FREE MONTHLY Volume 1 // Issue 11 • November 2009
OKL AHOMA
Capturing Heaven
Rebekah Hampton
www.artbeatok.com
Shop Good
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.
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.
www.ArtBeatOK.com | page 2
www.ArtBeatOK.com
ArtBeat Oklahoma
Volume 1 / Issue 11 / November 2009 ArtBeat is a monthly publication dedicated to encouraging and promoting creativity and the arts in Oklahoma. ArtBeat serves as a source of inspiration and encouragement for the individual artist and a foundation of unity and information within the art community as a whole. ArtBeat is a tool for promoting the work of local artists, both established and underground, and art-driven businesses through affordable advertising and a calendar of local events bringing awareness to the many opportunities in the Oklahoma arts scene. Oklahoma is rich with artists and great art; it is our desire to give these incredible Oklahoma artists visibility and connections both with one another and the thriving community of patrons here in our state.
page 4 // ArtBeat the Movement page 5 // Finding Your Own Success Story page 6 // Thinking Man page 7 // Cover Artist Profile page 8-9 // Rebekah Hampton page 10 // "Hold It" The Container Show page 11 // Flows 'n' Prose page 13 // "Junior" A Short Story page 14-15 // Capturing Heaven pages 16-17 // ARTIST SHOWCASE page 19 // What is Art? page 20-21 // 4 Elements Exhibit page 22 // Re-Creation Challenge page 23 // Handmade Wonder A Holiday Shoppers Guide pages 24-25 // Shop Good page 27 // Another Great Moment in Art page 28 // ArtBeat Stand Locations page 29-30 // Calendar
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Cover art by: Poetry Submissions poetry@artbeatok.com Sean Vali
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It seems that the morning after Halloween, the world is selling us Christmas. It is no wonder Thanksgiving is such an overlooked holiday, it isn't easy to market thankfulness. But to live in a state of thanksgiving can be one of the single most effective ways to change our lives for the better. It is not difficult for us to focus on all that is wrong with our lives, but to take a moment each day to intentionally appreciate the blessings-- the good things-- can alter our perspective for the rest of the day. And it is our perspective that can lead us to pursue our creativity and our art. This issue showcases artists whose perspectives have led them to overcome obstacles and find great success in pursuing their dreams (pgs 8-9, and 14-15) It is often said, “Whether you think you can, or think you can't-- you're right!� I get tired of hearing people spout off all the reasons they can't accomplish their dreams. I get tired of my own excuses. This month, I choose thanksgiving! I am thankful to live in a state with low living expenses! I am thankful for the gift of creativity! I am thankful for ArtBeat and it's readers who everyday truly choose to live creatively and pursue art! Be Thankful! Be Blessed!! And Make ART!!!!
Missy Hancock:) ArtBeat Managing Editor
(See pg 7)
November 2009 | page 3
Calling All Interns
Exciting New Website! ArtBeat is excited to announce our new website at www.artbeatok.com with new posts daily promoting exciting arts events in Oklahoma City, Tulsa, and around the state, not to mention some great giveaways and other fun surprises. New at artbeatok.com-- Ticket Giveaways!
Ok, you have no more excuses not to discover the artistic culture in Oklahoma! ArtBeat is giving away free tickets to craft emporiums, the theatre, musicals and much more! And it's so easy to win! All you have to do is subscribe to our www.twitter.com/artbeatok or www.facebook.com/artbeatoklahoma or www.myspace.com/artbeatok or just visit our website www.artbeatok.com. We'll keep you informed about all the upcoming giveaways. Then simply leave a comment. You'll be entered instantly to win tickets. We've already given away tickets to Antigone from The Reduxion Theatre Company, the Indie Emporium and OCU's Bat Boy: The Musical. You can look forward to new giveaways for OCU's opera Die Fledermaus, performed in English, November 20-22, and Triple Play @ The Tracks, December 4, with art from metro artists, music from Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, Red River Connection, and Leroy Neman and dance party with music by DJ Travis. How cool is that?!
New at artbeatok.com-- Thursday Ribbon Artist
Every Thursday we feature a new local artist across the header ribbon at www.artbeatok.com. Become an ArtBeat Feature Artist by submitting 2-3 works at feature@artbeatok.com. We'll contact you for a brief artist statement and contact information. You could be the next Thursday Ribbon Artist.
New at artbeatok.com-- Wednesday Distro Spots
We appreciate the restaurants, coffee shops, galleries and art supporters who have opened up their businesses to distribute ArtBeat. To show our support, we feature 1-2 distro spots around Oklahoma every Wednesday on ArtBeat's website. Add your business to our distribution route today and you could be the next Wednesday Distro Spot.
New at artbeatok.com-- Now Available: Online Event Submission Form
You've often wondered, how can I get my event on the printed calendar? Well, you can now submit your event online at www.artbeatok.com. To ensure that we have all the pertinent information, follow the form! -Event Name. -Contact Email and Phone--This information is private, used by the Calendar Coordinator if there are any questions regarding your event. -What date and what time does the event start? -Who--Include the artist(s)/performer(s), if applicable. -Where--Include building name, address and room number, if necessary. -How Much--Include cost of the event and/or varied costs of tickets. If FREE, please state. -Event Contact? This information is for public access, include website, phone, and/or email. -Indicate whether this is an ongoing event. -Additional Information. Provide any additional information needed for this event. Simply visit us online at www.artbeatok.com. The Event Submission Form is under Contact Us.
www.ArtBeatOK.com | page 4
You can now view issues of ArtBeat online!
Just go to artbeat.ok.com and click Flip Thru ArtBeat
What can I expect from an internship with ArtBeat? Everything! It seems obvious to apply if you are an art major and yes, we definitely want you to apply. But what about a business administration major? Accounting major? Public Relations/Mass Communication major? Marketing major? Web design? Telecommunications? Writing? Literature? OK, you get my point. If it's unpaid, what are the benefits? Good question. Two words: Good reference. Never underestimate the value of a good reference. You know that daunting line at the end of a job application that says list 2 non family references? You will no longer have to worry about that line. Also, dress up your resume. I know when I graduated from college I had about four jobs to list, but I also had my internship at a publishing house. What are these perks? As partners in the arts community, we often gain access to shows, theatre and annual events which we love to pass on to our interns. Not only will you experience the arts community first hand, you will begin to understand the impact of arts on our community and why we are ArtBeat. I go to school in Alva, can I still intern? YES! We would love for you to apply. We distribute all over Oklahoma and would love to know what is happening in your community. We are looking for interns at Cameron University, East Central University, Langston University, Northeastern State University, Northwestern Oklahoma State University, Oklahoma Panhandle State University, Oklahoma State University, Rogers State University, Southeastern Oklahoma State University, Southwestern Oklahoma State University, University of Central Oklahoma, University of Oklahoma, University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma, Oklahoma Baptist University, Oklahoma Christian University, Oklahoma City Community College, Carl Albert State College, Connors State College, Eastern Oklahoma State College, Murray State College, Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College, Northern Oklahoma College, Redlands Community College, Seminole State College, Tulsa Community College, Western Oklahoma State College, Bacone College, American Christian College & Seminary, Family of Faith College, Hillsdale Free Will Baptist College, Mid-America Christian University, Oklahoma City University, Oklahoma Wesleyan University, Oral Roberts University, Saint Gregory's University, Southern Nazarene University, Southwestern Christian University, and University of Tulsa. Have I left anyone out? To apply to become an intern for the Spring semester, send your school's requirements along with a creative response as to why you would like to intern with ArtBeat to Shar Grant, Director of Operations, sgrant@artbeatok. com. Internships typically last one semester and require five hours per week. Don't wait until Spring, apply now!
A
s an artist, sometimes it is easy to see one's dayto-day artistic happenings as failures rather than successes. In today's economy, where few have a budget for our creations, the almighty dollar sign is at the front of everyone's brain. But more often than not, what we experience as creative people can be interpreted as successes rather than failures, regardless of album sales or awards received. If you examine your experiences from every angle, you may find you are more successful than you think.
someone else may not be ready for your unique style does not de-value it. Simply taking stock and noticing, "Hey, I used to paint as a hobby, but now I have a gallery show!" is a success story. Seeing that first fan of your work and hearing their genuine feedback is a success story. Gaining support from a skeptical family member is a success story. One of the components of the definition of "art" is that it provokes a response. On that very basic level, if your work has received responses, you have succeeded!
When you paint a painting, write a song, or compose a new poem, you have already succeeded in creating your product. As artists, we are constantly victims of our own criticisms- will it sell? will people like it? and so on.... Many artists have benefited from the proper marketing of their products, but it is all too easy to get wrapped up in the sales part of it all. The wonderful thing about the arts is that even rejection is a learning experience, and approval from our audience a welcome comfort. There is always a way to continue going up, rather than regressing. The easiest way to see one's personal successes is to simply look back at where you started. Maybe you were painting at home, or just a freshman in college learning about technique, or maybe you were playing around with your guitar and didn't believe at the time you would be where you are now. If you put honesty and caring into your work, you have already won. Just because
Not too long ago, I thought of myself as a bad artist. Now I am not sure what that is- because regardless of adjective, there is still that word- "artist". Then I thought back to good old art history class, and the Dada movement- the "non-artists", going against tradition. Because these artists executed their work with passion, they succeeded, and even though they called it non-art, it is very much art, because of the responses provoked. And now, thanks to the Dada movement, we have Surrealism, one of the most popular modern art genres. Now there is another success story! Today there is a much larger scope of media and subject matter for the creative, and there are infinite outlets in which our passions can be manifested. Louis Bourgeois said, "If the artwork is true, then it will communicate and have value to others." So go forth, create, and you will have your success story!
November 2009 | page 5
The Thinking Man Is Perfection Even Necessary? By Shawn Hancock
T
here seems to be something inside of each one of us that lures us to reach our idea of perfection. Some of us are obsessed with it to the point that we would even do ourselves physical harm, not to mention the emotional abuse we put ourselves through. The truth is human beings are not perfect. No matter how hard we try, we fall short at one time or another. There is no such thing as the perfect man or woman and there certainly isn’t a perfect race. We try to convince ourselves that there is such a thing as “excellent achievement”. In some ways excellence, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. If we award a person with a medal of excellence in a certain field of study, does that person say to themselves, “I have achieved excellence… perfection. I am at the top. There is no place else to go, there is no more to learn. I have done it all! I shall go into the west and die content and happy.”? I hope no one says that. There is no cap on excellence; nor is there one on perfection. It is a goal that we can never really achieve, at least not in total. When we achieve it in one area, we neglect another. The best that we can do is to do the best that we can do. This is the healthier outlook, instead of striving for perfection. We should continue to grow because we enjoy the process of exploration and discovery. We enjoy playing hide and seek with our art and realize that as we explore and grow, perfection comes closer to us. www.ArtBeatOK.com | page 6
Several years ago, I attended a Mime Workshop in the greater Sapulpa area. The instructor, a friend of mine, asked us to develop a physical representation of the 23rd Psalm. “Yow-Za!” you might be thinking to yourself, which is exactly what a fellow student did. She was doing great the entire workshop until we got to this exercise which caused her to freeze up. I was her partner on this particular piece and was unable to continue without her. I had already blocked half
“
We should continue to grow because we enjoy the process of exploration and discovery.
”
of the piece when I realized that she was having serious problems. I asked my friend to come over and he quickly understood that she was putting way too much pressure on herself. He gave her the best advice I think I’ve ever heard. “Cut yourself some slack.” He told her to give herself a break and to not be so hard on herself, because it was just a simple mime exercise. I don’t really know what was
going on in her head, but I can guess that the 23rd Psalm had significant meaning to her and she had, in an instant, created a heavy burden for herself. “Who was SHE to portray such a meaningful scripture as this?” she may have thought to herself. After a few consoling moments, she took his advice and gave herself a break. She then energetically blocked the second half of the piece which, to my memory, was powerful and poetic. The turning point was when she switched from thinking of the piece as “THE” interpretation to “her” interpretation. She didn’t have to carry the weight of the world on her shoulders. She just had to do the best that she could do. Achieving perfection is a stumbling block to us. It is not our burden to bear. We may not be able to be perfect or even the best, but with a little help, we may be able to reach that which is even more important.
COVER ARTIST PROFILE
SEAN VALI Sean Vali Ghassempour by to Pho
Du stin Kuk uk
What mediums do you work in? I like to use anything and everything I can get my hands on. Im a big fan of mixed media and stacking layers. Spraypaints, inks, acrylics, paint pens, markers and stains. I love painting on wood and letting the grains work almost like clouds. Suggesting the outcome. I’ll paint on just about anything.
405.255.1316 sean.ghassempour@gmail.com myspace.com/seanvali facebook.com/seanvali
Cover Art: “Tree Science 4” 3ft x 4ft mixed on canvas Longboard: “Soulsimpo”
How did you get your training? Growing up, I was always drawing, especially in school. Most of the time when I wasn’t supposed to be. Eventually I went to school for Graphic Design which taught me about Creative Versitillification. Where do you get inspiration? Definitely my mom, Ingrid. As a kid she always encouraged my artistic curiosity ... When I was a kid, not her. What is the most unusual thing you have used to create art with? There’s not too much out there thats unusual when it comes to creating Art. I did do a series of paintings once with coffee. Is that unusual or just tasty? What advice do you have for artists just getting started? Try cracking an egg in your Ramen noodles and don’t be afraid of looking through some trash now and again to find things to paint. If you could tell the world one thing, what would it be? Dear world, don’t sweat the little things and enjoy yourself. Go on an adventure every once in a while and pack accordingly.
“Treegood” 4ftX5ft
What is your opinion of the Oklahoma art scene? I dig it. Theres a great group of minds here. The Arts are a huge part of who we are as people. Everyone loves art and its great to see people coming out to shows, investing and supporting the Arts. What is an important lesson you have learned in the business of selling your art? Bartering can be good at times but making a sale on a piece that I’ve put alot of myself into is always a great feeling. What excites you the most about your art? There’s something about the process and the trip of creating a new piece thats a lot of fun. If your art had a flavor, what would it be? Ha! It’s the taste left in your mouth after getting ninja kicked by somebody wearing gummi bear shoes. Or maybe some sort of fruit/snow icecream. Where can we see your work / What upcoming shows or events are you in? There’s a Show coming up in December @ 611 Gallery in OKC. My friend Josh Heilaman and I are joining forces. It’ll be a lot of fun. The air will also be filled with the musical science of Esthing. I also have the Myspace and Facebook.
“Turtlegood” 4ftX4ft acrylic and ink November 2009 | page 7
A
rt captures the imagination and dance is no exception. I am always amazed by the emotion that wells up inside me as I watch great dancers take flight. And with Perpetual Motion's Rebekah Hampton, this is not a metaphor. The company specializes in Aerial Dance and Rebekah deems it her “crazy, new obsession! I LOVE IT!” she said with sheer excitement. Rebekah Hampton is an Oklahoma native, but her dance has taken her around the world and across the states. With twenty-one consecutive years of training and performance spanning twenty companies and schools, fifteen consecutive years teaching experience with more than fifteen companies and schools; responsibilities including curriculum and course development, choreography, performance preparation and management; three years of international touring with Renascent Productions, Inc. as a principle performer, company member, choreographer, instructor, assistant and substitute rehearsal director, Rebekah Hampton has made her mark on the dance world. In the summer of 2006, she was scheduled to return to Oklahoma from her home in Nashville to teach a summer workshop with the Oklahoma City Ballet, with no plans of staying. But a twist of fate, or feet, in actuality, led her to stay. During a performance Rebekah came down wrong after a jump and broke her foot. The injury led her back to her Oklahoma roots where she had started dancing nearly twenty years before. Rebekah began ballet training at age eight with Katha Bardel, of ARTS in Edmond. Rebekah reflected on how life comes full circle when she shared that she now teaches
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her first ballet instructor's grandchildren at the Dance Center of Oklahoma City Ballet. Oklahoma City Ballet offered for her to continue teaching with them as her foot healed and by the time it was all better, she had settled in Oklahoma. She auditioned for Perpetual Motion that fall and at the end of the audition they asked her if she could stay for rehearsal. “I was so surprised. I expected to hear from them in a couple of weeks one way or another, but when they asked if I could stay for rehearsal, I said, 'Sure!' They said, 'There's the double trapeze, hop on!' That was my first introduction to Aerial Dance.” Rebekah has never looked back and in the past three years has thrown herself into learning the art form. “Adding aerial into the mix of things gives so many more options. It adds a whole other dimension to the realm of movement possibilities.” Having been a longtime fan, there was one significant fact I knew about her that never came up in the interview but I just had to ask her if it was OK to share it in the article. “Aren't you a somewhat unlikely candidate to be a professional dancer?” I asked. Rebekah responded openly, “Yes. I AM a bit unlikely, I have severe scoliosis. Most doctors don't seem to know what to do with me a professional dancer AND severe scoliosis patient. They know how to treat me as a dancer and they know how to address the scoliosis but the two together baffle them.” Rebekah was diagnosed at thirteen and has a 65 degree curve in her lower spine and a compensating 30 to 35 degree curve, the combination affects her hips, ankles, and knees. Typically, anything past a 40 degree curve automatically means surgery that would have entailed fusing a steel rod
Photo by Rachel Bruce Johnson
to her spine thereby ending her dance career. Rebekah and her parents chose an alternative approach to surgery. Rebekah continued to pursue her passion for dance, growing up going to back specialists. She currently rigorously pursues dance and works with a private pilates coach, massage therapist, and others as needed. “I have actually been told by some doctors that had I NOT stayed mobile and continued dancing, I might not be walking.” Rebekah does a whole lot more than walk, she captures the eyes and hearts of her audience as she pours out her soul in graceful, fluid movement. I have had the pleasure of being in Rebekah's audience over the years and she has always been the dancer that holds my eye. There is something about her that invites you into the dance with her. I asked Rebekah why she loved dance and our cheerful chatter subsided as Rebekah paused to think for a moment, “I love having the ability to create a physical expression for all the emotion that is constantly swirling around in me. There is nothing like going into an empty studio, turning on the music and just letting it all out. I also believe that dance is truly a universal language. Through it I have the ability to express any thought, opinion or emotion to anyone in the world, without saying a word.” We talked more about being a working artist and what it was like making one's living as a full time dancer. “Sometimes it's hard being a working
artist. The art you love can become a chore. I watch others dance and think, 'Oooh..I have to remember that combination.’ Sometimes I have to remind myself to turn my brain off and just enjoy it! I am so blessed to be doing what I love. But it takes balance to continue to remember why it's my passion in the first place, and not let the 'making a living part' take over.” As we continued to discuss living and working as an artist, Rebekah shared her thoughts on today's art , “At this point in time, I think it is hard to create something actually NEW- I believe the best way to is to mix familiar elements, taking things that have already been done and putting them together. Any circus can do the “tricks” we do, but by bringing in our dance experience we are able to create more than the circus performance approach- Trick... TA-DA! Trick...TA-DA! We try to add an existential quality and make it more lyrical, more fluid.” Perpetual Motion's show “Retrospective” is coming up November 13th at 8:00pm at the City Arts Center in OKC. "I'm really excited about this particular performance! It is a "best of" show, so it has some of my absolute favorite pieces that we have ever done." And I have to say, as a longtime fan of Rebekah Hampton and her gift of dance, if you have not yet experienced what she and Perpetual Motion are doing-- YOU MUST!
Perpetual Motion is presenting Retrospective on November 13th, 8:00pm at the City Arts Center in Oklahoma City. The concert will be an evening of modern and aerial dance works. There will also be a silent auction of artwork, crafts and gift baskets prior to the concert that will help raise funds for the Perpetual Motion 2010 season. Tickets for Retrospective are available at www.perpetualmotiondance.org or at the City Arts Center box office one hour prior to show time.
↑ Photo by Justin Harvey
↑ Photos by 1000 Words Photography ↓
November 2009 | page 9
"Hold It" The Container Show O
klahoma City  Artists usually think outside the box to keep their creative juices flowing, but the 2009 "Hold It" The Container Show challenged artists to work within a container theme. Inspired and sponsored in part by artist, Michi Susan, this juried exhibition will feature mixed media containers by artists from all over the state. The opening reception will be held at the Paseo Art Space, 3022 Paseo, in the historic Paseo Arts District during the First Friday Gallery Walk, Friday, November 6th from 6-10pm. Clint Stone, Artistic Director at the City Arts City is the juror for this exhibition. He is an accomplished artist who works in acrylic and mixed media. With his professional position, a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Central Oklahoma, and his own work, Stone plays a huge role in the Oklahoma City art scene. One of his paintings was recently featured on the cover of "Oklahoma Today" magazine. Stone brings a diverse background to this show; he will award "Best of Show," two "Awards of Merit" and two "Honorable Mentions" from his final selection. He will judge on a variety of aspects, as well as the originality of the work
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and how the artist interprets the idea of a container and containment. Lori Oden, Executive Director, said, "This is the fourth year for this juried exhibit. The events committee decided to have it again because of its popularity. It is incredibly exciting to see what the artists come up with when they work with a theme; I look forward to it every year. We hope to continue the exhibit as long as it remains a challenge to the artists and the viewing audience enjoys it. And these containers make great, unique gifts for the upcoming holiday season." Paseo Art Space is open Wednesday through Saturday from noon to 4pm or by appointment. "Hold It" The Container Show will be on exhibit through November 28. For more information please call 405.525.2688 or visit our website at www.thepaseo.com The Paseo: Where Arts and History Come Alive! The Paseo Arts Association is a nonprofit organization with the mission to "preserve and maintain The Paseo, Oklahoma Cityšs vibrant living community of artists, as a historic arts district and to enrich, educate, entertain and inspire through the arts."
This month Sebastian Squabblesquire has shared two prose selections and Kassidi Growall has offered "A Sip for a Nibble a Jab for a Stab". Please send any style of poetry to poetry@artbeatok.com.
A Sip for a Nibble, a Jab for a Stab by Kassidi Growall
Parenthetical Diagnosis of Free Roaming Brain Activity Affected Disorder. by Sebastian Squabblesquire
( There's so much to say! There are so many things to say. The only problem is, none of them are important anymore. And the world should probably hold its tongue. A giant collective silence, a stillness. Then the cars would be turned off, burned up. And the tv's would be shut down, shut up. But still all we'd probably hear would be the hum in those f@#$%*ing powerlines. I bet it's loud when the world is quiet. It will be. Nothing will be. I like to see myself as an empty beast with words sprinkled around to make my sentences grow, but I'm no gardener. I want to be silent. I think I'm a box with a flower in it. Do you like flowers, Matthew? I like stepping on them. And running them over with a lawn mower. Really, if you were a flower, I would take you out of the box. And I'd give you to yourself. I would eat that flower . Do you like trees, Matthew? I like chopping them down. And burning them to the ground. Trees are the one thing I really love. What kind of bug did you eat today? A fly she was pregnant so many flies I hope they grow in you. And then one day you hiccup and they fly free. I hope so too )
Strychnine and Cat Tails by Sebastian Squabblesquire
Strychnine and cat tails. I dream scapes painted in orange radio waves and blue electricity could mold me like clay if they desired for to feel the pump of blood through anothers thin flesh when it is the pulse of misfortune when it flows to cavernous death is a never healing abrasion a cicada scream never to cease. So if your spirit exists suspended unsleeping, if your self has burst into knowledge of the end I shall venture to follow and learn what you know. II and if death is a bog, a borderless swamp, a dismal plain of creeping fog, I'll sink back into you to again observe the physics of your movements, the faint whisper beneath your flesh soft like God's voice rhythmic and serene like ripples in the puddles we would splash in before we filled our heads. We'll relive uneventful days, play among the cat tails dive deep without fear of the dream thieving undertow reinvent our lost innocence then move to forget what we know.
The cannibalistic comportment of stars Likes their food Hot Both in toothsome touch and taste. Gravity holds his tongue As the last noodle is sucked dry. Cue the brown dwarf. I am Syrup smog of black tar under the fifteen car pile up you So carefully caused Suffocating you With a reminding force of why we stop at red lights. Laugh It's the only way you'll get past that six digit figure You enjoy the commemoration which I enjoy Of wine Of whine And of wane. I am Nicked magnifying glass Slow churning weapon of choice for your countless ant massacres. They pass the gasoline torch that is their arm. Recall Igniting the revolution that is their colonial independence. I am The earache your mother's affectionate astral vocal chords can never absolve Leaving your ear canal with the strangled burn no q-tip can itch. You are The crack in my waffle cone letting the dreams of my mudslide delight drip away And you've misplaced me in the Black Rock Desert. I am Desolate dog that has found his one pound of joy for the day You are Delectable rat that has given me rabies. A life for a life is suitable. You Are the snore that continues to rock the coffin of my composure while I Am the vexatious burn that hugs your now flaccid neck As we swing to the tune of end's song.
November 2009 | page 11
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guess you could say with a fair amount of certainty that I didn’t really know William Ernest Lemon, at all. Excuse me. Or should I say the ‘deceased?’ Even though I crammed his life story into three inches of print, in all honesty, as the journalist that I am, I remained objective as to whether or not he was a good, decent man, or just a scoundrel. All of this of course had to do with the fact that he was a father, and often fatherhood determines how you are judged, by whether or not you were a good, decent man or just a scoundrel, and judgment day comes, of course, at your funeral. Nevertheless, whether he deserved my tears or not, I cried when I attended Lemon’s funeral. And I’m not sure why. At the time I was entirely fed up with the idea of continuing my position as an obituary writer and copy editor. In college, I had dreamed a journalism degree would guarantee a spot in the paper for my column, my very own column. Well, dreams were dashed when I ventured out into the ‘real world.’ This was the only job I could get—in Guthrie, Oklahoma—of all places. I strongly doubt you’ve heard of it. It’s known for nothing except that a temple of freemasonry sits in the center of the town. Aren’t they a cult—the Freemasons? They say. Yeah...but they say a lot of things. Anyway, the call that prompted me to go to the Lemon funeral after all came late during work, just when I thought I was done for the day, as it often goes with telephone calls. I just finished the ‘deceased’s’ obit, when the assistant editor yelled down the hall that the phone was ringing for me, and I should dial 745, ‘cos somebody was on hold'. So I dialed 745, and with the most professional of tones I answered. “‘Guthrie Globe’,’” I said. “This is Saul.” “They told me you would know,” the voice said ever so hoarsely. “Know what?” I asked. “When and where the services were for…” “Oh, right,” I said. “The deceased’s name?”
Junior
A short story by Bryan Mangieri
Calls like this weren’t uncommon, at all. People would often call the paper as a last resort when they couldn’t find their loved ones’ funerals. I mindlessly attended to it as if it was a procedure, nothing else, but the voice kept coughing in the phone. After a violent outburst of hacking, he produced the name. “William Lemon, Sr.,” he said. “Well, there’s a William Lemon, but there’s no ‘senior’ at the end of his name,” I said. “That might be my fault. A typo. I’m glad I caught it.” “I doubt it’s a typo,” the voice said, very hum-drum. “I’m his son.” “Really?” I said. “I’m sorry for your loss.” “No, don’t be sorry,” he said. “Really it was his loss.” The voice over the phone then explained that he was William Ernest Lemon, Jr. “supposedly”—as he put it. His father divorced his mom when he was very young, and then his father married another woman. And in the interest of putting the past behind him, William Lemon, Sr., became simply William Lemon, and his first born son became known as Willie. Willie, who qualified each and every statement about his father with the word “supposedly,” then explained he just wanted closure and could I please tell him where the funeral was? “Cemetery Gates,” I said. “Tomorrow.” “Thanks,” he said. Then before I could tell him the time of day, he hung up the phone. … The thing is that when I told the assistant editor that I was leaving early for a funeral the next day, well, the jerk actually said, “How ironic.” I wanted to pop her right in the mouth. But really I had
no good reason or right to be at William Ernest Lemon’s funeral in the first place. I wasn’t a friend. I wasn’t a family member. I guess you could say I was a fan, in as ironic fashion as a fan could be. And I hoped to dear God maybe I would recognize Willie. As I sat in the pew, I glanced around at the crowd who gathered to honor the life of the ‘deceased.’ The floor was lava. Like in second grade when if your feet touched the floor you would be the loser. At first, I couldn’t cry. Perhaps, I just couldn’t because I had already brought myself to some sort of acceptance about my own recent loss—the death of my grandmother—before she was in her own casket. The last time I saw her, the dementia was so bad that she no longer knew who I was, so it was like I had been the one who died. The floor was lava. I didn’t want to view the body because I didn’t know the stranger about to be buried. Really, it shouldn’t have been my business. The floor was lava. Even during that last conversation with my granny, she had asked several times who I was, or in her words, “Which one are you again?” If she had been healthy, she would have remembered as she only had two grandchildren. Me and my younger sister. And she would have remembered who was who. As the pastor closed his sermon, my anger flashed over me like a fever. There hadn’t been mention of Willie, at all. Disappointed I made my way through the flock of people yearning to see the ‘deceased’s’ body one last time. I tried to escape, but the pastor caught me at the door. He outstretched his hand for me to shake so I obliged. “Sorry for your loss,” he said. I broke down into tears sobbing and hugged the pastor, another man I really didn’t know either. I guess it just got to me.
The End
November 2009 | page 13
Clinton Bowman takes the Smithsonian
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hat is Heaven? How do you view it in your mind? Is it a place where you stand in the presence of God or is it a state of mind, in which the term could mean an abundance of things? These are some of the questions that might spring to mind when viewing Clinton Dean Bowman’s latest series of works entitled “Heaven.” With his unconventional style, he says that in this series, he “takes the idea of heaven and challenges the viewer’s perception of the word.” Now he is being honored by having two pieces in his thought provoking series hang in the Smithsonian, followed by a touring exhibition around the U.S. Bowman, an Oklahoma native, recently graduated from Oklahoma City University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photography. In September of this year, he was chosen by the VSA Arts to be among 15 artists across the country, to receive this honor, along with a cash prize. The VSA Arts is a non-profit organization that works nationally to recognize and showcase artists with disabilities, including visual and performing arts. This year, they invited
www.ArtBeatOK.com | page 14
By Amelia Brewer
artists, ages16-25 to submit work to illustrate the theme “Accelerate.” They chose this theme for artists to show the relationship between life, art and disability. Bowman explains “There are currently two pieces being exhibited in D.C. The first is the partial installation (due to space limitations) and the second is a photograph that is from the ongoing photographic series, Heaven. The installation is the physical form of the series. It is an illuminated 7-foot red neon sign that spells out HEAVEN. The sign itself isn't new nor did I build it. I found it, and with the help of local artists Larry Pickering, Klint Schor and Kathryn Reynolds, I managed to get this broken sign working again.” His love for photography came early in life. He says “My first camera was a novelty ninja turtle flash camera. The pictures I took then weren't very good, but how could they be? They had a ninja turtle in every photograph. But I shot everything, my birthday cake, my mom, my new toys, the trees in the backyard, my cousins. I didn't realize it then, but I was taking photos of the things that were profound to me. I work much in the same way today.” During his teenage years came the onset of dystonia, a movement disorder which causes
involuntary contractions of your muscles. When viewing his art pieces, it doesn’t appear that a disability affects his work. Bowman says “I think my having a disability affects the way I see things. I wouldn't say I draw inspiration from it, yet it certainly has had a profound impact on me. I try to explore ideas that interest me, and hopefully they are poignant enough to hold someone's attention and spark creativity. I can say that it has changed my perception of life and concept of beauty. As a result, without even knowing it, it may come across in my work.” In his art as a whole, Bowman lends a point of view that can be riveting. He sees that in the age we live in, the world is constantly changing and being redefined. He’s a deep thinker and with his art, he encourages others to step “out of the box” as well. In another ongoing series titled “Typographical Decay,” he combines images from nature and man-made objects he calls “forgotten dilapidated fixtures that are a vehicle of speech and thought.” These pieces, with their contrasting images, really cause you to stop and look. He says, “My photography and installations
are not just a means of expression, but delving into and creating a message from the things that interest me. For the past several years, the thought of beautiful decay has been on my mind. As a result, I work with or photograph dated or nostalgic post industrial materials.” When asked what he will do next, he said “It is hard to say exactly what is next for me. I am young and rather ambitious. I am weighing the pros and cons of an MFA versus a museum studies degree, currently. I find that working around art and for the awareness of art is almost as gratifying as creating it. He currently works in the art department of OKCU through the Priddy Foundation. He also works as a wedding and event photographer. The “Accelerate” Exhibition, including Bowman’s “Heaven” pieces, will hang in the Smithsonian Institute until January 6, 2010, when it will then go on a two year tour of the U.S. You can learn more about the VSA Arts and the tour at www.vsarts.org. You can also view more of Clinton Bowman’s photography at www. clintondean.net.
November 2009 | page 15
To submit your art, send us a picture of your work and your contact info to feature@artbeatok.com
www.ArtBeatOK.com | page 16
November 2009 | page 17
Flesheater Photography FLESHEATERPHOTOGRAPHY@yahoo.com FLESHEATERPHOTOGRAPHY.blogspot.com www.FLICKR.com/FLESHEATERPHOTOGRAPHY
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A One-Sided Argument on the ‘Art is Beauty’ Debate by Missy Hancock
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was recently reminded of an age-old debate that I was converted on years ago; that is, the ‘Art is Beauty’ debate. I’ll never forget how offended my sensibilities were when I had heard of an artist putting a crucifix in a jar and pissing on it. You too, may remember it; it was scandalous! Catholics and Protestants around the world were in an uproar and while I was far less concerned about the sacrilege of it all, I simply did not believe that pissing in a jar on a cross constituted art. As I complained on and on about it not being art, my husband, then boyfriend, shocked and horrified me with his answer. “What do you mean it’s not art? Of course it’s art. It might not be pretty...you might not appreciate it...but that does not negate the intent of it’s creator. It was created as a bold artistic statement. You might consider it “bad art” but it IS art!” I was dumbfounded. Who was this alien standing before me? This madman spouting off absurdities?! But......But....” I sputtered “It’s nothing. It doesn’t take any talent at all to place a crucifix in a jar and urinate on it!!! And it’s ugly...there’s not beauty in that!!!” It was then I discovered what a narrow viewpoint I had about art.
1. 2.
For something to be classified as art, it had to be beautiful. To me, personally.
For something to be considered art, there had to be an obvious degree of talent required to create it. Namely, it couldn’t look like something I, or any third grader in America could create.
3.
Did I mention it should be beautiful??? And I should like it???
And therein lies the inherent problem with the ‘Art is Beauty’ argument. It is entirely and completely subjective. Its identity changes
according to the viewer. One viewer may be deeply moved by the art. It may evoke bottled up emotions about Catholicism, church abuse, corruption and ultimately, feeling abandoned by God for one viewer while another viewer may spew vehemently, “That’s not art! That is an offense to God and mankind.” and yet a third party feels nothing whatsoever and simply says, “I don’t get it.” Do these three differing opinions transform the object? The object stays the same, it is the perspective that changes. If the same three people were to taste a submarine sandwich and have differing opinions on the quality of the sub, it would not cease to be a sandwich. It’s a sandwich! Just because one guy doesn’t like onions and finds it inedible does not change it’s identity. To that particular individual, it is simply deemed a “bad sandwich.” As my brain started to wrap around this idea, it truly made art come alive for me! Over the years we have made friends with a variety of different types of people. From middle aged, big haired women who think if it is not spray painted gold it ain’t worth looking at to punk rockers who behold skull ridden images of death as radical art that they admire and love. I quite honestly detest both. I typically do NOT dig ornate, and I find Baroque and Rococo to be quite displeasing but I would never ever presume to say that these romantic painters of rosy-faced cherubim were NOT artists. “That’s ridiculous!” you might think. But what about Picasso? I don’t know how many hundreds of times I have heard otherwise intelligent people ridicule Picasso, saying things like “that looks like a kindergartener did it!” “That’s NOT art! That’s just UGLY!” And yet, who on all of the planet earth would say that Picasso wasn’t an artist? The man was one of the most prolific artists of the twentieth century and while he had the ability to replicate Raphael, he chose to experiment, always pushing creativity forward. The only thing he might have done better than make art was to promote himself! The man was a marketing genius-- the Mohammad Ali of the art world! He spent a lifetime creating art and creating a buzz about his art. “My mother said to me, ‘If
you are a soldier, you will become a general. If you are a monk, you will become the pope. Instead, I was a painter, and I became Picasso.” The man really said that-- enough said. You might not agree with his high assessment of himself and his art but I doubt you will deny him the title ‘artist’. I think an interesting thing about believing that art must be beautiful to be considered art is that it is not just held by people who are not artists themselves; but often, it is held by people who are incredibly talented artists and simply hold the label “art”on such a pedestal that they are unwilling to allow something they consider inferior in any way to sit on that pedestal. In my opinion, that is worshiping the art, and that is as ridiculous as bowing down to a golden calf. For me, Rap music is noise. I wanted to like it, but I don’t, and the only thing that might be worse is really whiny Country. And Hip Hop doesn’t float my boat either. Now, in those three confessions, I have quite likely gotten all sorts of people up in arms against me. (Including my boss who loves his Hip Hop almost as much as his Adidas....or maybe his love for his Adidas is wrapped up in his love for the art form of Hip Hop!) Regardless, the point is clear. We feel passionate about the art we love. THAT is the beauty of art! It might not be music to everyone else's ears, but we know what we love and we love to defend it. The beautiful thing about art is that one individuals distaste for it, such as my distaste for Rococo or Hip Hop, could not and would not ever disqualify these genres as art nor deny the artists who have cultivated these unique art forms as artists. These artists express a multitude of emotions and tell a multitude of stories to a world hungry for such art. I see art as a gift. It is a gift to the one who creates it- to participate in the process of creation is special, to say the least. And it is a gift to the world who will be impacted, ministered to, refreshed, enlightened, and inspired by it. [Disagree??? Send your side of the debate to submit@artbeatok.com]
November 2009 | page 19
4 Elements Exhibit By Mel Sparks
Exhibit Honors Artwork Born from Mother Earth Living Arts of Tulsa brings four powerful Oklahoma artists of different media together to present work made of natural elements: fire, water, earth and wind. Mel Cornshucker/clay, Bill Derrevere/metal, Ron Fleming/wood, and Susan Moss Sullivan/ fiber join together under the Living Arts' roof for this organic exhibit. Also featured with the exhibit are paintings from Tude Darvey. Exhibit opens Friday, December 4 and runs through December 19, 2009, and is held at Living Arts of Tulsa, 307 E. Brady. This exhibit co-curated by Steve Liggett, Artistic Director for Living Arts of Tulsa and Myra Block Kaiser, avid craft advocate and co-founder of Fiberscene, a resource for fiber artists.
Artwork pictured created by Bill Derrevere
The Curators
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Myra Block Kaiser: "This field is innovative, pertinent and boundless, " she says, and she is determined to spread her enthusiasm worldwide to help Fiber Art gain the appreciation and stature it deserves. Myra was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where she was surrounded by the beauty of Native American textiles. She earned her BA at the University of Michigan studying Art History and later took graduate courses in Design and Architecture. In 1980 she opened her own business, Linens & Lace, in Texas, to promote the sale of fine linens. When she began to incorporate antique linens into her inventory, her life changed. Researching Victorian linens led Myra first to ethnic textiles, and then to the Textile Art Department of the California College of Arts and Craft. There she saw the legacy of Fiberworks thriving. She became an avid Fiber Art collector, gaining knowledge by extensive traveling; by attending major national and international fiber events; and by close personal associations with artists, museums, and galleries. This culminated in 1998 with the show she curated,
Defining Fiber, at the Braunstein/Quay Gallery in San Francisco. She is now a Board member of the San Francisco Craft and Folk Art Museum. Myra's goal is to foster recognition of the artists creating these works that have significant ethnographic roots. She hopes to raise public awareness through www.fiberscene.com website, as well as through lectures and mainstream gallery shows. She is a strong advocate in Tulsa for creating more interest in the fine crafts. Steve Liggett has a background in clay with a Master of Arts degree from TU in ceramics. He also has a passion for the fine crafts and has been in many exhibits and collections around the country with his clay work before becoming the Artistic Director for Living Arts. The two began talking about the exhibit during the spring of 2009 with the emphasis on recognizing the great artist/craftsmen from Oklahoma. This will be the first of what we hope will be several exhibits between the two curators.
The Artists Mel Cornshucker: Mel Cornshucker was born in Jay, Oklahoma and moved to Kansas City, Missouri at age five. Mel is a diversified potter and his works include wheel thrown and hand-built stoneware, porcelain, sandblasted porcelain, raku and wood fired pieces. His pieces are functional, aesthetic or both. The pottery of Mel Cornshucker has been exhibited in several museums and galleries such as The Heard Museum in Phoenix, Arizona and the Thomas Gilcrease Institute of American History in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He has won numerous awards and is widely sought in international collections. Included among his collectors are heads of state in Japan and the New Guinea Ambassador to the United States. Bill Derrevere: William R. Derrevere is an Associate Professor of Art at Tulsa Community College, and teaches annually at the Summer Festival of Arts in Ghost Ranch, New Mexico. He received his BFA and MFA from the University of Tulsa and an MA from Western Illinois University in Macomb, Il. Derrevere designs awards for many local charities including Catholic Charities, Arts and Humanities Council of Tulsa, and Junior League of Tulsa. Derrevere has shown pieces at MA Doran Gallery, Pierson Gallery of American Art, Zarks Fine Crafts Gallery in Eureka Springs, Ar., and Living Arts of Tulsa. Ron Flemming: I love Nature. For many
years I watched and helped my father and grandfather work in wood. By observing and learning, thinking and searching I found a way to express the feelings and thoughts I have about nature... it's beauty and it's passages. Woodturning is a natural way for me to combine my capabilities as an artist and a craftsman. Working in wood is formidable. It is the "aliveness" of the wood that translates back to me. It has warmth and a certain life form that seems to live on. Sue Moss Sullivan: Sue Moss Sullivan is a studio artist living and working in Oklahoma City, She owns Studio Six on the Paseo with three other artists. She began working in fiber art 30 years ago. Her passion for tapestry and the history of textiles is obvious in all her work. Sullivan exhibits nationally and locally and has earned many awards and is in both private and corporate collections. "The Oklahoma landscapes that I see and interpret in mixed media are urban. They reflect my vision of the architecture, expanse and eventual decay of cities and structures. The pieces are viewed "at grade" perspective or from above, as a map or aerial view. The materials -papers, rust, metal, gold and silver leaf - are materials that essentially come from earth and will return." The Exhibit opens Friday, December 4 from 5-9pm and continues through Dec 19, 2009.
Gallery hours are: Tuesdays 1-5pm Wednesdays 1-5pm Thursdays 1-9pm Fridays 1-9pm Saturdays 1-5pm Sundays 1-5pm Mondays: Closed
For more information: Mel Cornshucker: http://www.geocities.com/earthwalkcreations/Prof _Mel.html Ron Fleming: http://www.hearthstonestudios.com Sue Moss Sullivan: http://www.ovac-ok.org/FindArtists/find_artists_detail.cfm?id=23
November 2009 | page 21
"Wild Thing"
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his month's winning RE-creation comes just in time to inspire us all to take care of the birds in creative ways this fall and winter! For those of you who may be joining us for the first time, we love to challenge our readers to come up with creative ways to turn trash into treasure. For our November issue, we asked our readers to come up with brilliant ways to turn items that might otherwise be discarded into something for the animals in our lives. Congratulations go to Sharon Rowston from Shawnee, Oklahoma, winner of our "Wild Thing" challenge! Sharon and her family are avid bird watchers and have a variety of store-bought feeders for their feathery friends, but for the winter and for our challenge she took simple household items and made a feeder for winter with a creative
by Amanda Hall
twist. A mesh bag (usually containing onions at the grocery store) was the perfect way to get a high-protein mix of suet and peanut butter to the backyard birds. To make it notso-everyday, she attached artificial flowers from a decoration from springtime, carrying the use of the flowers through the fall and winter. This is a super-simple project anyone can do and make it their own, not to mention it provides a service to the avian community! Your next challenge is "Save the Paper!"wrapping paper re-made. With a time of gift-giving and gift buying coming up, we want to see where you can creatively use the wrapping paper you either save, recover, or are left with after wrapping gifts. For simply re-using your wrapping papers in any creative way and telling us about it, you will receive a
$25 Sauced gift card, and will be the subject of word fame, web fame and print fame in our January publication, on our website, and when the buzz goes out about the new challenge winner! So don't forget when you are wrapping and/or unwrapping, to "save the paper!" Send in your entries by December 15 to submit@ artbeatok.com. Any gift wrap counts, not just that holiday paper!
The Next RE-creation Challenge And don't forget- the deadline for the December challenge is coming up quickly, get your submissions in NOW! Challenge For December Issue: "Deck the Halls: Holiday Decorations." Every year, people spend more and more on holiday decorations, only to throw them out for something new. You can make us a wreath, menorah, a Yule log, even a recycled tree! If it is something you use to "deck your halls," it qualifies! The winner will be featured in our December issue and will also win a local gift certificate, be featured on our website, and of course receive world fame galore! Send your entries to submit@artbeatok.com by November 15th! www.ArtBeatOK.com | page 22
November 2009 | page 23
SHOP GOOD Y
ou may be asking yourself, “So, how can I help the orphans and widows of Uganda rebuild their homes and lives, drill a well in Kenya, help rescue individuals from the sex trafficking industry, support an Oklahoman artist, and feed the local economy all at the same time?” Well, GO SHOPPING, of course! That is, if you are shopping at OKC's Plaza District's hip new clothing, accessories, and gift shop, Shop Good. Shop Good's two slogan's say it all: “Buying is Giving,” and “Every Purchase Impacts Local and Global Communities for Good.” This is the brilliance of Shop Good. Located at 1755 NW 16th street, OKC, in the front of the Convergence building, Justin and Audrey Falk have set up shop, and what a shop it is! “We want to make it easy for people to do good!” says Audrey with a smile and a twinkle in her eye. The idea for Shop Good was a natural evolution from the clothing line the couple started nearly a year ago, Wandering Wear. “We wanted to explore social justice issues with shirt designs.” shared Justin with a kind and friendly demeanor that immediately sets one at ease. Audrey told of how one day Justin said how he wished they could start their own clothing line. Audrey's response
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was “Let's do it!” The creative young couple found a great deal on screen printing equipment, explored options for sweat-shop free, organic and recycled materials for printing on, and the rest is history. Wandering Wear was born. Justin, a graphic and web designer, artist, and photographer designs and prints the garments, while Audrey, a writer, editor, and creative soul helps to handle the business end of things. The idea to partner with local artists, nonprofits and microenterprises (like Maisha International Orphanage & Village of Hope Uganda) and socially conscious businesses (like Jedidiah clothing) to fill a shop with goods in which the sales really would support community development was a natural next step. One great aspect about the shop is that Justin and Audrey have direct connections and communication with the nonprofits and micro enterprises they work with to assure the utmost of integrity that the funds get to their intended communities. “We thought, 'What if we had a store in which someone could come in and buy a t-shirt and that is the good thing they did that day!?'” said Audrey. “Being good and doing good can be really simple acts of thoughtfulness: what you spend your money on, where you spend your time, and
by Missy Hancock
who you invest in.” In addition to carrying such socially conscious items, the two take great pleasure and strides to find fun and creative companies and items to carry, such as Toddland and Maxine Dear, just to name a few. Justin perked up at the mention of Toddland and boasted that he thought they were the first store in the state to carry them. Toddland specializes in really fun men's clothing and accessories and whose motto is to “just make rad stuff.” Maxine Dear, a small business out of Ohio, makes awesome belt buckles from vintage book covers. Shop Good carries all this plus a plethora of other fun and funky items. Shop Good is all about being environmentally friendly, using recycled and organic materials, and hand-made touches and the creative and rustic décor and store displays, built by Justin and Audrey, showcase these values beautifully. Don't miss Shop Good's Grand Opening, November 13th at the Live in the Plaza 2nd Fridays event! The shop will be buzzing with live music from local band, GUM, free Chai from local coffee shop, Joe's Addiction, and the opportunity to peruse and purchase creative goods from around the world and help others at the same time! Honestly, does it get any better than this?
November 2009 | page 25
Out of suffering comes creativity. You cannot spell painting without pain. - John Lithgow in "Third Rock From the Sun"
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A
few years ago, a dear friend of mine and I co-hosted a concert/art festival at his theatre. He owns and operates a community theatre company. As we were setting things up we got into a discussion about art, as we often do. He was expressing to me his thoughts on certain types of art and his disbelief in them being considered art at all. He was referring to those works that could have been found lying around and then just hung on a wall or set on a pedestal. A good example that comes to mind is Marcel Duchamp’s “Fountain” which is basically nothing but a urinal lying on its back. I am a believer that these types of works are indeed art, therefore I was inclined to disagree, and so another friendly debate began. At one point in our conversation my friend looked around the stage and grabbed a chair and said “It would be like me taking this chair and putting it in the center of the room and calling it art.” He then, in jest, carried the chair into the room we had converted into a gallery and set it by itself not far from the art being displayed. He then took a note card and wrote “chair” along with his name and hung that on the wall behind it. He stood back, with a grin, and soaked it in. After a few seconds he put his hands on his hips and said “Huh?”... and the wheels started turning. He started to see something he hadn’t seen before. Now the chair he randomly grabbed happened to be an old wooden chair that had been around for quite a while. You might say it was a veteran of the stage. It had been a prop for a multitude of plays, rehearsals, and classes, and had served as a stepladder many times. It had about fifty coats of paint, and a broken leg that had been mended and wrapped with several layers of gaffers tape. That chair had history and now that it had been taken out of its element and put on display to be appreciated, it had its own story to tell. As my friend stood there taking it all in, a light went on. “That old chair has a lot of history,” and he went on to describe it as I have to you. Then he said, “You know, it is a lot like me.” What he intended as a joke turned out to be a bit of an awakening. He told me that he didn’t think he would ever look at that chair quite the same. He left it in the gallery for the duration of the festival and returned to it several times to reflect on it. I’m not sure he was completely converted, but at least he gave his chair a chance at being art. I have fond memories of that festival and to me, that moment was magical. As far as I’m concerned, it was another great moment in art.
November 2009 | page 27
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ArtBeat Stand Locations
ArtBeat is picking up steam and adding new distribution sites across the state each month. Pick up your issue of ArtBeat at one of these fine establishments!
For a complete list with addresses go to www.artbeatok.com
ADA
The Hub Old Bank Gallery
ARDMORE
Two Frogs Grill
BROKEN ARROW
Broken Arrow Bead Gallery
EDMOND
Edmond Public Library Fish City Grill Flat Tire Burgers Henry Hudson’s Pub Iggy’s Java Dave’s Planet Sub Starbucks 2nd & Bauman Starbucks 15th & Bryant Starbucks Memorial Rd & Bryant University of Central Oklahoma – Library – Liberal Arts Bldg – Art Bldg
ENID
Scribner’s Gallery & Studio
NORMAN
Bill and Dee’s Christie’s Toybox Guestroom Records La Baguette Norman Arts Market The Opolis University of Oklahoma – Student Union Pita Pit
OKC METRO
BETHANY/ WARR ACRES 66 Bowl Cannibal Graphics David’s Music Plus F.Y.E. Music & Movies McSalty’s Pizza Mystical Illusions Rink Gallery Starbuck’s Exp & MacArthur Starbuck’s Exp & Rockwell Tree & Leaf Clothing Thai House CENTRAL OKC Belle Isle Brewery Belle Isle Library The Brew Shop Bohemian Spirit Vintage CD Warehouse City Arts Center Classen Grill Full Circle Bookstore Greenhouse Oklahoma Children’s Theatre Prohibition Room Red Cup Ted’s Cafe Escondido Red Earth Museum DOWNTOWN/MIDTOWN OKC Beatnix Cafe CD Warehouse Coffee Slingers Colonial Art Gallery & Co Bricktown Tattoo IAO Gallery Irma’s Burger Shack Java Dave’s Midtown Deli Mr. Burrito OMRF Untitled Artspace
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MIDWEST CITY Drew’s Tobacco World A Different Image Tattoo Hair Rage Salon MOORE Joe’s Addiction-Coffee Shop Artworks Bead Shop Oklahoma City Community College Blue Bean Coffee –Cafeteria Body Trends –Art Building Studio 842 Wholly Grounds Wellness Works PERKINS NICHOLS HILLS/ WESTERN AVE Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma Library Atomic Brown Scooter Shop Perkins Library Blue 7 Sandstone Coffee House & Deli Conservatory/Size Records Deep Fork Grill SAPULPA Earl’s Rib Palace Water Street Art Gallery Flips Wine Bar French Cowgirl SHAWNEE Guestroom Records DC Bakery Hideaway Pizza CD Warehouse Iglesia Health Cafe Starbucks on Kickapoo Saturn Grill Sushi Neko STILLWATER The Wedge Pizzeria Daily Grind NORTHWEST OKC Pita Pit Altered Images Project Gallery Body Trends Brown Suga Café TULSA Guitar Center Apertures Photo Hunan Chinese Restaurant Artifacts Gallery Johnson Chiropractic Big Al’s Health Food Kansas City Blue’s, Blue Dome Diner T, An Urban Teahouse Blue Jackalope Grocery & Coffee Schardein & Co. Blue Moon Discs Velvet Monkey Too Brady Artists’ Studio PASEO ARTS DISTRICT/ OKC Brookside Art Gallery Contemporary Art Gallery Café Cubana Cuppies & Joe Café Fusion Iron Star Urban BBQ Chrysalis Spa Panoply Circle Cinema Red Rooster Bar & Grill Clark Theatre Sauced Coffee House on Cherry St Starlite Hair Salon Collaboratorium PLAZA DISTRICT/ OKC Dilly Deli Bad Granny’s Bazaar Double Shot Coffee Collected Thread Dwelling Spaces Convergence Eclipse DNA Galleries Elote’s No Regrets Tattoo Enchanted Grove Films Velvet Monkey Salon & Vintage Equality Center Boutique Feliz Arts SOUTH OKC Gallery Beads Atomic Comics Atomik Pop To place an ArtBeat rack in your place of Book Beat business, contact: sgrant@artbeatok.com Cocina di Mino
NOVEMBER
Submit your event at www.artbeatok.com
Events to look forward to every month
Every Monday: Free Art Exhibitions, Short Films, and/or Live Drama/ Music Performances/ 8:30pm/ The Venue/ thevenueokc@gmail.com Free local vineyard wine tastings/ Strebel Creek Vineyard/ strebelcreek.com or 405-720-1119 Free first-Monday-of-the-month at the Natural History Museum in Norman all year First Fridays/ Paseo Art Walk/ shops are open late with snacks and wine/ 6-10pm/ free/ Paseo District (OKC) / Fun Continues Saturday: Noon-6pm/ thepaseo.com Second Fridays/ “LIVE on the Plaza”/ shops are open late & street-vendors strut their stuff/ 7-11pm/ free/ Plaza District (OKC)/ plazadistrict.org Second Sundays/ Featured Poet/ 2pm/ Norman Train Depot (Norman)/ free Third Thursdays/ Featured Poet/ 7pm/ Benedict Street Market Place (Shawnee)/ free November 6-8, 13-15: Clue (Musical)/ Fri-Sat 7pm, Sun 2pm/ Family Theatre Warehouse 907 W Britton Rd. OKC/ familytheatrewarehouse.com November 17-22: Little House on the Prairie/ varied times and ticket prices/ CelebrityAttractions.com November 27-Dec 23 A Territorial Christmas Carol 2009/ varied times and ticket prices/ thepollard.org November-December: Shawnee Mall’s 2nd Annual Home For The Holidays Arts and Crafts Festival/ every Thursday - Sunday, Mall Hours/ affordable boothspace available/ okartsandwine@cox.net / 405-285-1944
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• The Girlie Show (Art Show)/ Fri 8pm- Midnight, Sat noon5pm/ Farmer’s Market, 311 S Klein, OKC/thegirlieshow.net Paseo Art Walk/ shops are open late with snacks and wine/ 6-10pm/ free/ Paseo District (OKC) / Fun Continues Saturday: Noon-6pm/ thepaseo.com • Michael Combs/ “Primitive Seasons” reception/ 6-9pm/ Tulsa Artist’s Coalition (TAC) Gallery/ free/ tacgallery.com • 10th Annual Open Studio Arts Festival/ 11am-8pm/ Garden Deva Sculpture Company (Tulsa)/ 918-592-3382 • “Two for The Show”: Bev & Bob Landdeck/ 6-10pm/ In Your Eye Studio & Gallery/ free
7 • The Edmond Art Association Outdoor Fall Show & Sale/ 9am-5pm/ Spring Creek Plaza/ free/ edmondart.org • Downtown Arts Market: live music; drum circle; street chess; jewelry; kids activities; etc./ 10am-3pm/ Legacy Trail on Jones Ave between Main & Eufaula (in front of Santa Fe Depot) Norman
Every Sunday/ Open Forum at the Mic + Karaoke/ 8pmmidnight/ Pita Pit (Norman)/ free Second Sunday/ Song Circle/ 5-10pm/ IAO Gallery new location (706 W. Sheridan)/ free Last Sundays/ Featured Poet + Open Mic./ 2pm/ Full Circle Bookstore in 50 Penn Place (OKC)/ free Fourth Fridays/ Featured Poet + Open Mic./ 7:30pm/ IAO Gallery new location (706 W. Sheridan)/ free Second Fridays/ Circuit of Art/ 6-10pm/ Main Street in Norman/ free Second Fridays/ Art “à la CART”/ 6-9pm/ Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art in Norman/ free Last Saturdays/ Downtown D.I.Y./ 7-10pm/ OKC Coworking Collaborative (723 N. Hudson)/ $3, members free
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Continued
• Red Dirt Improv/ 7pm/ IAO Gallery (new location)/ $10 ATD/ www.reddirtimprov.com
8 Featured Poet/ 2pm/ Norman Train Depot (Norman)/ free Open Forum at the Mic + Karaoke/ 8pm-midnight/ Pita Pit (Norman)/ free Song Circle/ 5-10pm/ IAO Gallery new location (706 W. Sheridan)/ free • Nikita Mikhalkov’s: “12” film/ 2pm/ OCU’s Kerr McGee Auditorium in Meinders School of Business/ free/ 405-208-5347
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Art Exhibitions Short Films &/or Live Drama&Music/ 8:30pm/ free/ The Venue/ thevenueokc@gmail.com
10 • Karen Hesse’s: “Out of the Dust” film/ 7pm/ OCU’s Walker Center: room 151/ free/ 405-208-5347
13 • Shop Good grand opening: Live Music (GUM), Free Chai/ 7-11pm/ Plaza District,1755 nw 16th st OKC • Retrospective (dance): Perpetual Motion fund raiser/8pm/ City Arts Center 3000 general pershing blvd OKC “LIVE on the Plaza”/ shops are open late & street-vendors strut their stuff/ 7-11pm/ free/ Plaza District (OKC)/ plazadistrict.org
November 2009 | page 29
Submit your event at www.artbeatok.com or send an email to: calendar@artbeatok.com
13 Continued Art “à la CART”/ 6-9pm/ Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art in Norman/ free Second Fridays/ Circuit of Art/ 6-10pm/ Main Street in Norman/ free
15 Open Forum at the Mic + Karaoke/ 8pm-midnight/ Pita Pit (Norman)/ free • Dr. Sketchy’s Anti Art School/ 6-10pm/ IAO Gallery (new location)/ $10/ must be 21/ bring your sketchbook!!!
16 Art Exhibitions Short Films &/or Live Drama&Music/ 8:30pm/ no cost/ The Venue/ thevenueokc@gmail.com
19 Featured Poet/ 7pm/ Benedict Street Market Place (Shawnee)/ free
20 • Works on Paper: rare opportunity to see an important but little known collection/ shows thru Jan 2, 2010/ Untitled Gallery/ free • Red Dot Auction/ 6-9pm/ IAO Gallery (new location)/ iaogallery.org • Russian Culture & Art Exhibit/ 7-9pm/ Gold Dome Multicultural Soc. 1112 NW 23rd st/ free/ golddomemcs.org
21 • Champagne & Chocolate (Holiday Sale and Silent Auction)/ 6-10pm/ new location of Living Arts 307 South Brady (Tulsa)/ $20 ATD, $15 in advance/ www.livingarts.org
22 Open Forum at the Mic + Karaoke/ 8pm-midnight/ Pita Pit (Norman)/ free
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Art Exhibitions Short Films &/or Live Drama&Music/ 8:30pm/ free/ The Venue/ thevenueokc@gmail.com
27 Featured Poet + Open Mic./ 7:30pm/ IAO Gallery new location (706 W. Sheridan)/ free
28 • Bliss Holiday Gift Market/ 10am-8pm/ State Fair Park/ montagefestivals.com
www.ArtBeatOK.com | page 30
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Open Forum at the Mic + Karaoke/ 8pm-midnight/ Pita Pit (Norman)/ free Downtown D.I.Y./ 7-10pm/ OKC Co-working Collaborative (723 N. Hudson)/ $3, free for members Featured Poet + Open Mic./ 2pm / Full Circle Bookstore in 50 Penn Place (OKC)/ free • Bliss Holiday Gift Market/ 10am-5pm/ State Fair Park/ montagefestivals.com
30 Art Exhibitions Short Films &/or Live Drama&Music/ 8:30pm/ free/ The Venue/ thevenueokc@gmail.com DECEMBER
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Paseo Art Walk/ shops are open late with snacks and wine/ 6-10pm/ free/ Paseo District (OKC) / Fun Continues Saturday: Noon-6pm // thepaseo.com • Art Work Born from Mother Earth, Wind, Fire, Water/ 5-9pm/ Living Arts of Tulsa/ free// www.livingarts.org
5 • Kevin Kelly and Audra Urquhart Exhibit/ opening reception 6-9pm/ IAO Gallery (new location)/ free
6 Open Forum at the Mic + Karaoke/ 8pm-midnight/ Pita Pit (Norman)/ free 77 Free first-Monday-of-the-month at the Natural History Museum in Norman all year LAST ONE FOLKS! Art Exhibitions Short Films &/or Live Drama&Music/ 8:30pm/ free/ The Venue/ thevenueokc@gmail.com Opportunities
Tulsa Artists Coalition call for entries Frost on Winter: A Juried Exhibition: December, 2009 Cash prizes. For more info: Janice McCormick at 918-5920041 or 918-366-3394 IAO is currently seeking adult volunteers with valid alcohol servers permits to tend bar at gallery openings. If you are interested in helping IAO please contact our office at 405- 232-6060 or send an email to volunteers@iaogallery.org.
ArtBeat
Writer's Group Meeting November 16, 7:00-8:00 pm @ Sauced, 2912 Paseo Dr, OKC 7310 Interested in writing for ArtBeat? ArtBeat is built on a foundation of reader-submitted work*, and we are looking to build our writer/ contributor base. If you are a writer interested in encouraging and promoting creativity and the arts in Oklahoma, and are looking for the opportunity to be published online and in print, email managing editor, Missy Hancock at mhancock@ artbeatok.com, or join us November 16th for our first ever ArtBeat Writer's Group Meeting! Join the ArtBeat writing team! *ArtBeat does not currently pay for submissions.
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