Art Focus Oklahoma, November/December 2009

ArtOFocus k l a h o m a

Okl a ho m a V i s u al A r ts C o al i t i on

Vo l u m e 2 4 N o . 6

November/December 2009

John Wolfe Realism and Abstraction p.4

Drawing by Emma Ann Robertson.

f ro m t h e

editor

Art OFocus k l a h o m a

As you read this, the last issue of 2009, you undoubtedly have in the back of your mind thoughts of the coming holidays, gatherings of family and friends and the start of another new year. For me, this time of year is always a mixture of reflection on the past year and looking forward to what the next year will bring.

Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition 730 W. Wilshire Blvd., Suite 104 Oklahoma City, OK 73116 ph: 405.879.2400 • e: director@ovac-ok.org visit our website at: www.ovac-ok.org

It’s always easy to get caught up in the rush of all there is to do during the end of year – parties, sending cards, cooking and shopping. I would encourage you, as you are looking for the perfect holiday gifts, to take advantage of the fact that many artists offer holiday open studios for just this purpose. These artists often create works made specifically for gift giving. I love giving gifts of handmade original art, knowing they will be cherished. It’s also a good excuse for getting out and meeting local artists, seeing their working spaces, and supporting what they do.

Art Director: Anne Richardson anne@speccreative.com

Executive Director: Julia Kirt director@ovac-ok.org Editor: Kelsey Karper publications@ovac-ok.org

Art Focus Intern: Katie Seefeldt Art Focus Oklahoma is a bimonthly publication of the Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition dedicated to stimulating insight into and providing current information about the visual arts in Oklahoma.

Mission: The Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition supports visual artists living and working in Oklahoma and promotes public interest and understanding of the arts.

OVAC welcomes article submissions related to artists and art in Oklahoma. Call or email the editor for guidelines.

At OVAC, we are looking forward to seeing the progress of year-long programs that are just getting started such as the Oklahoma Art Writing & Curatorial Fellowship and the second installment of Art 365. You will be seeing some of the results of those programs in future issues of Art Focus Oklahoma.

OVAC welcomes your comments. Letters addressed to Art Focus Oklahoma are considered for publication unless otherwise specified. Mail or email comments to the editor at the address above. Letters may be edited for clarity or space reasons. Anonymous letters will not be published. Please include a phone number.

As always, we also look forward to what the new year will bring for artists across the state. What resolutions do you have? Please keep us updated on your upcoming events, exhibitions and projects.

Art Focus Committee: Janice McCormick, Bixby; Don Emrick, Claremore; Susan Grossman, Norman; MJ Alexander, Stephen Kovash, Sue Moss Sullivan, and Christian Trimble, Oklahoma City.

OVAC Board of Directors 2009-2010: R.C. Morrison, Bixby; Richard Pearson, Rick Vermillion, Edmond; Jennifer Barron, Susan Beaty, Stephen Kovash (President), Paul Mays, Suzanne Mitchell (Vice President), Carl Shortt, Suzanne Thomas, Christian Trimble, Elia Woods (Secretary), Eric Wright, Oklahoma City; Joey Frisillo, Sand Springs; Anita Fields, Stillwater; F. Bradley Jessop, Sulphur; Cathy Deuschle, Elizabeth Downing, Jean Ann Fausser (Treasurer) Janet Shipley Hawks, Kathy McRuiz, Sandy Sober, Tulsa.

Kelsey Karper publications@ovac-ok.org

The Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition is solely responsible for the contents of Art Focus Oklahoma. However, the views expressed in articles do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Board or OVAC staff.

Member Agency of Allied Arts and member of the Americans for the Arts.

On the Cover John Wolfe, Midwest City, The Glancy, Clinton, OK, Acrylic on Paper, 30”x22”

2

© 2009, Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition.

All rights reserved.

View this issue online at www.ArtFocusOklahoma.org.

contents

4

p ro f i l e s Abstraction and Realism in the Art of John Wolfe

A Midwest City artist finds inspiration in the subtle details around him.

7 Brandi Twilley: Her Future’s So Bright She’s Got To Wear Shades

A young Oklahoma painter is beginning a new stage in her career, seeking a graduate degree at Yale.

11 Profile: Eric Fransen

4

The mathematical mind of a Tulsa artist creates geometry inspired furniture.

re v i e w s / p re v i e w s

14 A Defiant Joy: The Art of S.K. Duff

An exhibit of a former Oklahoman’s artwork contains layers of symbolism and wit.

16 EunKyung Jeong

A Weatherford artist uses her life experiences to engage the local community with art.

18 Painter of History: Artist Mike Larsen’s Quest to Document Tribal Elders

Through a series of interviews and paintings, this Perkins artist is capturing the history of the Chickasaw Living Elders.

20 Sooners in New Mexico: Exhibit explores Oklahoma artists who were part of Taos and Santa Fe art colonies

11

An exhibition at the Fred Jones Junior Museum of Art shows the influence of our western neighbor on Oklahoma artists.

22 Art For All of Us: Two Exhibits Demonstrate That Anyone Can Be a Collector Tulsa’s Philbrook Museum and Oklahoma City’s Museum of Art each feature exhibitions of remarkable collections from everyday people.

f e a t u re s

24 On the Map: Shawnee

The town of Shawnee holds a world-class museum and unexpected inspiration for its resident artists.

business of art

26 Small Medium, Large Message

In creating art, the media used can be determined by the desired message – or vice versa.

18

27 What’s Your Story?

Advice for speaking about your artwork in a way that invites people to learn more.

at a glance

28 Modern Materials: The Art of the Quilt at [ArtSpace] at Untitled A recent exhibition explores the delicate media of fine art quilting.

OVAC news

29 Round UP | New & Renewing Members

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

22

(p. 4) John Wolfe, Midwest City, Storm in Woodward, Acrylic on Paper, 30”x22”, (p. 11) Eric Fransen, Tulsa, Golden Sectional, Walnut Veneer, 34”x39”x21”. (p. 18) Mike Larsen, Perkins, Kennedy Brown, oil on canvas, 30” x 40”. Image courtesy Chickasaw Nation, (p. 22) Preston Dickinson (1891-1930), Fort George Hill, Oil on Linen, 14”x17”, from Auspicious Vision: Edward Wales Root and American Modernism.

33

John Wolfe, Midwest City, Express-O-Stop, Acrylic on Paper, 12.5”x18.5”

A bstraction and R ealism

in the Art of John Wolfe

by Emily Payne

“The intrusions of the ‘mundane’ become the agents of the sublime.” John Wolfe takes these inspirational words from Linda Sexton to heart.

4

p ro f i l e

John Wolfe, Midwest City, Church, Iowa Park, Texas, Acrylic on Paper, 17”x21”

While I’m having lunch with him at the Paseo Grill, Wolfe explains that he was inspired to create a series of sculptures while gardening one day. As he was pulling up daylilies, he stopped to look at them gathered in his hand and their forms led him to create the Bundle Series. Featuring a strong vertical element capped by many horizontals, these works are abstract in style and striking in their modern simplicity. Standing outside the JRB Art at The Elms Gallery in Oklahoma City’s Paseo Arts District is one of the sculptures from this series. It’s interesting to look at this work with the knowledge that something as “mundane” as discarded flowers created such a remarkable piece of art.

Wolfe always knew he wanted to be an artist and that he wanted to teach art. He has made both of these goals a reality. Although born in Vernon, Texas, Wolfe grew up in southwest Oklahoma and attended Southwestern Oklahoma State University in Weatherford. After getting his Bachelor of Arts degree there, he went on to the University of Central Oklahoma, where he got a Master’s in Art Education. For thirty-five years Wolfe worked as an art instructor at Carl Albert Junior High School in Midwest City. He speaks passionately about his time there, noting that there was something special about kids of that age and their approaches to creating art. Although he is no longer working with junior high students,

Wolfe has not given up his teaching endeavors.

Every June, he and several other instructors head out to Taos to lead a watercolor workshop.

Designed for everyone from beginning to advanced artists, this class is meant to immerse the student in the study of water media while in the beautiful setting of Taos, New Mexico.

While teaching is one of Wolfe’s passions, the other is making art. As a sculptor and a painter, Wolfe does not favor one media over the other. He says that he likes both and that he produces an equal amount of sculptures and paintings. Although they may be equal in output, his paintings and sculptures are very different stylistically. For the most part, Wolfe’s paintings are naturalistic and are often architectural studies. In contrast, his sculptures are mainly abstract. There are some exceptions to this rule of course. Wolfe tells me of a series of paintings he did inspired by doodles he had made on his desk calendar. The result was a series of paintings that were quite abstract in form, but based on realistic objects.

On November 6th, the JRB Art at The Elms Gallery will open an exhibition featuring Wolfe’s work as well as the work of Jim Keffer. Wolfe anticipates that he will have about twelve paintings and twelve sculptures in the show. He feels that his pieces will compliment the abstract continued on page 6

p ro f i l e

5

continued from page 5

landscape paintings that Keffer will exhibit. While different in style and subject matter, Wolfe sees that there is a common ground of spirituality in both his and Keffer’s work. Although he does not consider himself religious, Wolfe is often inspired by religious imagery in his work. He feels that Keffer’s paintings of southwest and New Mexico landscapes also invoke a subtle reference to the spirituality of the area.

If you visit the exhibition, don’t expect for the meaning of Wolfe’s work to be given away in the title.

While the titles of his paintings are often as direct as the subject matter is realistic, he doesn’t like to give leading titles to his sculptures. Instead, he prefers for the viewer to make their own interpretations as to the significance of the work. He even takes this ‘open to interpretation’ concept as far as the construction of his pieces. Because of the weight of his sculptures, Wolfe often makes them in pieces that can be easily disassembled. While this makes the transportation of the mixed media works easier, it also has the added benefit of allowing the buyer to disassemble and rearrange the work to their suiting, often creating a whole new work of art in the process. While some artists would balk at their work being reinterpreted, I have a feeling Wolfe is okay with the fact that his art inspires others to recreate. As Wolfe himself says, “Inspiration is all around you all of the time; you simply need to open your eyes and see.” n

Emily Payne recently graduated from Texas Christian University with a Master’s Degree in Art History. She is currently teaching an Art History Survey class at Oklahoma City Community College, where she is an adjunct professor.

Emily lives in Oklahoma City and can be reached at emilybeepayne@gmail.com.

(top) John Wolfe, Midwest City, Storm in Woodward, Acrylic on Paper, 30”x22” (bottom left) John Wolfe, Midwest City, Saints or Sinners Sacre Coeur 1, Mixed Media (Clay, Wood, Found Objects, Acrylic), 18.5”x9”x9” (bottom right) John Wolfe, Midwest City, Saints or Sinners Sacre Coeur 2, Mixed Media (Clay, Wood, Found Objects, Acrylic), 21”x9”x9”

6

p ro f i l e

Brandi Twilley, Midwest City, FLDS Woman in Red I, oil on panel, 15 1/4”x18”

Brandi Twilley: Her Future’s So Bright, She’s Got To Wear Shades

by Romy Owens So lovely and haunting were the paintings of the women of FLDS (Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) that I knew at first sight I was gazing upon art that conveyed incredible talent and commentary.

Brandi Twilley painted the portraits of these women, and I first saw them at Momentum in downtown OKC earlier this year. (She won the Pawley Award of Merit for ) The series is beautiful and poignant and of undeniable significance when you consider that Brandi Twilley is now one of approximately 21 students starting Yale this semester in pursuit of her MFA in Painting and Printmaking. Yes, you read that correctly. Yale. ro: What was it like applying to Yale and receiving that acceptance letter?

BT: Applying to Yale was the most intense application process that I have ever experienced. Even when I went to New Haven for my interview, along with 12 pieces of art work, I still had to compete with 70 others being interviewed. My interview, which was two-part, first with professors and then students, lasted two hours! I was ecstatic and shocked when I got accepted. I did a lot of jumping up and down.

ro: Are you a devoutly religious person? (I ask because I wonder what inspired the FLDS series.)

BT: I wouldn’t describe myself as devoutly religious. I think that the FLDS represent an extreme that I can relate to on a certain level, but their initial fascination was how strange they look from the outside looking in at their confined fundamentalist religious world. I first wanted to paint them because I was so struck by their bizarre hair styles and unibrows that resulted from their lack of control over their physical appearance.

Over time I became more interested in their psychological state, exploring what it would be like to be in their shoes and imagining them finally rebelling in the “red” portraits. ro: What are the “red” portraits?

BT: The red portraits are the paintings in which the FLDS women are wearing red collared shirts. They are rebelling by wearing red, because in the FLDS the color represents the blood of Christ and is off limits. ro: How do the nude portraits of the FLDS women fit into this series?

BT: The nude portraits are all of pregnant women. They explore the physical as well

as psychological existence of the women in the FLDS cult, who have an average of seven children and sometimes as many as 20 children. From my perspective that would be the most confining aspect of their lives. ro: Where did you grow up? Attend undergrad?

BT: I grew up in Oklahoma City. I attended undergrad at the Art Institute of Boston. ro: What drew you to the Art Institute of Boston and what was that experience like?

BT: I went to the Art Institute of Boston without knowing anything about the school or visiting Boston. It was the right school for me, though, because the school bases its foundation in studying the figure. Boston is a really fun place to live and go to school, because there are about a hundred colleges there. It was an adjustment handling the winters, though. I was always really happy to come back home and enjoy the sunshine in Oklahoma. ro: Looking back for a minute, who do you consider key in the development of your life as an artist?

BT: I have been fortunate to have had many great art teachers. At Classen School continued on page 8

p ro f i l e

7

Brandi Twilley, Midwest City, FLDS Sister Wives, oil on panel, 36”x48”

continued from page 7

I think that the FLDS represent an extreme that I can relate to on a certain level, but the initial fascination was how strange they look from the outside looking in at their confined fundamentalist religious world.

of Advanced Studies (SAS), where I went to middle school and high school, I had Mr. Sweeney and Ms. Stafford. (I still call them that when I visit.) At The Art Institute of Boston I studied with Amy Sudarsky who has been my painting teacher and mentor since 2001.

ro: Was drawing a skill that always came naturally to you or did you develop it over time?

BT: I would say that it is a little of both. I think that I have a certain amount of natural ability, but I’ve worked very hard to develop it.

ro: Amy Sudarsky is quite a formidable mentor to have. Please explain how she has influenced your art.

BT: I was drawn to Amy as a teacher because we both really love painting the figure. I studied with her all four years of undergrad.

We have common interests in German art and Northern Renaissance painters, too. She is an amazing teacher and holds her students to high standards. She is also the sort of teacher who tries to see what interests you as an individual and help you follow your own path.

ro: Oftentimes, I find that drawing is an early skill parents or teachers recognize and promote through classes or special schools at a young age. Did you have that experience? Is that how you wound up at Classen SAS? BT: Yes. I was really fortunate to be able to come to Classen SAS in the seventh grade. Although at the time I wanted most to get away from Harding Middle School, which at that time was a really rough school. At Harding, though, I was only able to take art for nine weeks.

At Classen I was able to have art for at least a few hours a day year round. I was much happier there.

ro: What has been your favorite book to date?

BT: I don’t have an all time favorite book. I may not have read it yet. Some that I’ve really liked have been Gone with the Wind and The Stand. ro: What kind of music do you enjoy? Do you listen to music while you paint?

BT: I like all sorts of music from country to rap. Lately I haven’t been listening to any music while I paint, though. ro: Lately? Why the change?

BT: I’ve been enjoying the peace and quiet while I paint, lately. If I’m not painting there is always a radio or television going.

8

p ro f i l e

ro: Would you share a glimpse at your one year and five year goals?

BT: My one year goal is to survive this first year of Yale. Beyond surviving I’d like to get a summer and fall assistanceship. I also want to continue to enjoy painting and not get overwhelmed by school stress.

In five years I’d like to have a teaching job and be painting regularly. ro: I assume it is art that you would like to teach. What age group would you like to be teaching? And why?

BT: I will most likely be teaching painting and drawing to freshman at the college level. I think I would really enjoy teaching freshman figure painting and drawing, because it is what I am most passionate about.

Brandi Twilley at her AIB senior exhibition.

ro: Many people will be familiar with the FLDS sister wives series from this year’s Oklahoma City Momentum, but what other series have you been working on?

BT: I have a series of small drawings of modernized Day of the Dead skeletons that I have been into for about the last few years. ro: What is it about the Day of the Dead skeletons that intrigues you?

BT: I have always enjoyed Mexican Day of the Dead art, because it is usually both colorful and charming, but a little dark and morbid at the same time. I think part of their intention is to bring an appreciation of life that we don’t always have when we forget our own mortality. ro: Have you ever worked collaboratively?

BT: I have worked collaboratively and it was really fun. It was in college and it was a drawing that I worked on with a friend that we passed back and forth for several weeks. It was one of the few times I’ve worked abstractly.

Brandi Twilley, Midwest City, Skeleton Models IV, Pencil, 8”x10”

ro: How could the average art enthusiast be in contact with you?

BT: It is best to e-mail me at branditwilley@hotmail.com. Also you may add me as a friend at myspace.com/branditwilley.

Hey there, happy reader. Highly recommended: if you missed Brandi’s FLDS paintings while they were exhibited at Momentum or at AKA Gallery, you can still see them at IAO in January 2010.

(Opening reception January 16.) Additionally, Brandi’s Day of the Dead series will be exhibited through November at Velvet Monkey Salon in Oklahoma City’s Plaza District. n romy owens can be reached via mental telepathy or through her website romyowens.com.

ro: Do you enjoy abstract work? Might we expect to see more of that in the future?

BT: I really enjoy abstract work. Yale’s grad program has very strong abstract faculty and students. The abstract work that I’ve done has informed my representational work, but I think that may be the extent that it influences me.

9

Donald G. Longcrier

November 19 - December 23 OPENING ARTIST RECEPTION

Thursday, November 19 5:30 – 8:30pm 10

3000 General PershinG Boulevard | oklahoma City, ok 73107 | Phone 405-951-0000 | fax 405-951-0003 | www.cityartscenter.org

p ro f i l e

Eric Fransen, Tulsa, Circle Decomposed, Maple and Black Walnut, 22”x58”x18”. Circle Decomposed was created with five arcs that, when taken apart and put back together, form one complete forty-two-inch radius circle. The aesthetic here is inspired by a sailboat.The legs, which are tangent to the main arc, act as a pedestal upon which the boat sits. The elements of the base form a complete circle which is the locus of points equidistant from one central point—the center—and the boundary of the top is an ellipse which is the locus of points whose distance to two fixed points—the foci—add to a constant.

Profile:Eric Fransen

by Carolyn Deuschle Originally

from

Kentucky,

thirty-eight-year-old

furniture

designer Eric Fransen has spent most of his life in Oklahoma.

His works of furniture combine a high level of mathematical knowledge—he spent several years in pursuit of a PhD in math, but never completed it—with aesthetic sensitivity. I met Eric in 2007. I had just moved back to Tulsa after graduating college, and was confused and anxious about my own career path. I found solace in a person who managed to find a job that fused the things he loved into a creative, and quite successful, profession. Recently, I talked with Eric about his work, his thoughts about furniture making, and the road that led him to where he is today. In the process, he makes a case for furniture design as art.

My first real woodworking experience coincided with my first real math experience. In the seventh grade, I discovered the quadratic theorem and was simultaneously enrolled in woodshop with Mr. Dale.

In his class, I designed and built my own shelf unit entertainment center, which I later sold to my eighth grade civics teacher. During eleventh and twelfth grade, local woodshop owner Dick Lane taught me basic joinery and millwork. When it came time to leave high school I was undecided as to whether I should go to college or pursue woodworking. I chose the former.

After obtaining a B.A. in math and then a brief stint as an engineer, I enrolled in a PhD program in mathematics at KU. My son living two hours away and the passing of my mother sent me packing. I left the program without completing my PhD. Before her death, my mother, with whom I was very close, told me I wouldn’t be happy unless I was using both my head and my hands.

After I moved to Tulsa, I built a few cabinets here and there for friends, and word about my work began to spread. Three years ago I opened up my own workshop called Ebb and Flow Woodworks with my friend Mark Opitz. Currently, I am moving my shop to a larger location with a showroom. I feel I’m now in a place where I have the freedom and ability to express my ideas in the form of wood.

I work with wood because I am moved by its beauty and simplicity, as well as by its treatment of pattern and structure. One sees the same beauty in the completeness of mathematical arguments. Woodworking is an expression of this proof. I am inspired by the space between continued on page 12

p ro f i l e

11

continued from page 11

dreams as well as the dreams themselves, by the curve traced out by the tip of a bird’s wings as it moves in our world. The curves of an oak leaf, like coastlines, like clouds. I have long been fascinated by tessellations (or tiling) of space, for example, a frieze or tile mosaic; I prefer the geometrical variety. I search for canonical forms and archetypes of any design. I play with each extension of type as if it were a new “theorem” in a given style.

Green, sustainable, and renewable are words I use to describe what I endeavor to accomplish when designing and building furniture. I align myself with other designers and vendors who share this philosophy.

I work hard to find wood through selective cuttings, salvaged, and reclaimed avenues. I also support renewable and sustainable materials, such as Kirei board (sorghum plant fibers), bamboo, formaldehyde-free plywood, and eco-resin panels. Mark has a great idea to photograph

Eric Fransen in his studio.

and gather history about the areas in Oklahoma and Arkansas where we get our wood. In the next couple of months I have two trips planned to southeast and northeast Oklahoma to selectively harvest black walnut, cherry, post-oak, elm, and pecan trees for lumber. I am excited to see the projects take shape from tree to furniture.

The figure in the tree, often from stress or infection defines its character.

Sometimes the wood dictates the design, such as is the case with live-edge pieces; in these cases the table base acts as a pedestal for the display of the wood, which is independent of human design. Often times the wood is simply a medium that is used to achieve the aesthetic or form desired. Two things a friend of mine passed along to me, which I paraphrase: “No one is beyond influence” and “a strong person seeks a stronger mentor.” This being said, I must confess that I have gone to no extra efforts to look at other designers’ work. This was very strict early on, but as I progress I find myself curious. I believe that one can take the philosophy of a design and use it to create a new “theorem” so to speak. My main design drive is a kind of cathartic therapeutic expression of the math ideas stretching its inky fingers into nature and form and aesthetic and function and environment and emotion. I live in the present and long for the past, perhaps a return to my childhood, defying Hesse’s decree, “the road back to childhood does not exist.”

I feel I have made that return or perhaps never left. Who would have thought that my seventh grade year would have such an impact. n

Carolyn Deuschle is an Assistant Editor at Princeton Architectural Press. She grew up in Tulsa, and now lives in New York City.

(right) Eric Fransen, Tulsa, New 92, Walnut Veneer with shadow base, 17”x17”x17”. These simple cubes can be arranged in ninety-two different ways if you take grain direction into account, but eliminate rotations and reflections. I use four powerful rare earth neodymium magnets in each face, two cubes having all positive poles out and two cubes having all negative poles out.

12

p ro f i l e

(above) Eric Fransen, Tulsa, Golden Sectional, Walnut Veneer, 34”x39”x21”.

I made Golden Sectional for my nephew while he was in my sister’s womb.

This piece departs from the typical presentation of golden squares nested in a golden rectangle and instead offers golden rectangles nested in a golden square. Golden means that the ratio of the length to width of the rectangle is approximately 1.61”. This is an approximation to a very special irrational number that is the limit of a sequence of rational numbers formed by taking ratios of consecutive Fibonacci numbers, for example, numbers from the sequence 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, etc. each term obtained by adding the previous two terms. Fibonacci numbers were learned about many centuries after the golden ratio came into our knowledge base, but are deeply connected. All dimensions in this piece are Fibonacci numbers.

UN I V E RS I T Y

O F

C O L L E G E

C E N T R A L O F

A R T S ,

O K L A H O M A

M E D I A

&

D E S I G N

African Art Collection Explore the most comprehensive exhibit of African art in the region!

Objects from the 1st Century BCE through the 20th Century.

Newly arranged and displayed for your enjoyment.

Chambers Library, 2nd & 3rd floors For information, contact: Dr. William Hommel (405) 974-5252 bhommel @uco.edu

*This collection features pieces on loan from the Kirkpatrick Center Affiliated fund and Perry and Angela Tennison.

13

S.K. Duff, Maplewood, NJ, Trojan Horse Invasion, Oil Stick and Cattle Marker on Mulberry Paper, 36”x24”

A Defiant Joy:

The Art of S.K. Duff

by Janice McCormick and Edward Main

S.K. Duff’s exhibit Inside-R-Out, on display in August at Living Arts of Tulsa’s now old location on Kenosha, featured a body of work that was not only witty and colorful, but also powerful and profound. Formerly of Oklahoma and now residing in New Jersey, Duff is a visual artist with a BFA from Ohio Wesleyan University in Fine Arts (in painting) and Theatre (directing). He also is a performance artist, videographer, poet, and elementary school art teacher/service learning coordinator at Hoboken Charter School. His fascination with “the other” the outsider - has led to his passion of embracing and collecting ethnographic art from around the world. Lately, he has focused on American folk art by visiting with outsider artists throughout the country. All these experiences are reflected in his art.

The first impression is that S. K. Duff’s works are child-like in terms of vibrant colors; strong gestural lines; crowded picture (as if the contents are nearly about to spill off the page); their matter-of-fact quality; and, of course, the content, which depicts a child’s fantasy life - full of animals, monsters, demons, skeletons and skulls - all drawn in a simplified cartoon style. Yet, by no means are they childish.

On the contrary, they prove to be witty and quite sophisticated in their layering of meanings and in their sometimes coded, sometimes overtly stated adult content. He creates complex and thoughtprovoking works by verbal puns in titles, visual ambiguity, complex compositions, and references to well-known artists in history, outsider artists, children’s art, pop culture and ethnographic imagery – all jostling one another in his work.

Here are a couple of witty adult works that draw upon ethnographic imagery, art history references and verbal puns. Sure to draw a rueful smile and perhaps even a roll of the eyes is his Is that a Kachina in your Pocket? Or are You Just Hopi to see me? A figure in a blue mask has a giant green snake coming from his loins. Then there is “There’s No Such Thing as a Frieda Lunch” said the Drag Queen w/a Monkey on his Back which depicts a drag queen dressed as Frieda Kahlo with a menacing monkey on her shoulders, a necklace of skulls and a pair of ripe fruit for her breasts.

Definitely outrageous, and, for some people down right sacrilegious, is Jesus and Salome by Way of Der Blaue Reiter. Jesus lays prostrate (a la the crucifixion) rather incongruously on top of a blue horse. Over him

14

re v i e w

squats Salome. They are engaged in sexual intercourse – their genitalia quite prominent. Jesus’ right arm reaches straight up, holding the head of John the Baptist. Salome holds a knife in one hand, while her other “hand” is a three-pronged metal weapon. The flesh of both figures is painted in vivid, unnatural colors: Jesus’ blue body is outlined in black, while his penis is orange; Salome is painted white, red and purple, with a touch of green. Here art references abound. The black outline of Jesus recalls Georges Rouault; the blue flesh that of Gauguin’s Breton Christ; and, those simplified forms, the abandonment of perspective, and unnatural flesh tones also refer to the Der Blaue Reiter’s rejection of naturalistic representation. This particular work, placed in the context of Duff’s overall body of work, is neither theological nor a commentary on religion as such. Rather, his powerful imagery deals with the threatening connotations of betrayal and victimization.

What Duff’s work does is probe psychological trauma. One example is which depicts a bright red toy horse on wheels. It glares fiercely at a yellow-eyed green monster, whose black swirl of a nostril echoes the black-on-pink swirl of the horse’s mouth. This monster’s jagged yellow teeth are about to go for the horse’s chest. Two skulls hover overhead.

Obviously, by drawing upon the Trojan Horse of the siege of Troy, the artist shows that a mere toy (symbol of the child), surprisingly, on the inside has the strength to defeat foes on the outside. Who are these foes, these monsters? Part of the answer can be found in Duff’s use of visual ambiguity. Using the ancient Egyptian convention of presenting the figure in profile while depicting its eye frontally, Duff creates a third creature. With a slight shift in perspective these two opponents morph into another monster. The horse’s nuzzle becomes the new monster’s nose, the eyes now glare out at the viewer rather than at each other, and the two different colored swirls become its nostrils. This metamorphosis suggests that those who have been treated monstrously can become monsters themselves – another form of death, that of the self. That such a self-entrapment must be avoided is confirmed by the

(above) A banner of photographs ran underneath the entire exhibit showing the various outsider, pop culture and ethnographic imagery that Duff draws upon for inspiration.

spider in the web just below this monster’s gnashing teeth. But, Duff is not finished yet.

The word “Trojan” also refers to the brand name of a condom. Beneath the horse lurks a blue, toothy monster’s head. Its perplexed look comes from his red, serpentine tongue being deflected by the white condom covering the horse’s penis. Thus, this Trojan can defeat the disease AIDS and keep death at bay.

Another example is Hand Puppet w/Scissors (for Augustin Burroughs) which depicts a blackhooded cartoon-like executioner wielding a pair of white scissors. Shown in the act of chopping off a Dr. Seuss-like monster’s black flame-shaped head at his scrawny neck, he grits his teeth and flares his piggy nostrils in this violent effort, while staring straight out at the viewer. The monster appears to have been disembodied all along – only streams of black and red fall below his neck. This suggests that what is being killed is the executioner’s own psychic pain of despair.

Three pairs of yellow scissors surround him.

A blade of the one overhead almost touches a blade of the executioner’s scissors in a balancing act. Another pair threatens him from behind, while the third one stabs him in the groin. A curtain of red emanates from the wound. Although the title describes him as a hand puppet, there are marionette stings connecting both his pinkish aura (that outlines him) and the scissors that he wields to the edges of the picture. Pink scars run from the back of his head to the edge of the picture as well. Has he truly set himself free from despair? Do these scars symbolizing psychic wounds ever completely disappear?

Are these threatening scissors, symbolizing memories of physical harm, ever going to having their power to destroy destroyed? Duff

suggests that there is a balancing act that a victim must achieve: destroying the power of psychic scars to control your behavior, while not destroying yourself in the process.

All in all, Duff’s work shares some of the qualities of an old-fashioned carnival fun-house: monsters, devils and other scary things-that-go-bump-in-the-night are cheerfully rendered in a context that, nevertheless, is safe and has as its premise “fun.” With only a few exceptions, each work is packed full with brightly colored forms, many of which merge or metamorphose.

Each, individually, might cause alarm if suddenly encountered in a dark alley. But here, crowded together and pinned to a wall in a well-lit gallery, both their power and their limitations are exposed. In this way, Duff expresses his own fears and terrors, making them familiar and less threatening.

He does not trivialize or repudiate them, nor does he distract us from the pain, fear and terror. Instead, he harnesses the energy of the fears revealed by such imagery as well as the energy which otherwise would be expended in the struggle to cope with such fears. Duff recognizes that they are a real part of himself, but not his totality. He integrates them in a way reminiscent of the joyful “mastery” advocated by Friedrich Nietzsche. His is a defiant joy. n

(below) One of the many drawings Duff did to embellish the gallery columns to create a carnival atmosphere.

Janice McCormick is an art reviewer who has been writing about art in Tulsa and Oklahoma since 1990. Currently she teaches philosophy part-time at Tulsa Community College. She can be reached at artreview@olp.net.

Edward Main holds down a day job as an attorney in Tulsa.

re v i e w

15

(left) EunKyung Jeong, Weatherford, Untitled 4, Clay and Acrylic on Canvas, 24”x24”

EunKyung Jeong

(right) EunKyung Jeong, Weatherford, Untitled 2, Clay and Acrylic on Canvas, 24”x24”

by Allison Meier EunKyung Jeong’s influences are as diverse as her artistic media. Her life growing up in Korea and her current Oklahoma landscape direct her visually intricate perspective through fiber art, drawing, painting, papermaking, mixed media and installation art.

“I finished my undergraduate degree in Korea and it’s a society where there are certain restrictions for women,” she said. “I guess I went to graduate school in New York because I wanted to move myself out of that structure. It changed my independence; I had to think of myself and actually believe that I have the freedom to do art that I wanted to.”

Before leaving for New York in 1993, she received her BFA in Fiber Arts from Dong-A University in Busan, Korea. Once in the United States, she studied for a BA in Art History and an MFA in Mixed Media and Fiber Sculpture from the State University of New York at New Paltz and later taught art courses in New York City. Seeking a different artistic climate than the individual-centered arts community in New York, she relocated to Oklahoma in 2005. “I’m more interested in art that comes through the public,” she said. “Not being in this little fancy showcase.”

Her extensive participation in exhibits around Oklahoma and the world showcase her precise, but delicate, art and have earned her places in the International Fiber Art Biennale in China, OVAC’s 12x12, and Fiber Artists of Oklahoma’s Fiberworks. Like the move from Korea to the United States, the shift from the bright lights crowded in New York City to the sprawling sky over the Oklahoma plains has also impacted the style of Jeong’s art.

“I think the composition changed slightly and also I had an opportunity to search further my identity,” she said. “Some of the works that I’m preparing I see definitely an Oklahoma influence. It’s hard to define what exactly is influenced by which part, but I had an exhibition in Korea and people made a comment that my work had a Western influence and when I come here in the United States people

16

p re v i e w

say it’s very Eastern. I see both in my work; it’s who I am. I use half of my life there and half of my life here.”

An exhibit that gives an overview of her two-dimensional work will open at the Oklahoma State Capital Governor’s Gallery on December 7 and will show through January 31, 2010. These pieces “play around with negative spaces and negative forms” and are reflective of the “big open space and red earth of Oklahoma” and her Korean heritage.

“In a couple of pieces that have bright colors the combination of the colors is very Eastern,” she said. “I thought about where the combinations come from, then I remember as a child seeing the local festival and the lights everywhere and the decorations of the temple, those are the memories inside of me and the combination of the color mentally comes out.”

Jeong currently teaches as an assistant professor of art at Southwestern Oklahoma State University and lives in Weatherford, where she works on art projects with the local community. Recently, these public art projects have included a mural at the Weatherford YMCA and a large format tapestry sponsored by SWOSU, the Weatherford Arts Council, and the Elizabeth Firestone Graham Foundation. This collaborative fiber art piece entitled The Beauty and Pride of Western Oklahoma, is being woven by a group of volunteers at the SWOSU Art Department on a massive loom. Public participation is encouraged and viewers are welcome to see the weaving process during open studios on November 19 and December 1 or learn more through workshops on November 3 and December 12. After it is complete, the tapestry will travel through western parts of Oklahoma, the area that inspired its colors and design.

Jeong is also scheduled to have a solo show at the Foundry Art Centre in St. Charles, MO in the summer of 2010. More information can be found on her website at web.mac.com/e.k.jeong. n Allison Meier is a freelance writer living and working in Brooklyn, New York.

She can be reached at allisoncmeier@gmail.com.

nd FRIDAY enjoy ART with CART by riding the trolley for an experience unique to NORMAN

the 2nd friday of every month | 6-10 pm www.2ndfridaynorman.com a norman arts council initiative

17

Painter of History: Artist Mike Larsen’s Quest to Document Tribal Elders

by Tamara Liegerot Elder

“I paint history.” With these three words nationally-recognized artist Mike Larsen sums up what is most important to him when discussing his work. Born in Oklahoma to a Chickasaw father and Anglo mother, Larsen has been painting for over forty years. His formal art studies began at Amarillo Junior College after moving to Texas. Discouraged with his studies there, he later attended the University of Houston and the Arts Students League in New York City in 1984, where he studied under famed artist David Leffel.

Larsen quickly developed his own distinct style of portraiture with the use of exaggerated hands in his paintings. He explains, “Life and livelihood, the very essence of being, cannot be hidden…hands reflect all that a person is.” It is also very important to him that his subjects be carefully researched for authenticity in dress according to tribal traditions. His love of historical research for his subject matter, particularly Native American, has continued to grow throughout the years.

His love for painting historical figures came with his first major commission in 1991 to paint a 26 foot mural for the Oklahoma Capitol Rotunda of the five Native American ballet dancers: Maria Tallchief, Marjorie Tallchief, Rosella Hightower, Yvonne Chouteau and Moscelyne Larkin, all from Oklahoma. The mural entitled Flight of Spirit is a tribute to the dancers. Behind the dancers is a depiction of the Trail of Tears enhanced by images of Native Americans in traditional dress. Larsen stated, “This painting is about our heritage.

18

p re v i e w

Mike Larsen, Perkins, Pearl Carter Scott, oil on canvas, 30” x 40”. Image courtesy Chickasaw Nation.

It is a symbolic representation not only of the accomplishments of these ladies, but also of the essence of our lives conveyed through the arts.”

With this commission, Larsen moved into a new phase of his career with a new interest in painting murals for public display.

In 2000 he was commissioned by the Quartz Mountain Center to paint eight 8-x-10 foot murals. The commission included four paintings of the Kiowa tribe’s history in the region, and the other murals would reflect an acknowledgement of the four major areas of the arts; dance, music, visual arts and literature. For accuracy in his historical approach for the Kiowa murals, Larsen travelled to such areas as Rainy Mountain near Carnegie to capture the landscape and perhaps draw a closer connection to his subject matter. In addition, he invited tribal elders to his studio to view his paintings in progress. All eight murals are now permanently displayed at the Quartz Mountain Arts & Conference Center in Lone Wolf, Oklahoma, just north of Altus.

The first major award in Larsen’s art career came during the 1987 Red Earth Festival when he received the first Grand Award. In 1988 and 1989, he received First Place awards at Red Earth followed by a First Place at the Santa Fe Indian Market in 1992. He was honored in 1995 by the Five Civilized Tribes Museum when he was named “Master Artist.” In 2000 Larsen was inducted into the Chickasaw Nation Hall of Fame, and in 2006, again honored at Red Earth where he was named “The Honored One.” Articles about Larsen’s art have been featured in major magazines across the nation for the last 20 years. During those

years he has accumulated many more awards.

In 2006, Larsen was named “Oklahoman of the Year” by Oklahoma Today magazine.

The award elevated him into a category shared by other admirable and accomplished Oklahomans, including Garth Brooks, Shannon Miller, David Boren, Toby Keith, Dennis Byrd, Larry Jones, Shannon Lucid, Carrie Underwood and Vince Gill, to name a few. Larsen is the fifteenth recipient and the first visual artist to be inducted.

Larsen was commissioned by the United States Post Office to create a stamp design issued in 2007 celebrating the Oklahoma Centennial. The stamp design is a landscape, a deviation from Larsen’s preferred portrait work, depicting a serene Oklahoma sunrise.

One of his most important commissions began in 2005 when the Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma approached him about documenting their Living Elders in a project entitled They Know Who They Are. When asked to do this project, Larsen commented, “It was a great honor and I was quite moved to be asked, but I experienced a great deal of anxiety. It is really difficult to walk into people’s homes that you don’t know and start asking personal questions.”

However, their first interview with Chickasaw Elder Pearl Carter Scott put them at ease.

The 94-year-old Scott was born in Marlow, Oklahoma in 1915 of Chickasaw/Choctaw ancestry. At the age of 12 she met world famous pilot Wiley Post who taught her to fly. By the age of 13, she became an aviatrix and one of the youngest women to ever fly.

Larsen stated, “We learned a lot from her and didn’t want the interview to end.” After nearly three hours of questions and answers Pearl began to drift off to sleep. He said, “We knew then that it was time to go.”

During the research phase, Larsen recalled the excitement of “interviewing the tribal elders and learning their history,” and in the process learning more about his own tribe’s history. His wife Martha assisted him in the research and took photographs of the subjects along with audio recordings of their personal histories and recollections. All paintings were done in oil and measure 30-x-40 inches.

Larsen completed the first series of 24 paintings and is now nearing the end of the second series of 24. In an interview with the Chickasaw Nation about the murals, he stated, “Emotion is what I’m after in a painting. It’s what supplies me with the venue to paint, but people are what tell a story for me. By looking at their faces or hands, you can tell so much about a person, a man or woman. You can tell everything you need to know about that person.”

An exhibition of Larsen’s second series of 24 paintings also entitled They Know Who They Are, will be presented at the GaylordPickens Oklahoma Heritage Museum, 1400 Classen Drive, Oklahoma City, through March 26, 2010. The paintings will be accompanied by quotes and oral histories of the Elders. In addition, a book with the same title by Mike and Martha Larsen has recently been published.

As a painter of history, Larsen accepts his role seriously and with an unfaltering conviction.

For him, the commission to paint the Chickasaw Elders “has been very exciting and has been a thrilling ride.” It was a project that culminated into a labor of love, not only for Larsen, but for his wife Martha as well.

All 48 paintings of the Elders will eventually be housed in the new Chickasaw Nation Cultural Center near Sulphur.

Mike Larsen’s other works can be seen in the Larsen Studio and Gallery located at 132 S. Main Street in Perkins, Oklahoma. n

Tamara Liegerot Elder is a Native American art historian and former curator of American Indian art. She consults with different tribal entities and museums, and is author of a recent book entitled Lumhee-Holot-Tee: The Art & Life of Acee Blue Eagle. She is director of the non-profit North American Indian Research Institute. (top) Mike Larsen in his studio. (middle) Mike Larsen, Perkins, Juanita Tate, oil on canvas, 30” x 40”. Image courtesy Chickasaw Nation. (bottom) Mike Larsen, Perkins, Colbert Hackler, oil on canvas, 30” x 40”. Image courtesy Chickasaw Nation.

p re v i e w

19

Jack Hokeah (U.S., Kiowa, 1902-1973), Sacred Flying Water Serpent (from San Ildefonso Pueblo), 1934 Tempera, 51/4 x 12 in.

Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art, The University of Oklahoma, Norman; Gift of the U.S. Treasury Department (Public Works of Art Project), 1938

Sooners in New Mexico

Exhibit explores Oklahoma artists who were part of Taos and Santa Fe art colonies

by Susan Grossman

Say “Land of Enchantment” and what’s the first thing that comes to mind? Most likely it is New Mexico. Head straight west on Interstate 40 and within a few short hours the prairie gives way to a magical landscape of cactus and tumbleweeds, desert and mountains, spectacular color and mesmerizing light.

Artists from around the world have ventured there, seeking to capture such diversity for decades and Oklahomans are no different. A new exhibition at the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art in Norman – Sooners in the Land of Enchantment: Oklahoma Artists and New Mexico – explores the influence of our neighbor to the West.

The exhibit is composed almost entirely of works from the museum’s collection, with just a few exceptions, said curator Mark White.

“The exhibition is intended to examine Oklahoma art history in a way that has not been done previously,” he said. “There have been a few exhibits of historic Oklahoma art over the past few decades, and we hoped to demonstrate just how involved the Oklahomans were with the New Mexican art colonies.”

The Taos Art Colony formed around the Taos Pueblo at the end of the 19th century while the Santa Fe Art Colony gathered in the state’s provincial capital at the turn of the 20th century. Oklahoma artists including Oscar Jacobson, Nan Sheets and the Kiowa Five began visiting New Mexico in the 1920s, forming relationships with the Native and Euro-American artists who had settled in the colonies there. During the era following WWII, other Oklahoma artists like T.C. Cannon, Allan Houser, Woody Crumbo and Doel Reed moved to New Mexico and produced bodies of work that are included in the art history of the state,

20

p re v i e w

Not only is the Oklahoma group’s work featured in the exhibition, but the works of artists such as Ernest Blumenschien and Bert Phillips who were among the first Taos artists in the colony, along with pieces by Victor Higgins and Maria Martinez.

Visitors certainly will recognize the name and works of Jacobson, the long-time director of the OU School of Art. He experimented with abstraction in works such as In the Navajo Country, painted in 1938. As so many artists were, and continue to be, Jacobson was drawn to the New Mexican landscape for its blend of light, color and shape.

It was this simplicity and color that Jacobson’s wife noted in an untitled biography of the family. “The bleak, forlorn stream in the sandy canyon, deeply encased in steep eroded cliffs, the top of which turned to flame in the first rays of the sun, while strong shadows played in the depths, was the landscape the he loved.”

Jacobson encouraged fellow OU faculty and students to head west as well and works by these artist are featured in the exhibit. In Near E. Town, Ina Annette Ewing depicts the remains of Elizabethtown, also known as E-Town, a deserted mining settlement nestled in the base of the mountains. Lawrence Williams visited in 1929 and created a number of watercolor sketches that he planned to recreate in oil. Dry Arroyo (dry stream) is a landscape featuring a collection of subdued, angular images.

A black pottery ware plate by Martinez, the internationally known potter who kept alive traditional Pueblo styles and techniques, is on display as well as a bronze sculpture by Allan C. Houser called Corn Grinder. Houser arrived in Santa Fe in 1934 to study and later became a faculty member of the Institute of the American Indian (IAIA). His

work may seem familiar as it can be seen around the Southwest and is memorable for its simplified anatomy and curving, rounded masses.

The lure to New Mexico by Oklahomans continued throughout the 20th century with Woodrow Wilson “Woody� Crumbo who opened a serigraph studio in the 1950s, and Doel Reed, an Oklahoma State University professor who was inspired by the terrain of northern New Mexico and settled there.

Sooners in the Land of Enchantment will remain on display through January 3, 2010. The Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art is located on the corner of Elm Avenue and Boyd Street on the University of Oklahoma campus in Norman. Admission is free to all OU students with current identification and all museum association members. On Tuesdays, admission is free to everyone. n

Susan Grossman is assistant director of marketing and communications for University of Oklahoma Outreach and a regular contributor to a number of local and regional lifestyle and sports magazines.

(top) Lawrence Williams (U.S., 1899-1929) Dry Arroyo, 1929, Watercolor, 9 x 13 in. Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art, The University of Oklahoma, Norman; Acquired prior to 1932 (middle) Maria Martinez (U.S., San Ildefonso, 1887-1980) Popovi Da (U.S., San Ildefonso, 1921-1971) Plate with Avanyu Design, n.d.

Ceramic, 1 3/4 x 11 1/2 in. Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art, The University of Oklahoma, Norman; Gift of Dr. and Mrs. R.E. Mansfield, 2003 (bottom) Ina Annette Ewing (U.S., 1901-1990), Near E. Town, n.d.

Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art, The University of Oklahoma, Norman; Gift of the Oscar B. Jacobson Estate, 1992

p re v i e w

21

Edward Hopper (1882-1967), The Camel’s Hump, Oil on Canvas, 32.25”x50”, from Auspicious Vision: Edward Wales Root and American Modernism.

Art For All of Us Two Exhibits Demonstrate That Anyone Can Be a Collector

by Holly Wall

Would-be art collectors in Oklahoma can take a hit of inspiration from two exhibits on display in Tulsa and Oklahoma City.

Auspicious Vision: Edward Wales Root and American Modernism at Philbrook Museum of Art in Tulsa, and The Dorothy and Herbert Vogel Collection: Fifty Works for Fifty States at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art in Oklahoma City, both exemplify how regular people, of average financial standing, amassed remarkable collections of contemporary art.

Edward Wales Root (1884-1956) was a journalist who first became acquainted with art in his New York City newsroom.

Contemporary painting intrigued him so he began visiting galleries and meeting artists.

As modern American art was emerging, and without always understanding the work he saw, Root began buying work – because he loved it, because he wanted to better

22

p re v i e w

understand it and because he wanted to support the artists who created it. Root collected more than 200 works and gifted his collection to the Munson-WilliamsProctor Arts Institute. A portion of the collection is on display at Philbrook until November 29.

Herbert and Dorothy Vogel, also from New York City, began collecting contemporary art around the time of their marriage in 1962. Herbert was a postal worker and Dorothy a librarian, and, together, they acquired more than 4,000 works, using Dorothy’s salary to pay for everyday living expenses and Herbert’s to fund their collection.

Recently, the Vogels donated 50 works to museums in each of the country’s 50 states.

OKCMOA was the museum chosen to receive Oklahoma’s gift, which will be on display until December 6.

While art collecting can sometimes be seen as an activity reserved only for the wealthy elite, these two collections defy stereotype.

They prove that all that’s required for one to buy art is a desire to do so, and they may serve to inspire Oklahomans who might like to find themselves surrounded by beautiful things.

According to Philbrook’s executive director Rand Suffolk, that’s all art collection is: a desire to live with beautiful objects.

“Root and the Vogels did not buy art because they thought it would make a good investment,” Suffolk said. “They didn’t imagine at the beginning that they’d be giving these collections to museums around the country. Their example serves to encourage people to actively acquire beautiful things to the best of their ability.”

Suffolk said that acquiring art is not

about the amount of money spent; rather, it’s about “finding something you love, finding something that has quality.”

“One of my favorite things I have in my home is a $10 work of art I bought out of a vending machine,” Suffolk said.

Jennifer Klos, associate curator for OKCMOA, said, “(The Vogels) started buying art really with no intention of building a collection. They just started acquiring works with which they wanted to live.”

Klos said that, years into their collecting, their small, onebedroom apartment became crammed with it, in every nook and cranny. “Their intention probably was never to put a monetary value on it, either,” Klos said. “They just started collecting because they liked the work. They really wanted to live among it. With contemporary art, people, on the outset, should be interested in buying art and wanting to see it, to live with it.”

Suffolk said he often tells people that, by the time they purchase and frame a high-quality poster, they’ll likely spend between $200 and $300. With the same amount of money, a person could buy an original piece of art.

Suffolk said people should define a budget, a dollar amount they’re willing to spend on a piece of art, and then find something they love, something that makes them happy.

He said spending time at galleries and museums will help them develop their eye and acquaint them with the kinds of works that please them. Someone worried that he can’t afford a painting could consider buying a print, a drawing or a photograph.

“You can acquire lovely things in any price range,” Suffolk said.

“Buy original, buy what you like, be as informed as possible and develop your eye.” n

Holly Wall has been covering the arts in Tulsa for almost three years.

She writes weekly art columns for Urban Tulsa Weekly and monthly for the Tulsa Performing Arts Center’s Intermission magazine.

(top) William Baziotes (1912-63), Toy, Oil on Canvas, 18”x14”, from Auspicious Vision: Edward Wales Root and American Modernism. (bottom) The Dorothy and Herbert Vogel Collection: Fifty Works for Fifty States at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art in Oklahoma City.

p re v i e w

23

ON THE

shawnee

by Katie Seefeldt Located on Interstate 40, thirty minutes east of Oklahoma City, is Shawnee, Oklahoma, a town with a surprisingly thriving art scene. Shawnee may be small, its population around twentynine thousand, but it takes a big interest in art.

Whether its local or world famous artists that interest you, Shawnee has it all.

In order to fund public art projects and act as an interface between local artists, educators, businesses and artists, the Redbud Arts Council has been recently formed in Shawnee.

The council believes that art within the community can have a positive effect, helping to boost the economic vitality, and therefore they strive to “enhance the accessibility of art to the community.” While driving around town, notice the vibrantly colored fiberglass horses that stand in front of local businesses.

These horses are part of the council’s “Horse in the City Project” and each one has been uniquely designed by a local artist. Linda Dixon, a member of the Redbud Council, is a local painter whose style incorporates everything from Realism to abstract expressionism. She believes that Shawnee’s art scene is ever growing and that the town has “a wealth of talent and plenty of undeveloped resources.” For seven years Dixon has been painting public murals around Shawnee, commemorating some of the town’s interesting architecture, like the Santa Fe Depot Museum.

Through the work of members like Dixon and popularity of projects like “Horse in the City” the Redbud Council is making a name for itself while encouraging public art and supporting local artists.

Candace Coker is a photographer who grew up in Shawnee and found plenty of inspiration in her very own backyard. Coker began using Shawnee’s historic architecture as her subject matter early in her career. Coker became interested in photographing the dilapidated buildings of Shawnee’s old downtown because she found their states of disrepair to be both beautiful and saddening. Throughout the years, Coker was able to photograph the same Paula Willis Jones, Shawnee, Prayer Journies

24

f e a t u re

buildings, capturing their slow deterioration and preserving for prosperity their unorthodox beauty. Finding beauty in objects not traditionally considered beautiful by others is a theme in Coker’s images of Shawnee, as well as a constant theme in her oeuvre. Of her newer works, like Simple Serendipitous Beauty, Coker says they are about, “…noticing the overlooked.

Helping the viewer to see what I see.”

Paula Willis Jones, another artist who calls Shawnee home, takes inspiration from Shawnee’s pastoral scenery and the International Finals Youth Rodeo, which is held there each year. Her contemporary western images, done on metal sheets, are evidence of the inspiration she draws from Shawnee as well as her desire to keep her art fresh by experimenting with new mediums.

Jones is also currently experimenting with computerized art and prefers to work in a quick fashion in order to capture the power of her initial inspiration. Traditional pieces, like portraiture, are still a large part of her work and she has painted notable Oklahomans like First Lady Kim Henry. Jones work, which has

been featured in Martha Stewart Living, can be seen at JRB Art at The Elms in Oklahoma City as well as in Forth Worth, Texas where she is participating in the “Heart of the West” exhibit at the Cowgirl Hall of Fame.

Aside from local art, Shawnee’s Mabee-Gerrer Museum of Art, situated on the idyllic campus of St. Gregory’s University, houses a collection of world famous art. Opened in 1919, the museum is a collection of pieces amassed by Gregory Gerrer, a friar whose religious inclinations and artistic merits allowed him to travel Europe studying art in the early twentieth century. While there, Gerrer began collecting art. His personal collection consisted of over 200 paintings and 6400 objects from cultures all over the world, spanning from the Egyptians to the twentieth century and now makes up the museum’s collection. Gerrer wanted to share his collection with his fellow Oklahomans and thus, the museum walls are lined with paintings by big-hitters in the art world like Guido Reni, William Bouguereau, and Pablo Picasso. The Mabee-Gerrer boasts the only

Mummy in Oklahoma, lovingly referred to as “Tutu.” A recent exhibit, Come and See: The Journey of Linda Schaefer, allowed the viewer to travel the world through the eyes, and photo lens, of this local photographer. Schaefer, a former photographer for CNN whose images have donned the covers of magazines like Parade and Time, often photographs scenes of poverty stricken individuals. However, the subject matter of her images is not the pain or suffering of the people but their joy and strength amidst turmoil. Whether she is photographing the homeless in Los Angeles,

lepers in India, or the tribes in the Amazon, Schaefer brings the character of the figures to the forefront. Her images certainly highlight the social problems that exist around the world but they are truly thought provoking for their ability to emphasize the emotions of those photographed. The Mabee-Gerrer is also highlighting a prevalent social problem, hunger, in the upcoming exhibition Doing what we CAN to help, which runs from November 6-22. The exhibition will focus on images of canned food by artists from across the state and visitors can get into the

museum for free if they donate one canned food item.

With so many local artists making names for themselves and the growing interest in public-minded art projects, Shawnee is a great place to experience the art that Oklahoma has to offer. n Katie Seefeldt recently graduated with her Masters in Art history from the University of Georgia, where she specialized in Italian Renaissance and Baroque art.

Shawnee Convention and Visitor’s Bureau www.visitshawnee.com Mabee-Gerrer Museum of Art 1900 West MacArthur Drive Shawnee, OK 74804 Telephone: 405-878-5300 www.mgmoa.org Santa Fe Depot Museum 614 E. Main Street Shawnee, OK 74801 www.santafedepotmuseum.org Southern Winds Film Festival www.southernwindsfilmfestival.com Citizen Potawatomi Nation Cultural Heritage Center 1899 S Gordon Cooper Dr Shawnee, OK 74801 405-275-3121 or 800-880-9880 www.potawatomi.org St. Gregory’s University 1900 W. MacArthur Street Shawnee, OK 74804 www.stgregorys.edu

Horseshoe Road November 5, 8 p.m.

“An eclectic musical style ranging from Blues to Bluegrass…” World-renowned fiddle sensation, Kyle Dillingham, heads the band.

Fiddler on the Roof November 13 and 14 7:30 p.m.

November 15 2 p.m.

In the little village of Anatevka, Tevye, a poor dairyman, tries to instill in his five daughters the traditions of his tight-knit Jewish community.

Drum Engine • February 9, 8 p.m.

Take a musical journey and find yourself surprised at all the things you can do with percussion instruments.

Oklahoma Baptist University 500 West University Shawnee, OK 74804 800.654.3285 or 405.275.2850 www.okbu.edu Country Cottage Primitive Lavender Farm 17206 Walker Road Shawnee, OK 74801 (405) 275-3238 or (405) 275-4350 www.countrycottagelavender.com Parsons Vineyard and Winery 15401 Gaddy Road Shawnee, OK 74801 www.parsonsvineyardandwinery.com

For ticket information, call 405-297-2264 or 1-800-364-7111.

Tickets also available at the Rose State College Performing Arts Theatre box office located at I-40 and Hudiburg Drive, Monday-Friday 9 a.m.- 2 p.m., 2 hours before show time and online at www.myticketoffice.com.

f e a t u re

25

Small Medium, Large Message

by Sue Clancy

In 1964 Marshall McLuhan coined the phrase “The medium is the message.” McLuhan’s definition of the word “medium” is “any extension of ourselves.” For him this could be a railroad, a light bulb or a television – something that extends our body, senses or mind and “changes the scale, pace or pattern of our lives” beyond our physical capabilities. * As an artist when I see the word “medium” I think of fine art mediums – the materials artists use to create art. We use materials as an extension of our minds and the materials and techniques we use directly affect our messages. The art medium is the art message. Our mediums and messages also affect where and how we market our artwork.

By the word “message” I mean the small and large pictures of what we’re about as artists. Each individual work of art has a message. A group of artworks by one artist has a larger message with the message of each individual work (ideally) compounding towards the larger message which is revealed by a grouping. An artist’s entire life’s work - their oeuvre – and how it evolved over time communicates an even larger message.

Message Affects Audience Choice of medium is important to the artist but for the typical viewer of art it is hardly noticed. Art viewers and collectors approach the message – the subject or content - of a painting or sculpture first.

Private collections are often built around thematic lines. Collectors will seek artists and galleries that feature art with their preferred messages. Many, if not most, exhibits are organized by a theme or message with the artistic medium being a secondary consideration. Galleries with non-themed exhibits organize their selection of artists by whether or not the artist’s message fits with the organizations overall message.

26

business of art

After those considerations the medium used by the artist – and its “exhibit issues” - is considered.

When artists talk to potential collectors or galleries we talk primarily about our artistic messages and secondarily of our mediums. If a collector or gallery values our message the fragility or heaviness of our medium and its “exhibit issues” become smaller. Artists also use message as a way to find exhibit opportunities, both traditional and nontraditional. We think “I’m saying X. What other organizations or exhibits also say X? “

Medium and Message Affect Our Actions Our choice of medium influences our business of art decisions. The qualities of our medium affects the types of exhibits we choose to participate in by making some exhibit venues more “do-able” than others.

For instance: Large scale stone sculpture is not easily shipped or transported from one exhibit to another so it is more likely that such a sculpture would be considered as a site-specific public art permanent installation rather than a short term gallery exhibit item. The sculptor whose message is suited to monumental mediums might look primarily at public art opportunities or special commissions for exhibit opportunities but a small scale ceramic sculptor might consider short term gallery exhibits – or even festivals - because their work is more easily shipped or transported. It is also possible that a sculptor might have one body of work that is small and portable and another that is large and monumental – with messages suited to both scales – and target their marketing accordingly.

Many exhibits are organized by types of medium. It is one way for artists and organizations to find each other because each medium has its own “exhibit issues.”

Hanging and displaying fiber art, for example, requires a different type of expertise than hanging paintings on canvas does.

As artists we want our art displayed with appropriate care so we select organizations with the right expertise to handle our mediums. We think “of the organizations that have a message similar to mine - which organization can handle my medium?”

The Message leads us to Medium - and vice versa. When two or more artists get together the talk is often about art mediums and techniques rather than messages. Mediums are one of the largest issues in our working lives. Both our personal and professional lives are impacted by our choice of medium.

Mediums requiring large studio space or specialized materials affect how we live daily life, the messages we’re able to communicate and the types of professional projects we’ll do.

We work at crafting clear deliberate messages with our chosen medium. First we learn that our artistic message can be enhanced or weakened by our choice of medium. Later we learn to further enhance our message by skillfully partnering with organizations in order to place our messages before a receptive audience.

The world is big and diverse. There’s room for everyone. By considering carefully both medium and message we can extend our artistic selves into the world – in a targeted fashion – and find our places in it. n * McLuhan quotes are taken from “What is the meaning of The Medium is the Message?”

by Mark Federman Sue Clancy is a full-time professional artist whose artwork can be seen internationally – and locally at Joseph Gierek Fine Art gallery in Tulsa, OK (www.gierek.com) or at Downtown Art & Frame in Norman, OK. She checks her email artist@ telepath.com occasionally, too.

Ask a Creativity Coach

WHAT’S YOUR STORY?

by Romney Nesbitt Words matter. What you say about yourself and your career can open or close doors for you. Choose to offer a positive viewpoint at every social opportunity.

As artists in the business world we need to connect with people who may be in a position to advance our career goals, offer commissions or collaborate on a project. At every gallery opening, holiday party, club meeting and family get-together there’s an opportunity for you to put your best foot forward. What’s your story? What will you say the next time you’re asked “How are things going with your art career?”

Imagine you overhear this conversation between two artists at a gallery opening: “My sales have been down this whole year.” (Artist A) “Mine too.” (Artist B)

10 WAYS TO BUILD A DOOR: Instructions for Artists 1. Have a positive attitude about your work and your goals. Be ready to share your enthusiasm with anyone, anywhere. Aren’t you tired of hearing pessimistic talk?

2. Be realistic. Highs and lows in the economy are to be expected.

This current economic downturn is temporary. Get ready now for tomorrow’s upswing.

3. Realize that every person you meet is important. Everybody knows somebody. To reach your financial goals you need contacts.

4. Don’t miss an opportunity to make a great first impression. Be friendly, positive and enthusiastic. Convey confidence when you speak about your career.

5. Expect to do business. Give a business card to every person you meet. Your website need updating?

“I’ve been so depressed I’ve stopped working. What’s the use?

People just aren’t buying.” (A)

6. Keep current on market trends by reading books and articles on business strategies. Do you read the Business section of your local newspaper?

“Yeah, sales are down but I’m still working. It took me a while to think my way through this whole recession thing, but I found a way to make it work for me.” (B)

7. Surround yourself with positive people. Guard your creative energies. Don’t hang out with complainers.

“What do you mean?”(A)

8. Define what success is for you. You can’t reach a goal unless you set a goal and create a plan to reach it.

“I’ve shifted my focus away from no sales to future sales. I’m doing the kind of work I said I always wanted to do, but thought I didn’t have time to do. Now I have time.”(B)

9. Try new techniques. Take this pause in the rush to experiment. You may discover a new style or medium.

“So you’re producing more work now?” (A)

10. Put yourself on the line. A sure way to put your production in high gear is to schedule a show of new works.

“Yes, I’m preparing work for a solo show I’ve scheduled for 2011.”

(B) Which artist would you like to get to know better?

Artist A has allowed the economy to drive his creative juices into the ground. He’s joined the country-wide gloom and doom club.

Artist B found a silver lining in the economic cloud. Her words reflected a positive mental attitude and flexibility. She knows that the current state of our economy is temporary; when it turns around, she’ll be ready.

Take charge of your career one conversation at a time. Tell the story you want repeated. Your words, actions and time can build doors of opportunity that open wide! n

Romney Nesbitt is a Creativity Coach, artist and writer living in Tulsa.

She is the author of Secrets From a Creativity Coach, available on Amazon.com. Romney welcomes your questions for future columns. Contact her at romneyn@att.net, or at www.romneynesbitt.com.

Choose to be proactive rather than reactive. If breaks aren’t coming your way, create your own. Comedian Milton Berle’s said it this way, “If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door.”

business of art

27

Elia Woods, Oklahoma City, All Paths Lead to Home, photography/fiber, 72”x78”x80”

At a Glance M odern M aterials: The Art of the Quilt at [ArtSpace] at Untitled

by Lisa Prior

Artists, Curator Jill Rumoshosky Warner writes in her exhibition essay, “are breaking down walls between mediums and defying preconceived categories. On the forefront of this change are the artists who are creating quilts as fine art.” Within the practice of contemporary art there is certainly a blurring of edges between traditional categories, such as painting and sculpture, yet when it comes to the question of “Can a quilt be considered fine art?” there is no certain answer. However, a quilt made as fine art usually results in a quilt with fine art attributes, and this is largely reflected in the exhibition. The show comprises excellently crafted quilts of myriad shape, size and whimsy offering universal public appeal.

In contrast, there was one surprising crossover by Elia Woods: paradoxically, All Paths Lead to Home is the least quilt-like in the exhibition. Woods’ deconstructed quilt layers are hung in the round, creating a hexagonal three-dimensional space. The blinkand-you-will-miss-it stitching just barely holds the diaphanous

28

at a glance

layers of photo-transferred silk panels together. Woods’ use of bee imagery, from swarm to hive to honey-laden cell, may be a cheeky reference to the quilting bees of times past, but it also points to the social aspects shared by bees and quilters alike - something the artist understands intimately, having kept bees for over 20 years.

Amid a hive of busy quilts, Elia Woods’ non-quilt hovers quietly in the non-space of contemporary art, where concept is most certainly the queen bee. The result is a work of art about quilting, rather than an artful quilt. Whether it is beekeeping, quilting or art making in the end the pleasure is in the doing, where indeed, all paths do lead to home. n Lisa Prior used to make funny conceptual art videos but is now writing sitcoms during an extended stopover in OKC. Peckham2paris@gmail.com

Round Up

November/December 2009

Did you know OVAC’s Blog includes regular artist profiles, business of art articles and exhibition reviews? Check it out at ovac.blogspot.com.

Thanks: Grants from summer 2009 Allied Arts: Annual support

The 12x12 Art Sale and Exhibition was another booming success thanks to the artists, committee, and donors. Susan Beaty and Sam Fulkerson skillfully Co-Chaired the event, raising 25% more in underwriting than the previous year. Wow! These funds, along with admissions and OVAC’s commission on art sales, make possible crucial programs like artist grants and fellowships. Thanks 12x12 supporters!

American Fidelity Foundation: 24 Works on Paper

Art People Mary Ann Prior became the new Executive Director of City Arts Center in September. Prior moved from London, where she has been an independent art curator and advisor and worked as a curator for Bank of America. Welcome Mary Ann!

George Kaiser Family Foundation: Momentum Tulsa & Art Studio Tour Kirkpatrick Family Fund: supporting Art Focus Oklahoma Mid-America Arts Alliance: American Recovery & Reinvestment Act National Endowment for the Arts: Oklahoma Art Writing & Curatorial Fellowship Oklahoma Arts Council: Organizational support Oklahoma Humanities Council: Oklahoma Art Writing & Curatorial Fellowship

Thank you to our New and Renewing Members from July and August 2009 Mazen H. Abufadil Shea Alexander Sharon Allred Charlie Amis and Cheri Gray Eileen Anderson Robert and Cara Barnes Cody and Kelly Barnett Judith Bright Barnett Richard Belger Rick and Tracey Bewley Mike and Corey Blake Mollie Blanchard Bill Boettcher Bob and Connie Bright Chris and Jana Bright Alisa Brooks Greg and Ginny Brown Colleen Brown Tammy Brummell Roy Butler Jerry L. Cathey Frank Cissne Josh T. Cleveland Steve Cluck Julie Wohlgemuth Cohen Jim Cotton and Dr. Huda Musa Cotton John F. Covington Angela Cozby Cameron Creed Ryan Cunningham Janet Davie Adrienne Day Gary and Fran Derrick James and Deborah Drummond Tony Dyke and Susan Morrison-Dyke Linda East Elizabeth K. Eickman Gina Ellis

Marvin Embree Lawanna Emerson Christiane E. Faris Gayle Farley Mike Fauks Doug Parr and Pat Gallagher Jeff Gardner Glen Gentele and Shannon Fitzgerald Shan Goshorn Jeannie Graham Edward Granger Smith Mary Lou Gresham Bill and Mary Ellen Gumerson Brittny Hacker Christin Hackler Carol Hansen Kim and Suzette Hatfield Winnie Hawkins Edwin Helm Charles Helm Steve Hicks Michelle Himes-Mccrory Mary Horn Helen F. Howerton Jacqueline Iskander F. Bradley Jessop Willard Johnson Kevin and Jackie Johnson Yvonne Lever and Scott Jones Beverly Jones Scott M. Kane Kelsey Karper Jody Karr Robert Keating Lou C. Kerr Priscilla Kinnick Judy Kisner and Henry Zarrow Amanda Knowles

Stephen Kovash Brian Landreth Marvin Lee Shelly Lewis Stanfield Hali Linn Marsha Mahan Cynthia Marcoux Paul Mays Devin and Kristin McAdams Richard and Liz McKown George and Cristina McQuistion Hugh Meade Paul Medina Marc and Jan Meng Sunni Mercer Eva Miller Stuart and Leslie Milsten Savannah Mitchell Gregory Motto Stefani Nachatilo Pam Newkumet Lora Newton Jonathan Nichols T. Nichols Mary Nickell Diane and Eric Offen Ryan Oldfield Erin Oldfield John and Marilyn Oldfield Kim Pagonis Frank and Elaine Parker Lou Ellen Paschal Richard Pearson and Nancy Reed Jerry Piper Renee Porter Harold Porterfield Katie Price Louis and Marcy Price

Price Tower Arts Center Broc Randall R. Randall Robinson, MD Randy Robison Christine Rodgers Kyla Scherler Ira and Sandy Schlezinger Denny Schmickle Elliott R. Schwartz Bert D. Seabourn Tom Searls Matt Seikel and Denise Duong John and Mary Seward Rick Sinnett Donna Sledge Diana J. Smith Amy Noel Stalling Cassie Stover Douglas J. Stussi Michi Susan Paul Taylor Steve Tomlin Erin Van Laanen Rick and Sarah Vermillion Patricia Vestal Laura and Joe Warriner Sharon Webster Christopher Westfall George Whitlatch Mark Williams Michael J. Wilson Kristi Wyatt James and Denise Wedel Lillian Yoeckel Brenda Young Kathryn Zynda

OVAC news

29

&

Gallery Listings Ada 24 Works on Paper Through November 30 Reception November 5, 4-6 Senior Exhibits December 1-19 The Pogue Gallery Hallie Brown Ford Fine Arts Center 900 Centennial Plaza (580) 559-5353 ecok.edu

Ardmore

2nd Annual Christmas Ornament Exhibit November 4-December 24 Studio 107 Gallery 107 East Main (580) 224-1143 studio107ardmore.com Worley Faver Pottery Exhibit Through November 22 Artist Reception November 20, 5-6:30 USAO Seven State Biennial Juried Exhibition December 8-January 10 The Goddard Center 401 First Avenue SW (580) 226-0909 goddardcenter.org

Bartlesville UK/OK: Exploring Traditions in Contemporary Design Through January 3, 2010 Price Tower Arts Center 510 Dewey Ave. (918) 336-4949 pricetower.org

Edmond Louisa McElwain November 20 Shadid Fine Art 19 N. Broadway (405) 341-9023 shadidfineart.com

El Reno Matt Jarvis: China ReCollections Through November 23 Aaron Hauck: Rush Hour December 4-January 29 Redlands Community College (405) 262-2552 redlandscc.edu

Idabel Symbols of Power and Authority Exhibit Through December 6 Lifewell Gallery Museum of the Red River 812 East Lincoln Road (580) 286-3616 museumoftheredriver.org

Lawton Community Arts Organization Art Show: Duncan Art Guild; Walters Art Guild; Wichita Wildlight Photo Society and Wichita Falls Art Council November 14 The Leslie Powell Foundation and Gallery 620 D Avenue (580) 357-9526 lpgallery.org

Exhibition Schedule

Norman

Oklahoma City

FAC Holiday Gift Gallery 2009 November 13-January 4 Winter Art Walk December 11, 6-10 Firehouse Art Center 444 South Flood (405) 329-4523 normanfirehouse.com

romy owens November 6-28 Opening reception November 6, 6-10 Dustin Oswald December 4-26 Opening reception December 4, 6-10 aka gallery 3001 Paseo (405) 606-2522 akagallery.net

Sooners in the Land of Enchantment: Oklahoma Artists and New Mexico Through January 3, 2010 The Creative Eye: Selections from the Carol Beesley Collection of Photographs, in honor of Michael Hennagin November 7-January 3 2010 Opening reception, November 6, 7-9 pm.

Gallery Talk November 9, 10 am Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art 555 Elm Ave. (405) 325-4938 ou.edu/fjjma George Oswalt, Garrison Buxton and Melanie Seward November 13, Midway Reception Emergent Artists 2009 December 11 Mainsite Contemporary Art Gallery 122 East Main (405) 292-8095 mainsite-art.com

Roots and Ties III November 13-December 26 [ArtSpace] at Untitled 1 NE 3rd St. (405) 815-9995 artspaceatuntitled.org Donald Longcrier November 19-December 23 Annual Pottery Sale November 19-December 23 City Arts Center 3000 General Pershing Blvd.

(800) 951-0000 cityartscenter.org Jim Keffer and John Wolfe November 6-28 Opening reception November 6, 6-10 Functional and Sculptural Teapot Exhibition December 4-26 Opening reception December 4, 6-10 JRB Art at the Elms 2810 North Walker (405) 528-6336 jrbartgallery.com

Mike Larsen: They Know Who They Are Through March 26, 2010 Gaylord-Pickens Oklahoma Heritage Museum 1400 Classen Dr. (405) 235-4458 oklahomaheritage.com Billy Reid and Suzanne Thomas November 13-January 31 Istvan Gallery at Urban Art 1218 N. Western Ave. (405) 831-2874 istvangallery.com The Artisanship of Mexican Equestrian Culture Through January 3 Not Just a Housewife: The Changing Roles of Women in the West Through January 10 Bonita Wa Wa Calachaw Nuñez: Selected Works Through May 9 National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum 1700 NE 63rd (405) 478-2250 nationalcowboymuseum.org Matt Moffett: Dog Show Through November 1 Oklahoma State Capitol Galleries 2300 N. Lincoln Blvd (405) 521-2931 arts.ok.gov

(left) Laura Gilpin (U.S. 1891-1979) Georgia O’Keeffe with Juan Hamilton Pot, 1953, Gelatin Silver Print, 8 1/4”x7 3/8”, part of The Creative Eye exhibition at the Fred Jones Jr Museum of Art, November 7-January 3. (right) Oscar Brousse Jacobson (U.S. b. Sweden 1882-1966) In the Navajo Country, 1938, Oil on Canvas, 20”x26”, part of the Sooners in the Land of Enchantment exhibition at Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art, through January 3.

30

gallery guide

The Dutch Italianates: 17th Century Masterpieces from Dulwich Picture Gallery, London Through January 3, 2010 Oklahoma City Museum of Art 415 Couch Drive (405) 236-3100 okcmoa.com The Container Show November 6-28, reception November 6, 6-10 Rick Turnbull December 4-26, reception 6-10 Paseo Art Space 3022 Paseo (405) 525-2688 thepaseo.com The Art of Bert Seabourn, Bill Jaxon and Connie Seabourn Through January 1 The Satellite Galleries at Science Museum Oklahoma 2100 NE 52nd St (405) 602-6664 sciencemuseumok.org

Shawnee

Tulsa

MGMoA Regional Art Exhibit 2009: Doing what we can to Help November 6-22 Opening reception November 6, 7 pm Holiday Gala December 4 Mabee-Gerrer Museum of Art 1900 West Macarthur (405) 878-5300 mgmoa.org

Yellow Submarine: Paintings

by Bob Sober Through November 9 Circle Cinema Gallery 12 S. Lewis (918) 585-FILM circlecinema.org

Stillwater Studio Capstone Exhibit November 2-13 Graphic Design Portfolio November 18- December 4 Gardiner Art Gallery Oklahoma State University 108 Bartlett University (405) 744-6016 okstate.edu

Become a member of the Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition! Join today to begin enjoying the benefits of membership, including a subscription to Art Focus Oklahoma.

Sustaining $250 -Listing on signage at events -Invitation to private reception with visiting curators -All of below

Patron $100 -Acknowledgement in the Resource Guide and Art Focus Oklahoma -Copy of each OVAC exhibition catalog -All of below

Family $55 -Same benefits as Individual for two people in household

Individual $35 -Subscription to Art Focus Oklahoma -Inclusion in online Virtual Gallery -Monthly e-newsletter of visual art events statewide -Monthly e-newsletter of opportunities for artists -Receive all mailed OVAC call for entries and invitations -Artist entry fees waived for OVAC sponsored exhibitions -Listing in Annual Resource Guide and Member Directory -Copy of Annual Resource Guide and Member Directory -Access to “Members Only” area on OVAC website -Up to 50% discount on Artist Survival Kit workshops -Invitation to Annual Meeting

Student $20 -Valid student ID required. Same benefits as Individual level.

Thomas Gilcrease and the Making of an American Treasure Through January 10, 2010 Emissaries of Peace: The 1762 Cherokee and British Delegations Through January 10, 2010 Gilcrease Museum 1400 Gilcrease Road (918) 596-2700 gilcrease.org Two from Tulsa: New Work

by Darren Dirksen and James Andrew Smith November 19- December 26 Joseph Gierek Fine Art 1512 E. 15th St (918) 592-5432 gierek.com

Dia de los Muertos Art Festival and Altared Spaces November 1 Living Artspace 307 E. Brady (918) 585-1234 livingarts.org Fall Perspective: Annual Group Show Through December 9 The Refined Beast: Scott Amrhein and Michael Ransdell November 6- December 6 Opening reception November 6, 5-8 WORN: Functional Art December 4- January 4 Opening reception December 4, 5-8 Lovetts Gallery 6528 E 51st St (918) 664-4732 lovettsgallery.com

Auspicious Vision Through November 29 The Eugene B Adkins Collection Through December 31 Villa Philbrook Through July 12, 2010 The Philbrook Museum of Art 2727 South Rockford Road (918) 749-7941 Philbrook.org Michael Combs Paintings November 6-28 Frost on Winter: A Juried Exhibition December 4- January 2 Tulsa Artists Coalition Gallery 9 East Brady (918) 592-0041 tacgallery.org Art Deco Photos November 5-21 Portraits: The Art of B. Cooper December 1-21 Tulsa Performing Arts Center Gallery Third and Cincinnati (918) 596-2368 tulsapac.com GET INVOLVED

MEMBER FORM ¨ Sustaining

¨ Patron

¨ Family

¨ Individual

¨ Student

Name Street Address City, State, Zip Email Website Credit card (MC or Visa Only) Credit card #

Exp. Date

Are you an artist? Y N Medium?____________________________________________ Would you like to be included in the Membership Directory? Y N Would you like us to share your information for other arts-related events?

Y

N

Comments:

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

ArtOFocus k l a h o m a Annual Subscriptions to Art Focus Oklahoma are free with membership to the Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition.

Membership forms and benefits can be found at www.ovac-ok.org or by phone (405) 879-2400.

Student Membership: $20 Individual Membership: $35 Family/Household Membership: $55 Patron Membership: $100 Sustaining Membership: $250

730 W. Wilshire Blvd, Suite 104 Oklahoma City, OK 73116

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