ART SPACE: Cory Ake

Story by Brenda Baugh / Ponca City Monthly Contributing Writer Photos contributed by Artist

On the second floor of the Royalty Building is a space that is not like any other office throughout Kay County. The waiting room has a couch, end tables and a television. Seems normal? However, the walls of this waiting room are covered from floor to ceiling with action figures still in the original packaging and the TV. is connected to a gaming system. This waiting room is not full of children’s toys, but full of a collector’s prized possessions. While taking this all in, there is a faint buzzing sound coming from just behind another door on the other side of the entrance. This is the waiting room for Studio 205.

The door opens and a man with a mask walks into the room. The mask covers his mouth, but his eyes are smiling and a feeling of being welcomed encompasses the entire room. The man with the smiling eyes is Cory Ake and he takes social distancing and public health very seriously.

The artwork of Cory Ake is dreamlike, mystical and surreal. Even though he takes his craft and apprenticeship extremely serious, that does not translate to the canvas or in the subject matter. An octopus in a wine glass. Flowers floating through a sky of stormy clouds. Pirate ships navigating fluffy white clouds. His artwork is a place where a person can get lost for hours. How would you describe your artwork?

“I would describe my artwork as filled with symbolism. A painted biography of my life. One giant story,” stated Ake. All of his oil paintings are related to one another and are in chronological order of his life. Each painting’s subject matter includes current events in the world along with the events that are closer to home for Cory. Also, he includes hidden messages for the viewer. His focus and hope for each piece, is that the viewer sees their own story and that his painting is more of a mirror of one’s own life and experiences.

“Yes I am!” Ake is proud of his roots in Ponca City. He shared that his family, on his grandmother’s side, are originally from California but decided to make Ponca their home. After a brief time living in Tulsa, he decided to return to his childhood home and that this was the place where he wanted to pursue art full-time.

Cory enthusiastically exclaims, “My grandfather!” Ake’s grandfather has encouraged him to pursue his passion since he was a child and has been showing him how to market himself and his art. The businessminded grandfather was a professional drummer in his younger years and played all over the world. Once he became a little more settled, he landed in Las Vegas where he owned several nightclubs and even ran around with the Rat Pack. Once in Ponca City, he was one of the early owners of The Rockin’ Horse Saloon; now known as Ridin’ High.

“I was always scared to venture out from my style and medium. My comfort zone.”

Then Cory Ake met Brian Spitz, owner of Studio 205, and started discussing how “free and open” it is to tattoo. Through their lengthy conversations about the beauty of the human form and the beauty of art on skin, a friendship blossomed and grew. Spitz agreed to take Ake on as an apprentice, which is a two-year commitment for both gentlemen.

Cory Ake has completed the 1500 hours the state requires him to “shadow” a professional tattoo artist and will begin tattooing soon under the supervision of his mentor and friend, Brian Spitz.

Studio 205 recently moved downstairs in the Royalty Building into a 3500 + sq. foot space. This larger space will allow the studio to have guest tattoo artists, continue with their visual art interests by teaching painting classes, displaying local artists’ art and adding to the already diverse and thriving art scene of Ponca City. The grand opening will be October 1st and Cory Ake will be there to greet everyone that walks through the door.