ArtOFocus

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

k l a h o m a Vo l u m e 2 5 N o . 2 March/April 2010

Tracey
Harris
Contemporary
Contemporary
Realism
Realism
p.
p. 88

f ro m t h e editor
Drawing by Emma Ann Robertson.
I really like looking at art. This probably goes without saying.
One of the perks of working in the arts is that I get to see new
art on a consistent basis. Seeing art is part of my job. Even
more than that, meeting artists face-to-face is part of my job.
Meeting and talking to artists actually has become a part of
how I look at art.
After looking at artwork and drawing my own conclusions
about it, I look forward to then hearing what the artist has
to say. In some cases, this can cause a shift in my thinking
that feels almost physical and the artwork itself has become
refreshed and new again.
In my own art making, I spend a lot of time thinking about
the creative process so I almost always have questions about
how it was made or what material was used. For art viewers
of all types, an explanation of “how” can open a new level of
appreciation, a gateway into understanding the “why.” Beyond that, hearing a first-hand account
of what the artist was thinking that led to the work’s creation often opens a new dimension of
insight that I most likely would never have reached on my own. Nearly every opportunity I have
had to hear an artist speak about their own work has led to a broadened perception in my mind.
If you, like me, are interested in the artists and processes behind the art, you can’t miss the Tulsa
Art Studio Tour on April 10-11. Ten artists in eight studios invite the public in to see their
creative space, view works in progress and to ask questions about how and why it’s made. Visit
www.TulsaArtStudioTour.org for more details.
For artists who are interested in refining their ability to articulate their ideas, attend OVAC’s
artists retreat, April 16-18 to help you speak about your work and make public presentations.
More information is at www.ArtistSurvivalKit.org.
Kelsey Karper
publications@ovac-ok.org
On the Cover
Tracey Harris, Fort Gibson,
Food Descending a Bookcase,
Oil on Linen, 28”x34”
2
Art OFocus
k l a h o m a
Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition
730 W. Wilshire Blvd., Suite 104
Oklahoma City, OK 73116
ph: 405.879.2400 • e: director@ovac-ok.org
visit our website at: www.ovac-ok.org
Executive Director: Julia Kirt
director@ovac-ok.org
Editor: Kelsey Karper
publications@ovac-ok.org
Art Director: Anne Richardson
anne@speccreative.com
Art Focus Oklahoma is a bimonthly publication of the
Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition dedicated to stimulating
insight into and providing current information about the
visual arts in Oklahoma.
Mission: 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.
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.
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.
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.
© 2010, Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition.
All rights reserved.
View this issue online at
www.ArtFocusOklahoma.org.
 contents

p ro f i l e s
4 Profile: Holly Wilson
Oklahoma City artist Holly Wilson tells stories and captures moments through her work in
sculpture, painting and photography.

8 Maybe Sprout WIngs

Fort Gibson artist Tracey Harris creates unexpected fantasy in her realistic contemporary
oil paintings.
8
10 Benjamin Harjo Jr.’s Joyful Life and Art
What began as a childhood love of comic books has developed into playful, geometric artwork
inspired by everything from history to bug splatters.

re v i e w s / p re v i e w s
12 Kristal Tomshany’s Form in Flux
A Tulsa exhibit explores themes of change, loss, death and freedom in a series of bold paintings
with subtle surreal details.

14 Laurie Spencer Serves Up Some Earthly Delights at the Gardiner Gallery, OSU
Laurie Spencer’s ceramic works range in scale from 6 inches to 22 feet, and draw inspiration
from around the world.

16 Function and Design 14

A collaborative exhibit at [Artspace] at Untitled showcases accessible art for everyday life.

18 The Drive of Chance

Oklahoma-born artist Andrew Polk merges his respect for the uncontrollable factors of life, and
his sentiment for Oklahoma in an exhibition at City Arts Center in Oklahoma City.

f e a t u re s
20 Momentum Spotlight
Three young artists are realizing ambitious ideas for Momentum 2010.

23 Contextualizing Art: The Oklahoma Art Writing and Curatorial Fellowship

Seeking to develop new conversations about art and new advocates for living artists, this new
OVAC program launched earlier this year.
16
business of art
26 Ask a Creativity Coach
The Creativity Coach gives tips to move through life transitions and quit procrastinating on your
creative goals.

27 a t a g l a n c e
Through the Lens
An Edmond exhibit showcases a collection of historic photographs and cameras.

OVAC news
29 Round Up | New & Renewing Members

30 gallery guide 20

(p. 7) Tracey Harris, Fort Gibson, To The Light, Oil on Linen, 38”x38”; (p.14) Laurie Spencer, Tulsa, 2009
Ceramic firing; (p. 16) Origami Globe light fixture by Klint Schor, Dining Benches and Tray by Kyle Golding ;
(p.20) Delvie McPherson, Oklahoma City, Procreation, Brooch: Die formed and patina copper and brass, 6”x2”
33
(left) Holly Wilson, Oklahoma City, What Lies Beneath, Bronze, Wood,
Encaustic, Plexi-glass, 21”x15.5”x5”

(right) Holly Wilson, Oklahoma City, Boy’s View, Bronze, Geode, 4.25”x4”x4”

HOLLY WILSON : WHAT LIES BENEATH

by romy owens

Holly Wilson is amazing and so is her artwork. I had

a chance to interview her while she was preparing
for her exhibit called What Lies Beneath at the
Goldesberry Gallery in Houston.

4 p ro f i l e
ro: Let’s start right off with your Cigar Figures please, which are my minds eye or the sketch, just that it gets me to the table. Many
so substantial and so delicate simultaneously. They are beautiful, times as I am working one figure the simple gesture of the figure’s
charming and evocative. So, who are they? Where do they come from? shoulder or turn of the head will spark another completely different
And what inspired the series?  piece. There are other outside elements at play that also will lead to
HW: My Cigar Figures are cast of real cigars butts and found sticks. I an image. The way a stick looks like a bird in flight or the inside of a
remember a Native American story from my childhood that my mother geode rock and the amazement my son had when he saw that for the
told of the “Stick People”. These Stick People were dark figures that first time. These all begin to intersect and the work grows from the
would run through the night and call your name; the Cigar Figures many elements seen, found, remembered or felt. There are sometimes
are my re-interpretation of that story. No one knows what these stick that it is a dream that I am drawing, and then there are those nights
figures look like because the story goes that you that it is the magic of the night and the quiet mind
would die if you were to follow and look at them. that it just happens.
The story was a way of warning people of the evils
of life and to be careful. I always had a hard time ro: I love that... I saw on your website that you
with the story because I wanted to know what work in lost wax. I have no idea what the lost
they looked like; so many years later they became wax method is and I know I could Google it, but
real sticks with cigar bodies. The cigar part came where’s the fun in that? Will you humor me with
in grad school. There was a man who smoked an explanation?
cigars and I noticed that as he got to the end of HW: With my bronze work I am casting in my
the cigar that it looked like a girls body wearing studio with the method of “lost wax.” In lost wax
a dress, very whimsical; so I started to collect you create an object in wax then add sprues, which
them and I found sticks for the legs and added the will be the channels for the metal to flow through
most simple of heads to the top. This is where I the mold to the object. The sculpture will then
made the rest of the story in my own mind of the be invested which is a compound that is either
stick people and added the twist that they are the poured over it, or dipped, then that is placed in a
whimsical of life. ceramic kiln to burn out the wax. This is where
the technique gets the name because the wax is
ro: Would you mind talking about the mask that lost leaving a void for the metal to fill.  The total
appears on the characters in multiple works of your burn out time can vary depending on the size
art?  but average is about 18 hours with temperatures
HW: The masks are creatures from nature and the reaching 1350° F.  You pull the mold out of the
child’s imagined world. As a child we would make kiln and place in a sand pit.  In the last 30 minutes
masks and be anything we wanted to be and we of the burnout the metal is melting in a propane
could do anything in them. I always wanted to fly fired furnace. You lift the crucible out of the furnace
and to this day I still dream that I can jump until and pour the liquid metal into the empty cavity
I take flight. These masks are a way to represent Holly Wilson, Oklahoma City, of the mold. That sits until it is cool and then you
the different personas that we need or desire to be Cigar Girl Walking, Bronze, can remove the shell and if all went well you have
in life. Encaustic, Wood, 12.5”x5”x4” a bronze figure that was once wax. Cut the sprues,
do some sand blasting to clean the surface, add the
ro: So I’m wondering then, does each stick person have her/his own patina to get a color, and voila! You’re done! I have utilized this process
story or are we seeing one specific character in different masks? over the past ten years and it, combined with the small scale, allows me
HW: Each of the figures is individual and independent of the others. to work in sculpture with freedom and complete control of the process
There is a theme of a boy and a girl and in a group there may be a and final surface treatment.
narrative with one another. Even though each figure does have their
own story, a universal story if you will, one that I hope we all can ro: From lost wax to encaustic work, are your encaustic pieces
connect with in one facet or another. portraits of the stick figures? How do you decide whether to
work 2D or 3D?
ro: When you are creating artwork, do you sketch? Is there a plan? Or HW:  I use the encaustic as a method to drawing with relief. Some of
do you just start sculpting and let each figure spontaneously evolve?   the images are from the figures with masks but most are my sketches.
HW: It can start with seeing something in my life that strikes a For me, it is hard to get “around” a thing on paper; there is no volume
chord, like the way my daughter and son each sit differently to look at for me to move. The encaustic lets me draw my weighted lines and
something on the ground. I then begin working that over in my head create depth. I do also love the immediate quality of the process.
as I chase my two kids around the house or try to make myself go to Working with bronze there are so many steps, working with encaustic
sleep at night. When I do get to sit down in the quiet of the studio I the results are very immediate and it’s rewarding.  I move back and
make some simple sketches. I don’t worry that it is just as I saw it in

continued on page 6

p ro f i l e 5
 continued from page 5

forth between the mediums checking to see if it would fit better with
this process or the other. I have also cast the encaustic in bronze and
used the encaustic as a background for the bronzes. There is a fun series
I have started in the encaustics that I call “portrait of ____” (fill in the
name of the work, bird man) because I find it funny to have an image
of a sculpture painted like we have portraits painted of people, which
makes my figure like people having their portrait painted. This may
only be funny to me, though.

ro: Funny, indeed. While I haven’t seen as many of your photographs

as I have seen sculptures, I see the emotional connection. How do you
switch gears between photography and sculpture? Or do you?
HW: I do not feel like I have to switch gears, they are the same but
at different levels of information; one can at times inform the other.
The camera lets me get the whole scene at once and the sculptures
are stripped down to just the most basic information, raw emotion,
portraying a spirit of youth and quiet innocence.

ro:  Are your photographs staged to create a look and feel or are you
discovering a moment that reflects a feeling and capturing it?
HW: I am in the moment “most” of my life and my photos are that
as well. My Pentax is normally only 5 steps from me at home, I use
my iPhone all the time to get the quick image when I see one while
out, like we used the Polaroid. If the image captivates me then I go
back to it again. This is where I would “stage” the image… clear
the clothes off the bed etc. to get that image, draw that emotional
feeling from the scene.

Holly Wilson is a board member of the Oklahoma Art Guild, as well as

a member of Urban 5, Individual Artists of Oklahoma, and (of course)
OVAC. See more of Holly’s work in the OVAC Virtual Gallery or on
her website www.hollywilson.com. n

romy owens can be reached via mental telepathy or through her website
www.romyowens.com

(top) Holly Wilson, Oklahoma City, Ghost

of the Dead, Archival Color Print, 34”x24”

(bottom) Holly Wilson, Oklahoma City,

Bird Man, Bronze, Wood, Copper, Oil,
8.75”x2”x9.75”

6 p ro f i l e
U N IV E RS IT Y OF CENTRA L O KLAHO MA
C O L L E G E O F F I N E A R T S A N D D E S I G N

REFLECTIONS Honoring Former and Retired Art Faculty

“Students pay teachers their highest compliment when they create beyond the classroom.”

April 8-May 30 OPENING RECEPTION

4-6 pm, Thurs., April 8
Fourth floor gallery, Nigh University Center
For more information visit:
www.uco.edu/fineartsanddesign or call 405-974-2432
This exhibit will feature the work of more than 25 former
UCO art instructors including Bert Seabourn, Connie Seabourn,
Don Narcomey, Cletus Smith, Katherine Kunc, Jo Ann Adams
and Pam Huskey
* Dr. Bob Palmer will curate this exhibit

One donation helps keep 20 vital arts groups strong. They give
us so much to love, year-round. And from your donation, we all
grow - our communities, our creativity, our economy.

7
 (left) Tracey Harris, Fort Gibson,
Preening, Oil on Linen

(right) Tracey Harris, Fort Gibson,

Nesting, Oil on Linen, 26”x20”

MAYBE SPROUT WINGS by Allison Meier

Women sprouting feathers from their fingers and growing birds’

nests in their hair bring unexpected fantasy to Tracey Harris’
contemporary realism. The Fort Gibson artist elegantly depicts
these strong women and their vulnerabilities in the soft colors of
her graceful oil paintings.

“I started working with representational
paintings about four or five years ago,” she
said. “Previously, I had done installation
work and abstract work, and at some point
I realized I’d somehow lost my audience so I
started painting representationally again.”
While she has changed her style to be more
realistic, her paintings still have conceptual
elements as they portray female figures
trying to survive despite their difficulties.
In What would have become of Bodhisattva if
she had had to pay rent?, the six-armed female
Buddha juggles nine red balls that are too
many for her numerous hands to catch.
Another woman sits nude as she patiently
knits her clothes starting with two red yarn
socks in Working Her Way Up.
“I enjoy putting a woman in a place that’s not
quite working and I like seeing little failures
in the pieces,” she said. “I think that has to
do with my being a single mother.”
Harris recently moved back to Oklahoma
from Kansas City with her five-year-old
son to be closer to her family. She said that
she wants her work to “inspire empathy for
women who have too many expectations on
them” as they balance their mother roles with
work and the things necessary to survive.
“Throughout the last 20 years or so, there’s
been a feminist bent to everything I do,” she
said. “In the recent pieces there are a lot of
archetypal women, like the mermaid and the
bird woman.”
The Midwestern Mermaid sits on a bed with
her eyes downcast, Harris letting the viewer
wonder if she is “so beautiful for being this
siren mermaid” or is she just thinking “man,
I wish I could get rid of this tail.” One bird
woman admires her new feathers in Preening,
while another ponders their usefulness when
the vines around her ankles keep her from
taking flight in Well Grounded.
While Harris said she loves to paint
“anything with skin,” other paintings give
inanimate objects life, as in Trigger where
lingerie floats without anyone inside, asking
whether it’s the garment or the person filling
it that makes it attractive. Food Descending a
Bookcase has the chaos of books knocking fruit
over a shelf of art history books, referencing

8 p ro f i l e

Tracey Harris, Fort Gibson, Working Her Way Up,
Oil on Linen, 50”x48”
the movement in painting pioneered by
Dadaist artist Marcel Duchamp.
“I like for the works to be somewhat sensual
and mysterious and have people who are
anonymous,” she said. “They look kind of
like old world European still lives, and then
something quirky might hit you. I want
people to be able to look at my paintings
for a while, and I want them to have some
teeth to them rather than just being pretty
paintings.”
Harris grew up in Fort Gibson and left to
study art at the Kansas City Art Institute.
After finishing her bachelor’s degree,
she moved to England and attended
Goldsmith’s College at the University of
London where she received her master’s
degree in visual arts. She taught art history
and drawing, but currently works as a full-
time artist specializing in portraiture.
“It seems like I’ve been painting forever,”
she said. “Even when I was younger and in
high school, my teachers would allow me to
(top) Tracey Harris, What would
have become of Bodhisattva if
she had to pay rent?,
Oil on Linen
(middle) Tracey Harris, Fort
Gibson, Trigger, Oil on Linen,
24”x30”
(bottom) Tracey Harris, Fort
Gibson, Midwestern Mermaid, Oil
on Linen, 30”x40”
skip classes to do art. I wouldn’t know what
to do if not painting. It’s not always the
most rewarding profession, it’s just like this
compulsion.”
Works by Harris are in collections at the
Oklahoma State Preservation Fund at the
Oklahoma City Capitol Building and the
National Museum of the United States Air
Force. In 2010, her work will be featured in
the National Contemporary Realist exhibit
at the M.A. Doran Gallery in Tulsa and the
Contemporary Realists exhibit at JRB Art
at The Elms in Oklahoma City. In 2011,
she will have a solo exhibition at the Leslie
Powell Foundation in Lawton.
For more information on Tracey
Harris and her art, visit
www.traceyharrisartist.com. n
Allison Meier is a freelance writer living and
working in Brooklyn, NY. She can be reached at
allisoncmeier@gmail.com.
p ro f i l e 9
 Ben Harjo, Oklahoma City,
Along Came a Spider, Acrylic
and Gouache, 32”x28”
Benjamin
Harjo Jr.’s
Joyful Life and Art
by Emily Payne
Benjamin Harjo Jr., an enrolled member of the Absentee Shawnee tribe
and an Oklahoma City resident, is a contemporary Native American
artist whose colorful, geometric works evoke a sense of playfulness and
fun. His passion for art began at an early age, when a love of comic
books inspired him to start drawing. From the ages of 10 to 18, Harjo
lived with his grandparents near Byng, OK, and spent his free time
drawing comics in the woods.
Although Harjo had no formal art training in high school, his interest
in the subject matter led him to apply to Santa Fe’s Institute of
American Indian Arts in order to pursue their program in animation.
After being accepted, Harjo learned that the animation program had
been discontinued. However, he decided to stay at the school and had
the opportunity to work with fellow classmates T.C. Cannon and Linda
Lomahaftewa, and instructors Fritz Scholder and Allan Houser. At the
IAIA, Harjo also met Seymour Tubis, an instructor and mentor who
taught him printmaking techniques and encouraged him to continue
his education in college. After being drafted and serving nearly a year
in Vietnam, Harjo enrolled at Oklahoma State University. In 1974, he
received a Bachelor’s in Fine Art from OSU.
Since then, Harjo has been working in pen and ink, painting using
acrylic, gouache, and pastel, and creating woodblock prints. Throughout
his career, he has been exposed to other artists’ work, which has served
as an inspiration for him. He notes that sometimes as he is working, he
may look down and see glimpses of another artists’ work in his style.
However, it is difficult to compare Harjo to other artists, as his style
is unique. With geometric patterns, repetitive images and shapes, and
vibrant color, Harjo’s style commands your attention.
Ben Harjo, Oklahoma City, Symbols of Freedom and Oppression,
Acrylic and Gouache, 32”x28”
10
Harjo is reluctant to characterize his works as completely abstract, since
his pieces usually contain recognizable human or animal figures. Harjo’s
colorful creations are the result of his continued attraction to bright
colors and interest in how colors react to each other. An added bonus is
the fact that when others view his brightly colored creations, they have a
feeling of happiness. Harjo has a sense of humor and a zest for life which
is reflected through comical imagery, witty titles and the use of bright,
vibrant colors. Harjo doesn’t always depict Indian subject matter, but he
does always portray subjects in his own unique style.
Harjo says he is inspired by a lot of different things. While legends,
history and dreams are perhaps not surprising sources of inspiration,
Harjo also finds inspiration where many others would not. Things as
diverse as bug splatters and dirt on a semi truck and crows picking at
a dead animal on the side of the road lead Harjo to think differently
about his work. While unconventional, one can imagine Harjo
translating bug splatters and dirt into beautiful geometric patterns
and converting the image of birds picking at a carcass into ideas about
the cycle of life. It is perhaps this ability to see beauty and joy in the
everyday that so endears people to Harjo and to his work.
Harjo’s talent has earned him many well deserved awards over the years. In
2005, he was asked to be the poster artist for the Santa Fe Indian Market, a
venue where he has won numerous top awards since 1983. In 2007, Harjo
was invited by the Oklahoma Centennial Commission to create a poster for
the state’s 100th birthday that would honor Oklahoma’s American Indian
influence. Recently, Julianne Vineyard of Carmel Valley asked Harjo to
create a label for their limited edition Zinfandel Rose wine.
Harjo’s work is also featured in numerous Oklahoma museums including
the Gilcrease, the Mabee-Gerrer Museum of Art, the Fred Jones Jr.
Museum of Art, the Sam Noble Museum of Natural History and the Red
Earth Center. In January 2010, Harjo’s work was featured in a one man
retrospective at Oklahoma State University’s Gardiner Art Gallery. This
show was also accompanied by a woodblock and printmaking workshop
led by Harjo. Upcoming events for the artist include a calendar signing at
Tribes 131, a Native American art gallery in Norman, and participation
in several Indian markets including the Heard Museum Indian Fair and
Market, the Santa Fe Indian Market and the Haskell Indian Art Market.
More information about the artist is at www.benjaminharjojr.com. n
Emily Payne is currently enrolled in a Ph.D. program at the University of
Oklahoma where she is studying Native American Art History and working
as a graduate assistant. Emily lives in Oklahoma City and can be reached at
emilybeepayne@gmail.com.
Ben Harjo, Oklahoma City, Along Came a Spider,
Acrylic and Gouache, 32”x28”

Ben Harjo, Oklahoma City, The Protectors, Acrylic

and Gouache, 32”x24”

Ben Harjo, Oklahoma City, Symbols of Freedom

and Oppression, Acrylic and Gouache, 32”x28”

11

Kristal Tomshany with her painting Epiphany.
Kristal Tomshany’s Form in Flux
by Janice McCormick
At the Tulsa Artists’ Coalition Gallery
during the month of January 2010, Kristal
Tomshany’s aptly titled exhibit Form in Flux
weaved together a cluster of intertwined
themes: change, loss, death and freedom.
Several stylistic features dominate Tomshany’s
art: bold swirling brushstrokes, subtle surreal
details subverting the overall impression of
a realistic image, and strongly raking light.
Some of her recurring motifs are birds, cut
tree limbs with branches pruned/truncated,
an open hand, stones and boxes.
Comparing the explosive fury of her earlier
work That Which Entangles (2006) with the
calm acceptance of the later work Quo Vadis:
Where Doest Thou Go? (2009) proves to be
most revealing. The former work depicts a
black bird hanging upside down, with one of
its legs entangled in string. Its gaping yellow
beak is the only speck of color against a dull
light brown background and the explosion
of black and gray feathers flying out in all
directions. Its other leg hangs limply; the
violent struggle must have just ended. It
is a macabre dance of death rendered so
powerfully, its randomness so senseless.
12 re v i e w
Photo by Don Emrick.
Kristal Tomshany, Tulsa, Evensong, Oil on Board, 12”x9”
Quo Vadis: Where Dost Thou Go? also depicts
a dead bird, a sparrow, set against a blue
background. Although “against” proves not
to be quite accurate, for here, as elsewhere,
the background refuses to stay put. Broad
brushstrokes curve in patterns reminiscent
of Japanese stylized waves. They seem
to commingle with the bird. This little
sparrow’s inert body lies diagonally across
the picture plane, its beak and eye closed.
Off canvas, a strong light from the top
casts a shadow of the bird’s body as well as
accentuates both claws and creamy white
feathers on the breast, tail, and underbelly.
Its right wing, an opaque reddish brown
and black, is closed and trapped by its right
leg. It will fly no more. In contrast, the
sparrow’s left wing, a wash of light browns
and grays, is fanned out. The translucent
quality of the wash allows the blue curving
lines of the background to bleed through.
Several blue-tinged strokes wash over the
bird’s neck, white cheek and brown crown.
In fact its crown blurs into the background.
This interplay between stillness of the body
and animated blue strokes suggests that
this sparrow’s form and very life force are
dissolving back into the cosmic energy from
whence they came. Thus, paradoxically, not
only does Quo Vadis? answer its own question,
but also speaks to the senseless death throes of
the earlier work That Which Entangles. Death
is revealed to be not so much as a complete
annihilation as a reversion to cosmic energy.
Reaffirming this acceptance of the
inevitability of death is Evensong which
depicts a dead goldfinch gently lying in
an upraised open hand, suggestive of an
offering to the land, the evening sky and the
crescent moon. The open palm is another
recurring motif which appears in three other
of Tomshany’s works. In addition, Evensong
reflects her general shift from the muted
and somber palette of browns and blacks
of her earlier work to a brighter and more
vibrant one of oranges and blues. Here, as
in other works sharing this color scheme,
the vibrancy of the various shades of orange
is balanced by calming blues. Behind the
offering hand, a reddish-orange background
undulates with sweeping grayish purple
brushstrokes, vaguely suggestive of hills. It
is twilight when the last glowing light of
Kristal Tomshany, Tulsa, Portrait of
Kenzie at Thirteen, Oil on Wood, 40”x20”
the sun that has just set lingers in the wispy
clouds, echoing the oranges and gray purple
streaks of the land. Between these clouds and
the horizon line, a strip of blue gradually
shifts from light to dark with a hint of purple
as the sky darkens. Evensong portrays both
the dying of the day as well as the dying of
the goldfinch and the loss of its song, but
there is no gloom in this work. From the left
side an unseen light streams in to highlight
the rounded forms of the fingers and to
brighten the yellow and white feathers of the
goldfinch. This light is perhaps surreal or
cosmic since pictorially neither sun nor moon
could possibly be its source. As in Quo Vadis?,
the Evensong bird has returned to its origin.
There are also several portraits in Tomshany’s
exhibit, including one of the artist herself
and two of her husband, Tom. Yet, it is the
unusual approach to a painting about her
daughter which resonates with me the most.
Rather than being representational, Portrait
of Kenzie at Thirteen is a symbolic evocation of
the unpredictable, troubling and yet magical
transformation from child to adolescent.
Reminiscent of a shroud, a purple-black
hoodie hangs against a diffuse backdrop of
muted orange, light yellow, lavender, and
purplish gray. One sleeve has a ragged hole in
it. Conspicuous by her absence is the wearer
of that garment. Less noticeable is the fact
that this hoodie appears to hang in midair.
This effect is due to the swirling brushstrokes
Kristal Tomshany, Tulsa, Quo Vadis: Where Does Thou Go?, Oil on Wood, 9”x12”
Kristal Tomshany, Tulsa, Birth of Prometheus,
Oil on Wood, 12”x9”
that give the backdrop a substantial feel or
visual weight. The viewer can not be sure if
this background is the sky at sunrise, or a
skillful faux wall-finish. Once again a bright
raking light, a few key gestural brushstrokes,
and the imagery of birds add to the work’s
emotional complexity. The bright light
accentuates a pair of white origami birds,
each hanging from strings attached to their
wings. The upper one soars downward, while
the lower one flies upward. Broad lavender
brushstrokes cross underneath the lower
bird’s wings and chest, like a lively breeze.
Then these brushstrokes swirl away, ending
in a curving flourish. Surreally, the main
diagonal string from which these origami
birds hang blurs and then fades away entirely,
thus defying gravity. All in all, this work
symbolizes a mother’s delicate but uncertain
balancing act: desiring to stay connected
to this young girl/woman, while accepting
her need for independence; hoping she will
flourish, while recognizing that it is beyond
her control.
As these works demonstrate, Kristal
Tomshany’s work successfully tackles such
difficult life experiences as change, death, loss
and freedom.
More about the artist can be found on her
website at www.sorghumsentinel.org. n
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.
re v i e w 13

Laurie Spencer Serves Up Some Earthly
Delights at The Gardiner Gallery, OSU
by Lisa Prior
In art school the ceramic majors were always
an easy spot: the Birks, the vegetable-dyed
hemp clothes, the sweet smell of body sweat
barely masked by a cocktail of Dr. Bronner’s
Castile Soap with a suspicion of patchouli.
At student potlucks they could be counted
upon to provide lentil and brown rice pilafs
served in lovely hand-thrown earthenware
dishes; meanwhile the heavy-metal sculptors
would rock-up with various forms of liquid
nourishment and the bespectacled new media
students, of which I was one, would drop
by to engage in obsessive eye-rolling while
talking amongst themselves.
At an early age I was seduced by the nice
smock-wearing lady on the TV craft show
who deftly conjured pots and bowls from her
turning wheel like a cobra charmed from its
straw basket. After numerous failed attempts
to produce even the humblest beaker, I stood
14 p re v i e w
A piece created during a fire sculpture workshop led by Laurie
in awe and envy of the inchoate patience
possessed by these People of The Clay. Work
begins well before any overt signs of creative
activity: like planted seeds there’s a lot of
stuff going on behind the scenes before you
sit down to a big organic salad.
So, here’s the deal with clay: first you have
to take it out of the bag, and depending on
how it was processed and/or stored it needs
to be re/de-hydrated. Next the clay has to be
“wedged,” a technique of vigorous manual
manipulation whereby pockets of air are
massaged out of the clay - as these hidden
culprits may explode during firing, which
is very anti-social kiln etiquette, akin to a
flatulent burst in an elevator. So “wedging” is
de rigueur, and while it may sound as simple
as any other word ending with “ing” like,
sleeping, eating or farting, do not be fooled;
the technique itself is a sort of vinyasa yoga
Spencer in November 2009 on the OSU campus.
move requiring strength, stamina and an
element of measured restraint. Finally, your
clay is out of the bag, “wedged” and the fun
can begin. Now brace yourself for years of
failure and disappointment. Prepare to spend
weeks, months even, making an object only
to have it collapse or explode just before the
finish line. You need to keep in mind that
this same rigorous training is happening
concurrently for glazing techniques.
“Would eating crushed cursed opals while
rolling around on a bed of metal shavings
salvaged from the hull of The Lusitania be
less painful?” I ask myself. So the next time
you see a bowl or sculpture and think “how
pretty” you might want to consider the cost.
Ceramicists are truly the Russian Ballerinas
of the art world, which makes the Birks and
shapeless hemp attire all the more confusing.
If I were to forfeit a normal childhood and
 (top) Laurie Spencer, Tulsa, Sessile
Blue, Ceramic, 21”x9”x9.5”

(middle) Laurie Spencer, Tulsa,

Uberous, Ceramic, 16”x15”x15.5”

(bottom) Laurie Spencer, Tulsa, The

Bounty, Ceramic, 8.5”x10.5”x11”

adolescence to hours and hours of practice, punctuated by injuries and

unrelenting verbal thrashings by a woman named Magda, I’d at least
want to be wearing a feathered tutu.

Now, take Laurie Spencer for example, I’ve done a brief survey
of Spencer’s work and here is what I can tell you: the woman has
an enormously high tolerance for pain and suffering. She makes
REALLY REALLY BIG THINGS and she makes really really
little things, to wit twenty-foot tall, site specific, habitable domes
requiring up to 10 tons of clay and six-inch high paper-thin, slip-cast
porcelain sculptures. A sensible person would keep within the same
scale because the above mentioned learning curve will dog you should
you stray too far from your figurative calling circle. But it gets better,
and better still. Several years ago, Spencer traveled to Ecuador to
learn a Pre-Columbian technique for making water whistles. Let me
explain: water, stored in the base of these sculptures forces air out
of the orifices creating polyphonic tones like bird-song as opposed
to a single tone produced by a gym coach’s whistle. Her mastery of
scale results in a range of pitch that includes the aforementioned
birdsong to the scintillating moans of a November squall blowing
through an abandoned pier. And speaking of moans, Spencer’s
objects are a well-planted Garden of Earthly Delights. Nooks,
crannies, knobs and nipples whisper visual come hithers. If you
hurry you can catch her show at OSU’s Gardiner Art Gallery in
Stillwater from February 10 - March 5, 2010. For a further taste of
Laurie Spencer visit www.lauriespencer.com. n

Lisa Prior is available for lunch. peckham2paris@gmail.com

p re v i e w 15

Function & Design
Collaborative exhibit for [Artspace] at Untitled showcases
accessible art for everyday life
by Susan Grossman
Fiber artist Sue Moss Sullivan patted the
space beside her and said, “Have a seat.”
Really?
We’re in the “living room” of [Artspace] at
Untitled and it seems, well, inappropriate
to sit on what is part of the exhibit,
Function & Design. But here’s the cool thing
about it – that’s the point. Everything is
accessible. Completely.
Function & Design is the second collaborative
effort for the gallery, following the success of
Dinner in the Deuce in 2008 which featured
themed dining tables and settings created
by groups of regional artisans. This exhibit
expands that concept to incorporate the
rest of the home including the living room,
dining room, bedroom, home office, media
room and an outdoor patio room.
16 p re v i e w
Couch by Rick and Tracey Bewley and Sue Moss Sullivan;
Coffee Table by Joe Slack, Rick and Tracey Bewley
For curator Laura Warriner, the purpose of
the project was to create functional, well-
designed objects while at the same time
showcasing the talents of a large group of
diverse artists.
“I believe the artists who worked collectively
on each of the featured rooms influenced
one another in ways even they may not have
anticipated and the results are truly unique,”
Warriner said. “The six rooms presented
in Untitled’s galleries are certainly diverse
and offer a range of possibilities for today’s
lifestyles.”
In light of the current economy and changing
attitudes towards the environment, Warriner
asked the 52 participating artists to give
careful consideration to materials used for
their pieces. Therefore, a number of pieces
and designs feature recycled, reused and
repurposed products.
Line Theory Room Divider by Joe Slack;
The living room, for example, is composed of
furniture and accessories constructed almost
entirely of found or recycled products. Rick
and Tracey Bewley, Ron Ferrell, Kenneth
Fitzsimmons, Birthe Flexner, Amy Jacobson-
Peters, Joe Slack and Sullivan created the
entire room, from the ottomans and chairs, to
the wall hangings and flooring coverings, by
reusing materials.
“Tracey and I made the coverings for the sofa,
chairs and ottoman with the burlap bags that
are used to ship coffee beans,” Sullivan said.
“Each of us has a style and we combined them
to create this cohesive room.”
Distinctive metal room dividers, furniture
frames and book shelves are accented with
fiber work by Sullivan and pottery pieces
by Flexner. Closer examination reveals
lampshades are enhanced with the bottoms of
plastic soft drink bottles. A framed window
 Bar and Table by Elisa Cossey and Nicki
Albright; Glass Plates by Nicki Albright;
Flatware by Loren O’laughlin; Serving Utensils
by George Wilson; Glass Sink by Elisa Cossey

panel composed entirely of the same scalloped

bottoms, was created by Jacobson-Peters.

“A passion for this type of design and a desire to have

fun inspired our group during the collaboration and
we hope those who see the outcome will share in
this excitement,” the living room artists wrote in the
exhibit catalogue.

The dining room team was led by Kyle Golding.

They created a modern meets Middle Eastern
esthetic tied to a Moroccan-style theme. Of their
design they wrote, “Hard surfaces of concrete,
stone, steel, copper, glass and raw wood combine
with softer elements like leather, cotton, silk and paper” to capture the exotic and
dramatic nature of Moroccan décor.

Golding chuckled when asked how it was working with 13 other individual artists to
create a unified dining environment. “It was challenging at first,” he said. “Our group
had a variety of artists and for some it was the first time they had collaborated. I ended
up being the de facto leader and we decided to wrap our work around the Moroccan look
with a modern edge. We kept it very loose and casual.”

Although he works in a variety of media, for Function & Design Golding created the
furniture in the combination sitting and dining areas which feature red and gray calf
leather trimmed with traditional Moroccan nail head design. Frank Wert designed the tile
and wood tabletop to go with it.

“I was inspired to participate in this project because of the quality of work that is exhibited
at Untitled and because of the great experience I had with Dinner in the Deuce,” Golding said.
“You meet a lot of artists who do what you do and that is very motivating to me.”

A long trip to visit her daughter in Japan inspired the gorgeous colors in fiber artist
Diane Coady’s coverlet on the stunning four poster bed in the bedroom exhibit. Using the
ancient Japanese art of dying fabric, shibori, she created a virtual landscape of colors.

“Our theme for the bedroom is nature and silk is organic in nature,” she said. “During the
14-hour flight to Japan, I was inspired by the changing landscape out the window of the
plane. You take this big, bell curve route over North America, Greenland, the Atlantic,
to get there. I had taken the fabric for the bedspread with me to Japan and when I started
working, I inadvertently picked up all of the colors I saw on my way over.”

Shibori is the Japanese term for a technique of dying cloth by clamping, pleating,
binding, folding, compressing or twisting. It’s the precursor to today’s tie-dye. Coady’s
spread, thrown across a bed that features curving, swaying posts made of bois d’arc
simply beckons you to lie down.

“The wood for the bed itself is among the oldest around and the posts are curved to
represent trees as they are in Oklahoma – shaped by the wind,” Coady said. “What I
love about this particular bedspread is that you don’t have to ‘make’ the bed and at the
same time makes the bed completely accessible.”

The many unique and one-of-a-kind elements that comprise each of the rooms are for
sale and range in price from $100 to $6,000.

Function & Design is on display at [ArtSpace] at Untitled through March 27. Visit www. Origami Globe light fixture by Klint Schor, Dining
Benches and Tray by Kyle Golding
artspaceatuntitled.org for more information. n

Susan Grossman is assistant director marketing and communication at University of Oklahoma

Outreach and a regular contributor to a number of local and regional lifestyle and sports magazines.
p re v i e w 17
 The Drive of Chance
by Karen Paul

Andrew Polk, Tucson, Birds

of Thunder, Acrylic and
Photography on Vinyl, 60”x48”

18
The creative process is the art in many respects
for Oklahoma-born artist Andrew Polk.
Known primarily as a non-representational
artist whose inspiration is found in the forces
of nature and how they relate to events
and places, Polk merges his respect for the
uncontrollable factors of life, and his mystery
and sentiment for Oklahoma in his latest
exhibition March 11-April 10, 2010 at the
City Arts Center in Oklahoma City.

“Oklahoma in general carries a lot of intrigue

for me. I was born in Oklahoma, although
I actually grew up in Memphis,” Polk said.
“In many ways, this new collection is a
continuation of what I’ve been doing for the
Andrew Polk, Tucson, Centennial Dawn, Acrylic
last 10 years.”
and Photography on Vinyl, 60”x84”
In his latest work, Polk has started
integrating photographic imagery into his our own. It’s a real adventure,” Polk said. watches his work as it changes through the
non-representational paintings. For him, the drying process. When necessary, he makes
Even though chance plays a significant adjustments to the shapes and forms.
addition of photographic elements tightens
role in Polk’s work, his creative process is
the connections that events and places hold
anything but random. Instead, it reflects “Acrylic paint changes substantially as it
with natural elements. One of his recent
his deep love of the entire experience he has dries. It offers up different textures and
shows included recognizable aerial imagery
when developing a creative piece. This love thicknesses. It can also drift or slightly
of significant events in American history,
encompasses the smallest details. move and create another new pattern,” Polk
including Pearl Harbor after the Japanese attack
said. “Sometimes it changes for the better.
and the Pentagon days after September 11. For this series, Polk spent approximately two Sometimes it changes for the worse.”
months digitally enhancing the color and
With those previous works and concepts in
contrast of each of the aerial photographs of “The drying stage is very much a process of
mind, Polk is developing his Oklahoma series,
Oklahoma he selected. These photographs how I am going to get the marks that I want.
consisting of 12 large-scale paintings. These
were turned into digital prints on vinyl, If things are not what I was expecting, then I
paintings were created specifically for this
which became the background for his adjust my expectations and the work as I go
exhibition, which is his first in the state.
painting process. through the process.”
“I’ve been really reading up on the history
Intense and vivid layers of colors, one of Polk is ultimately looking for ways in which
and culture of Oklahoma. However, I’m not
Polk’s visual trademarks, represent the next the forms of his paintings resonate with the
sure if the history is creeping into the work,
step of his creative process. Because he works other paintings in the series. He wants the
yet,” Polk said.
on each of the paintings in a given series series of pieces to compliment each other,
In this series, Polk integrates large-scale simultaneously, he is able to take the lessons but for each piece to still maintain a distinct
satellite photos of Oklahoma into his that he learns from one painting to the next. personality.
paintings. These photos include both natural Working on his series of paintings in their
entirety gives him a real sense of discovery “Sometimes it will look magical, but I won’t
and manmade elements that have an organic
throughout the process. know if it can look better. The hardest thing
feel to them. Elements such as the Oklahoma
about the process is knowing when to stop.”
River, interstates and geometric grid
The actual paint application takes at least Polk said.
structures of residential neighborhoods offer
another two hours. Polk lets the paint
contrasting visual elements and help create a Andrew Polk’s exhibition will run March
naturally work its magic as his colors drip,
both natural and harmonious feel to his work. 11-April 10, 2010 at the City Arts Center.
flow and layer over the aerial photographs.
Polk will also lead a visiting artist workshop
The natural element of chance plays an
“Although I let chance play its role in entitled Harnessing Chance on Saturday,
extremely significant role in Polk’s work.
the process, the way I work is not totally March 13, 2010. For more information, visit
He sees the uncontrollable drive of chance
accidental. It’s like a dance that I’m going City Arts’ website at www.cityartscenter.org. n
as something that not only offers unique
through. It’s very improvisational,” Polk said.
opportunities for his pieces, but a force that is
essential to his creative process. His creative process does not end when Karen Paul is a freelance writer based in Norman.
the paint hits the canvas. Each individual She is currently working on her Master’s degree
“I’ve always been fascinated with the idea
painting requires about 12 hours of in Journalism and Mass Communication at the
of chance. I’ve always found that it was a
drying time, time that Polk participates University of Oklahoma.
doorway to move beyond what we can do on
in from beginning to end. He carefully
p re v i e w 19

Momentum Spotlight
Twice a year, young artists converge for an event that, while giving
them an opportunity to display their work, also fosters innovation,
curatorial activity and mentorship and exposes audiences to
contemporary, exciting artwork being created by young Oklahomans.
With each of OVAC’s Momentum: Art Doesn’t Stand Still events, which
are held twice a year in Tulsa and Oklahoma City, the organization
awards three emerging visual artists honoraria to create site-specific
Momentum Spotlight artist Geoffrey Hicks with Curator John Seward
during a studio visit.
20 f e a t u re
Delvie McPherson, Oklahoma City, Procreation, Brooch: Die
formed and patina copper and brass, 6”x2”
by Holly Wall
installations or bodies of work. Momentum Spotlight artists are given
the opportunity to execute an in-depth and sizeable art concept at
the Momentum event, which celebrates Oklahoma artists ages 30 and
younger. The Spotlight artists for Momentum OKC, March 5-6, 2010
are Okemah’s Amber Farnell, Tulsa’s Geoffrey Hicks and Oklahoma
City’s Delvie McPherson.
Each Spotlight artist selected receives a $1,750 stipend, and at least
two studio visits with the event’s guest curators. The event’s curators
are Edmond-based painter and photographer John Seward and Margo
Von Schlageter, a student of museum studies and emerging curator.
They provide leadership and guidance throughout the process to
the Spotlight artists and are also responsible for choosing the visual
artwork displayed at the event.
Here is what this year’s Momentum OKC Spotlight artists have planned.
Heartbeat
At the heart of Geoffrey Hicks’ Heartbeat is a hanging sculptural mass
comprised of more than 150 light bulbs.
“Each clear incandescent light bulb is suspended from the ceiling
individually with black wire,” Hicks explained. “The light bulbs will
form a cloud-like organic group that radiates from a center core and
spreads out. The sculpture should be eight to 12 feet wide and hang
out of reach to those walking under it.”
Hicks said his installation bark, vines, bones, plants — topped
is designed to react to them with animal skulls for heads
the heartbeats of the and designed jewelry for them to
individuals connected wear. The jewelry, too, is made
to it. from materials found in nature.

“Modern and classical “It’s all about nature taking over

dancers will perform and creating pieces from nature to
underneath the put on a runway show,” McPherson
installation, while their said.
heart rates are transmitted
via Bluetooth to the McPherson scavenged for many
sculpture,” Hicks said. of his materials and found others
“The lights pulse in ratio online.
with the performers’ heart His models will be perched atop
rates, starting at lower a runway, inspired by New York
levels and then rising. At City fashion shows in Bryant
low heart rates, only the Park, modeling their nature-
center of sculpture (will) made jewelry. The jewelry, which
react, and as the heartbeat McPherson describes as large-scale
increases, it (will) grow to Delvie McPherson, Oklahoma City, Sapien Hystrix cristata, African porcupine wearable art, is made from bone,
the outer edges. quills and porcupine hair on latex base. quill and leather, combined with
“In between dance fine elements such as silver, gold
performances, the audience will be able to use a finger clip-style heart and semi-precious stones. The artist’s interest in fashion stems from his
rate sensor to connect themselves to the installation and affect the history as a five-year representative for the Gap and Banana Republic.
sculpture,” he said. “There’s such a waste in fashion,” he said. “You buy from season to
Hicks said his project was inspired by humans’ relationships with season, and then you discard it. I want to show that you can reuse
technology and the ways in which they interact with it. things and make them just as beautiful.

“Over the past year, I have been developing installation ideas based
around biometric sensors and human/technology connectivity,” he said.
Hicks said his project wouldn’t have been possible without OVAC’s
assistance through the Momentum Spotlight honoraria.
“This installation requires a significant amount of materials that I
would otherwise not be able to utilize,” he said. “The guidance of
the curators also makes a valuable contribution to the development
of my work.
“I hope that viewers will find my installation to be an interesting
departure from what they expect to see at a visual arts show,” Hicks
said. “I want to combine performance based art with installation art as
well as audience interactivity to make an engaging experience.”
“I want to use an urban landscape so it feels like you’re in New York
at a Bryan Park runway show, but you see nature coming through and
taking over,” McPherson said.
His childhood, spent living on a farm, coupled with the fact that his
mother is a biologist, served to influence his belief that beauty can be
found in nature as often as — or perhaps more than — it can be found
in man-made things.
“I think a lot of times people raised in the city don’t get to experience
being raised in nature,” McPherson said. “They think it’s dirty or nasty.
They’re afraid to go camping. I want to show people that it’s actually
beautiful to wander, to see what you can find, what you can turn it
into.”

Nature’s Runway
Delvie McPherson’s upbringing in rural Oklahoma, in a small town
called Cyril, inspired his Momentum Spotlight project, Nature’s Runway.
McPherson has crafted models from organic material — tree limbs,
McPherson said his project will affect all the senses — the smell of the
organic materials blending with the background music, a mix of dance
music and nature sounds.
continued to page 22

f e a t u re 21
 continued from page 21

Society, You’re a Crazy Breed

When, to earn some extra money, Amber Farnell bought a house to

renovate and sell, she became intrigued with what she calls a “media-
driven fascination with income property.” It sparked an idea that
would become the topic for her Momentum Spotlight project, Society,
You’re a Crazy Breed.

“The concept behind my proposed artwork is the idea of instability

created by our current housing crisis,” Farnell said. “By replicating
a planned community, or housing subdivision, and placing each
standard ‘model home’ on exaggerated stilts, the viewer will be
looking up inside the structures as if they were idols, something to
be worshipped, or large billboard-like structures that provoke desire.

“Houses are placed on platforms to signify power, the ‘high life,’

and social class. Just as stilt houses are anchored to the earth bed,
Americans are anchored to the idea that ‘bigger is better.’”

Farnell’s houses, constructed from wood and meant to look as

realistic as possible, will stand 12 feet high, towering above their
viewers. The fact that they’re unfinished and their ascension from
big to bigger represents the disconnect between house and home and
society’s desire to have more than it needs.

“Anyone who has had the pleasure of being a home owner also knows
the stress and responsibility that comes with it,” Farnell said. “One
of those responsibilities is choosing a house that is affordable and not
basing the decision solely on the largest amount of credit that a bank
is willing to loan. I am commenting on the process people use to
make decisions and priorities based on the time we live in.”

While she’s worked on projects with this theme before, Farnell said
being a Momentum Spotlight artist has allowed her to give her work a
larger scale and stage than ever before.

“The Momentum Spotlight grant has given me a great opportunity,” she

said. “Without this grant I would not be able to do this project.”

Each of the Momentum Spotlight projects will be on exhibit during

Momentum: Art Doesn’t Stand Still, opening March 5-6 in Oklahoma
City. Visit www.MomentumOklahoma.org for details. n
(top) Amber Farnell, Okemah, Pink House, Digital, 10”x10”

(bottom) Momentum Spotlight artist Amber Farnell in her studio with the
Holly Wall has been covering the arts in Tulsa for almost three years. She curators, John Seward and Margo Shultes von Schlageter.
writes weekly art columns for Urban Tulsa Weekly and monthly for the
Tulsa Performing Arts Center’s Intermission magazine.

22 f e a t u re

Contextualizing Art:
The Oklahoma Art Writing & Curatorial Fellowship
by Julia Kirt
Writing is a key tool for examining the relevancy
of art—to our lives, world and times and to
assess specific artwork amidst the vast amount
of art made historically and contemporaneously.
For artists, being written about can help them
understand how others see their work and
glimpse a new way of expressing their ideas.
“Contextualizing the work through writing,”
is how Oklahoma Art Writing and Curatorial
Fellowship program Lead Mentor Shannon
Fitzgerald described the objective of writing while
working with artists and organizing exhibitions.
Educational text helps viewers approach, learn
from or understand artwork in museums. An
analytical essay can connect art from our region
to national and international developments.
A well-written catalog essay helps an artist
explain their work to broader audiences.
Seeking to develop new conversations about
art and new advocates for living artists,
the Oklahoma Art Writing and Curatorial
Fellowship launched earlier this year. Public
programs will continue with topical panel
presentations on March 27 and September 18
at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art.
The Oklahoma Art Writing and Curatorial
Fellowship was developed out of strategic
planning where the OVAC Board identified
primary support mechanisms for individual
artists and analyzed in what way OVAC could
best help. OVAC’s vision includes positioning
Oklahoma artists to participate in the larger
art community, especially regionally and
nationally, and more broadly building the
infrastructure for artists, particularly those
individuals able to propel artists’ careers like
curators, art writers and gallerists.
The Oklahoma Art Writing & Curatorial
Fellowship presents tangible skills and
connections for curators, writers and educators
in the area, encouraging new writing that is
informed, articulate, inspired and engages
audiences in contemporary art.
Goals include encouraging local writers to
publish criticism in national publications,
spurring quality curatorial projects about living
visual artists, especially those in Oklahoma, and
developing networks for area artists, writers
and curators with national writers and curators.
OVAC presents the program in partnership with
the University of Oklahoma School of Art & Art
History and the Oklahoma City Museum of Art.
Through this yearlong program, each of the
12 Fellows will produce art writing and
curatorial projects in mentorship with art
world luminaries. For instance, curators can
conceptualize and work towards producing
an exhibition. Writers can generate essays for
publishing in national magazines or as part
of a catalog.
The Mentors include a mix of regional and
national writers and curators who were recruited
for their current activity with contemporary art
and varied approaches to their career.
Fitzgerald is serving as lead mentor. New to
Oklahoma, Fitzgerald is a nationally-known
curator who has published widely about
contemporary art.
continued to page 24
FELLOWS
Sarah Atlee (Oklahoma City, OK)
Painter, illustrator, blogger, and recipient of
OVAC’s 2008 Art 365 award.
Josh Buss (Moore, OK)
Artist and Education Director at City Arts
Center in Oklahoma City.
Scott Gleeson (Dallas, TX)
Artist and critic who recently completed
an MA in Art History at Southern Methodist
University in Dallas.
Brian Hearn (Oklahoma City, OK)
Artist and Film Curator at the Oklahoma City
Museum of Art; received the Tilghman Award
in 2009 for outstanding support of films in
Oklahoma.
Alison Hearst (Ft Worth, TX)
Curatorial Research Assistant at the Modern
Art Museum of Fort Worth,
Co-founder of experimental art collaborative,
Subtext Projects, and contributes reviews to
Art Critical, Art Lies, and Glasstire.
Sarah Jesse (Tulsa, OK)
Bernson Director of Education and Public
Programs at the Philbrook Museum of Art
in Tulsa; previously served as Assistant
Director of Public Programs at the Museum of
Contemporary Art in Chicago.
Kelsey Karper (Oklahoma City, OK)
Artist and Associate Director at the Oklahoma
Visual Arts Coalition where she also serves as
editor of Art Focus Oklahoma magazine.
Cedar Marie (Norman, OK)
Artist and Assistant Professor of Art at the
University of Oklahoma School of Art and Art
History, Norman.
Mary Kathryn Moeller (Tulsa, OK)
Teaches art history at Jenks High School;
recently completed studies at Sotheby’s
Institute of Art, London.
Lee Piechocki (Kansas City, MO)
Curator, writer, and artist who works for
the Kansas City Art Institute; Co-creator of
Research and Development, a freelance
curatorial venture; and has published writings
in Review and Juxtapoz.
Heather Read (Norman, OK)
Master’s candidate in Art History at the
University of Oklahoma, Norman.
Louise Siddons (Stillwater, OK)
Art historian and Assistant Professor of
American, Modern and Contemporary Art at
Oklahoma State University; formerly assistant
curator of works on paper at the Fine Arts
Museums of San Francisco.
f e a t u re 23
 PU B L IC
PR O GRA M S M E N T O RS
continued from page 23

What Does a Curator Do? Tracy Abeln, Editor, Review

Mentors for the 2010 Fellowship include
esteemed professionals in the arts such as Tom
Eccles, Executive Director of the Center for
Curatorial Studies at Bard College in New
York; Tyler Green, noted blogger and founder
of Modern Art Notes in Washington, DC; and
Eleanor Heartney, contemporary art critic and
contributing editor to Art in America in New
York City, among others.
Local mentor W. Jackson Rushing, III, who
recently joined the University of Oklahoma,
is a preeminent scholar of contemporary
Native American Art and publishes widely
about modern art. The high caliber mentors’
participation endorses the program’s
originality and cultural importance.
The Fellows were chosen through a
competitive application process and represent
independent artists, writers and professionals
in museums and educational institutions,
living within 350 miles of Oklahoma.
Three Curatorial Models
March 27, 1-3 pm
Margo Crutchfield, Tom Eccles, Kate
Hackman, and Catherine Morris
Oklahoma City Museum of Art
415 Couch Drive, Oklahoma City, OK
Criticism, Critique, and Publishing
September 18, 1-3 pm Art Cleveland.
Tracy Abeln, Tyler Green, and
Eleanor Heartney
Oklahoma City Museum of Art
415 Couch Drive, Oklahoma City, OK
REA D I N G
REC O M M E N D A T I O N S
Magazine, Kansas City.
Frances Colpitt, Professor
and Deedie Potter Rose Chair of Art
History at Texas Christian University,
Fort Worth, TX.
Margo A. Crutchfield, Senior
Curator, Museum of Contemporary
Tom Eccles, Executive Director,
Center for Curatorial Studies, Bard
College, Annandale-on-Hudson,
New York.
Shannon Fitzgerald,
Independent Curator and Writer,
Oklahoma City.
Tyler Green, Founder and Editor,
Modern Art Notes, Washington DC.

The program consists of quarterly meetings Write-Curate-Art.blogspot.com Kate Hackman, Associate

bookended by an orientation and wrap up day. Oklahoma Art Writing and Curatorial Director, Charlotte Street
Each month’s laboratory-type workshop will Fellowship blog will publish writings, Foundation, Kansas City.
dovetail with free public talks by the mentors dialogue and profiles.
for benefit of artists, the general public, and Eleanor Heartney, Writer,
students. Contemporary Art Critic, and
Why is that Art? Aesthetics and
Workshop days will address concepts of Contributing Editor to Art in America,
Criticism of Contemporary Art,
contemporary art and examine the roles of Terry Barrett New York City.
academia, museums and criticism. Also, Introduction to frameworks for analyzing
Fellows will hear about more practical aspects Catherine J. Morris,
art with helpful overview of modern
of the professional mentors’ careers, such approaches. Curator of the Elizabeth A. Sackler
as their methods of working and process. Center for Feminist Art, Brooklyn
Workshops will encourage participants to Museum of Art, Brooklyn, New
make their work relevant to the community, Critical Mess: Art Critics on the State York (former Adjunct Curator of
helping them communicate to broader of their Practice,
Contemporary Art, The Philbrook
audiences and publics. edited by Raphael Rubinstein
Collection of essays by art critics about Museum of Art, Tulsa, Oklahoma).
The Oklahoma Art Writing and Curatorial the waning/rising importance of criticism
Fellowship is sponsored in part by the W. Jackson Rushing, III,
and elevation/decline of the critical
National Endowment for the Arts, Oklahoma Eugene Adkins Presidential
perspective.
Humanities Council, National Endowment Professor of Art History and the
for the Humanities, Oklahoma Arts Council, Mary Lou Milner Carver Chair in
Allied Arts and OVAC founder John Art in America Native American Art in the University
McNeese. A principal magazine about
of Oklahoma School of Art and Art
contemporary art.
For more information, visit History, Norman, Oklahoma.
www.Write-Curate-Art.org. n
www.Frieze.com Emily Stamey, Curator of
British magazine with international Modern and Contemporary Art,
Julia Kirt has served as the Executive Director of the essays, news and criticism. Ulrich Museum of Art, Wichita State
Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition since 1999 and is
University, Kansas.
taking the advantage of this program to learn anew
how to write clearly and consider contemporary art.

24 f e a t u re
25
 Ask a Creativity Coach by Romney Nesbitt

Winning Outcomes
Not making progress on your creative goals? Are
you easily distracted by food, technology or pets?
Your procrastination may be a side effect of a work
related transition in your life such as retirement,
a change in work hours, summer break, etc.
Whenever the structure and predictability of what’s
been normal for you changes, it’s easy to get off
track. Here are six suggestions to help you find a
“new normal” that will work for you.
Positively State What You Want, Not What You Don’t Want
“I intend to produce one painting a month” is more effective than “I’m
tired of not producing any new pieces.”
Be Specific
“I want to paint more” becomes “I want to work on my creative project
for one hour five or six times each week.”
information about studio spaces for rent. Church classrooms are empty
during weekday business hours. Ask the office manager about renting
space or offer to barter original art for your space (murals, backdrops
for plays, bulletin cover art). Share an office space (I know a massage
therapist who shares office space with a counselor—one uses the office
in the day, the other in the evenings and on weekends). Enroll in an art
class and get a temporary studio space once a week. A “real” work space
will encourage you to be more regular in your work habits (and your
rental costs are a tax-deduction!).
Accountability Counts
Form a group of five to seven individuals who are serious about
reaching their goals. Select group members with differences: different
ages, business backgrounds, skill sets and goals. Your group could
have members interested in art making, writing, weight loss,
financial independence and home organization. Members must have a
commitment to their goals and be willing to participate in the group
process. Keep the meetings under an hour. In the first half-hour each
member gives a five minute report on their activity such as hours spent
on the project, pounds lost, number of closets cleaned etc. If a person
has had an off week with nothing to report, he or she states “no report”
and the group moves on to the next person without any judgment.
Group meeting time is reserved for reporting action—never excuses.
If time permits, members may pose questions to the group, solicit
expertise, network, etc. Friendships may develop within the group
but the purpose of the group is the business of goal-reaching through
accountability. n

Take Charge of Your Time

Romney Nesbitt is a Creativity Coach, artist and writer living in Tulsa. She
To maximize your productivity view a typical day in three segments:
is the author of Secrets from a Creativity Coach, available on Amazon.com.
morning, afternoon and evening. Segments add up: a five day work
Romney welcomes your ideas or questions for future columns. Contact her at
week equals 15 segments of time, seven days a week equals 21
Romneyn@att.net or at www.romneynesbitt.com.
segments of time. Decide how many “times” you want to work on your
creative work each week.

Work with Your Body’s Energies

Choose the time segment for your creative work when you feel
energetic--this is how to work with your body instead of against it.
The body has energy highs and lows during the day called circadian
rhythms. If you’re a morning person, use that high-energy time to do
your high-value creative activities. If your energy sags in the afternoon,
fill the time with low-value activities such as errands, internet surfing
or chores. Do the right thing at the right time and you’ll increase your
productivity and personal satisfaction.

Go to Work
If spouses, kids, pets and chores are too distracting for you to work at
home, then look for a new place to work. Here are a few alternatives:
rent, barter, share or enroll. Your local art supply store may have

26 business of art
At a Glance: Through the Lens
by Kelsey Karper
A recent exhibit at the Edmond Historical
Society and Museum showcased a collection
of photographs and photographic equipment
given to the museum by collectors Antoinette
and Harold Stump.
For anyone interested in the history of
photography, A Look Through the Lens:
Photography Through Time offered an
introduction to the equipment and cameras
dating from the 1920s to 1960s. Types of
cameras included Polaroids, toy cameras, spy
cameras, Brownies and view cameras. A small
portion of the exhibit also included early
movie cameras, like an 8mm movie camera
which dates to 1947.
Several photographs from Edmond’s early
days, featuring landscapes, street scenes and
railways gave a glimpse into the community’s
beginnings and served as examples of
traditional black and white photography. The
collection has an air of nostalgia for simpler
days and there are only a few subtle clues that
the images represent the same town where the
museum sits today.
The Edmond Historical Society and Museum Kelsey Karper is Editor of Art Focus Oklahoma
regularly features traveling and special and a photographer working in historic and
exhibits connecting art and history. More alternative processes. She can be reached at
information is at www.edmondhistory.org. n publications@ovac-ok.org.
at a glance 27
 SELF-GUIDED TOUR APRIL 10-11, 2010, NOON-5PM
PREVIEW EXHIBITION, CIRCLE CINEMA GALLERY
12 S. LEWIS, MARCH 4-APRIL 4
RECEPTION MARCH 4, 5-8PM

ARTISTS
Milissa Burkart mixed media Chris Mantle painting
Frank Campbell & Barbara Buell ceramics Denny Schmickle silkscreen
Gaylord Herron photography Bob & Sandy Sober painting
Mark Lewis painting Chris Wollard sculpture
TICKETS $5 in advance, $10 at the studio door
AVAILABLE AT The Gadget Company, 104 E. 15th St. • Dwelling Spaces, 119 S. Detroit Ave. • Lovetts Gallery, 6528 E. 51st St.
BUY TICKETS ONLINE www.TulsaArtStudioTour.org BY PHONE 405-879-2400
Tickets are also available at each studio the days of the tour
Sponsored by
Marjo Operating
Anonymous

28 at a glance
 Round Up March | April 2010

the Circle Cinema, 12 S. Lewis in Tulsa. Come see a sample of each

We are excited to show off our new logo and organizational look.
We appreciate Dylan Bradway, who worked diligently to find a
design that could encompass OVAC’s community, creativity and
fluidity. After 13 years with the distinctive logo that Roger Runge
designed, it’ll be a change and we are ready to update.
Explore eight creative spaces and discuss art with the ten artists
themselves at the Tulsa Art Studio Tour, April 10-11, 2010, noon-
5pm each day. The preview exhibition opens March 4, 5-8 pm at
artists work to prepare for the self-guided Tour. Purchase tickets or
read more at www.TulsaArtStudioTour.org
We are proud that Sarah McElroy, OVAC’s Volunteer and Office
Coordinator, was accepted into this year’s Leadership Arts class.
Trent Lawson, OVAC’s part time Event Production Coordinator,
Stephen Kovash, Board President, and intern Candace Coker were
also selected! We are thrilled so many OVAC friends will be learning
more about the state and importance of arts for our economy. See
www.arts.ok.gov for more info. n

Thank you to our New and Renewing Members from November and December 2009

Drew Ackerman Timothy Grischkowsky Wendy Mutz Stephen Smith

Ginette Adamson Brenda Kennedy Grummer Romney Oualline Nesbitt Lisa Sorrell
Amber Bailey Barbara Hair Sharon Nielsen Jensen Jeff Sparks
Andrew Baker Kirkland and Julia Hall Ann Barker Ong and Jasmine Ong Jim Stewart
Carol Beesley Nancy Hamill Judith A Osborne Julie Strauss
Julie Bohannon Nancy Harkins Bob E. Palmer Davey Surls
Deborah Brackenbury Bob and Janet Hawks Beth Parker Lacye Swilley-Russell
John Brandenburg Jamie Henderson David and Patty Phelps Suzanne C. Thomas
and Janet Massad Dore’ Hill Laura Pickering Skip Thompson
Candise Chastka Kevin Hooper Frank and Lou Ann Polk Jim and Beth Tolbert
Angela Church Yuanyuan Huang Nathan Pratt Spencer Tracy
Rachel Clare Christen Humphries John R. Preston Angela True
W. Maurice Clyma Donna Jackson Chris Ramsay Joyce Ulstrup
Shelly Collins Ellen Jonsson Kathleen Rivers Shanon Van Gordon
Leslie Cormack Judy Kelley Tammy Roberts Kelley Vandiver
Virginia Dowling Mike Klemme Liz Rodda Sydney and Anthony Warren
Elizabeth Downing Courtney Kneifl Timothy Ryan Corazon S. Watkins
Kellie Eastham Judy Laine Ann Saxton Erin Wetherill
Tammy Elder Sharyl Landis Sue Schofield Frank Wick
Michael Elizondo Jr Janet Massad Melanie Seward and Bryan Kody Wilson
Tom and Jean Ann Fausser Janice Mathews-Gordon Lettenmaier Mary Witt
Linda Finley Janice McCormick and Ed Main Edward Shadid Peggy Wollmershauser
Ron Fleming Sarah McElroy Tony and Clarissa Sharp Joanne Woodward
Susen Foster and Kevin Stark Marie Miller Shikoh Shiraiwa Mark Wyatt
Dan Garrett Rudy Miller Patricia Shy-Trent May Yang
Diane Glenn Jacque Mitchener Tamara Sigler Bj Zorn
Almira Grammer Diane Moershel Peggy Sircy
Brent and Kennetha Greenwood Raybert Murrell Marcee Smith

OVAC news 29
 Gallery Listings
Ardmore Edmond
& Lawton
Exhibition Schedule
Oklahoma City Biting the Apple
Traci Martin Solo Exhibit: A Look through the Lens: David Holland, Michael Jennifer Barron March 26-27, 7-11:30 pm
Charcoal Portrait Studies Photography through Time Kemper, Sharon Montgomery Opening March 5, 6-10 Oklahoma Art Guild National
March 3- April 17 Through March 13 March 6- April 28 aka gallery Juried Exhibition
Shane and Sara Scribner A Dose of History: The History Opening March 6, 7-9 pm 3001 Paseo Opening April 17, 6 pm
April 21- May 29 of Edmond’s Medicine The Leslie Powell (405) 606-2522 Individual Artists of
Studio 107 Gallery April 6- June 10 Foundation and Gallery akagallery.net Oklahoma
107 East Main Edmond Historical Society 620 D Avenue 811 N. Broadway
(580) 224-1143 & Museum (580) 357-9526 Function and Design (405) 232-6060
studio107ardmore.com 431 S. Boulevard lpgallery.org Through March 27 iaogallery.org
(405) 340-0078 [ArtSpace] at Untitled
Bryan Boone, Scott Henderson
Linda Mitchell Exhibition edmondhistory.org Norman 1 NE 3rd St.
Through March 27 (405) 815-9995 and Nanoko Yonemaru
Bobby Anderson and
Through April 30
Reception March 27, El Reno Sharon Burchett artspaceatuntitled.org
5:30-7 pm Istvan Gallery at Urban Art
RCC Student Show and Through March 5
The Goddard Center Andrew Polk 1218 N. Western Ave.
Showcase Elyse Bogart and
401 First Avenue SW March 11- April 10 (405) 831-2874
March 2- April 9 Douglas Shaw Elder
(580) 226-0909 Opening March 11, 5:30- istvangallery.com
Opening April 8, 1:30-3 March 12- April 30
goddardcenter.org 24 Works on Paper: Opening March 12, 6-10 7:30
Artist Talk March 12, 5:00 The Guitar: Art, Artists and
Contemporary Art Traveling Firehouse Art Center
Artisans
Bartlesville Exhibition 444 South Flood Jason Hackenwerth
April 23- May 22 Through May 9
Lights! Camera! Fashion!: Exhibit made possible by IAO (405) 329-4523
Opening April 23, The Power of Music:
The Film Costumes of and OVAC normanfirehouse.com
5:30-8:30 Photographic Portraits of
Edith Head April 16- May 14
City Arts Center Americans and their Musical
Through May 16 Redlands Community The Creative Eye: Selections
3000 General Pershing Instruments 1860-1915
Price Tower Arts Center College from the Carol Beesley
Blvd. Through May 9
510 Dewey Ave. (405) 262-2552 Collection of Photographs, in
(405) 951-0000 The Jackie L. Coles Collection
(918) 336-4949 redlandscc.edu Honor of Michael Hennagin
cityartscenter.org Selected Works
pricetower.org Through May 9
Through June 13
Idabel Revisiting the New Deal:
When Animals Attack?
Seeing Beyond- Government Patronage and the Shirley Houx & V
Birds in Art Exhibit Humorous Hunting Tableaux
Through OKLA Eyes Fine Arts, 1933-1943 irginia B. Johnson
March 9- May 16 Through July 11
April 16- May 30 Through May 9 March 5-31
Lifewell Gallery National Cowboy & Western
Woolaroc Museum and Fred Jones Jr. Museum Gary Bates & K.B. Kueteman
Museum of the Red River Heritage Museum
Wildlife Preserve of Art April 2 – May 5
812 East Lincoln Road 1700 NE 63rd
1925 Woolaroc Ranch Road 555 Elm Ave. Contemporary Art Gallery
(580) 286-3616 (405) 478-2250
(918) 336-0307 ext 10 (405) 325-4938 2829 Paseo
museumoftheredriver.org nationalcowboymuseum.org
woolaroc.org ou.edu/fjjma (405) 601-7474
contemporaryartgalleryokc.com
New Frontiers: Series for
Linda Warren and
JP Morrison, Jeremy Luther, Contemporary Art Jason Peters,
Don Holladay
Kim Camp Anti.Gravity.Material.Light
Opening Feb 12,
March 5- March 26 Through April 11
Through March 27
Opening March 5, 6-10 Oklahoma City Museum
University of Oklahoma MFA
JRB Art at the Elms of Art
Thesis Exhibition
2810 North Walker 415 Couch Drive
April 9 – May 8
(405) 528-6336 (405) 236-3100 okcmoa.com
Opening April 9, 7-9
Mainsite Contemporary jrbartgallery.com
Art Gallery Shawnee
122 East Main Mike Larsen: I am very Proud Ancient Bronzes of the Asian
(405) 292-8095 to be Chickasaw Grasslands
mainsite-art.com Through March 26 Through March 28
Gaylord-Pickens Oklahoma Spanish Colonial Religious Art,
Heritage Museum 1650-1950
1400 Classen Dr. April 30- June 13
Kolbe Roper, Oklahoma (405) 235-4458 Mabee-Gerrer Museum
City, Ghost (Klohe), Oil,
oklahomaheritage.com of Art
screen print, ink, hair,
wax, fiberglass on woven 1900 West Macarthur
book paper, 60”x60” on (405) 878-5300 mgmoa.org
exhibit at Living Arts in
Tulsa April 2-22.
30 gallery guide
 Stillwater Eleanor Hays Gallery (918) 749-7941
Graphic Design Portfolio Performing Arts Center Philbrook.org
Exhibition Northern Oklahoma
March 10-28 College Under the Tree: Installation by
Reception March 28, 2-4 1220 East Grand Claudia Wylie
Studio Capstone Exhibition (580) 628-6670 in conjunction with Living
March 31- April 9 north-ok.edu Arts New Genre Festival
Opening and gallery talk, March 5-7
April 1, 5-7 Tulsa Opening March 5, 5-7
Annual Juried Student America’s Western Storyteller: 24 Works on Paper:
Exhibition Charles M. Russell Contemporary Art Traveling
April 14- May 2 Through May 2 Exhibition
Reception May 2, 2-4 Gilcrease Museum Exhibit made possible by
Gardiner Art Gallery 1400 Gilcrease Road IAO and OVAC
Oklahoma State University (918) 596-2700 gilcrease.org March 13-27
108 Bartlett University Kristy Lewis Andrew:
(405) 744-6016 New Genre XVII Motherland
okstate.edu Through March 7 Tulsa Artists Coalition
Mark Rumsey Installation Gallery
The Feeling in Your Chest: Through March 25 9 East Brady
Benjamin Sperry That Was Now: Installations (918) 592-0041
April 3 – 30 by Sam King and Kolbe Roper tacgallery.org
Opening April 3, 7-9 April 2-22
Project Gallery Living Arts Marjorie Atwood
David Holland, Oklahoma City, Juggling Reality, Oil
715 S Main St 307 E. Brady March
Pastel, 12”x9” at the Leslie Powell Foundation and
(405) 624-0234 (918) 585-1234 Jeremy Charles Gallery in Lawton March 6-April 28.
livingarts.org April
Tulsa Performing Arts
Tonkawa
Hans Hofmann Center Gallery
Eric Humphries: Is the Whole
Through May 9 Third and Cincinnati
World on Fire
The Philbrook Museum (918) 596-2368 tulsapac.com
March 1 – April 2
Annual Student Exhibition of Art
April 12 – May 2 2727 South Rockford Road

Become a member of the Oklahoma Visual GET INVOLVED

Arts Coalition! Join today to begin enjoying the
benefits of membership, including a subscription
to Art Focus Oklahoma.
Sustaining $250
MEMBER FORM
¨ Sustaining ¨ Patron ¨ Family ¨ Individual ¨ Student
-Listing on signage at events
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Oklahoma
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ArtOFocus
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Non Profit Org.
US POSTAGE
PAID
Oklahoma City, OK
730 W. Wilshire Blvd, Suite 104
Permit No. 113
Oklahoma City, OK 73116
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

MARCH

J.P. Morrison
Jeremy Luther
Kim Camp
Opening Reception:
Friday | 03.05.10 | 6p - 10p

APRIL

D. J. Lafon
Beth Hammack
Opening Reception:
Friday | 04.02.09 | 6p - 10p

2810 North Walker

Oklahoma City, OK 73103
Phone: 405.528.6336
www.jrbartgallery.com