) has one requirement for you to join: you must own a Corvette. Chris Hohne, along with his dad and brother, formed COCC in 2001 as an alternative to the only other Corvette club in central Oklahoma. While the group does require dues and an application to join, it offers its members several activities. “We formed the club to be a way to have fun with your Corvette,” Hohne says. “We want our members to enjoy their Corvettes by doing the activities they enjoy.” The 200 members also have access to people with a broad range of experiences with Corvettes, and the club serves as a valuable source of information for people working on Corvettes, buying Corvettes or wanting to learn more about the history of the car itself. A monthly member meeting is hosted at the Warr Acres Community Center on the third Tuesday of each month (except July and December). In July, the group has an annual club picnic, and members hold a Christmas dinner in December. Like many other auto groups, COCC has made donations to charities and organizations like the Regional Food Bank, SWAB Squad, Center of Family Love, Hearts Hearing, Pepper’s Ranch and the Children’s Center Rehabilitation Hospital. “We like to focus on charitable organizations the club has a close tie with – either our members utilize the services or work with the group,” Hohne explains. Looking for a car club or shows? Visit www.route66cruisersok.org to find a list of various clubs and shows in Oklahoma. ALAINA STEVENS
ION UCATION 2015
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The State
PEOPLE
A Unified Tulsa
n the current era of political divisiveness and fighting, is it possible to run a campaign based solely on making Tulsa a better city? Tulsa Mayor-elect G.T. Bynum thought it was worth a try – and he discovered that was exactly what Tulsans wanted. “When my wife and I decided that I should run, we wanted to run the type of campaign that we would be proud of regardless of the outcome, and we wanted to run a campaign that was really focused on unifying the city,” he says. “And you don’t unify a city by tearing your opponent down the whole time. So we decided early on that we wanted to give people a positive reason to vote for me rather than try to convince them they shouldn’t vote for my opponent.” The strategy worked for Bynum at the polls as the city councilman defeated incumbent Dewey Bartlett by an 18 percent margin. Now, his goal is to take the positive energy from his campaign and use it to build a better future for Tulsa. Bynum sees Tulsa as a city of opportunity and a place where people are looking to create an impact. Unlike larger cities, he says, he sees a place where young Oklahomans have the chance to act on their desires to make a difference in the city instead of moving to other parts of the country. It’s an opportunity he has already acted on himself – the 38-yearold and his wife lived in Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. before moving back to his home town a decade ago to raise their family. He was elected to Tulsa’s city council in 2008, following his family’s legacy of community service – his great-great grandfather was Tulsa’s second mayor, serving from 1899 until 1900, and his maternal grandfather, Robert LaFortune, served as the city’s mayor from 1970 until 1978. The change he has seen in the decade since moving back is remarkable, he says, and it provides a strong foundation moving forward. Bynum adds the size of Tulsa is a benefit in attracting young professionals looking to make an impact in their community,
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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | AUGUST 2016
because the size of cities like New York and Los Angeles can be an obstacle for young people trying to become involved. “We’re a mid-sized city, and that presents opportunities for people who want to shape the city in a positive direction to be able to do so,” he says. “That’s been a great marketing tool for us to bring back a lot of young professionals from other parts of the country home to Tulsa because they realize, yeah, they can have a cool job in some of these other cities, but they can have a cool job and make a mark on history here in Tulsa.” Bynum’s ideas for making Tulsa a nationally competitive city are varied and wide reaching. He plans to establish better partnerships between the City of Tulsa and the schools to prepare a highly trained workforce and make Tulsa the best place in Oklahoma to receive an education. He points out the success Tulsa has in creating a vibrant urban core by building facilities such as the BOK Center, attracting businesses into downtown Tulsa and planning new areas like A Gathering Place and the expansion to the Gilcrease Museum. He adds, however, the city has much more to do to reach its potential as a truly exceptional city. To reach that goal, Tulsans “must unite behind high expectations,” he says – the guiding idea behind his campaign for mayor. “The main purpose of my campaign was not to be elected, but instead to unite Tulsans behind a renewed spirit of high expectations for our community,” Bynum says. “Political experts are still surprised by our margin of victory, because they think in partisan political terms. We think in terms of the community. And the reality is this is a community that wants to be nationally competitive, that wants to aim high with a potential for failure but also a potential for great success. But it needed a group of people to show what that can look like, and we did so. Now the task is to translate the coalition we built during the campaign into one that will act on the ideals we share.” JUSTIN MARTINO
PHOTO BY CHRIS HUMPHREY PHOTOGRAPHER
I
Mayor-elect G.T. Bynum’s positive campaign proves Tulsans are ready to work together for a better future.
LABOR DAY WEEKEND 2016
ARTS & CRAFTS | CHILDREN’S EVENTS | PARADE POWWOW | SPORTS TOURNAMENTS TRADITIONAL FOOD & GAMES | ENTERTAINMENT
H O M E S . H E A LT H . H O P E .
The State
SP ORTS
For the Love of the Game Flying Tee launches the company’s first location in Jenks.
A
s a sport, golf is evergreen in every sense of the word. And it’s easier to get into the game than you might expect, especially with a trip to the FlyingTee, Tulsa’s new premier golf, dining and entertainment venue that opened for business on the Jenks Riverwalk recently. Though many other cities have expressed interest in bringing FlyingTee to their area, Tulsa has the privilege of being the company’s launching pad. “We are pleased to have Jenks be FlyingTee’s first location,” says John Vollbrecht, the company’s CEO. “We are very excited to open our doors to the public and show everyone what makes FlyingTee a completely new vision in golf entertainment.”
VISITORS TO THE FLYINGTEE PRACTICE THEIR GOLF GAME IN THE STATE-OFTHE-ART BUILDING LOCATED INSIDE THE JENKS RIVERWALK. PHOTOS BY MARC RAINS
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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | AUGUST 2016
Unlike a traditional golf course, which can take several hours and plenty of sweat to complete, FlyingTee allows players to work on their swings in a high-tech environment that is comfier and more innovative than granddad’s 18 links. FlyingTee builds on the popularity of entertainment venues for grown-ups, and its edge is in melding the latest technology with physical activity for those who like to play hard on the evenings and weekends. “The concept for this entertainment complex is similar to other entertainment venues but with newer and more accurate technology,” says Michael Burton, account manager for Ford AV, the company that helped FlyingTee engineer its indoor golf technology. “This allows for better variety of game types and also allows the facility to be used
for training for those serious about developing their golf game.” Customers can play simulated golf courses that mirror real locations such as Pebble Beach in California and St. Andrews in Scotland, complete with scenic views that reflect the real-time weather conditions of the course being played. If it’s sunny California at the course, it’ll be sunny California in the simulation, even if Tulsa’s weather is an icy seven degrees below zero. With 60 golf bays spread out across three floors, as well as an outdoor putting green, FlyingTee promises active fun for golfers all year round. And don’t worry if you don’t own a set of clubs, because FlyingTee provides equipment to its guests, including Cobra-brand drivers and irons, popular for their playability and accuracy. FlyingTee also has activities for people who don’t golf, including kid-friendly games and food options. Sports fans can enjoy the 16-foot-wide diagonal video wall, multiple 65-inch TVs, and a 360 degree LED sports ticker for the latest in live games and updates. The complex also includes a choice of three distinct places to grab a bite to eat. On the first floor, Sports Bar offers traditional options while adding in more distinct choices like beer cheese soup and buffalo shrimp. The Ironwood Rotisserie features wood-fired grills, comfortable booth seating and a large bar overlooking the beer garden and putting green, while FLITE is an innovative, modern restaurant concept serving up craft beers, specialty cocktails and premium wines, all within view of the Arkansas River. MICHELE CHIAPPETTA
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CULTURE
The State
From Rat Race to Raft Race
W
here can you find a cruise ship puffing real smoke, a sea plane painted like a corncob, an old Volkswagen Beetle and a half pipe - all homemade and floating? These creations, along with about 250 others, cruised down the Arkansas River in the great Tulsa Raft Race last year. After a 25-year hiatus, the Tulsa Raft Race returned in all its kooky glory on Labor Day in 2015. Race Director Seth Erkenbeck says the race was revived for the same reasons it was created. “In the early ’70s, the river was starting to gain momentum and there was a lot of interest in it, so the Tulsa Raft Race celebrated that,” Erkenbeck says. “Now we’re seeing another boom of progress on the river. We wanted to highlight recreation like they did back in the ’70s and paint a picture that the river is usable and activate the community around that.”
And the city certainly did seem activated, with over 1,000 participants in about 250 vessels and anywhere between 10,000 and 20,000 spectators attending the event. “We could not have asked for a better reception. There was so much support from different demographics: grandparents who floated in the ’70s and ’80s said they took their grandchildren this year, and we also had 22 year olds who have never heard of it before,” Erkenbeck says. Erkenbeck, a lifelong outdoors enthusiast with an interest in community projects, initially got involved through the Tulsa Young Professionals. This spring, he became the fulltime director of the Tulsa Raft Race and the organization’s sole employee. “I was a financial planner for eight years before this. If you had asked me then whether I’d be running a nonprofit today, I never would have thought it’d be possible,” he says. “But I’ve left my corporate job and now being involved in outdoor
recreation and the community is my full-time job. You could definitely say the race has changed my life.” This year’s race will include several additions. There will be trophies for those who make it down the river the fastest, Erkenbeck says, as well as other awards. “We’ll also have awards for best costumes and best raft themes, and others like that,” he says. “There will also be a new corporate challenge for local businesses to be able to claim bragging rights.” Race registration opened in the first week of July; last year, registration sold out within the first month. “You’re not going to see anything like this anywhere else,” Erkenbeck says. “It’s like a floating art show and parade together with these creative and artistic raft builds that people craft, and it’s a lot of fun.” The race begins in Sand Springs at the Sand Springs River City Park and winds eight miles to the finish line at River West Festival Park in Tulsa. With renovations of this park now completed since last year, Erkenbeck says the Finish Line After-Party will take advantage of the full use of the grounds, including entertainment, food trucks and live music. Learn more at tulsaraftrace.com. MEGAN MORGAN
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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | AUGUST 2016
PHOTO COURTESY TULSA RAFT RACE
After a decades-long hiatus, the Tulsa Raft Race returns for the second year in a row to the Arkansas River this Labor Day.
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The State OK THEN
A Love of Vintage Signs Oklahoma collectors search far and wide for the memorable and valuable classics.
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igns do more than point the way or announce a business. Done correctly, they speak to us. And they’re capable of speaking to us from the past. This is a truth well known to Jim Gleason of Oklahoma City’s G&S Sign Services. He’s restored hundreds of old signs. His favorites, he says, are neon. “When I get in front of a neon sign, there’s nothing like it,” he says. “In a way, when you get these things restored and turn them on, it’s almost like they’re talking to you from quite awhile back. To me, it’s almost magical.” Gleason is a founding member of the Billboard Museum, a nonprofit organization devoted to preserving old signs and
TULSAN BILL STOKELY HAS COLLECTED MORE THAN 80 VINTAGE NEON SIGNS. PHOTOS BY JANELLE AZEVEDO
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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | AUGUST 2016
their history. Fairly new, the museum currently is just a warehouse filled with signs in need of restoration. He started in the business when he was twelve years old, sweeping the floors in his father’s sign business. Over time, he learned the craft of sign restoration from his father. It quickly became a labor of love for him. “There are some amazing signs. As long as they’re staying local, people will be able to see them again,” Gleason says. “But when they get sold privately, who knows what state they’re going to end up in.” The demand for neon signs peaked in the 1960s. During the ’70s and ’80s, they were replaced by the more conventional signs of today. Nobody, it seemed, cared about the old neon classics. That changed with the airing of American Pickers on A&E’s History Channel. All of a sudden, old neon signs had value. They were collectible. With supply low and demand high, their prices skyrocketed. Many of them found their way into private collections, hidden away from the general public. “It’s like a junk car sitting in a pasture,” Gleason says. “When you’re looking at a junk car sitting in a pasture, not everybody can visualize what that thing looks like restored.” Today, conventional signs are giving way to electronic billboards using LED lights. But, says Gleason, the technology just isn’t there yet, and they’re still a way off from producing the eye-catching effect of neon. Bill Stokely, also in the sign business, collects vintage neon signs and displays them in Tulsa’s Stokely Event Center. He shares Gleason’s love of classic neon. “Everybody collects something. As time went on, I would find signs here and there that I just kind of liked,” he says. “I stuck them on the wall. I started collecting here and there. Signs that I liked to look at, the classics.” There are over 80 signs on display at the event center. Gleason favors gas station signs, oil company signs, soda signs and signs that elicit Tulsa’s past. He looked far and wide to fill his collection. A helicopter pilot, he flew over older highways in search of signs. He quickly learned that signs along the highways were privately owned and prohibitively expensive. He began flying over country roads close to the highways and found treasure on old barns, or even on the rooftops of older buildings. He loves introducing people to his sign collection. “When they walk in, I always get a big bang out of the expressions on their faces,” he says. “They go, ‘Oh, Gosh. Wow!’ Your eyes can’t collect it all. There’s just too many things to look at. So they just kind of stand there and gaze around.” PAUL FAIRCHILD
CHICKASAW CULTURAL CENTER • SULPHUR, OK
Chickasaw the
n a t i o n
CHICKASAW CULTURAL CENTER • SULPHUR, OK
PINSON MOUNDS • PINSON, TN
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CHICKASAW NATION, VISIT WWW.CHICKASAW.NET
BILL ANOATUBBY, GOVERNOR
Oklahoman Matt Mason aims for a Tulsa vibe on his band’s latest album.
I
n a song of his called “Sweet Euphoria,” Oklahoma-based guitarist and vocalist Matt Mason sings of being “addicted to cold steel blades” and then “complaining about the scars.” To Mason, who’s been at it long enough to know, it’s an apt metaphor for both the joys and the pains of performing rock music for a living. “That line came from an interview I heard with a guy named Chris Cornell, who’s the singer for Soundgarden,” he says. “I thought, ‘That’s really powerful.’ It’s “It takes a lot flashy, just like a steel to think outside all blade. You grab hold of it and the box in a city you get cut a few times. Then you have to figure out, ‘How like Tulsa.” do I grab it and turn it around the other way?’ And every time you think you’ve got it figured out, something else happens – the market changes. The world changes. I never would’ve figured it would be like this when I was 16 or 17.” At that time Mason was up in Bartlesville, working at learning the guitar. “I played classical violin when I was a kid through the Suzuki Method for about five years,” he recalls. “After I gave that up, two or three FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: years went by and I decided, ‘Well, I SHAWN MONTGOMERY, MATT MASON AND ACE really like the sound of a guitar. I like EVERSOLE MAKE UP the way it makes me feel when I listen HURRICANE MASON. to it. Let’s see if I can do it.’”
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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | AUGUST 2016
It was tougher than he thought, but he persevered, and soon he had his first group. He and the band’s other members were Boy Scouts, and one of their shared goals was to get merit badges in music. Helping them along was a man named Joe Figard, the father of one of Mason’s bandmates. A technical advisor for Phillips Petroleum, he was also a serious guitarist, music fan and member of the R&B group Dues Paid. Soon, Figard was expanding young Mason’s musical horizons. “He was just one of those cosmictype people you meet,” Mason recalls. “We’d go over to his house and jam, and he’d say, “Here’s ‘Breezin’’ by George Benson.’ I’d be
PHOTOS COURTESY MATT MASON
The State
Hurricane Mason
like, ‘Who’s George Benson?’ He could pull down a record and say, ‘Here’s their best stuff,’ and then show you how to play it. Once I got the merit badge finished up, he’d give me a stack of books – about [blues guitarist] Brownie McGhee, [German rock guitarist] Michael Schenker, [metal guitarist] Randy Rhoads – and say, ‘Come and talk to me if you have any questions.’ He’d tell me about hanging out with ParliamentFunkadelic back in ’68, seeing Hendrix and Led Zeppelin, playing and doing all these things, and I thought, ‘Man! That’s the life I want.’” So, with Figard as inspiration, he sought it. While pursuing his degree in human resource management at Oklahoma State University in the mid-to-late ’90s, Mason played in what he laughingly describes as “the last bell-bottom band on earth,” Tie-Dyed Sunrise, which reflected his love for the rock music of an earlier time. “We played lots of hippie stuff,” he remembers. “That was when the grunge thing was happening, and we were playing what everybody thought of as classic rock.” After that group broke up, Mason joined a nine-person country band called Barely Bent and made the rounds of the Moose and Elks Lodges. “I had a lot of fun doing that, and it was different from what I’d been doing before,” he notes. He also
started up a mail-order business that specialized in off-the-beaten-path CDs, bringing that with him to the Tulsa area following his graduation. In Tulsa, where Mason hoped to find expanded musical opportunities, he began performing regularly in an acoustic duo with a friend from Stillwater, Mark Alan, and eventually formed Hurricane Mason, a rock trio that, perhaps ironically, got most of its jobs outside of town. “We were playing Ponca City, Grand Lake, Bartlesville – 32 times in one year,” he says. “But Tulsa? All I was doing in Tulsa was acoustic music.” Still, the group was working and building a following. And when the noted Tulsa bassist Ron Martin joined the group, says Mason, “That was kind of the next level. It solidified the lineup. I didn’t just have to scratch down 40 bar classics to play that night. I could say, ‘Remember how we did this? Remember this song we’ve been working on?’ It was a step up. “But we all liked to drink,” he adds. “Those were the drinking days, and I don’t know how we made it through, honestly. There were so many nights and so many places it was like, `How did we even make it back to the hotel?’ Now, being a non-drinker, I remember what I’ve played. I remember what people said
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to me. I remember how they said it. It’s so liberating to leave and not have to worry about anything.” In addition to a rigorous performing schedule, Hurricane Mason released one live and two studio discs between 2002 and 2007. During that time, both the records and the band itself attracted the attention of veteran bassist and producer Ace Eversole. “When I saw them,” says Eversole, “I saw a band that had the gumption to get out and play and be professional, somewhat, in keeping gigs. And I had heard their records. I didn’t really hear a lot of realized stuff going on, but I knew there was potential to get there, and these guys were always out doing it.” For his part, Mason had been aware of Eversole and his work since the ’80s. One day, while young Matt and his band were getting ready for a rehearsal in the family garage, his mother had brought them a copy of the Tulsa World, pointing out a story about a Tulsa act that was going to play the Cain’s Ballroom. It was the popular Tulsa-based metal outfit Flaxen Harlot, which included Eversole (and, the bassist notes, came “really close” to signing with Warner Bros). Eventually, Eversole joined Mason and drummer Shawn Montgomery in Hurricane Mason. (Ron Martin passed away in ‘09.) And, in addition to playing bass, Eversole has been
working for some time in production on a new Hurricane Mason album, Be the Wolf. “What I wanted for this album was for us to be ourselves,” says Eversole. “There are country influences in it. There’s a lot of real rock. I think there’s a tangible Southern kind of Tulsa vibe. In Tulsa, you hear a lot of different stuff. It’s rock influenced by Tulsa and our surroundings.” Like the lines about steel and scars in Mason’s “Sweet Euphoria,” the words in the CD’s title mean a lot to the boys in the band. “There’s a quote I saw that goes, ‘The lion and the tiger may be more powerful, but the wolf doesn’t perform in the circus,’” Mason says. “I love that. It takes a lot to think outside the box in a city like Tulsa. It takes a lot to show up at a jam session and go, ‘No, we’re not playing Eric Clapton. We’re playing Rory Gallagher. We’re not playing Stevie Ray Vaughan, we’re playing Frank Marino and Mahogany Rush.’ It takes a lot of courage to do that. You can’t just be part of the big herd moving one way. You’ve got to be the lone wolf. You’ve got to be out there looking for every opportunity, everything you can think of. “This record’s been called about four different things since we started doing it,” he concludes. “But this is the good title, and the music supports it.” JOHN WOOLEY
5/19/16 11:17 AM
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Life & Style
A M A P TO L I V I N G W E L L
The Next Generation Luchboxes of yesteryear make the grade.
PHOTO BY NATALIE GREEN
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very August, new trends crop up as fall descends and the weather cools. There are cutting-edge styles for clothing, makeup, hair and more, but what about the lost trend of lunch boxes? This August, ditch the boring brown paper bags and tote around a vintage lunchbox instead. Not only are these lunch pails stylish and unique, but they also provide a stimulating conversation starter, as each lunchbox tells a different story. And don’t fret! These pails aren’t just for kids – by scouting out and attending estate sales, antique shops or garage sales, one can find high-end, one-of-a-kind boxes that provide you with a piece of history.
AUGUST 2016 | WWW.OKMAG.COM
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Life & Style INTERIORS
Delicious Design
An OKC designer has helped create a timeless restaurant in Ardmore. By M.J. Van Deventer Photos by Ryan Wells esigner Justin Venk faced quite a challenge when Audrey Edelen asked him to renovate a dark and forgotten space for her new Ardmore restaurant. She wanted to transform the drab locale into a warm, inviting cafe that was full of light and energy but still had a feeling of antiquity. There was serendipity in Audrey’s choice of Justin for her project. Justin and his wife had recently moved back to Oklahoma City from New York, where Justin started his design firm, Facet 14 Studio, while completing his master’s degree at the New York School of Interior Design. “In the ultimate ‘it’s a small world situation,’ Audrey happened to know both of my brothers-in-law,” Justin relates. “She mentioned to one of them she was planning to open a restaurant in Ardmore, and he suggested she call me. “As a designer, every job is personal, but there is something special about being able to return home and work so closely with a family connection. I loved the aesthetic Audrey was aiming for, and our visions for the space were very much aligned, so it worked out beautifully.” The design concept was warm and uncomplicated, inspired by classic New York and Parisian bistros. The clean lines play well against the vintage-inspired materials, including rough-sawn flooring, aged brass finishes and antique mirrors. With its soft gray lacquered walls accented with glazed-brick tile, the restaurant takes on the vibe of a French bistro with classic ceiling tiles and custom
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vintage-inspired navy banquettes. Justin added brass accents, quartz counters and raw steel to complement high gloss veneers in various combinations. Facet 14 brass light fixtures were the finishing touch. Still, while Justin and Audrey were excited about the final space, getting there wasn’t easy. Justin’s design required a radical makeover that gutted the existing space, reworked the entire layout, added a restroom and outfitted the cafe with new flooring, walls, lighting and ceiling system. Of course no renovation is without complications. Justin had sourced a beautiful hand-glazed brick tile for the walls – a major design feature. The Argentina factory changed the manufacturing process and style of the tiles with- TOP: THE HANDGLAZED BRICK TILE out alerting Justin’s IS A DESIGN FEATURE team before shipping. THAT CREATES UNIQUE AND It was a design trauma AVISUALLY STUNNING he remembers all too BACKDROP FOR THE RESTAURANT. well. BOTTOM: COZY SEAT“Ultimately, we ING WAS INSPIRED were able to find a BY CLASSIC NEW comparable tile that YORK AND PARISIAN BISTROS THAT ADDS could be shipped in AN UPSCALE FEELING a timely manner, but TO THE EATERY. it felt like a huge
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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | AUGUST 2016
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Life & Style
setback then,” he recalls. “Budget and time are always a factor in any design project and the tile issue slightly compromised both.” The result surpassed Audrey and her partners’ expectations. “Justin took our ideas, stayed true to them and turned the space into more than we could have dreamed of creating,” she says. “He spun everything into a perfect package.” Now, Ardmoreites are savoring this upscale dining experience. Audrey named the restaurant Scout in honor of her favorite book and literary character, Jean Louise ‘Scout’ Finch in Harper Lee’s highly celebrated classic To Kill A Mockingbird. Justin believes people want to eat food that looks attractive. He also thinks they want a restaurant to be aesthetically pleasing. The Scout Fresh Foods and Cafe offers delicious food and timely service in an inviting setting. Scout features ever-changing daily specials to complement its menu of fresh baked pastries, granola, specialty sandwiches and salads. Justin treasures a recent email he received from an Ardmoreite who also has a home in New York City. The person wrote: “Thanks for making this beautiful space in Ardmore that was much needed.” The response from Scout patrons has been “complimentary and kind,” Justin and Audrey note. Facet 14 Studio is currently working on residential projects in Oklahoma City, as well as Edmond, Norman, Denver, New York City and Washington, D.C. Justin is also expanding his commercial portfolio. Watch for the opening of The Jones Assembly (Food-SpiritsMusic) in OKC’s Film Row, opening later this year. Justin designed the custom lighting for the new restaurant and music venue.
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TOP: FRESH INGREDIENTS AND AN AESTHETICALLY PLEASING ENVIRONMENT ARE KEY COMPONENTS TO SCOUT’S SUCCESS. LEFT: A WIDE VARIETY OF SIDES CAN BE THE PERFECT ADDITION TO A MEAL. BOTTOM LEFT: SCOUT’S OFFERS DELICIOUS DESSERTS AS A SUPERB END TO YOUR DINING EXPERIENCE. BOTTOM RIGHT: A CLEAN, EASILY-ACCESSIBLE ENVIRONMENT OFFERS PATRONS A COZY YET CHIC DINING SPACE.
2016
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STYLE
Life & Style
Fashion’s In Session Summertime is ending, so it’s time to trade in your shorts for sweaters and tanks for tweed.
PHOTOS BY NATALIE GREEN
VERONICA BEARD BLACK SILK TOP, $395; J. BRAND SNEAKER FLARE JEANS, $238; MAISON MARGIELA BLACK BOOT, $860; JANE DIAZ EARRING, $115; RENEE GARVEY CHRYSOPRASE NECKLACE, $205; MARIA RUDMAN BLACK AND PEWTER BRACELET, $288; MARIA RUDMAN WHITE LEATHER AND PEWTER BRACELET, $188; MARIA RUDMAN BLACK WIDE LEATHER BRACELET, $360; MANSUR GAVRIEL BLACK RED-LINED BUCKET BAG, $595, ABERSONS. MASUNAGA GREY AND BRUSHED GOLD SQUARE METAL SUNGLASSES, $600, HICKS BRUNSON.
VERONICA BEARD BLACK BLAZER, $545; VERONICA BEARD DICKY FOR BLAZER, $250; FRAME FADED BLACK SKINNY JEANS, $219; MAISON MARGIELA WHITE TENNIS SHOE, $470; JANE DIAZ STERLING SILVER CUP EARRINGS, $90; JANE DIAZ STERLING WITH BLACK ONYX NECKLACE, $162; JOHNNY FARAH BLACK AND GOLD BUCKLE BRACELET, $218; MANSUR GAVRIEL RED TOTE, $535, ABERSONS. MASUNAGA BLACK AND SHINY GOLD ROUND SUNGLASSES, $500, HICKS BRUNSON.
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ALICE AND OLIVIA BLACK INES POINTELLE CROPPED TOP, $288; ALICE AND OLIVIA BLACK ANI POINTELLE PENCIL SKIRT, $298; MICHAEL KORS BLACK CHANNING BOOTIE, $550; STEPHANIE KANTIS GOLD PARIS ROMANCE EARRINGS, $295; STEPHANIE KANTIS GOLD WATERFALL TASSEL PENDANT, $297; STEPHANIE KANTIS GOLD SIZER BANGLES, $195; KYBOE! POWER BLACK SILICONE & BLACKENED STAINLESS STEEL STRAP WATCH, $230; TORY BURCH VERMILLION SERIF SADDLEBAG, $450, SAKS FIFTH AVENUE. CHANEL BLACK AND GREY TORTOISE SUNGLASSES, $439, VISIONS UNIQUE EYEWEAR.
JOIE CAMEL PRINT TOP, $148; PAIGE DENIM VIVIENNE DENIM JACKET, $209; JOIE SKINNY TWILL TROUSERS, $198; CALERES SILVER GREY PAEYRE POINT SKATE SHOE, $275; CALERES DARK SMOKE EASTON ANKLE BOOTIE, $395; NEST SILVER TEARDROP EARRINGS, $195; KYBOE! POWER BLUE SILICONE & ROSE GOLDTONE STAINLESS STEEL STRAP WATCH, $270; NEST SILVER HAMMERED STRETCH BRACELET, $250; ELIZABETH AND JAMES BLACK CYNNIE SLING, $545, SAKS FIFTH AVENUE. OLIVER PEOPLES TAUPE AND SILVER CATEYE MIRRORED SUNGLASSES, $409, VISIONS UNIQUE EYEWEAR.
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MADDA FELLA HOODIE, $110; MADDA FELLA TEE, $48.50; CITIZENS OF HUMANITY JEANS, $285; MARTIN DINGMAN LIGHT-WEIGHT SUEDE CHUKKA BOOT, $235; MARTIN DINGMAN BELT, $95, TRAVERS MAHAN. MARC BY MARC JACOBS RUBINO BACKPACK, $195, SAKS FIFTH AVENUE. OLIVER PEOPLES DENIM/BLUE TORTOISE SUNGLASSES, $349, VISIONS UNIQUE EYEWEAR.
KIMCHI BLUE GREY TIA SWING TANK TOP, $29, SILENCE + NOISE CLEO ROSE SATIN BOMBER JACKET, $79; BDG ORION MID-RISE MOTO SKINNY PANTS, $69; PAULA LACEUP HEEL, $69; POLER CAMP VIBES TRUCKER HAT, $24; STERLING SILVER & 18K GEO HOOPS, $20; PAULIE STATEMENT LARIAT NECKLACE, $32; ECOTE DESERT GEO TRIANGLE, $39; REVERSIBLE OVERSIZED TOTE, $59, URBAN OUTFITTERS. FACE A FACE BROWN AND BLACK ROUND PLASTIC SUNGLASSES, $440, HICKS BRUNSON.
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SCENE
KARA SMITH, DANNE JOHNSON, BRENDA HERNANDEZ, VICKI HOWARD, PURPLE SASH GALA.
DANA BIRKES, MADELINE MANNING MIMS, TYLER LOCKETT, MICHAEL BIRKES, ROTARY CLUB OF TULSA’S HENRY P. IBA CITIZEN ATHLETE AWARDS.
JOHN AND SARAH GRAVES, BRAINIAC BALL.
EMITT SMITH, DANA AND MICHAEL BIRKES, ROTARY CLUB OF TULSA’S HENRY P. IBA CITIZEN ATHLETE AWARDS.
SARA BARRY, TERRIE CORRELL, RYAN BARRY, WALTZ ON THE WILD SIDE.
PHILBROOK WINE EXPERIENCE The Philbrook Wine Experience combines world-class vintners and chefs in a weekend full of fundraising and entertainment. The weekend includes an expansive wine tasting, delicious dinner and lively auction. This year, Philbrook raised over three million dollars, making it one of the largest fundraising events in the state. On top of that, it’s also a top ten wine event in the nation.
PHOTOS BY ACE CUERVO, COURTESY PHILBROOK
CLAIRE, SHELLY AND ALAN ARMSTRONG
PAUL AND MICHAEL JOHNSON
SUSAN AND BILL THOMAS GENTNER DRUMMOND, DEBBIE ZINKE, WENDY DRUMMOND
ATUL AND ASHWINI VAIDYA
JANE AND TOM LERUM
DIANE AND BYRON SHEN
AUGUST 2016 | WWW.OKMAG.COM
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D E S T I N AT I O N S
Weekend at Wequasse
atmosphere and an extensive menu. Libaytion is the outdoor bar that’s open for both The picturesque resort showcases lunch and dinner the best of Cape Cod. during the summer. Another dining The Wequassett Resort and Golf Club is option is the Outer Bar and Grille, which the epitome of all things Cape Cod. Located has a more casual atmosphere and incredible in Harwich, Massachusetts, less than a views of the bay. Poolside dining is also a two-hour drive from Boston, the Wequassett must – be prepared to have one of the most provides the perfect location for a wedding delicious lobster rolls or a weekend getaway. Each of the guestof your life. rooms is charming and decorated with hints The picturesque of Cape Cod touches. Many of the rooms resort boasts a golf also have decks or private patios, which course with views allow guests to relax and enjoy the beautiful of the bay and clay grounds. tennis courts. Tennis There are numerous dining options on this and golf pros are magnificent resort, including the four-star onsite for guests who new American restaurant Twenty-Eight are advanced players Atlantic. Thoreau’s, which is next door to looking to brush up Twenty-Eight Atlantic, has a cozy bar-like on their technique or
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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | AUGUST 2016
BOTTOM: WEQUASSETT RESORT IS THE PERFECT CALMING OASIS FOR A WEEKEND GETAWAY. WITH DELICIOUS DINING OPTIONS, FUN ACTIVITIES, EXCELLENT SERVICE AND RELAXING AMBIANCE, WEQUASSETT HAS IT ALL. EQROY/ SHUTTERSTOCK.C0M
CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: WEQUASSETT OFFERS STUNNING VIEWS OF CAPE COD. SUNDAE SCHOOL IS AN EXCELLENT CHOICE FOR SWEET TREATS. PHOTO COURTESY SUNDAE SCHOOL
SOUTH MONOMOY LIGHTHOUSE OFFERS A UNIQUE TOURIST SPOT. SIT SEASIDE WITH A COCKTAIL AND ENJOY THE CLIMATE. THE JFK MUSEUM IS A PERFECT HISTORICAL STOP.
JERRY CALLAGHAN/ SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
SHUTTERSTOCK.C0M
PHOTOS COURTESY WEQUASSETT RESORT UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED.
AUGUST 2016 | WWW.OKMAG.COM
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for beginners who want to play for fun. The pro shop near the tennis courts has some of the trendiest athletic gear. There are several activities to keep your family entertained during the summer months. In July and August, the Wequassett hosts the Cape Cod Jazz Festival, which includes a range of performers on Tuesday and Wednesday nights. Although there is no cost to attend the festival, there is an option to enjoy a prix-fixe meal at Twenty-Eight Atlantic, which will ensure seating for the festival. Another popular activity at the resort is the Culinary Festival, which runs on select dates in June through September. The festival includes events such as “Bubbles, Bites, and Lollipops,” “Hops and Hogs,” and “A Mediterranean Sojourn.” These events include cuisines from several legendary chefs. Additionally, the “Monday Night Clambake” and the “Thursday Night Grill,” which both offer some of Cape Cod’s favorites, are popular summer events. Although there is enough to keep you occupied at the resort, there are plenty of activities nearby the Wequassett for those who choose to leave the property. Monomoy Island Excursions offers several cruise rides each day. This is a great way to see wildlife, the scenic coastline and some of the beautiful lighthouses. A short drive to Main Street in Hyannis will fulfill any desire for retail therapy. If you are in the market for clothing, jewelry, antiques or art, you will surely find several options on Main Street. For those looking for a cultural activity, the Harwich Historical Society and Brooks Academy Museum offer several exhibits, including the Cranberry Culture Exhibit, which highlights the history of cranberry farming through photographs and other artifacts. Lastly, what is a trip to Cape Cod during the summer without ice cream? There are several local spots that offer delicious and homemade flavors such as Sundae School and Schoolhouse Ice Cream, both in Harwich Port, and Katie’s Ice Cream in Hyannis, to name a few. NINA SCHUMAN
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CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: THE CHILDREN’S CENTER OFFERS ENTERTAINMENT FOR YOUNG VISITORS. DINE WITH A VIEW AT ONE OF MANY RESTAURANT OPTIONS AT THE RESORT. THE POOL OFFERS A SUNNY HAVEN TO RELAX. CULINARY EXPERTS CREATE MASTERPIECES LIKE THESE BOAT SCALLOPS EACH NIGHT. TWENTY-EIGHT ATLANTIC, FOUND ON THE RESORT, OFFERS A QUALITY DINING EXPERIENCE. THE BUNGALOW-TYPE GUESTROOMS CREATE A SENSE OF PRIVACY FOR GUESTS. WEDDINGS ARE POPULAR AT WEQUASSETT WITH THEIR EXCELLENT FOOD AND VIEWS. PHOTOS COURTESY WEQUASSETT RESORT
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Hypnosis: The No Hocus-pocus Diagnosis Hypnotherapy has been used by doctors, counselors and therapists for generations.
T
he word ‘hypnosis’ may conjure comedy club stage tricks like making volunteers quack like a duck. However, for those privy to what hypnotherapy can do for losing weight, managing pain, quitting smoking, enhancing athleticism, retaining study materials, dealing with depression or anxiety issues, overcoming phobias and even enduring surgery without anesthesia, ‘hypnosis’ could actually be a life-saver. Dr. Curtis Cunningham, a professor at the University of Oklahoma College of Dentistry, has worked with hypnotherapy in his dental practice for decades – specifically with Richard Coleman, a clinical therapist of more than 30 years, and then with Richard’s son, Patrick Coleman. “Richard worked in my dental practice by helping patients overcome their fears,” said Cunningham. “Then, after Richard died, Patrick came and shared office space with me for quite some time.” Cunningham describes a memorable case early in his association with Patrick Coleman involving a woman whose fear had kept her from seeking dental care for decades. She came in with teeth falling out of her mouth as her white-knuckled hands grabbed the door frame, afraid to enter his office. “Patrick got her relaxed enough to allow a full mouth reconstruction,” Cunningham says. “Amazingly, by the fourth visit, she said she didn’t need hypnosis any longer. My background is in psychology, and I felt that hypnosis was better at helping my patients than simply offering them drugs. Over time, my dental patients often no longer need hypnosis during dental care, but they go to Patrick for help making other positive changes in their lives.” Coleman can’t remember a time when hypnosis wasn’t part of his life, as he first learned by watching his father and later studied extensively and gained his certifica-
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tion. He shared an early memory of putting a classmate in a trance, telling him he couldn’t leave the sandbox. This didn’t go over well with the school officials, as the child genuinely couldn’t leave the playground until then-third-grader Patrick released him. “After Dad passed away, I kept getting calls from people needing hypnosis, and they wouldn’t take ‘no’ for an answer,” says Coleman. “Now I’m usually booked two
months in advance.” Cunningham recommends Patrick Coleman to his medical colleagues at the University of Oklahoma. Coleman assisted in the first natural child birth at OU Women’s Hospital as well as numerous surgeries for patients who couldn’t medically tolerate traditional chemical anesthesia. Coleman particularly remembers a heart surgery case where “it was about cutting an artery open in the leg, running five cables through the body into the heart,” he says – all without anesthesia – and thankfully with a happy outcome for the patient. There is no documented harm as the result of hypnotherapy anywhere, Coleman says. There is also no hypnosis licensing because there has to be a potential danger to the public for a practice to require licensure. “There are many hypnosis success stories,” says Coleman. “A favorite is the two life-long drinking buddies who came to me together. The reluctant one stopped drinking after one session; the other guy took three or four sessions before quitting alcohol. I’d call those pretty good odds. Humans have innate ability to accept suggestion. But for some people, it takes more effort than others. People are not inanimate objects to be programmed. A lot depends on the effort they put in, obviously.” When it comes to naysayers, Coleman is thoughtful. “Every doctor I’ve spoken with who won’t use hypnotherapy says it is because they’ve been told 5 percent of people are not able to be hypnotized,” says Coleman. “Well, I don’t know of many traditional medicines that work on 95 percent of people. Why not use hypnotherapy when it has a 95 percent success rate?” Other hypnosis resources in Oklahoma include the Intuitive Awareness Hypnosis Center, also in Oklahoma City. Tulsa is home to Browning Clinical Hypnotherapy LLC. “I’m a (hypnosis) believer going in because I’ve seen what it can do,” says Cunningham. “Just in my own family, Patrick has helped my son study for the MCAT, raising his score significantly, and my wife deal well with knee surgery. There is just story after story of hypnosis changing people and Patrick changing lives for the better.” TRACY LEGRAND
Whatever is happening in your li fe,
there’s a good chance your
college exp e rie nce help e d you get to whe re you are to day. Whe n you refle c t on that time , you may b e ove r whelme d by fond me morie s — me eting your sp ouse , cele brating a big football win , pulling an all- nighte r to stu dy or laughing with p e ople who b e came your lifelong frie nds . To day ’s O kla h om a State U nive r sit y students are having the same experiences as they pur sue bright orange futures . Visit OS Ugiving.com to learn how you can b e a par t of their journey.
OU - Oklahoma’s Leader in Excellence
• In 2015 OU became the first public university in U.S. history to be ranked No. 1 in freshman National Merit Scholars enrolled. • OU was recently awarded the prestigious Davis Cup for the third consecutive year in recognition of its record-setting enrollment of United World College international freshmen. OU is the only public university to ever be awarded the Davis Cup. • OU is the only university in the nation, public or private, whose students have won Goldwater, Mitchell, Truman, Rhodes, Marshall, Fulbright and National Security Education Program scholarships in the same year. • OU has the academically highest ranked student body at a public university in Oklahoma history. • OU is the only Big 12 university to be selected as having one of America’s 25 most beautiful campuses. • OU has produced 29 Rhodes Scholars; no other university in Oklahoma has had more than three.
• The OU Honors College is one of the top 25 programs at a public university in the nation based on A Review of Fifty Public University Honors Programs. • OU is a leader among all American universities in international exchange and study abroad programs. One in four OU students study abroad. OU currently offers programs in over 82 countries and 240 cities in six continents. Students from 140 countries are enrolled at OU. • With construction underway, OU will become one of the first public universities in the country to build residential colleges for upperclassmen and women, patterned on those at Yale, Oxford, Harvard and Cambridge in England. The living/learning communities will become the cornerstone of the undergraduate experience. • The One University Digital Initiative allows OU faculty to develop digital alternatives to high-cost textbooks, translating to an annual savings of almost $500 per student in textbook costs.
The University of Oklahoma is an equal opportunity institution. www.ou.edu/eoo
- The Impact of Excellence
EDUCATION
Special Section:
Education
Education in Oklahoma is continuously evolving. There are technological developments in the classroom, a progression of financial planning assistance, a rising number of STEM majors and so much more to explore in terms of education across the state.
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Smart Learning Changing the Options A Home Away From Home Extracurricular Importance Broadening Horizons STEM Reaches New Heights Cutting College Costs AUGUST 2016 | WWW.OKMAG.COM
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EDUCATION
Smart Learning
New interactive technology is changing the way students learn at Oklahoma universities.
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rom laptops to tablets, from smartphones to Fitbits, technology is growing ever smarter, ever faster, and ever more ubiquitous. It is also affecting college classrooms. Today’s college students don’t simply sit at desks frantically scribbling notes while instructors lecture. Now they pull out tech to do research, take live surveys and connect to other students across the world through social media or an app, all while professors spice up lessons with videos,
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presentations and online chatrooms. Oklahoma’s colleges now provide innovative, cutting-edge approaches to helping students benefit from technology. According to Pew Research Center surveys conducted in 2011, 77 percent of colleges report that they offer online courses to their students. And nearly half of all students who have graduated college in the last several years report taking online courses. But using technology for coursework has grown exponentially in the last five years since those surveys were done. Robert Greve, an information technology professor at Oklahoma City University, is one of many university professionals in Oklahoma to use technology to enhance his teaching techniques. Greve and his business partner, Luke Woodard, recently developed a program called JoinProf, a unique live-distance classroom experience utilized in several classes at the Meinders School of Business, according to Rod Jones, assistant media director at OCU. JoinProf allows professors to make use of electronic SmartBoards (a computerized whiteboard), video cameras, monitors and projectors linked together to help instructors bring the classroom experience online. Students can actively participate in live class discussions even
though the class is not meeting in person. Students can connect to their professor and classmates from the local coffeehouse, a home office, the library or anywhere else they may be when the scheduled class begins. This trend definitely opens up opportunities for anyone to participate in college courses, regardless of where they live or their work schedules. It also provides shy or uncertain students the opportunity to participate without fear. “It gives students an anonymous way to interact,” Greve says. “Streaming lets you view the lecture, and JoinProf lets you participate in the lecture. But this isn’t just for distance learning. It allows for more and better interaction than the traditional classroom experience.” Interaction is key in a classroom, of course, because it allows professors to gauge which concepts students are comprehending and which ones they still need to absorb. JoinProf tackles that issue by allowing professors to ask instant poll questions during the lectures. Teachers can then use the results of the poll to tailor their lesson to the class’s immediate needs. And because the answers are anonymous, students face less risk of embarrassment, Greves says, which allows them to be more open and honest about their needs.
An added bonus of JoinProf’s capabilities is its video capture feature, which enables students to review the lecture at their leisure. The opportunity for repeat viewings helps to cement the concepts being taught and eliminates the many problems and confusions that can arise when students take inaccurate or incomplete notes. JoinProf isn’t Greve’s first foray into technology for classwork. Several years ago, he developed a similar platform called LiveClassTech. His new JoinProf program builds on his earlier work. Greves offers the software free to fellow OCU professors as well as $5 per month subscriptions to faculty at other universities. Technological advances are also happening at the University of Oklahoma, which recently launched the One University digital initiative to create more dynamic learning experiences for their students. The goals of the initiative, says Executive Director of Admissions and Recruitment Jeffrey Blahnik, is to provide students with as much individualized coursework as possible, so that their education will be truly unique. An example of One University at work is found in the education department, where “all education majors receive iPads at the beginning of their program to enhance their learning experience both by providing interactive opportunities and by drastically decreasing education costs,” says Blahnik. Providing the iPads ensures each student has the same ability to use existing technology to study and also encourages them to be creative in how they might implement tech into the classrooms in which they will one day teach. And iPads aren’t just for the education department. Each member of the Pride of Oklahoma marching band is given his or her own iPad, complete with all the drill charts, sheet music and recordings of the full band, significantly shortening performance preparation time, says Blahnik. The University of Oklahoma offers a mobile app called OU Bound to help incoming freshman through the application process with the admissions department. And their Fast Feedback app invites students to give feedback on OU issues and events through a three-question, emoji-based process. Kiosks for Fast Feedback are located around the campus to promote communication and allow the university to respond better and faster to student needs. MICHELE CHIAPPETTA
AUGUST 2016 | WWW.OKMAG.COM
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EDUCATION
Changing the Options
Oklahoma universities are constantly adding new majors to keep up with student demands and a changing marketplace.
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ne way that universities keep up with the changing times is offering coursework that fits with the needs of incoming students. When the marketplace shows a need for more coursework in a given field, universities respond with new programs to help students succeed from the moment they get their degrees. What are college kids looking for today? University of Tulsa students are excited about a new degree in creative writing. Roger Blais, provost at TU, says that this new major grew organically out of a tradition of opening the campus to authors. “Over the years, we’ve had some very distinguished writers on the faculty,” Blais says. He’s talking about accomplished authors like Germaine Greer, an influential second-wave feminist; Paul Scott, winner of the Booker Prize and author of Jewel in the Crown; Grace Mojtabai, who writes about religion and culture; and Darcy O’Brien, known for true crime and historical fiction. “We have a Russian poet on our faculty – Yevgeny Yevtushenko – who is possibly the best-known poet in the world right now,” Blais says. “The new creative writing major just seemed natural.” Another growing field is medicine. Oklahoma City University just rolled out a new physician assistant major in January. The 28-month program features a year in the classroom and 16 months of clinical training. OCU is only the third institution in the state to offer a PA program, joining OU Health Science Center programs in Oklahoma City and Tulsa.
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“It’s a high-demand area. The program itself is very rigorous and intense, but students love it,” Interim Provost Kent Buchanan says. Students in the PA program can do their clinical rotations in one of over 90 sites statewide, 30 of which are in Oklahoma City. Students today also are looking to carry less debt after college. TU meets that need by offering students a coordinated degree in 13 areas so they can gain a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree concurrently. Participants who take these coordinated degree programs typically finish their coursework a year or more ahead of students enrolled in more traditional degree programs. Coordinated degrees are becoming more popular because of their cost savings, Blais says. “It’s one of the things parents (and students) are concerned about. The combined degree program saves a year of tuition and room and board. Students can start earning money sooner.” At the University of Oklahoma, popular new academic initiatives include the Peggy and Charles Stephenson School of Biomedical Engineering, which begins offering undergraduate degrees this fall. OU’s Debt-Free Teachers Program in the Jeannine Rainbolt College of Education, funded by gifts from alumni and donors, gives new graduates an incentive to stay and teach in Oklahoma. All in all, these new majors and accelerated degrees allow Oklahoma students to maximize their tuition dollars, their time and their resumes for a successful career down the road. MICHELE CHIAPPETTA
W H E T H E R AT Y O U R TA B L E . . .
OR OURS...
You’re always Home AT M I D - A M E R I C A C H R I S T I A N U N I V E R S I T Y GO.MACU.EDU 405.437.5040
15 MINUTES FROM DOWNTOWN OKC
Mid-America Christian University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age in its programs and activities. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies: JESSICA RIMMER, Vice President for Student Engagement and Success, 3500 SW 119th, OKC, OK 73710 , 405-692-3275
EDUCATION
Y
A Home Away From Home
THE OSU INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY CHOSE TO RENOVATE A NEARLY 100-YEAROLD POST OFFICE IN DOWNTOWN OKMULGEE TO CREATE NEW STUDENT HOUSING. PHOTO COURTESY OSUIT
ou might not think that student housing is purchase the historic post office a significant concern complex built in 1918 in downfor college students. town Okmulgee and turn it into As long as they make loft apartments for students. it into their college of choice, Construction crews will utilize they’ll live anywhere, right? as much of the original brick, Not so. Student housing is a glass and other building materiserious recruitment tool, says als as possible in the renovation. Student housing at Oklahoma universities Dr. Bill Path, president of It’s a unique project, says Path. provides more comfort than ever before. OSU Institute of Technology “I’m not familiar with another (OSUIT). “One of the things project like this anywhere,” he students look at when choosing a college today,” he explains, “is says. Steven “Bo” Hudson, director of residential life at OSUIT, housing opportunities.” agrees. With student populations growing at Oklahoma universities, the “As far as I can tell, we’re the first college doing a true renovation time for adding new student housing projects is clearly here. And of an old building,” he says. there are many approaches being used to modernize and innovate Path expects to have the first phase of the new housing facility this essential part of college life. completed by August 2017. It will house 74 students aged 21 and At the University of Oklahoma, changes have been brewing in older in two-bedroom apartments, along with a live-in building manthe form of new facilities on-campus. The newly built Headington ager. Shared areas will include study nooks, laundry and entertainHall, named after former OU tennis player Tim Headington, opened ment as well as a communal kitchen. Yet the apartments will also be in the fall of 2013 to provide housing to 384 freshmen, with an even stand-alone, with single kitchens and study areas for the occasions mix of athletes and non-athletes living in apartment-style suites with when students desire privacy. common areas, study rooms, entertainment lounges and a dining Why build downtown instead of on campus? It has to do with hall. OSUIT’s student Opening in 2017, demographics. OU’s Dunham and “We typically have Headington resia non-traditional dential colleges will student population,” provide on-campus Path says, “with living and learning an average age of communities similar mid- to upper-20s. to what students see They want a less at Harvard, Yale, traditional housing Oxford and Camenvironment.” bridge. Exclusively OSUIT’s available to upperdowntown housing class students, OU’s also aligns with a residential colleges growing trend in the will have their own housing market in dining rooms, study general. People are areas, seminar flocking to urban rooms, intramural areas with a desire to teams, crests and live independently mottos. In addition, within an active as faculty fellows will have offices in the colleges. cityscape. Okmulgee is no exception. Over at OSU Institute of Technology in Okmulgee, the newest “Our downtown project gives us a really interesting opportunity building project is happening off campus and downtown, a unique to do something different from a traditional campus space,” Hudson approach to a local challenge. says. “It gives us a unique opportunity for the town and the univer“The community of Okmulgee is starting to awaken to the fact sity to help keep these older buildings. And it helps bring this school that this is a college town,” Path says. To encourage a stronger and community closer together.” university-community connection, Path spearheaded a campaign to MICHELE CHIAPPETTA
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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | AUGUST 2016
Bring your amBiTion.
Whitney, Digital Media Specialist
Bring your passion. Your initiative. Your big plans. Most of all, bring your ambition. Because whether you’re on your way to a four-year university or a new career, TCC is the smart way to invest Madison, Professional Pilot
Michael & Danelle, Physical Therapist Assistant
more in you. Find degree programs or learn more at
TulsaCC.edu
EDUCATION
Extracurricular Importance
Y
While academics are important, clubs and extracurricular activities add to the university experience.
ou’ve been accepted to college, and you’ve figured out how you’re going to pay for it. Now what? What else should a prospecence,” Walls adds. “For example, we have a student right now tive student consider when selecting a college? who has a deep passion for our Campus Activities Board. She has According to Alison Walls, M.A., the director of student life at thoroughly enjoyed and been incredibly effective in planning events Mid-America Christian University, making a list defining what the for her fellow students. Because of this experience, she is interested ideal school looks like and what values are important to you is a in pursuing a career in student activities or event planning once she great starting point. graduates.” Some of the things to consider are school values, educational Don’t see a club or organization you’re tools, college matriculation rate, teacherinterested in? Most colleges and universities student ratio, and lastly, what types of “Once a student is allow students to approach their respective stuextracurricular opportunities are available. dent governments to start new organizations. The list includes clubs and organizations. invested in a group or “At MACU, we are committed to student Arts and culture. Politics, civics, service club, they often get voice, and students are able to petition the and social justice. Whatever your interests involved in peripheral Student Government Association to start a new are, most colleges and universities have an club in their particular area of interest,” Walls activities as well because organization or club to fit your needs and says. interests, Walls says. they are more aware of In college, clubs are also self-sufficient “Joining a group gives the student a what is happening on rather than teacher oriented, says Walls. built-in social group of similar interests,” campus.” “Clubs in college are student-built, studentshe says. “Once a student is invested in a driven, student-visioned, and student-susgroup or club, they often get involved in tained. Each club has a faculty or staff adviser peripheral activities as well because they who helps provide guidance and support, but the students really run are more aware of what is happening on campus. the show.” “Often times it allows students to discover something they are SHARON MCBRIDE very passionate about but in which they haven’t had much experi-
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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | AUGUST 2016
AN OSU DEGREE
OPENS DOORS
Whether you want to advance your career or begin a new one, Oklahoma State University-Tulsa provides the resources for you to succeed by earning an internationally recognized OSU degree right here at home. Full-time workers with a bachelor’s degree have 44 percent higher salaries on average than those with an associate degree, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Plus, the connections you’ll make as an OSU student and as part of a global alumni network can lead to new career opportunities. Find out how a Big 12 degree from OSU-Tulsa can help you open the door to a better life at OSUinTulsa.com.
Don’t whisk away your future.
Downtown Tulsa
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The School of Culinary Arts at OSU Institute of Technology offers a place to express creativity and perfect technique while learning from a diverse faculty of professional chefs. Known for lavish grand buffets, OSUIT’s culinary school demonstrates the spectrum of hospitality education through Okmulgee’s finest restaurant, the State Room. Visitors come from all over the region to enjoy the unique dining experience, operated by our exemplary culinary students.
Enroll now at osuit.edu
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AUGUST 2016 | WWW.OKMAG.COM 7/14/16 51 11:23 AM
EDUCATION
Broadening Horizons Studying abroad helps prepare students for the global work force.
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“They’re outside of their comfort zone. They begin to understand their own culture better by comparison (to others).”
growing trend on university campuses is to find new ways to help students prepare for a globalized economy. Oklahoma is certainly no stranger to this trend. Global studies are an increasingly popular and expanding segment of college studies across the state. At the University of Oklahoma, there is a strong commitment to developing students who are globally-minded. “This is a very exciting time to be at OU, as our university continues to be an innovator in the national educational landscape,” explains Jeffrey Blahnik. It’s easy to see why. OU offers its students over 1,000 study abroad opportunities in more than 200 cities and 80 countries that are tailored to each participant’s degree plans. One of OU’s more interesting global studies opportunities comes through the Jeannine Rainbolt College of Education, which is “working with Sister Rosemary Nyirumbe and the St. Monica Girls School in Gulu, Uganda, to develop a basic literacy/ numeracy curriculum for girls and help the nuns become better educators,” Blahnik says. Over at the University of Tulsa, they have been working on a strategy for globalization since 2009. “Our new Global Scholars program is a part of that,” explains Lara Foley, assistant provost for global education. “It’s similar to an honors program, but with a global focus.” TU students are selected for the program from the time they arrive on campus. The curriculum focuses on global challenges in several key areas, such as population, resources, technology and governance. Students study a foreign language as well and study abroad for a semester. Scholarships are available to help students pay their way, says Mary Benner, director of global engagement at Oklahoma City University. “A lot of students believe they can’t afford to study abroad,” Benner notes. “But there are many scholarships and government and non-government programs to help fund students abroad. It’s not just for wealthy students. There’s a lot of support for underrepresented groups.” Studying abroad gives students a potent way to broaden their perspective. “In looking at how global challenges are addressed in other places,” Foley says, “it can give people a fresh way to look at local challenges wherever they live.” Benner says it helps students develop resilience, independence and self-confidence. “At the same time, it tends to help students develop humility,” she says. “They’re outside of their comfort zone. They begin to understand their own culture better by comparison (to others).” It also broadens a student’s resume and prepares them for the global workforce, adds Benner. OCU alumna DeEtta Cravens is one of many examples. Cravens, who won both a Boren Scholarship to study Portuguese in Brazil and a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship to study in Thailand, began her foreign service career at the end of June by starting her A-100 Foreign Service Officer Orientation Training in Arlington, Virginia. For students who desire to study abroad, Benner suggests planning ahead. “Find out what the opportunities are,” she says. “Make sure you have the courses you need (to study abroad).” When students do that, their options only grow. As Brenner puts it, “The options are fairly limitless.” MICHELE CHIAPPETTA
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STEM Reaches New Heights STEM graduates help guarantee a prosperous Oklahoma economy.
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hanges in technology mean our world faces very complex problems that require skilled science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) personnel, says Dr. Ina Agnew, the vice president of student services at OSU Institute of Technology. “Manufacturing, for example, requires a workforce that understands computer programming and robotics,” Agnew says. “Unless we adequately teach these subjects and encourage students to select STEM careers, we jeopardize our economic welfare.” OSU Institute of Technology understands this challenge and has a strong initiative to strengthen Oklahoma’s workforce and fill the nation’s skills gap, says Agnew. “We have industry partners who are willing to sponsor students in STEM fields through a variety of funding models,” Agnew says. “Some companies will offer scholarships, others loan repayment programs or educational reimbursements with paid internships, and finally offers of employment established at the start of the student’s college experience. Students know, before they even take their first class, where they will be working upon graduation.” Choctaw Defense, for instance, has a signing ceremony for students they sponsor in manufacturing. These students receive scholarships, have paid internships in the fourth semester of their
program and know that upon successful completion of the internship and graduation from college, they will be working for one of our nation’s leading Native American defense manufacturers. “For the state of Oklahoma, we understand the need to produce more STEM graduates,” Agnew says. For example, the governor holds an annual STEM Summit where leaders in business, industry and education come together to discuss public/private partnerships, recommendations from the Governor’s Council on Science and Technology and critical workforce needs. “By bringing these stakeholders together, we have the opportunity to work together on strategies to improve STEM education and influence career choice,” says Agnew. In the 2015 annual report “Degrees of Progress: The State of Higher Education in Oklahoma,” Oklahoma is ranked by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation as 16th in STEM job growth in the nation. Oklahoma colleges and universities reached a record high during the last academic year, with more than 6,000 students receiving degrees and certificates in STEM – a 28 percent increase in STEM degrees over the last five years. “At OSUIT, we’ve seen an increase in the number of students entering into STEM programs of study,” says Agnew. “The School of Arts and Sciences is our largest school – however, new student enrollment increases have been driven by students entering into programs in the Schools of Construction Technology, Diesel & Heavy Equipment, Engineering Technology and Nursing and Health Sciences.” Additionally, across the nation, there has been an intensive effort to attract more women into STEM fields. “Businesses realize that women comprise an underutilized labor resource to address the skills gap in many technical fields,” Agnew says. “Women do not know about many of the fields or career opportunities, nor are there many female family members to whom they could turn for advice. “At OSUIT, we have developed strategies, programs and partnerships with industry partners to attract more women in STEM programs, and our industry partners couldn’t be more delighted,” Agnew says. “They, too, have programs to attract more women into these career paths and have been very supportive of our efforts.” SHARON MCBRIDE
AUGUST 2016 | WWW.OKMAG.COM
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EDUCATION
Cu ing College Costs
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A college degree may be expensive, but proper planning and sound decisions can help.
eing accepted into college can be exciting endeavor, but figuring out how to pay for it…not so much. With the cost of attendance going up every year, college can become difficult to fund when it includes the several other added expenses that are not always considered during the application process. Once in college, students are required to pay for their own textbooks, food, insurance, transportation and other living expenses. Chad Blew, director of the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid at Oklahoma State University, has some helpful tips on how to pay for college and all the associated incidentals. According to Blew, creating a game plan to ensure graduating on time should be the first consideration. Create a budget and set spending limits, he says, and watch out for credit cards. Students with little or no income who buy with credit can quickly fall behind in payments and be subject to high
interest rates. Sometimes high school students can get a jump start on college credit by taking courses through an Advanced Placement program (AP), CLEP exams, and the International Baccalaureate program (IB), thus shortening the time it takes to receive a degree. OSU admissions can provide more information about these programs, Blew says. “At OSU, the average number of credit hours to complete a degree is 120 credit hours,” Blew says. “To graduate in four years, you must complete 30 credit hours per year. One extra year of school costs you additional money and potential earnings.” To get financial aid, the best tip is to start planning early, Blew says. By Oct. 1 of their senior year of high school, students should complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid with the help of their parents. This is how students can qualify for federal financial aid in the form of grants,
which do not need to be paid back, or federal student loans, which must be paid back, Blew says. Additionally, families who earn less than $50,000 a year should enroll their students in Oklahoma Promise no later than the end of sophomore year of high school. Oklahoma Promise is a higher learning access program that pays tuition at state universities in Oklahoma. Anyone interested in the program can learn more at www. okpromise.org. Prospective students should also consider less expensive housing options if possible. Ideas include commuting to college, selecting the room and meal plan which best fits the student’s budget, considering moving off campus or trying for a position as a resident advisor, which may provide free or reduced room and board costs. The amount paid for books and supplies may be reduced if students shop for used books and weigh carefully which course material is absolutely necessary, Blew says. For other supplies, look for local sales. Pens, pencils, paper and notebooks for sale at the local discount dollar store work just as well as supplies available for purchase at chain retail office supply stores. The same goes for computers, printers, microwaves, mini refrigerators, sheets, comforters and towels. Always shop around to get the best deal to outfit a dorm room or apartment. When considering medical insurance, don’t forget to check out health care benefits available through the Affordable Care Act. According to information provided by HealthCare.gov, most young adults can stay on their parents’ family plan until they turn 26, even if they are married or still living with their parents. Students can also work part-time to pay part of college costs, says Blew. For example, the Federal Work-Study Program provides an opportunity to earn money while going to school. Ask schools if they participate in the program, and lastly, most schools have placement offices that help students find employment and personnel offices that hire students to work on campus. SHARON MCBRIDE
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EDUCATION
Oklahoma’s
Promising Youth
Edited by Mary Willa Allen Photography by Dan Morgan
These twelve Oklahoma high school seniors are leaving their mark. They impressed their schools enough to garner a recommendation to us, and after much deliberation, we’ve found the perfect group of young adults that will change the world – mark our words!
Brianna Zanders
Cascia Hall Preparatory School Attending: Harvard University Major: English What has led you to pursue that field of study? I have loved to read and write since I was a little girl, and I feel that the ways in which literature delves into the human psyche will help me to be a more compassionate doctor and person. I’d like to incorporate history into my studies in some way, too. What are your career plans? I want to become a doctor, though I’m not exactly sure what kind. I think that I could enjoy surgery, so I’m looking into that as a possible career option. If you could trade places with one person for a day, who would it be and why? I’d probably say Gabby Douglas – the first African-American to win the individual all-around event in Olympic gymnastics. Her determination to get through all of her obstacles is what makes me admire her skill. I remember watching her in the 2012 Olympics and being totally amazed. Being able to do all those fancy flips for a day would be pretty cool, too … the only thing I can do is a cartwheel. What are some of the characteristics that make you stand out from the rest of your graduating class? I published two issues of a school-sponsored satirical magazine this past year. And although I haven’t gotten to do any big projects recently, I draw a lot and have established a love for graphite pencil art. What would people be surprised to learn about you? I suppose that most people don’t get to see my sarcastic side, because I only get like that when I know a person well. I get that way most when I’m yelling at a television screen; nonsensical plot lines really rile me up.
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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | AUGUST 2016
Elizabeth Adelson William Fossett
Metro Christian Academy Attending: University of Oklahoma Major: Aerospace engineering What has led you to pursue that field of study? I have always been interested in flight and space travel, so studying aerospace engineering felt like a good fit for my interests and strengths. Who has been the biggest influence in your life and why? The most influential person in my life has probably been my high school soccer coach, A.J. Klerekoper. He prioritizes academic and spiritual growth instead of only athletic achievements. He emphasizes the benefit of hard work and how the fitness and struggles of soccer translate into the benefits of hard work in our daily lives. Coach K. has had a huge influence on my spiritual life and has constantly demonstrated to all my classmates and me what a true walk with Jesus looks like. What do you feel is your biggest achievement? I feel that my biggest achievement is either becoming a National Merit Finalist or being my senior class salutatorian. What are your career plans? Since I will be majoring in Aerospace Engineering, working at NASA is a dream of mine. Designing a spacecraft or becoming an astronaut would be a huge honor. What are some of the characteristics that make you stand out from the rest of your graduating class? The Class of 2016 at Metro Christian Academy is fantastic and one that I am proud to be part of. One characteristic that differentiates me from the rest of my class may be my desire for excellence, not out of pride or for recognition but out of the desire to simply be the best I can be. What would people be surprised to learn about you? When I was a lot younger, around four or five years old, I wanted to be a professional cord untangler. Quite a difference from a rocket scientist, huh?
Holland Hall Attending: Yale University Major: Undecided, interested in sciences Who has been the biggest influence in your life and why? Brian Thompson has been my track coach since the sixth grade. He has encouraged me to work to pursue my goals and has supported me every step of the way. He has also been willing to work after hours and travel to out of state meets to ensure that I would have every opportunity to do my best. What do you feel is your biggest achievement? I have spent a lot of time riding horses. My biggest achievement was with the horse I started riding when I was thirteen, Bull Run’s Rubicon. I started riding him so I could compete in the 3’-6” Junior Hunter Division. Both of us were new to it, but we worked hard and taught each other. Within four years, we were competing in national competitions. With the help of Libby Barrow, my trainer, we made it to the top 30 in the nation together three years in a row. What are your career plans? I just completed an internship at Oakridge Equine Hospital in Edmond. At this point, I’m thinking about pursuing a medical and/or surgical career, although I’m unsure if that means veterinary school or medical school. What are some of the characteristics that make you stand out from the rest of your graduating class? I was voted class clown by my classmates this year. I think I stand out because I’m goofy, funny and like to have a good time, but I can also be serious and work hard to get things done.
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EDUCATION
Madison Reavis
Muskogee High School Attending: The University of Tulsa Major: Chemistry Who has been the biggest influence in your life and why? There are two people who have had a profound impact on my life – my parents. Jack and Lora Reavis are two of the best people I know (and I’m not just saying that because they’re my parents). They taught me to see, appreciate and pursue my God-given abilities. They also taught me to follow my heart, and that if you approach things with a pure heart, they will work out in your favor. What do you feel is your biggest achievement? My biggest achievement in my life is becoming and staying true to myself. Although I am graduating as valedictorian and senior class president, was accepted into an Ivy League school, was appointed as Miss Native American Student Advocacy (NASA) and received many scholarships, I take pride in my character. Honesty, respect, determination, diligence and kindness are five things I have done my best to practice in my daily journey. If you could trade places with one person for a day, who would it be and why? I would trade places with my niece, Eden. Eden is four years old and looks at the world as her play dough. I would give anything to be able to forget the worries of college and go back to playing with Barbies and digging in the dirt. What would people be surprised to learn about you? After college I plan to join the Peace Corps. I feel I have a calling to help people across the world. I also have a love of queso; I could eat it twice every day.
Evan McKinnis
Classen School of Advanced Studies Attending: The University of Missouri – Kansas City, School of Medicine Major: Medicine What has led you to pursue that field of study? I believe being a physician will allow me to fulfill my lifelong love of learning while living a life of purpose. My particular program will enable me to graduate in six years with a Bachelors of Arts and a Doctorate of Medicine. Who has been the greatest influence in your life and why? I have been fortunate to have a father who has devoted his life to his family and patients. As a pulmonologist, he works hard to care for his patients at the hospital and at his clinic, sometimes being paid with a bag of okra, a handmade quilt or even a few chickens. He also finds time to join my sister and I in our quest to visit every major league baseball field in the country. What do you feel is your biggest achievement? I began rowing with the Oklahoma City Riversport Crew Team in seventh grade. I walked into the boathouse not knowing how to lock into an ergometer or the meaning of port and starboard. But with determination and hard work, I was able to compete in multiple regattas, win medals and join my team at the national competition. This experience taught me that I could overcome seemingly impossible obstacles while having fun. If you could trade places with one person for a day, who would it be and why? I wonder what a day in the life of Sidney Crosby would look like. I imagine that his day as a professional hockey player would be just as, if not more, intense than that of a surgeon. The physical demands of his profession are not things that I will likely experience in my lifetime. However, I will try not to lose any teeth in that one day!
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Deja Kirk
Casady School Attending: Occidental College Major: Biology and theater What do you feel is your biggest achievement? As cheesy as it sounds, I think my biggest achievement is graduating from high school. A lot of people don’t get that opportunity, so I am honored. What are your career plans? I plan to be an elasmobranchologist – a person who studies sharks. I would also like to act in some community theater. If you could trade places with one person for a day, who would it be and why? I would trade places with Beyoncé. She is such a great performer, so I’d like to know how she does it. Where do you see yourself in 10 years? 20 years? In 10 years I see myself working with a university or conservation group to help prevent over-fishing. In 20 years I would like to have my own project fully funded. What are some of the characteristics that make you stand out from the rest of your class? I’d like to think that my diverse interests and open-mindedness set me apart from the rest of my class. Even though I love science, I still avidly love the arts. I try not to hinder myself and keep my mind open when trying new things. What would people be surprised to learn about you? I make costumes and model them – it’s called cosplay. I am also the lead singer in a band.
Tuzo Mwarumba
Taylor King
Bishop Kelley High School Attending: University of Michigan Major: Political science and business, public policy or international studies Who has been the biggest influence in your life and why? I have no single biggest influence in my life. My family has obviously influenced me profoundly, but I am lucky enough to have had many extremely influential and inspiring teachers at Bishop Kelley. All of these people have taught me the value of hard work, big dreams and dedication. What do you feel is your biggest achievement? My biggest achievement is starting my non-profit organization, Children’s Prosperity Project. Through it, I have helped 4,000 children in Ethiopia gain access to clean drinking water, and helped nine high school seniors with incarcerated parents get laptops. If you could trade places with one person for a day, who would it be and why? I would trade places with Ruth Bader Ginsburg. I respect her so much for her intelligence, quick wit and all she has accomplished. She also has my dream job! What would people be surprised to learn about you? I am pretty serious in school, so people are surprised by my dorky sense of humor and my love of puns. People don’t expect me to be adventurous, either, so they’re surprised to learn that I have been to four continents – North America, Africa, Europe and Asia. Anything else that you would like to add? I collect fancy editions of classic literature and I have 28 snow globes from different places I’ve visited. Also, my two favorite genres of music are show tunes and grunge.
Oklahoma School of Science & Math Attending: Vanderbilt University Major: Medicine, health and society What has led you to pursue that field of study? I plan on pursuing this field because I want to help people. Helping people is a very broad ambition, so I can apply that to any major I choose. For me, helping people in the greatest capacity possible is the end goal; the career is just a means of that goal. Who has been the biggest influence in your life and why? My parents have been the biggest inspiration in my life. They came to the United States from Kenya with next to no money and no connections. Through my parents’ hard work and their constant sacrifice, I have been able to succeed both in and outside the classroom. If you could trade places with one person for a day, who would it be and why? I would trade places with Geoffrey Canada, founder of the Harlem Children’s Zone. He is a prime example of someone using the knowledge gained from higher education to help people back at home. What are some of the characteristics that make you stand out from the rest of your graduating class? If there is one thing I’ve learned from coming to OSSM, it’s that no matter how smart you are, there is always someone smarter. I have many friends that are all uniquely intelligent. Tenacity, courage and persistence are what separate people. To never give up, no matter how many times you fall, is a necessary character trait in order to be successful.
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EDUCATION Hunter Hill
Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School Attending: The United States Military Academy Major: International relations or history What has led you to pursue that field of study? History repeats itself, and our relationships with both our allies and our adversaries are crucial to the success of our country. Who has been the biggest influence in your life and why? I have been blessed with many great mentors in my life. However, one of the most influential people is my oldest brother David. We have always pushed each other through brotherly competition, and as a member of the West Point class of 2016, David has shown me the great opportunity there is at West Point. What are your career plans? After four years at the academy, I will commission into the Army. If you could trade places with one person for a day, who would it be and why? I would be interested to see what a day in the life of George Washington would be like because he was such an incredible and humble leader. He also faced many challenges as he sought to do what was best for the United States and its future. What are some of the characteristics that make you stand out from the rest of your graduating class? I believe that my ability to adapt to any environment as well as having the grit to push through challenges is what separates me from the rest of my class.
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Micah Cash
Booker T. Washington High School Attending: Stanford University Major: Undecided, interested in economics, philosophy, and computer science Who has been the biggest influence in your life and why? My parents and my teachers, because they constantly push me to improve my intellect, character, and ambition. What do you feel is your biggest achievement? Winning a state championship in Lincoln-Douglass Debate and the national championship for Extemporaneous Speaking. I worked hard to achieve a goal, and it was immensely rewarding to see it come to fruition. If you could trade places with one person for a day, who would it be and why? Mark Zuckerberg. I want to know what it’s like to be that young and have such incredible responsibility and opportunity. He is a business owner, a spokesman and a visionary – all things I strive to be. Where do you see yourself in 10 years? 20 years? In 10 years I hope to be working day and night to get my business off the ground, turning an idea into a reality. In 20 years I hope to have a family and a job that I love. What are some of the characteristics that make you stand out from the rest of your graduating class? I have never been afraid to speak up and let my voice be heard. I am also intensely interested in a wide variety of academic subjects. What would people be surprised to learn about you? While my favorite subjects are math and science, I love to read, write and play the piano and guitar in my free time.
Be...College Bound Be...A Cascian
• • • • • • • • • •
All 85 graduates are college bound. See a list of college acceptances under Academics at www.casciahall.com. 22256 Cascia Hall.indd 1
CONGRATULATIONS CLASS OF 2016 • 24 Oklahoma Academic Scholars 3 Recognized by National Merit 1 National Presidential Scholar 3 Championship and 1 Runner-up Title in Academic Bowl 1 Team Academic State Championship in Girls’ Tennis 9 All State Athletes 8 State Championships and 6 Runner-up Titles in 7 Sports 5 Will Play Sports at the College Level 9,600 Community Service Hours Performed $10 million offered in merit-based scholarships
2520 S. Yorktown Ave. Tulsa, OK 74114-2803
www.casciahall.com admissions@casciahall.com 7/16/16 5:21 PM
EQUIPPING FUTURE
WORLD CHANGERS NOW ENROLLING
ADMISSIONS@METROCA.COM
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EDUCATION Carrigan Bradley
Fort Gibson High School Attending: Northeastern State University Major: Pharmacy What has led you to pursue that field of study? I’ll be able to help people feel better while using problem solving skills, and these are both important aspects I will look for in a career. Who has been the biggest influence in your life and why? My mom is the person who has stuck by my side through the good and the hard times and has pushed me to always do my best. I wouldn’t have achieved half the things I have without the drive and dedication she’s instilled in me. What do you feel is your biggest achievement? Miss Oklahoma’s Outstanding Teen. It took three years of hard work on so many different components of myself. I also had the opportunity to represent my state at Miss America’s Outstanding Teen, where I was named fourth runner-up. The Miss Oklahoma’s Outstanding Teen program has taught me interview skills, the importance of proper nutrition and how to be confident in who I am. Where do you see yourself in 10 years? 20 years? In the place where God wants me to be. I can’t see into the future, which would be extremely helpful in this time of my life, but I know whatever I choose, I will follow the plan God has. What would people be surprised to learn about you? I’m extremely passionate about music education in schools. I started singing because my music teacher taught the entire school “America the Beautiful” after 9/11. I try to advocate the importance of musical arts and encourage decision makers to take a second look at the loss of a creative outlet for kids if music is cut from schools.
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Zeke Clark
Riverfield Country Day School Attending: University of Illinois Major: Undecided Who has been the biggest influence in your life and why? I would have to say my friends and family. I am so fortunate to have such a loving and supporting group of people behind me, and I can’t thank them all enough for how much they have helped and influenced me. What do you feel is your biggest achievement? I feel like my biggest achievement is the steady progress I’ve made in my tennis game. I’ve put in a lot of long hours training to get to the point where I am now, and it’s pretty neat to look back at how much I’ve improved. What are your career plans? I have always dreamed of being a professional tennis player. So by going to the University of Illinois, I will be able to get the best out of both my tennis and my academics. If things don’t work out in the tennis world, I will have a degree to take me on another path. If you could trade places with one person for a day, who would it be and why? If I could trade places with one person in the world for a day, it would have to be Roger Federer. He has always been a big idol of mine, and I have looked up to him both on the court as a player and off the court as a person. What would people be surprised to learn about you? I live within a big family. We have my mom, Julie; my dad, Toby; an older brother, Tim; and two younger sisters, Grace and Lily. And along with two dogs and friends always over, it makes for a pretty busy place. I love it!
University School
Parent Teacher Institute 7 p.m. Sept. 15 at the TU Student Union
Jean Peterson Professor Emerita, Purdue University College of Education
will give a presentation on bullying Also: A Private School Showcase including University School at TU, Bishop Kelley, Cascia Hall, Holland Hall, Mizel, Monte Cassino, Riverfield, Town & Country and Undercroft Montessori
918-631-5060 • utulsa.edu/uschool
Educating Gifted Students
Since 1982
The University of Tulsa is an equal opportunity/affirmative action institution.
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Now is the time to for the 2016-2017 secure your child’s school year spot at Rejoice Christian Schools for the 2016-2017 Call today for a personal tour at: 918-272-7235 academic year. We anticipate increased enrollment, so don’t delay make plans to reserve your spot at RCS now!
The Sisters of St. Joseph Monastery and the Board of Directors of Monte Cassino School are pleased to introduce Kevin Smith as the new Head of School. Monte Cassino School www.MonteCassino.org 2206 S. Lewis Avenue Applications being accepted for the 2016-17 and 2017-18 enrollment period.
(Preschool / Elementary)
918-516-0050 (Middle / High School)
Rejoice Christian Schools admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.
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11:09 AM
Olympians Oklahoma
Many athletes with Oklahoma ties will be competing in the Olympics this month.
While the Olympic Games are all about cheering on the U.S. contenders and their dedication to athleticism, there are plenty of reasons to have state pride this year as well. Whether the athlete is from Oklahoma, studied here or even just lives here, Oklahoma has been part of the lives of many athletes at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. Here’s a comprehensive list of Olympians with Oklahoma ties so you can cheer on your country as well as your state this summer.
Kevin Durant Basketball
Former Oklahoma City Thunder player
Although many Thunder fans were disappointed in Durant’s choice to leave the Thunder, he served as the face of the team for many years and helped lead the Thunder to the 2012 NBA Finals and the conference finals in four seasons. By establishing the Kevin Durant Charity Foundation, which enriches the lives of at-risk youth from low-income backgrounds, Durant proves he offers much more than athletic talent.
Chris Brooks Gymnastics
Attended the University of Oklahoma
Brooks became interested in gymnastics in 1991 at the age of four, and he later helped lead the Sooners to the NCAA title in 2008 and was an alternate in the 2012 Olympic Games in London. As of now, his favorite event is the horizontal bar.
Jake Dalton Gymnastics
Attended the University of Oklahoma
Dalton’s life has gymnastics in every corner – he got his start training at a gymnastics club his parents owned, and he married Kayla Dalton, another gymnast at OU. Dalton also started his own clothing line, Mesomorphic Clothing. He placed fifth in the 2012 Olympic Games as part of the U.S. team for floor exercise.
Alex Naddour Gymnastics
Attended the University of Oklahoma
In college, Naddour won back-to-back NCAA titles on pommel horse for OU. He was selected as an alternate in the 2012 Olympics, and this will be Naddour’s first run competing at the Olympics.
PHOTO BY LLO
YD SMITH, COUR
TESY USA GYN
MASTICS
BRITTANY BORMAN COMPETES AT THE IAAF BIRMINGHAM DIAMOND LEAGUE MEETING, WHERE SHE PLACED SIXTH IN THE JAVELIN THROW. PHOTO BY JIRO MOCHIZUKI, COURTESY USATF
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.COM TOCK TTERS / SHU PHOTO BY JO
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Anthony Fahden
Rowing, lightweight four Member of the U.S. Rowing Training Center in Oklahoma City
Fahden is a graduate of Dartmouth College. Originally, Fahden’s athletic focus was on ice hockey, but he found a new passion in rowing. He placed eighth in the 2012 Olympics and has qualified again this year.
Edward King
Rowing, lightweight four Member of the U.S. Rowing Training Center in Oklahoma City
Edward is an active duty U.S. naval officer, and he will become the first rower from the U.S. Naval Academy to race in the Olympic games since the ’80s. This will be King’s first stint as an Olympic athlete.
Tyler Nase
Rowing, lightweight four Member of the U.S. Rowing Training Center in Oklahoma City Nase is a Princeton University ’13 alumnus. This will be his first year competing in the Olympic games. Fun fact: Nase watches the movie Gladiator before each race.
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Robin Prendes
Rowing, lightweight four Member of the U.S. Rowing Training Center in Oklahoma City Prendes is a graduate of Princeton University and speaks both Portuguese and Spanish. He placed eighth in the 2012 Olympics and has qualified again this year.
Rob Munn Rowing, eight
Oklahoma City resident
Munn will be attending the Olympics for the first time in his career this summer, although he has competed and placed in several other championships. Fun fact: Munn is an Eagle Scout.
Devery Karz
Rowing, lightweight double sculls
Oklahoma City resident
Meghan O’Leary Rowing, double sculls
Hometown of Tulsa and a member of the U.S. Rowing Training Center in Oklahoma City
O’Leary worked at ESPN before leaving to pursue her career in rowing in 2010. After only six years of training, this will be her first year competing in the Olympics.
Ellen Tomek
Rowing, double sculls
Member of the U.S. Rowing Training Center in Oklahoma City
Tomek was born in Flint, Michigan. She competed in the 2008 Olympics and placed fifth in her event. Fun fact: Tomek enjoys playing the saxophone, skiing and watching the Green Bay Packers.
David Plummer Swimming
Hometown of Norman
Plummer was born and raised in Norman. He is a World Championships medalist and a 14-time NCAA All-American. Plummer has three brothers: Roy, Ryan, and Nate, who are also swimmers.
Stephen Lambdin Taekwondo
Oklahoma City resident
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Although this will be Lambdin’s first year at the Olympics, he is no stranger to success in a competitive atmosphere. He has medaled in the Pan American Taekwondo Championships as well as the Pan American Games and World University Championships.
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MICHAEL RODGERS CROSSES THE FINISH LINE AFTER RUNNING THE ANCHOR LEG ON THE UNITED STATES 4 X 200M RELAY AT THE 122ND PENN RELAYS, WHERE HE AND THE REST OF THE U.S. TEAM PLACED FIRST. PHOTO COURTESY USATF
PHOTO BY JOHN CHENG, COURTESY USA GYMNASTICS
Karz is originally from Park City, Utah but recently made her way to Oklahoma City. She is fluent in Mandarin and Spanish. This will be Karz’s first stint as an Olympian.
Shadrack Kipchirchir Track and field
Attended Oklahoma State University
Kipchirchir is a U.S. Army Specialist and a member of the U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program. He studied at OSU and has two siblings who also competed in collegiate athletics in the U.S.
Gil Roberts Track and field
Hometown of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Roberts has accrued several honors in his athletic career. He was a member of the U.S. team who won the gold medal in the Men’s 4×400 meters relay at the 2012 IAAF World Indoor Championships. Roberts also won the 2014 U.S. Outdoor Championship.
Michael Rodgers Track and field
Attended Oklahoma Baptist University
Rogers won several NAIA individual titles during college and held the top 60-meter time in the world in 2011. His personal best time of 9.85 is tied for fifth on the all-time U.S. list.
Brittany Borman Track and field
Attended the University of Oklahoma
Although Borman began her collegiate career at UCLA, she transferred to OU in 2009. There she thrived, winning back-to-back NCAA national titles in 2011 and 2012 and becoming a three-time Big 12 outdoor champ in the javelin.
Will Claye
Track and field
Attended the University of Oklahoma
Claye will be returning to the Olympics for the second time in his career this summer. He medaled in the London 2012 games, winning a bronze in the long jump and a silver in the triple jump.
Rickie Fowler Golf
Attended Oklahoma State University
Fowler has three PGA tour wins under his belt along with a wide selection of other championships. This will be his first trip to the Olympics. Fowler can often be seen wearing orange to honor OSU.
WILL CLAYE SOARS ABOVE THE COMPETITION TO WIN THE TRIPLE JUMP AT THE 2016 U.S. OLYMPIC TEAM TRIALS AT HAYWARD FIELD. PHOTO COURTESY USATF
ANTHONY FAHDEN, TYLER NASE, EDWARD KING, AND ROBIN PRENDES PRACTICING AT THE U.S. ROWING TRAINING CENTER IN OKLAHOMA CITY. PHOTO COURTESY USROWING
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ART By Tara Malone
STATE of the
THE OKLAHOMA AREA IS NURTURING AN EVER-GROWING LIST OF
ARTISTIC ATTRACTIONS.
When one conjures mental images of Oklahoma, art museums aren’t necessarily the first things that come to mind. Outsiders typically ask about tornadoes and Native Americans. Upon reflection, Oklahomans might first think of oil and gas, sports or even earthquakes. Ask anyone, however, and very few will associate a mental image of art museums with the Sooner State. This is poised to change. As the state’s art museums continue to gain in size, popularity and national prestige, Oklahoma is shaping up to be recognized as home to some of the most iconic art collections in the Southwest. “Oklahoma has a number of influential art museums across the state, and all contribute significantly to the quality of life in Oklahoma and, like every other aspect of society, play an important role in the overall health of a community,” says Dr. Mark White, Wylodean and Bill Saxon Director of the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art on the University of Oklahoma Norman campus. “The arts have been shown to have a tremendous influence on the intellectual development of children, and creative expression is a natural impulse … ” Oklahoma City, Tulsa and the surrounding areas are rapidly transforming into arts-friendly communities with world-class cultural venues. Here are some of the state’s great touchstones of the arts that continue to inspire and shape the area’s cultural renaissance.
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Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, Arkansas
An hour’s drive from the Oklahoma state line is the newest addition to the region’s top-notch art museums. Nestled in 120 acres of Ozark forest and surrounded by miles of nature trails, Crystal Bridges was funded by the Walton family and opened in 2011. In its short history, 2.5 million visitors have already flocked to view its breathtaking collection, which includes work by such artists as Norman Rockwell and Andy Warhol, and runs the time span from colonial to contemporary. The museum grounds are also home to the Bachman-Wilson house, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. This architectural treasure was painstakingly transported and re-assembled from its original home in New Jersey, and is now open to the public at Crystal Bridges. Indeed, architecture itself is a big part of the environment at Crystal Bridges, according to Beth Bobbitt, public relations manager for the museum. “The architecture of Crystal Bridges is as inspirational as the artwork housed inside,” she says. “In a ravine surrounded by native Ozark forest, glass and light introduce dramatic views of the natural surroundings, the curved walls and vaulted beams mimic the Ozark landscape, while the use of concrete draws on the geology of the region. The architecture furthers the mission, connecting visitors with art and nature through the use of materials and design.” The museum facility itself offers not only gallery space, but a museum store, restaurant and coffee bar, and a studio for hands-on creativity programs. Plans are underway to add a visual art space and a performance venue as well as develop an artist-in-residence program. In addition, new construction will improve access to parts of the museum and open more space for special events and gathering areas. “Our role as a museum is to explore the unfolding story of America by actively collecting, exhibiting, interpreting and preserving outstanding works that illuminate our heritage and artistic possibilities,” Bobbitt says. “As part of our mission, it’s important that we break down the barriers of art and provide access to great works. We welcome all with sponsored admission and enriching exhibitions. We also provide interpretive materials, including family and audio guides, and programs such as artist talks, workshops, and symposiums are designed to deepen our understanding of important historical topics as well as contemporary social, environmental and cultural issues.” As if we needed any other excuse to visit, admission to Crystal Bridges is always free.
CRYSTAL BRIDGES MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART USES ITS OWN UNIQUE ARCHITECTURE TO ENHANCE THE ARTISTIC EXPERIENCE OF THE GUESTS. PHOTO COURTESY CRYSTAL BRIDGES MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART
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TOP: SPRING AZALEAS BLOOM IN FRONT OF THE GILCREASE MUSEUM. BOTTOM: FIRST FRIDAY AT THE ZARROW CENTER IS A POPULAR TULSA EVENT WHERE ARTISTS CAN BE RECOGNIZED FOR THEIR TALENTS.
TOP: STUDENTS VISIT AND ENJOY THE KRAVIS DISCOVERY CENTER.
Gilcrease Museum, Tulsa
Visitors to the Thomas Gilcrease Institute of American History and Art are greeted by one of the state’s most iconic sculptures. Allan Houser’s “Sacred Rain Arrow,” an image captured on millions of Oklahoma license plates, waits at the entrance to one of the most famous homes of American art in the United States. The museum opened in 1949 in Thomas Gilcrease’s personal home, and its estate now encompasses some 460 acres, including 23 acres of renowned gardens in the Osage Hills just outside downtown Tulsa. Even with past expansions to the facilities, only 6 percent of the museum’s vast collections are on display at any given time. “Gilcrease Museum has long been known to have one of the best collections in the country,” says Melani Hamilton, communications manager for the museum. “It is the city of Tulsa’s most valuable asset. Vision Tulsa, which provides for the Gilcrease expansion, finally affords the opportunity to enable Gil
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crease Museum to reach its full potential as one of the top museums by giving its worldclass collection a facility to match.” The expansion Hamilton refers to is the $65 million renovation approved as part of the Vision initiative in Tulsa, which will create a 100,000-square-foot expansion for new permanent collection spaces, a grand entry atrium and entertainment area, dining and parking expansions, and renovated spaces to attract more big-name traveling exhibitions to complement the impressive permanent collections. The museum is currently displaying photographs from Nickolas Muray of his lover and friend, Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, in West Mexico: Ritual and Identity, among other exhibits. Although only a few minutes’ drive from downtown Tulsa, Gilcrease recently set up a presence in the thriving Brady Arts District with the Henry Zarrow Center for Art and Education, an 18,000-square-foot gallery space for exhibitions and art education.
PHOTOS BY ERIK CAMPOS
BOTTOM: GUESTS ATTEND THE FIRST FRIDAY ART CRAWL AT THE ZARROW CENTER.
Philbrook Museum of Art, Tulsa
“Founders Waite and Genevieve Phillips were not art collectors,” explains Paul Nelson, interim director and COO of the Philbrook Museum of Art. “They were philanthropists.” In 1938, the couple stated that in order for Tulsa to truly become a great city, it needed a great arts institution. They donated their 72-room villa and accompanying 23-acre estate to the city of Tulsa for this purpose, and today it stands as one of the premiere arts institutions in the state. “Tulsa has a strong tradition of excellence in arts and culture,” Nelson says. “For a city of our size and age, it’s remarkable to consider the breadth and depth of art we offer. Philbrook holds a significant piece of the cultural tapestry and we work diligently to impact our community through a broad offering of programming and arts education for all citizens. A privately-funded institution, the Philbrook relies exclusively on funds from visitors and donors, but this has not stopped its expansion in both physical space and prestige. The museum is now home to 16,000 artworks, and has seen unprecedented growth over the past decade. The new director, Scott Stulen, describes the museum’s vision as “forwardlooking” and plans to place a priority on making the Philbrook “relevant in the community.” Part of this vision includes the recent opening of the Philbrook Downtown gallery in the
Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art, Norman
PHOTO COURTESY FRED JONES JR. MUSEUM OF ART
Although officially christened with its current name in 1992, the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art at the University of Oklahoma main campus has served as one of the state’s artistic wellsprings since 1936. “The museum that became the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art was one of the first museums in state history and has always been part of the cultural fabric of the state,” says White, director of the museum. “Oscar Jacobson, the founding director, had a tremendous amount of influence on the growth of the arts in the early 20th century, and many of the Native American artists that achieved regional and national reputations studied at OU and were collected by this museum.” The museum is most famous for its Native American and Western art collections, many of which were either collected by Jacobson or donated to the institution over time. The Adkins Collection, which joined the museum in 2007, contains 3,300 pieces by such luminaries as Charles M. Russell and Alfred Jacob Miller, while the 4,500-piece Bialac Collection is home
Brady Arts District, a “welcome mat in the area where people are hanging out and a lot of younger people are living,” Stulen says. In addition to the new downtown gallery, the museum has acquired 7,000 new objects in the past 10 years alone, and seen a 300 percent increase in visitor traffic in recent years. The collections at the Philbrook are some of the most diverse in the state, from Italian Renaissance art and sculpture from the ancient Etruscan, Roman, Greek and Egyptian cultures, to contemporary and Native American pieces. The eclectic collection is reflective of the vast array of artistic variety that can be found in the state. “Oklahoma has many great arts and cultural organizations, which have grown into world-class institutions appealing to visitors and tourists from across the globe,” Nelson says. “Many locals might be surprised to realize how many international visitors travel to museums in Oklahoma. We can continue to tell our stories while broadening our marketing message to new audiences, creating even more economic impact through tourism. Rising tides lift all ships.” Current Philbrook exhibits include A Place in the Sun: The Southwest Paintings of Walter Ufer and E. Martin Hennings and Cady Wells: Ruminations, a collection of mid-century watercolors on loan from the New Mexico Museum of Art, among others. Works from the Philbrook will soon be traveling to museums in London and Paris for European visitors to enjoy.
to priceless objets d’art from North America’s indigenous cultures. But it is not only American and Western art that defines the FJJMA. The museum also houses the Weitzenhoffer collection of French Impressionism, with an impressive array of paintings by Van Gogh, Renoir, Toulouse-Lautrec and more. The museum continues to expand both its physical spaces and its collections. In addition to an exhibit from the OU School of Art faculty, this fall will see the opening of Picturing Indian Territory, a visual history of pre-statehood Oklahoma. White says the exhibit will offer a nuanced look at the area’s colorful and turbulent past.
ME AND HIM BY WALTER UFER IS INCLUDED IN THE A PLACE IN THE SUN: SOUTHWEST PAINTINGS OF WALTER UFER AND E. MARTIN HENNINGS EXHIBITION. PHOTO COURTESY PHILBROOK MUSEUM OF ART
“With Picturing Indian Territory, we hope to enrich public understanding of the unique and often complicated history of Oklahoma,” White says. “Visual imagery, whether paintings or illustrations, provided 19th-century audiences with information about topics such as Indian removal, the so-called Indian Wars of the Southern Plains, and the land runs that established Oklahoma Territory. We hope to work with teachers of Oklahoma history through our new outreach initiatives and provide materials that will enhance the classroom experience.” White maintains that with the contributions both his and other museums make to the state, it’s time to start appreciating them as essential to the cultural well-being of our communities and people. “While the number of museums in the state is a testament to the importance Oklahomans place on culture, I wish we could change a popular opinion that the culture is extraneous or an extravagant part of education,” he says. For visitors who would like to explore FJJMA in person, admission is always free, and programs are regularly held for visitors of all ages. AUGUST 2016 | WWW.OKMAG.COM
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LEFT: LEISURE-HOMAGE TO JACQUE LOUIS DAVID BY FERNAND LEGER, CENTRE POMPIDOU, PARIS
Oklahoma City Museum of Art
TOP: PORTRAIT OF DEDIE (ODETTE HAYDEN) BY AMEDEO MODIGLIANI, CENTRE POMPIDOU, PARIS BOTTOM: RECLINING NUDE I BY HENRI MATISSE, CENTRE POMPIDOU, PARIS
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Built in 2002 in the heart of downtown Oklahoma City, OKCMOA is currently garnering national attention as the only North American exhibition site for Matisse in His Time, an exhibition on loan from the Centre Pompidou in Paris that features works by the famous modernist and his contemporaries. “Matisse in His Time represents the beginning of an exciting collaboration between OKCMOA and the Centre Pompidou in Paris, Europe’s leading museum of modern and contemporary art,” says Becky Weintz, director of marketing and communications for OKCMOA. “We were thrilled to be chosen as the only North American venue for the exhibition and are looking forward to continuing to work closely with the Centre Pompidou. Hosting major exhibitions like Matisse in His Time reinforces Oklahoma City’s reputation as a cultural destination in our region and helps us to continue to bring exiting exhibitions to the city.” The museum also is home to a worldfamous glass collection by Dale Chihuly, including the three-story chandelier tower that greets visitors upon entering the facility. Other highlights from the permanent collection are currently on display in the Our City, Our Collection exhibit, a tribute to Oklahoma City and the museum’s benefactors.
“In addition to Matisse in His Time, OKCMOA is also currently hosting an exhibition titled Our City, Our Collection: Building the Museum’s Lasting Legacy, showcasing the museum’s permanent collection and history,” Weintz says. “Our City, Our Collection tells the story of the museum’s history as a series of major gifts and bequests from a succession of visionary and philanthropic art patrons and includes artists such as Georgia O’Keeffe, Rembrandt van Rijn, Gustave Courbet, Marcel Duchamp, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Alexander Calder, John Singleton Copley, Andrew Wyeth, Roy Lichtenstein and Dale Chihuly. This exhibition will be open through Aug. 28th.” Upcoming exhibits include Sacred Words: The Saint John’s Bible and the Art of Illumination, showcasing folios of illuminated manuscripts from several religions. The museum also houses the only art house theater venue in Oklahoma City, which gives many people in the Oklahoma City area the chance to see movies not available anywhere else in the area. The theater has has one screen and holds around 400 screenings per year, showing 100 to 150 films annually. Visitors can also enjoy cocktails on the roof each Thursday during the summer or attend “Dinner and a Movie” events that include a film screening and dinner in the Museum Cafe.
PHOTOS COURTESY OKLAHOMA CITY MUSEUM OF ART
RIGHT: STILL LIFE WITH BOOK BY JUAN GRIS. CENTRE POMPIDOU, PARIS
PHOTOS COURTESY OKLAHOMA CONTEMPORARY
Oklahoma Contemporary, Oklahoma City
Many locals may even not be aware of this hidden gem, but many of Oklahoma’s art students could speak to the personal impact this organization has made. Founded as the City Arts Center in 1989 and currently residing at the State Fairgrounds, some 45,000 art students have participated in programs at Oklahoma Contemporary since its inception. Unlike traditional art museums, Oklahoma Contemporary doesn’t house a permanent collection, focusing instead on exhibits and arts education. “Oklahoma Contemporary remains dedicated to keeping art accessible with free exhibitions and public programs, outreach to underserved communities and youth scholarships,” says Executive Director Donna Rinehart-Keever. “We’ve shown more than 300 artists in the last decade, from Oklahomans in our annual ArtNow exhibition to big names like those coming this fall. But as show-stopping as our exhibitions and events have become, education is the beating heart of our mission. Our students range from 5 year olds holding a paint brush correctly for the first time to lifelong learners pursuing a new creative passion. From handson gallery activities to cutting-edge techniques like 3-D printing and animation, we continue to be a home for artistic exploration and learning creatively. And that home is about to get a lot more square footage.” Keever is speaking of the planned 4.6-acre arts campus breaking ground this fall in OKC’s flourishing Midtown neighborhood. The campus will be home to a brand-new 50,000-square-foot facility as well as another 10,000 square feet of renovated space and a three-block arts park and outdoor performance space. “We are in a period of dramatic growth at Oklahoma
Contemporary,” says Artistic Director Jeremiah Matthew Davis. “This fall, we’ll break ground on our new arts campus in downtown OKC, which will open in the fall of 2018. In preparation for our new home, we’ve begun to expand our programming to include more free events and increased scholarship opportunities for our classes and camps … In order to open our doors to as many visitors as possible, all of our exhibitions are free and open to the public. By relocating to the urban core, we’ll be able to increase the number of visitors who can access the arts center exponentially. To further increase our connections to the community, we have started to collaborate with more local artists and institutions like deadCenter Film Festival, the OKC Ballet, Current Studio and Oklahoma City Public Schools, with many more joint efforts on the horizon. By working together, we collectively increase the cultural impact our institutions can have on our state, creating more exciting activities and experiences for Oklahomans to enjoy.” Davis and Keever agree that despite the state’s financial woes, the Oklahoma arts community continues to thrive and grow exponentially. “Art and culture are exploding in Oklahoma right now,” Keever says. “Even in the midst of tough economic times, a committed community of artists, donors, educators, administrators, patrons and friends are pushing the boundaries, forming new partnerships and providing new opportunities for Oklahoma residents and tourists alike to experience art.” “And we’re thrilled to be a part of that,” Davis adds. “Oklahoma Contemporary’s integration of exhibitions, performances and arts education provides a platform for creative engagement unlike any other institution in the state.”
TOP: THE SLEEK LINES AND MODERN ARCHITECTURE OF OKLAHOMA CONTEMPORARY WILL PROVIDE A STUNNING BACKDROP FOR THE NUMEROUS ART PIECES. BOTTOM: THE MEDIA LAB WILL ASSIST THE MUSEUM’S MISSION OF TEACHING AND EXPLORATION.
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LIGHTS FROM the Past by Paul Fairchild
Oklahoman Native American nations are finding ways to preserve their heritage for future generations.
Culture matters. Heritage matters. They’re lights from the past that illuminate the path to the future. Four Oklahoman Indian tribes are exploring new and innovative ways to pass their cultural legacies to the next generation. “Heritage links us to the past. It makes you who you are. It’s all of the ancestors that went before us. That’s what’s critical to knowing who you are as an individual and what makes you that person today,” says Choctaw Chief Gary Batton.
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THE CHICKASAW CULTURAL CENTER IN SULPHUR HOSTS A VARIETY OF DEMONSTRATIONS AND EXHIBITS. PHOTO COURTESY THE CHICKASAW NATION
AUGUST 2016 | WWW.OKMAG.COM
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Preserving the Language
Language drives culture. Without language, culture can’t gel. To introduce the next generation to its culture, the Cherokee tribe starts with language. And it starts young with an immersion school for 3- to 8-year-old students. “Our immersion school is one of the greatest things we have going in the Cherokee Nation. If I brought people to the nation and could show them only one thing, it would be the immersion school,” says Cherokee Secretary of State Chuck Hoskin. The school serves about 100 students. The Cherokee language is used to teach all subjects, which is based on the the idea that kids learn languages more easily than adults. And the idea pans out; the school’s a runaway success. “Probably the most important thing we do is our language program,” Chief Batton says. “A tribe without its language is considered lost.” The Cherokee language is also available online and on smart phones. In the past year, the New Testament was translated into Cherokee. Other resources including dictionaries are available to those willing to learn. The Choctaw Nation offers its language in Head Start classes and it is taught in high schools and various colleges. The nation also reaches beyond its geographic boundaries by offering Choctaw on the internet. On top of that, tribal elders who speak Choctaw are connected with eager students. “We’ve always taken the position that there’s nothing more central to a people’s culture than the language itself,” says Joshua Hinson, language programs director for the Chickasaw Nation. Hinson focuses his team on two goals. First, he wants to create a small cadre of truly proficient Chickasaw speakers that can in turn go out into the community and teach others. Second, he wants to make the language as widely accessible as possible. Anompa, a Chickasaw learning program, is available on the web or through Apple’s iTunes store. Hinson’s department is also partnering with Rosetta Stone, the popular language learning company, to produce a product that can be used in schools or on the internet. Hinson also points to tons of published resources such as dictionaries, a teaching grammar, an official workbook, a children’s book and others.
Keeping Values Alive
“Heritage and history tie into our own unique identity as an indigenous people. Today we’re in Oklahoma, but what makes us unique in American society is that our ancestors had a relationship with other landscapes,” says Ian Thompson, the Choctaw tribe’s Tribal Historic Preservation Officer. “And that was over 100 generations. We developed a unique way of looking at the world, a unique language and a unique way of living. All of that still makes unique today even though we’re a removed tribe.” You can tell a lot about a people by the games they play. Stickball, a traditional Choctaw game, was almost extinct until it was recently revived. Now it’s the national sport of the Choctaw Nation. But to many, it’s more than just a game. “It can be a rough game, but it’s very much a game of honor. It’s a game of teamwork. It’s a game of giving and taking,” Batton says. “It teaches a lot of life lessons. Anybody can pick up the game of stickball. I think it would help them understand the human element of who we are as Choctaw
“Culture decides who we are as a people, and if we don’t share it with the next generation, it’s going to go away.”
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– that we’re a good, loving, fun-spirited people.” The nation’s Cultural Services department works hard to make the game available to kids. There’s a Choctaw national team. There’s a vibrant youth league. Tournaments are offered regularly, pitting Choctaw teams against those of other tribes that have picked up the sport. “It’s a wonderful way to get youth involved in a healthy cultural activity,” says Thompson. “We’re also doing things that instill our values – values like servant leadership, integrity and honor,” says Batton. “I think about Ireland, where after we came across the Trail of Tears and lost a fourth of our population, we turned around and gave money to the Irish that were going through the potato famine. We want to keep those values alive. We want to make sure that everybody knows
that we’re a giving tribe. We’re a caring tribe. We’re really about sharing our hearts.”
National Treasures
No other tribe offers anything like the Cherokee Nation’s National Treasure program. Each year, the chief names two or three artists or artisans to be a national treasure. To qualify, their work must be of the highest quality, it must reflect Cherokee traditions and the artist must be committed to passing their craft on to the next generation. Victoria Vazquez, a potter and national treasure, grew up watching her mother revive the craft of southeastern tribal pottery. Until then, Indian pottery was limited to Southwestern tribes. Over the years, Vazquez has taught hundreds of students her craft, and the art form is now alive and well in the Cherokee Nation. The craft was almost lost following the Trail of Tears. Nobody pursued it until Vazquez’s
Choctaw Nation Faith Family Culture
There has been a resurgence in efforts to preserve and strengthen the Choctaw Nation’s culture and heritage. Language programs to learn Choctaw are provided from elementary school through college, as well as online programs for adults. Historical games like stickball and traditional Choctaw dances are taught to the youth. A registry of Choctaw artists who have preserved traditional skills, such as beadwork, making baskets, gourds, pipes and wood sculptures to list a few, is maintained by the tribe.
CHEROKEE IMMERSION CHARTER SCHOOL TEACHER MEDA NIX WORKING WITH A STUDENT. CHEROKEE NATIONAL TREASURE VICTORIA VAZQUEZ. PHOTOS COURTESY CHEROKEE NATION
Chief Gary Batton
800-522-6170
Assistant Chief Jack Austin Jr.
Choctawnation.com
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mother did the research and taught herself. It was no easy feat. It involves digging your own clay, hand-processing it and wood-firing it outdoors, and it requires an extensive knowledge of traditional Cherokee designs. “Pottery is now very much alive and well,” Vazquez explains. “After mom became wellknown for what she was doing, she started teaching people. Then other Cherokee artists picked up on the idea that we should be promoting our Southeastern designs because most collectors only recognize Southwestern tribes as making pottery. Now other artists use them, for instance, in paintings or basket weaving.” There are 45 national treasures in the Cherokee Nation. They include artisans teaching everything from graphic arts and contemporary art to music, storytelling and the Cherokee language. In all, about 15 traditional crafts are passed along to young Cherokees by the national treasures. “It’s the highest honor that an artist or artisan can receive from the Cherokee Nation,” Hoskin says. “I can tell you that I’ve seen their work, and it is high quality. The idea is to honor these artists for their commitment to the arts, but we also hope that it inspires younger people to take up these art forms. Over history, we’ve come close to losing a lot of our art forms.” Pottery is a priority for the Choctaw Nation, too. For six years, pottery classes have been taught to thousands of people. Many of the original students are now teachers. “There’s a connection between us and the earth,” Thompson says. “There’s no more concrete expression of that than our pottery.”
from. This is my land.’ They get really excited about it.”
Cultural Centers
The Chickasaw Cultural Center provides a learning experience not just for tribal members, but for the general population. The large campus in Sulphur offers something for everyone. Every day, live demonstrations of Chickasaw dance, beading, finger weaving and drum making provide visitors with an interactive entrance into the tribe’s culture. They can even make bows and arrows or stickball sticks. “We welcome everyone to come and visit us. There’s a lot here for people to learn who we are,” says Valorie Walters, Executive Officer of the center. “Through our research center here, we have wonderful collections that are here. A lot of those go on exhibit so people are able to come in and learn about
est rate in the country of diabetes, obesity and stroke. These diseases were almost unknown to us before colonization, when we lived our traditional ways,” says Thompson. “This connects us with the past, but by changing our diets we have the opportunity to overcome a lot of these diseases that we face at epidemic levels.”
Song and Dance Traditions
All cultures are unique, but the traditions of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation are distinctly different from other Native American nations. It presents unique challenges. “When you mention being an American Indian, people put you in feathers with a drum. Our culture is totally different from that,” says David Proctor, Cultural Advisor for the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Preservation Program. Recognizing the importance of music and dance as traditions, the nation makes a strong effort to give them to the next generation. It puts teachers in its communities to teach kids the traditional songs and the unique “stomp-dancing” of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. Classes meet weekly, and they’re well attended. “This is important for the survival of our tribe. Plain and simple,” Proctor says. “Without our traditional ways and culture, without passing our heritage on to other people, our identity as Muscogee people will fade away and we’ll be like everyone else.”
“When you mention being an American Indian, people put you in feathers with a drum. Our culture is totally different from that.”
Exploring the Past
“Culture decides who we are as a people, and if we don’t share it with the next generation, it’s going to go away. It defines who we are as a nation,” says Chinae Lippard, an archaeologist with the Chickasaw Nation. Lippard’s found a unique way to pass along the tribe’s cultural heritage. Archaeology isn’t just a doorway to the past. It can be a window into culture. Lippard is working in conjunction with various universities to preserve important Chickasaw cultural sites in the Blackland Prairie, the tribe’s original home. Each year she conducts Homeland Tours where she offers Chickasaw students and leaders a firsthand look at their culture. “It’s amazing. You can see it on their faces when they first go out there and make that cultural connection,” she says. “It’s a spiritual thing for them. They say, ‘Oh my goodness, this is where my ancestors came
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whatever’s up at the time.” The center is also a great place to have lunch. Visitors can explore traditional Chickasaw food. It’s as much a part of the tribe’s culture as traditional crafts, music and dancing. “As you go through our exhibit halls here, there’s so many interactive items for people to really engage with, whether it’s video or language station. Our visitor services team here can answer any questions about Chickasaw history and culture,” Walters says. Cultural events at the center are celebrated all year long. A popular event is the Three Sisters Celebration, which celebrates traditional food. The three sisters are corn, beans and squash, and the tribe honors them during the spring planting season. The Choctaw Nation wants to make traditional foods more popular. They’re healthy, they’re natural, and they’ve been proven for hundreds of years. “Today, Native Americans suffer the high-
Growing the Herd
Courtesy of the Cherokee Nation, the bison is making a comeback on the Oklahoman plains. The tribe works with the National Park Service and various intertribal organizations to obtain bison. Over the space of a few years, the herd has grown to 100 animals. It recently grew by 12 calves. The Cherokee are looking at ways to use the bison in the tradition of generations past. The animal provided food, shelter and other forms of sustenance to the tribe. “The bison are a great success story,” says Hoskin. “Our history with the bison goes back many generations. They’re significant to a lot of native peoples, and they’re significant to us. We’ve got a good, healthy herd. We’ve got a wonderful area in a rural part of Delaware County where people can see the bison. We’re very proud of it as a way of reconnecting with our history.” Four Oklahoman tribes. Several unique ways of passing traditions and heritage to the next generation. They’re proof that culture is a living thing, not just a ghost in the past.
RIGHT: THE CHEROKEE NATION HAS BEEN REINTRODUCING BISON TO TRIBAL LANDS.
PHOTO COURTESY CHEROKEE NATION
MIDDLE LEFT AND RIGHT: STOMP DANCING IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE MUSCOGEE (CREEK) NATION’S HERITAGE.
PHOTOS BY AMANDA RUTLAND, MUSCOGEE (CREEK) NATION OFFICE OF PUBLIC RELATIONS
LEFT: THE ALL AGES TVSHKA HOMMA STICKBALL TEAM COMPETING IN MISSISSIPPI. PHOTO BY TINA FIRQUAIN, CHOCTAW NATION
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THE PROFESSIONALS ROOFER
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To be included in the Professionals, call 918.744.6205. PERSONAL TRAINER Should I avoid fad diets? Yes, you should avoid fad diets because they’re generally not healthy. Only three nutrients contain calories: carbohydrates, protein and fat. If you cut one, chances are you’ll be eating too much of the other two. The current rage JOHN JACKSON for low-carbohydrate has created a nation of people eating a lot of protein and fat, and in the process inviting the risk of high cholesterol and heart disease. If you choose a starvation diet of 800 calories or less per day, you can end up dehydrated and develop kidney damage. Your body has to be fueled with nutrients in order to be functional; moreover, low-calorie diets can lower your metabolic rate. Unfortunately, when you stop dieting, your sluggish body puts the weight back on, and more often than not, more than your original weight. You’re better off avoiding gimmicks and opting for a reduced-calorie diet that feeds your body a healthy balance of nutrients.
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My father has terminal cancer, and I help my mother take care of him. He has taken a turn for the worse, and his physician suggested we consider hospice care. But, that feels like we are giving up on him. Any advice?
What is the difference between a “summons” and a “subpoena”? A summons and a subpoena are legal documents issued by or under the authority of a court and command the person to whom it is BRAD BEASLEY directed to take a specific action. Generally, an appearance in court or in connection with a court proceeding is required. The primary difference lies in the purpose of the appearance. A summons usually notifies someone that they have been named as a defendant in a lawsuit and provides legal notification that an action has been commenced against the person with a directive to respond or answer within a specified time. A subpoena typically is used to compel someone to appear at a specified time and place to provide information or sworn testimony. A subpoena also may be accompanied by a directive to produce documentation or other tangible information.
Many people have that common misconception that providing hospice care for a loved one means you are giving up. Actually, it is our belief that by providing hospice care you are improving quality of life for the patient. By providing hospice care to your father, you are allowing him to be more comfortable. Our hospice team can help manage symptoms and alleviate pain through palliative care. Sometimes we will see patients improve to the point that they go off hospice care. For more information, please call us at 918-744-7223 or visit www.gracehospice.com. AVA HANCOCK
Ava Hancock Grace Hospice of Oklahoma 6400 South Lewis, Suite 1000 Tulsa, OK 74136 918.744.7223 www.gracehospice.com
Bradley K. Beasley Boesche McDermott LLP 110 W. 7th St., Suite 900 Tulsa, OK 74119 918.858.1735 (Direct Dial) 918.583.1777 telephone 918.592.5809 facsimile
John Jackson, Personal Trainer St. John Siegfried Health Club 1819 E. 19th St., Tulsa, OK 74104 918.902.4028 jljackson70@hotmail.com
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Taste
F O O D, D R I N K A N D O T H E R P L E A S U R E S
PHOTOS BY BRENT FUCHS
I
Oh Mickey, You’re So Fine
Mickey Mantle’s brings classic cuisine to OKC for 16 years and counting.
magine someone – an angel maybe – swooping down with a creamy bowl of macaroni and cheese loaded with bacon and jalapenos. Next, an apparition takes shape – it’s “Lobster Cargot,” swimming in butter, garlic and cream. Finally, you have a vision of 24 oz. of charcoaled rib eye steak and fall to your knees in rapture. It may sound like heaven, and it’s pretty close – it’s Mickey Mantle’s Steakhouse. As the foodie godfather of the Bricktown entertainment district in Oklahoma City, Mickey Mantle’s occupies a storied place in Oklahoma City’s culinary canon. Being part of the neighborhood’s transformation from abandoned industrial wasteland to one of Oklahoma’s most popular tourist destinations has helped define
Mantle’s as the fine-dining linchpin of an ever-growing cohort of the area’s culinary attractions. “The sense of community among the district is one of the best I’ve ever seen,” says Brittany Leemaster, director of events and marketing of the neighborhood. “Everyone in the Bricktown community is truly supportive of each other and are constantly exploring opportunities to help each other thrive. Mickey’s has enjoyed entertaining the wide mix of tourists, locals, celebrities and business crowds that Bricktown attracts. It’s been an exciting journey to be a part of Bricktown’s growth for the past 16 years and we know that growth is just going to continue to get bigger and better in years to come. We feel extremely blessed to be a part of this thriving district.”
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PHOTO BY BRENT FUCHS
TARA MALONE
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L O C A L F L AV O R
RUSTIC ELEGANCE
Bin 35 Bistro serves French-American cuisine in the heart of Brookside. Right at the entrance to cozy, upscale Bin 35 Bistro is an elegant yet friendly bar. It’s the sort of place you want to linger, and when Annie and Timothy Tow walked in a few months ago, they fell in love with the place and never left. Experienced restaurant managers both, they immediately knew that their longstanding fantasy of owning a chic yet welcoming bistro had suddenly become real. “It’s become our home,” says Timothy Tow, who looks a bit like a Silicon Valley CEO (he is indeed a website designer). “We always loved having huge family dinners at our home, and now our regular guests have become our family. Years ago someone told me that the owner is the hardest worker because he’s working for everybody, customers and staff. That’s what my wife and I do.” A few feet away in the kitchen, the young yet immensely talented head chef, Brenden Rotz, smiles in agreement but keeps his eyes on the stove, where a pot of mussels is simmering. Those mussels are a very bad
choice as an appetizer. Served over French fries with a creamy caper sauce laden with colorful heirloom tomatoes, they are so irresistibly delicious that you can’t stop eating until you are too full to eat an entree – and those entrees would be a shame to miss. An impossibly tall pork chop smothered with a sauce redolent of fragrant fresh peaches and spicy mustard. Halibut, salmon, and grilled vegetables; simple plates, perfectly prepared. Crunchy fried chicken served with a white gravy made, as it should be but never is, with bacon grease. Short ribs braised five hours. The summer menu is the result of a month of brainstorming sessions with Annie Tow and veteran chef Grant Vespasian. Thinking of the menu, Annie smiles. “It’s bright colors, it’s heirloom tomatoes, it’s the essence of summer.” Bin 35 is located at 3509 S. Peoria Ave. on Brookside in Tulsa. A menu is available at bin35bistro.com. BRIAN SCHWARTZ
PHOTO BY CHRIS HUMPHREY PHOTOGRAPHER
Taste
In addition to offering some of the ultimate American dishes available in Oklahoma City, Mickey Mantle’s serves as one of the state’s most popular event destinations as well, offering full event services for everything from graduation celebrations to bachelorette parties and wedding receptions. But it takes more than happy stomachs and good parties to keep customers returning year after year. “Our approach to most everything we do is to listen to our guests’ wants and ideas as well as getting our staff heavily involved in the creative process,” says Brad Jackson, general manager of Mantle’s. “If your staff doesn’t stand behind something, it doesn’t matter how good it is. We are very lucky in the sense that most of our staff are true foodies which tends to make for a better guest experience on the culinary side of things.” Mantle’s is most popularly known for their 100 percent grass-fed American beef steaks and their exceptional execution of Oklahoma culinary tradition, but staff at the restaurant are excited to be a part of the recent creative renaissance in the state’s food scene. “As Oklahoma continues to grow, especially in OKC, there will be a demand for all types of dining experiences,” Jackson says. “The good thing about food and beverage is that there are not any rules, but the downside of having no rules is being only measured by success or failure. Here at Mickey Mantle’s, we have and always will have the highest standards for ourselves and are very proud to be a part of the fine-dining fabric of Oklahoma. As long as we continue to raise the bar, I think we’ll have a bright future.” Mickey Mantle’s is located at 7 Mickey Mantle Drive in the Bricktown District of Oklahoma City. Menu, reservations and event services information can be found at mickeymantlessteakhouse.com.
2016
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Reserve an evening of “World Class” Caesar Salad with Steak, Lobster, Chicken or Fish. Friday & Saturday night featuring Mark Bryan.
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C H E F C H AT
Chris McCabe utilizes a hands-on approach in the kitchen to keep his flavors fresh.
C
hris McCabe, executive chef of A Good Egg Dining Group, comes from a family that uses food as a love language. He believes, however, that his fascination with cooking stems from a rather clichéd source. “I think it’s the same as any other chef, you know, we all say our grandmother,” he says. “It’s that comfort food that everyone has fond memories of.” He got his start cooking for his family, and so they became his original taste-testers. “Sundays were the day I’d go over and help my grandma make food for the family,” McCabe says. “Then I started helping her with larger dinners like Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve.” Fast forward a few years and more than a few meals, and his love for all things culinary grew into a career. After graduating
from SUNY Cobleskill with a degree in culinary arts, McCabe stayed in New York for several years until national tragedy steered 2/1/16 him to the Midwest. “After September 11, the restaurant industry kind of fell flat [in New York], and my friend suggested that I move to Oklahoma,” he says. The stars aligned for McCabe after that, and he now oversees every restaurant under the umbrella at A Good Egg, which includes several heavy-hitters in the Oklahoma City dining scene like Cheever’s Cafe, The Drake and Kitchen No. 324. Among his responsibilities are everyday tasks like managing food and labor costs, but he also has the opportunity to train chefs de cuisine and sous chefs and provide menu inspiration. He describes his main task as “bouncing from restaurant to restaurant to maintain quality and consistency.”
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It seems McCabe is doing a great job of that – the restaurants he oversees are some of the busiest and best in the city. And it’s easy to see why. McCabe’s passion for his job means little time wasted on things other than creating and serving delicious food. “I’m never outside of a kitchen; I purposely don’t have an office. I just go into the kitchens andLemond Cloud Pie work,” he says. “I’ve never wanted to be a pencil-pusher chef.” MARY WILLA ALLEN
PHOTO COURTESY THE DRAKE
Taste
Never a Pencil Pusher
LEMON CLOUD PIE
ITEM: Lemon Cloud Pie Plate Spec ea slice of lemon cloud pie 1/6th pie
PIE CRUST 2
packages of Biscoff cookies (8.8 oz)
5.5lemon zest, mint sprig oz. butter, melted Garnish:
Method Grind the cookies in the Ro-
bot Coupe until crumbled. Add the butter and continue grinding until the butter is incorporated and the cookies are very finely ground. Press into a 9 inch pie shell and bake for 8-10 minutes at 375 degrees.
Assembly Place the pie on the plate and garnish with the lemon zest.
LIMONCELLO FILLING
PHOTO BY BRENT FUCHS
16 oz. 28 oz. 0.5 oz. 0.5 cup 1 tsp.
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cream cheese sweetened condensed milk limoncello lemon juice The Drake Menu Specs lemon zest
Method Whip until fluffy in the Kitchen Aid and then pour into the baked Biscoff crust and let set up over night. Assembly Place pie on the plate and garnish with the lemon zest.
PHOTO COURTESY PHAT PHILLY’S
A Slice of Philly in Tulsa PHOTO COURTESY WAFFLE CHAMPION
An authentic Philly cheesesteak is difficult to find outside Philadelphia, but luckily Phat Philly’s in Tulsa has mastered the art. There are plenty of sandwich combinations to choose from, with tasty add-ins like grilled onions, bell peppers, mushrooms, jalapenos and much more. Phat Philly’s has been creating delectable cheesesteak sandwiches since 2005 and has become a fundamental stop for great service and even greater food. 1305 S. Peoria Ave., Tulsa; phatphillys.com
Waffle Wonder
For handcrafted waffles, along with a wide variety of other breakfast options, Waffle Champion in Oklahoma City is your best bet. The restaurant serves a “deconstructed waffle” with tasty toppings like fresh fruit, ganache, whipped cream, marshmallows and even ice cream. Opened in June 2011 as a food truck, the restaurant has expanded due to immense popularity and now serves a comprehensive menu with excellent eats. 1212 N Walker Ave. #100, Oklahoma City; wafflechampion.com
Chicken Fried Steak-tacular
The name of the restaurant says it all – Tally’s Good Food Cafe promises and delivers consistently delicious dishes for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Recently, the restaurant was voted the Best Chicken Fry Sandwich in Oklahoma in a USA Today poll. Their delectable (and famous) chicken fried steak sandwich comes on a bun with lettuce, tomato and mayo with a side of savory and creamy gravy. Add some crispy waffle fries as a side, and you’ve got the perfect meal. 1102 S Yale Ave., Tulsa; tallyscafe.com
PHOTO BY NATALIE GREEN
R A N D O M F L AV O R S
IN SEASON
Melon Madness
To cool off in the summer, it might be tempting to reach for a sweet treat like ice cream or popsicles, but nature has the perfect (and healthy) dessert for you to snack on instead. Watermelon is a low-calorie, low-fat fruit that contains important nutrients like vitamin B6, vitamin A, potassium and much more. Not to mention watermelon itself is an extremely versatile cooking ingredient – include it in salads, sandwiches, cocktails, salsas, desserts and appetizers! For an annual celebration of this excellent fruit, the Rush Springs Festival and Rodeo comes to Jeff Davis Park in Chickasaw County on the second Saturday of August. This highly anticipated annual tradition began in 1948 and attracts more than 30,000 guests every year. From Aug. 11-13, there will be live entertainment, numerous food vendors, a carnival and a watermelon giveaway along with arts and crafts vendors, stage shows, watermelon exhibits and an antique car and motorcycle show. Make sure to look for Kiley Horton, the 2016 Rush Springs Watermelon Queen, for pictures or a chat. Admission is free. For more information, visit chickasawcounty.com. AUGUST 2016 | WWW.OKMAG.COM
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WORKING FOR YOU
EVERY MORNING
DANIEL WINN
TANIYA WRIGHT
WEEKDAY
MORNINGS
4:30 to 7:00
Entertainment
PHOTO COURTESY TULSA BALLET
G R E AT T H I N G S TO D O I N O K L A H O M A
T
The Dancers On Your Radar
Young dancers will impress in a show tailored to introduce new talent.
BII: On Your Radar is the next show in Tulsa Ballet’s exciting season. This performance, however, will be somewhat different than others – it will feature the newest dancers in the company that should be “on your radar.” “This show is performed by our second company, Tulsa Ballet II, in our very own intimate Studio K Theater,” says Ryan Allen, the manager of communications and public relations at Tulsa Ballet. Tulsa Ballet’s second company consists of the most promising young dancers around the globe, who will go on to join the main company
at Tulsa Ballet or perform with other revered companies in the United States and beyond. Combine that with excellent choreography, and the show promises talent, excitement, and artistry. “The show is a triple bill lasting about an hour and half, featuring works from three different choreographers: Natrea Blake, Norbert del a Cruz and our very own Resident Choreographer Ma Cong,” Allen says. The works are in the style of contemporary ballet. There will be two performances on Aug. 19 and 21. For more information, visit tulsaballet.org. MARY WILLA ALLEN
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ANOTHER BIG MONTH FOR BOK
ANDREA RAFFIN / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
PHOTO COURTESY THEATRE TULSA
Entertainment
Celebrating Oklahoma’s Favorite Son
WILL ROGERS FOLLIES Aug. 19 thru Sept. 3 - TULSA PAC Will Rogers, dubbed “Oklahoma’s favorite son,” has a legacy that brings pride to the state of Oklahoma. There’s no better way to celebrate his life and accomplishments than by heading to downtown Tulsa to see Will Rogers Follies, a show recreated by Theatre Tulsa. Jarrod Kopp, the managing director at Theatre Tulsa, describes Will Rogers as “a cowboy with a folksy sense of humor and mad ropetrick skills, [who] found success as a vaudeville performer, newspaper columnist, radio host, and stage and screen actor.” It would be no surprise, then, that a show about his life would be anything but ordinary. The show will be a series of Ziegfeld Folliesstyle song-and-dance performances that features local talent. “We do an open audition for all shows that brings in local actors, singers and dancers from throughout Tulsa,” says Kopp. “Our local talent pool is extremely skilled.” Although the pressures of putting on a great show are high, performers and technicians at Theatre Tulsa focus on creating an atmosphere of encouragement. “One thing that we really emphasize at Theatre Tulsa is giving our performers the best possible experience they can get. From auditions to rehearsals to the live performances, we provide training and stage work that is both challenging and fulfilling to all our local performers,” Kopp says. The Will Rogers Follies will run Aug. 19 through Sept. 3 at the Tulsa Performing Arts Center. For more information, visit theatretulsa.org.
DFREE / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
BOK CENTER: DOLLY PARTON AND COLDPLAY Aug. 12 & 25 - BOK CENTER The BOK Center in downtown Tulsa is the place to be for prime musical entertainment, with artists in genres spanning from heavy metal to pop. The month of August brings with it two excellent and entertaining concerts from which to choose. For country music with plenty of personality, make sure to drop in to the BOK Center to see Dolly Parton on Aug. 12. Parton has been an icon in country music since the late ’60s, with her hits like “I Will Always Love You” and “Jolene.” Her new tour, entitled Pure and Simple, will surely be another spectacular show. On Aug. 25, the world-famous Coldplay will be making their first visit to Tulsa with their A Head Full of Dreams Tour. The band has been a staple in the rock and alternative music since the late ’90s. Come see Chris Martin and company belt out some of their biggest hits like “Clocks” and “Viva La Vida,” along with new songs from their most recent album.
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IN TULSA THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE Aug. 4 and 5 TULSA PAC C.S. Lewis’ beloved and magical novel comes to life through dance. This new work by Randy James features members of 10 Hairy Legs and guest artists. The classic story, set in the fictitious Narnia, features all of your favorite characters: the heroine Lucy, the White Witch, Tumnus, Maugrim, and of course, Aslan the Lion. Follow them through the land of forever winter to see if they can break the evil spell cast by The White Witch. – tulsapac.com SUMMER ART CAMP Thru Aug. 5 GILCREASE MUSEUM Gilcrease Museum and the Henry Zarrow Center for Art and Education are pleased to offer an exciting variety of camp programs for students 5 – 12 years old this summer! Each week-long camp features art discussion, along with exploration and hands-on art projects. Participants may choose half or full-day programs, and extended hours will be available until 5 p.m. for an additional charge. – gilcrease.org SAVAGES AND PRINCESSES: THE PERSISTENCE OF NATIVE AMERICAN STEREOTYPES Aug. 5 - Sept. 25 108 CONTEMPORARY Curated by America Meredith, Savages and Princesses brings together sixteen contemporary Native American visual artists from Oklahoma who reclaim their right to represent their own reality as Native Americans. Whether using humor, subtlety, or irony, the telling is always fiercely honest and dead-on. – 108contemporary.org ROOKIE OF THE YEAR IN CONCERT Aug. 11 THE VANGUARD Rookie of the Year marched into 2007 with great eagerness and excitement. The band has managed to build a rapport with their fans such that every person who attends a show will leave satisfied. Their live show has built some buzz around the fact that it exhibits a raw energy that you would normally only see in a studio setting. It is this buzz that is now generating up to 500 fans per show. – thevanguardtulsa.com POWWOW OF CHAMPIONS Aug. 1214 ORU MABEE CENTER Tulsa will come alive in a colorful expression of dance, drum music and song as members of tribal nations from around the country gather to honor, strengthen and share traditions with each other and the general public at this year’s Powwow of Champions. Over 300 dancers, dressed in full Native American regalia, will participate throughout the weekend in ceremonies and dances, including awe-inspiring grand entries, intertribal dances and dance competitions. – travelok.com JOHN WOLFE FT. BO PHILLIPS IN CONCERT Aug. 12 CAIN’S BALLROOM Wolfe’s music has been burning up the Texas charts where he garnered six consecutive top ten singles, making Wolfe a “must see” act in the Texas touring scene. A seasoned performer, Wolfe has opened for some of country’s biggest stars and has played more than 400 live shows over the past four years. – cainsballroom.com DEFTONES IN CONCERT Aug. 18 BRADY THEATER Hailing from Sacramento, Deftones are a staple in the experimental and alternative rock scene. Following the loss of a band member in 2013, Deftones took time off to
IN OKC USA CANOE/KAYAK SPRINT NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS Aug. 3-6 BOATHOUSE DISTRICT The 2016 USA Canoe/Kayak Sprint National Championship takes place on the Oklahoma River’s world class 2000m race course. The four day event will include competitors of all ages from across the country and include the U.S. Masters National Championship. – boathousedistrict.org PRIX DE WEST Thru Aug. 7 NATIONAL COWBOY AND WESTERN HERITAGE MUSEUM The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum hosts its prestigious invitational art exhibit of more than 300 Western paintings and sculpture by the finest contemporary Western artists in the nation. The exhibiting artists bring a diversity of styles to this prestigious art exhibition. Works range from historical pieces that reflect the early days of the West, to more contemporary and impressionistic works of art. Landscapes, wildlife and illustrative scenes are always highlighted in the exhibition. – nationalcowboymuseum.org 48 HOUR FILM FESTIVAL SCREENINGS Aug. 7 OKLAHOMA CITY FARMERS PUBLIC MARKET Filmmakers from all over the Oklahoma City area will compete to see who can make the best short film in only 48 hours. The winning film will go up against films from around the world at Filmapalooza 2017 for a chance at the grand prize and an opportunity to screen at the Cannes Film Festival 2017, Court Métrage. – 48hourfilm.com THE DROWSY CHAPERONE Aug. 9-13 CIVIC CENTER MUSIC HALL Laugh, sing and dance with the Tony-Award winning The Drowsy Chaperone! This “musical-withina-comedy” combines gangsters, comic asides and larger than life leading ladies in a show
PHOTO COURTESY PHILBROOK MUSEUM OF ART
A Very Savage Exhibit
PHILBROOK: A BESTIARY Through Oct. 23 PHILBROOK MUSUEM OF ART As one of the main cultural hubs of Tulsa, Philbrook is constantly bringing new and exciting exhibitions to the state to broaden the perspectives of locals. The newest in a long line of these exhibits is A Bestiary. “This exhibition presents prints by Elisabeth Frink, drawn from her series Eight Animals and Six Owls, and a selection of prints created by Rudy Pozzatti for Physiologus Theobaldi Episcopi de Naturis Duodecim Animalium, by Theobaldus,” says Jeff Martin, the online communities manager at Philbrook. The two groups of prints “share a similar sensibility and compatibility,” Martin says, and so showing them together creates a cohesive atmosphere. A Bestiary offers more than just the artwork itself – there is an interactive component to bring the art to life. “In the exhibition, guests enjoy a full sensory experience with sights, sounds, scavenger hunts, and more,” Martin says. The show runs through Oct. 23. For more information, visit philbrook.org.
Feel the Heat
PHOTO BY NATHALIE STERNALSKI
reflect, grieve and write. They released their new album in April 2016 and are back on tour. MIX 2016 Aug. 27 CAIN’S BALLROOM MIX began in 2012 on a rooftop in Downtown Tulsa by Philbrook Young Masters Society Members Holly & Jack Allen and Shea & Bruce Roach and continues as one of the hottest mixology contests in the region. In 2013, the event moved to the historic Cain’s Ballroom. MIX 2015, under the leadership of co-chairs Jillian & Will Ihloff, served a sellout crowd and raised over $110,000 to benefit Philbrook educational programming and Museum operations. – philbrook.org PROFESSIONAL BULLRIDERS Aug. 27-28 BOK CENTER The Top 35 bull riders in the world will once again invade Tulsa to go up against the rankest bulls in the nation, as the stars of the PBR vie for their piece of the $140,000 payout. The toughest athletes in sports will face opponents 10 times their size through two days of action-packed 8-second rides and heart-stopping wrecks. – bokcenter.com CELLO UNDER THE STARS Aug. 30 TULSA AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM & PLANETARIUM Jeffrey Zeigler, formerly of Kronos, returns to Tulsa for a week’s residency beginning with a season-opening reception benefiting our award winning community engagement program. Jeff will be playing underneath the stars inside the Tulsa Air and Space Museum’s James E. Bertelsmeyer Planetarium. – choregus.org
CHOREGUS PRODUCTIONS: SUMMER HEAT INTERNATIONAL DANCE FESTIVAL Through Aug. 6 CHOREGUS PRODUCTIONS/TULSA PAC The Summer Heat International Dance Festival kicked off its inaugural year on July 30 in Tulsa and features seven performances, numerous workshops, master classes and outreach activities, brought to Oklahoma by Choregus Productions. Five dance companies from three countries will showcase the work of some of the world’s best choreographers. There will be a dance experience for everyone – from master dancers to enthusiastic beginners. “Each company will conduct two classes or workshops. Most will be master classes for advanced dancers, but there will also be choreography workshops. BODYTRAFFIC will also be doing two days of outreach with Tulsa area social service agencies,” says Ken Tracy, the executive director at Choregus Productions. The goal of the festival is “to bring to Tulsa the very best national and international contemporary dance companies, provide educational opportunities for local dancers, and to add to the cultural life of the Tulsa community,” Tracy says. Apart from bringing culture to the state, Chorgeus Productions is endeavoring to transform Tulsa into a dance hub comparable to bigger cities in the United States. “We expect the festival to grow into a destination event similar to the American Dance Festival in North Carolina and Jacobs Pillow Dance Festival in Massachusetts,” Tracy says. The festival runs through Aug. 6, and all performances will be in different venues in the Tulsa Performing Arts Center. For more information, visit choregus.org. AUGUST 2016 | WWW.OKMAG.COM
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PHOTO COURTESY WALKER ART CENTER
Entertainment
A PAW-SITIVELY PURR-FECT CAT FESTIVAL
INTERNET CAT VIDEO FESTIVAL Aug. 6 MYRIAD BOTANICAL GARDENS The twenty-first century has revolutionized technology, and with those advances comes plenty of niche online interests. At the forefront of these oddities is the legendary cat video, and the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis capitalized on this online obsession with their Internet Cat Video Festival, which began in 2012. “A former member of our education staff, Katie Hill, planned it as a small event to conclude our outdoor summer programming,” says Rachel Joy, the assistant director of public relations for the Walker Art Center. But a small event it was not, as the festival has grown over the past few years in a momentous way. “Audiences started at 10,000 and grew to 14,000,” she says. The festival will makes its way to Oklahoma City this August. The videos themselves will be compiled into a 75-minute cat-filled extravaganza, with videos spanning from six-second Vines to short films. Joy says the videos will cover the “full spectrum – from drama to comedy.” There are several activities to enjoy before the show like food trucks and live music. Plenty of avid cat-lovers dressed up in feline gear will also be roaming around before the screening. The show will be located on the Big Lawn at Myriad Botanical Gardens in Oklahoma City on Aug. 6. Pre-screening festivities will begin at 7:30 p.m. For more information, go to walkerart.org.
PHOTO COURTESY AMP FESTIVAL
AMP-lifying Women
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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | AUGUST 2016
AMP FESTIVAL Aug. 27 AUTOMOBILE ALLEY The AMP Festival – Art, Music, and Power – is a celebration of female artists, artisans and musicians across the state. Tobi Coleman of Revolve Productions is the coowner of the company with her son, Justin, and the director of the festival. Through her volunteer work, she became inspired to help her city. “I was a volunteer at Oklahoma City Rock n’ Roll Camp for Girls last year, and I saw what we could do as a community to inspire young girls to be more involved and willing to try to play music that, coupled with the fact that there are so many cuts to arts and music programs in public schools today.” And these cuts are affecting places Coleman has worked with closely in her career. She particularly wants to give back to Oklahoma Arts School for Girls, which recently lost its funding. Part of her goal for this sponsorship-driven festival “is to raise enough money for [Oklahoma Arts School for Girls] to have their summer camp next year.” The festival will be an all-inclusive smorgasbord of female talent. The musical acts range in genres from rap, jazz, folk and heavy metal. The artisans and artists will include painters, photographers, handcrafted jewelers and more. At the core of the festival is the idea of “inspiring a spark in the younger generation,” Coleman says. “I want all kids, but especially little girls, to see that there’s diversity in female music in OKC.” This year, the AMP Festival will be located in Automobile Alley, although the venue will change annually. It runs from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Aug. 27. For more information, head to ampfestokc.com.
that pays tribute to why we love going to the theatre: to be entertained. – okcciviccenter. com CLINT BLACK IN CONCERT Aug. 12 RIVERWIND CASINO Prolific singer-songwriter Clint Black has long been heralded as one of country music’s brightest stars. His many talents have taken him even further, as Black has transcended genres to become one of the most successful artists in all the music industry. To date, Black has written, recorded and released more than 100 songs, a benchmark in any artist’s career. An astounding one-third of these songs eligible for major single release also achieved hit song status at country radio, while more than 20 million of his albums have been sold worldwide. – riverwind.com MERCYME IN CONCERT Aug. 13 FRONTIER CITY THEME PARK Since the band’s beginnings in 1994, MercyMe has risen to fame with their Christian rock vibes. Their cross-over hit “I Can Only Imagine” gained them a double platinum certification on their album Almost There. MercyMe will be stopping in at the Frontier City Theme Park on Aug. 13. JOURNEY FT. DOOBIE BROTHERS IN CONCERT Aug. 16 CHESAPEAKE ENERGY ARENA Journey and The Doobie Brothers will bring the San Francisco Fest 2016 tour to the Chesapeake Energy Arena on Aug. 16. Bringing together two of the iconic groups that helped define the “San Francisco Sound,” this concert is definitely one that can’t be missed. – chesapeakearena.com OKLAHOMA SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARK: THE LIAR Aug. 18-Sept. 3 OKC From the author of Venus in Fur comes this sophisticated, playful adaptation of the classic French comedy by Pierre Corneille. Charming, handsome and an incorrigible liar, Dorante has come to Paris seeking pleasure. He falls head over heels for the beautiful Clarice, but mistakes her name for that of her best friend, Lucrece. After lying his way into a world of trouble, can Dorante lie his way back out again? Fiendishly clever and a bit naughty, the wordplay and swordplay of The Liar make for an evening that’s filled with delights! – oklahomashakespeare.com PENN & TELLER Aug. 19 CIVIC CENTER MUSIC HALL For 40 years Penn & Teller have defied labels, and at times physics and good taste, by redefining the genre of magic and inventing their own very distinct niche in comedy. With sold out runs on Broadway, world tours, Emmy-winning TV specials, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and hundreds of outrageous appearances on everything from Fallon to Friends, The Simpsons to Colbert, Modern Family to Top Chef, comedy’s most enduring team show no signs of slowing down. – okcciviccenter.com AROUND THE STATE OLD SETTLERS’ PICNIC Aug. 3-6 HUMPHREY PARK (VELMA) The Old Settlers’ Picnic in Velma has been bringing summer fun to small town Oklahoma for over 100 years. It is known as the longest continuously running free rodeo in America. During four days of free family entertainment, you and the family can enjoy the Ranch Rodeo with team roping, a steer tipping contest, a rodeo parade and much more. There will be a carnival each night
AMERICAN QUARTER HORSE ASSOCIATION: WORLD YOUTH QUARTERSHOW Aug. 5-13 OKLAHOMA STATE FAIRGROUNDS The Built Ford Tough American Quarter Horse Youth Association World Championship Show is coming to Oklahoma City this August. This competition is the world’s largest single-breed world championship horse show open exclusively to youth exhibitors age 18 and under. “This is the pinnacle event for youth competitors around the world, who must qualify for the event by earning a predetermined number of points to secure a spot in each of the classes,” says Sarah Davisson, the publicity and special events liaison for the American Quarter Horse Association. Although the competition is set in Oklahoma City, entrants will be coming to compete from several countries. “More than 760 youth from around the globe will compete for 35 world championships at this year’s event,” says Davisson. This event will take place from Aug. 5 though 13 at the Oklahoma State Fairgrounds. For more information on the 2016 Ford Youth World, visit aqha.com/ youthworld.
PHOTO COURTESY THE AMERICAN QUARTER HORSE JOURNAL
CHICAGO IN CONCERT Aug. 7 7 CLANS FIRST COUNCIL CASINO (NEWKIRK) Chicago, at first dubbed The Chicago Transit Authority, immediately stood out due to their unique, horn-driven instrumentation and top-notch songwriting. After 45-plus years in business, Chicago’s music has never left the airwaves and the band remains on tour more often than not, playing concerts in every corner of North America. They will be making their way to Newkirk on Aug. 7. – chicagotheband.com PAT BENATAR & NEIL GIRALDO WITH MELISSA ETHERIDGE IN CONCERT Aug. 14 GRAND CASINO (SHAWNEE) Pat Benatar: she’s always been a rule-breaker and a trail-blazer, and she remains a bold and distinctive artist both on stage and on record. Neil “Spyder“ James Giraldo has been a professional musician and songwriter for over four decades now, changing the face of the pop charts with his collaborator, muse and wife, Pat Benatar. Melissa Etheridge stormed onto the American rock scene in 1988 with the release of her critically acclaimed self-titled debut album, which led to an appearance on the 1989 Grammy Awards show. – grandboxoffice.com TOUR DE TRYKES & TWILIGHT CRITERIUM Aug. 20 DAVID ALLEN MEMORIAL BALLPARK (ENID) The Tour de Trykes is a bicycle tour leaving from downtown Enid on a Saturday morning with routes of two miles, 14 miles, 26 miles, 42 miles and 100K. They will be celebrating their 11th year of hosting this event, which draws in about 400 riders. The Criterium is a bicycle race on a closed course where United States Cycling Association licensed riders compete for cash prizes. – tourdetrykes. com CHEROKEE HOMECOMING ART SHOW Aug. 27-Sept. 24 CHEROKEE HERITAGE CENTER (TAHLEQUAH) The Cherokee Heritage Center presents the 21st Annual Cherokee Homecoming Art Show. Nearly 100 traditional and contemporary Cherokee artworks will be displayed. The traditional division is arts originating before European contact, and consists of basketry, jewelry, pottery and traditional arts. The contemporary division is arts arising among the Cherokee after contact, including paintings, sculpture, pottery, basketry, beadwork and textiles – cherokeeheritage.org.
Horsing Around
PHOTO COURTESY BLANCHARD BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL
with rides, games and plenty of vendors in the midway. There will also be live music from local artists to entertain everyone while they move from activity to activity. – travelok.com FLY FILM FESTIVAL Aug. 5-7 DOWNTOWN ENID If you have never attended a film festival, imagine a three-day movie marathon where you often get to mingle with the talent. Not sure indie movies are your thing? Did you like Halloween, Mad Max, Napoleon Dynamite, or Rocky? If you think about it, all these movies are independent films that skyrocketed from humble beginnings. – flyfilmfestival.org LYNYRD SKYNYRD WITH PETER FRAMPTON IN CONCERT Aug. 6 CHOCTAW GRAND THEATER (DURANT) Peter Frampton and Lynyrd Skynyrd – two prolific artists known for their classic live albums in the ’70s – are hitting the road together this summer. The tour started on June 3 in Albany, New York, and is set to wrap up on Aug. 21 in Murphys, California.They will be making their way to Durant on Aug. 6. – ultimateclassicrock.com
ALL ABOUT THE BLUEGRASS
BLANCHARD BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL Aug. 19 & 20 LIONS PARK The city of Blanchard will be hosting its sixth annual Blanchard Bluegrass Festival in late August. On Friday, there will be gospel performers in Lions Park, and Saturday brings with it a litany of bluegrass musicians. “In the past, we’ve had bands from Oklahoma, Texas and Colorado play for us. We’ve had musicians come down from New York, and this year we’re having some people from Tennessee join us. We don’t pay them too much, but for them, it’s all about the music,” says Chris Wittenbach, the Parks and Recreation director for the City of Blanchard. For Wittenbach, the festival is an equally beneficial opportunity for both the musicians and the locals. “We want to provide the opportunity for bluegrass musicians to play their music, and we also want the general public to be able to come down to the park and listen to things they normally wouldn’t get to hear,” he says. The show will run Aug. 19 and 20 in Lions Park, and the festival is free to the public. For more information, head to cityofblanchard.us.
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Entertainment
FILM AND CINEMA
August’s Best Bets in Cinema
Sometimes it seems, with the advent of personal media consumption made possible by the internet, that the art of public movie watching is critically endangered. Combat that tendency by engaging in one of the purest pleasures left in the world of cinema: the outdoor screening, a favorite during the summer months. Sure, sometimes the sound leaves something to be desired, and crying kids can be obnoxious, but there’s something special about sitting out under the stars and taking in a classic film. Oklahoma City and Tulsa both have great options for outdoor movie watching in August. First, Sonic Drive-In is hosting another of their movie nights in Oklahoma City on Aug. 3 at the Myriad Botanical Gardens. The film? Only the greatest pure action film of all time: Raiders of the Lost Ark. Sure, you’ve seen Indy fight the Nazis before, but have you seen him do it on a huge screen? Trust me, it will melt your face off. Meanwhile, Tulsa offers something a little more refined: On Aug. 18, Philbrook hosts their third annual Wes Anderson Experience, celebrating the quirky American indie director. This year they are showing his debut film, Bottle Rocket, which remains one of the best comedies of the past 20 years. See a young, charming Owen Wilson (and brother Luke) light up the screen alongside James Caan.
It’s kind of a slow month on the home video front, at least in terms of new releases, so allow me to recommend another classic that is being rereleased in a deluxe edition. Shout! Factory, which specializes in quality DVDs of outside the box films, is putting out a collector’s edition of Midnight Run, the wonderful and often imitated action/comedy. The film stars Robert DeNiro as a bounty hunter trying to bring in an onthe-run accountant, played to aggravating perfection by Charles Grodin. The two actors have real chemistry, and that combined with surprisingly good action and lots of banter make the film one of the templates by which buddy comedies with an action strain (think Rush Hour) continue to be measured. Midnight Run seems to have faded from the public mind just a bit in the last 30 years, but it deserves to be resurrected in grand style.
CITY LIGHT FILMS
ASHER GELZER-GOVATOS
IN THEATERS
If you see only one movie about a corpse this year, it should probably be Swiss Army Man, certain to be one of the strangest films released this year. The logline – Castaway meets Weekend at Bernie’s – does not even begin to capture how truly strange the film is. Consistently entertaining, and well acted by Paul Dano and Daniel Radcliffe (who plays the corpse), the film manages to carve a certain depth of meaning out of its often wildly uneven tone. At once a parody of sincere indie films and a straightforward example of one, the film wants it both ways, which sometimes makes it waver. It hits the most important notes, though, and manages to rise above its gimmicky premise to become a film well worth watching.
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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | AUGUST 2016
PHOTO BY JOYCE KIM, COURTESY OF A24
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CLOSING THOUGHTS
Margaret Verble
I
...using Oklahoma as a location for her novels.
I’ve been in Oklahoma every year of my life; often several times a year. I roamed that allotment land, gun in hand, nearly every day when I was there, even well into adulthood. And I feel more completely at home in Oklahoma than I do anywhere else. My whole family lived there, my grandparents, my uncles, aunts, and cousins. My grandmother’s siblings were spread out on adjoining farms in those bottoms. I was the only one not raised in Oklahoma, and that was an accident of WWII. I was always acutely aware that I was likely to outlive my grandparents and my great aunts and uncles, and would someday not have access to those pastures, lakes and fields. One day, I remember this clearly, I promised the land that, if it would sustain me throughout my life, I would write about it. It has sustained me, and I’ve been determined to keep my promise.
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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | AUGUST 2016
...her reaction for being nominated for a Pulitzer Prize in fiction.
I was floored. Completely caught off guard. Debut literary novels don’t get much attention and are even hard to get reviewed. This honor came out of the blue. I think my agent and publisher were stunned, too. But, of course, we’re all very happy people.
...whether the book will help people better understand the history of Native Americans in Oklahoma.
Probably not as much as I’d like. There’s an important background fact that I didn’t make explicit in the book because it’s well understood by the characters and it happened before the book is set. That is, Maud and Lovely aren’t officially Indians, although their older sisters and older first cousins are. Part of the purpose of the Curtis Act of 1898 was to abolish the “Five Civilized Tribes.” The U.S. Indian policy for non-reservation Indians born after the rolls were closed was to flat out deny their racial and cultural existence. That, really, was a crafty kind of genocide, and I find it outrageous. In 1928, when the book is set, the Cherokees had no tribal government, no chief. Maud and her relatives could’ve never envisioned what’s going on in Tahlequah today, never imagined
the vitality of the Cherokee Nation. That wasn’t supposed to happen.
...where she gets ideas or her novels and short stories.
Lord only knows, really. But for a novel, you need something that’s big enough to sustain a whole book. Usually, I try to start with something that bothers me; that I can’t quite get settled in myself. For instance, Maud’s Line begins with the death of a cow. That really happened. And it’s awful, and I’ve known about it for years. It’s never rested well with me. It also functions as a good symbol for how dangerous those bottoms were in so many different ways.
...visiting Maud’s Line.
If you want to see that section line, stand on the steps of the Cherokee Casino outside of Ft. Gibson on Highway 62 just east of the Arkansas River Bridge. Look south. But don’t go down there without a snake stick.
...dealing with attempts to have her two previous novels published.
I became frustrated. I still am. I think they’re both pretty good. It’s all about the market, you know. But did I consider giving up? No. My ancestors walked the Trail of Tears. Giving up never crossed my mind.
PHOTO COURTESY MARGARET VERBLE
t isn’t surprising that Margaret Verble chose Oklahoma as the setting for her novel Maud’s Line, which was one of two finalists for the 2016 Pulitzer Prize in fiction. Verble’s ancestors, like Maud’s family in the novel, were removed from their homes in Georgia in 1838 and were forced to march the Trail of Tears to Indian Country – land that later became Oklahoma. Her mother was living in Okmulgee when she met Verble’s father, a soldier stationed there during World War II. The book, which draws its names from the “section line” dirt roads used to divide Oklahoma Indian Country every square mile, follows 18-year-old Maud in her search for a life away from the poverty that still encompassed the Cherokee Nation 90 years after being removed from their homes. Verble wrote two earlier novels before finding a publisher for Maud’s Line, which was a surprising nomination for a Pulitzer Prize. We recently spoke with Verble about her thoughts on...
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