Luxiere - Oklahoma Lifestyle & Real Estate // Edition 47

42

ON THE COVER: THE COWBOY WAY

Members of Jakian Parks’ project Oklahoma Cowboys fulfilled a dream and celebrated a legacy by walking the runway at Paris Fashion Week, displaying the style and spirit of Black cowboy culture.

STORY BY MICHAEL KINNEY

24

A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING

Photographer, stylist and driving force behind Saint Paloma

Vintage and the OK Vintage Market, Brittany Phillips has followed her inspirations to become a creative powerhouse.

STORY BY ANDREA SCHULTZ

36 RULE NUMBER ONE

Beverly Hills, Amsterdam … Oklahoma City. Star CEO Mauricio Umansky is bringing global boutique real estate brokerage The Agency to central Oklahoma; luxury listings await.

STORY BY ALEXANDRA BOHANNON

54

THE YEAR OF THE DRAGON

AIDS relief organization Tulsa CARES is gearing up for its annual Red Ribbon Gala, and co-chairs Tony Li and Shawna Burroughs are working overtime for a flamboyant, memorable fete.

STORY BY CHRISTINE EDDINGTON

62

OKLAHOMA IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Sunrise Tippeconnie, director of programming for deadCenter Film Festival, discusses the state of Oklahoma filmmaking and the power of Indigenous representation on and behind the camera.

STORY BY ALEXANDRA BOHANNON

74 AN ARTISAN EMPIRE

Tracia Forrest doesn’t lack determination, so during a period of upheaval for the state’s liquor industry she seized the opportunity to create and guide Artisan Fine Wine and Spirits.

STORY BY GREG HORTON

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Hello, dear readers. Before we discuss anything else, I want you to know that the Luxiere team, myself included, is particularly proud of Edition 47. Of course, we love every edition we make — and we often wonder how we’ll top it in the future. We pride ourselves on never being satisfied. Our constant refrain goes something like this: How can we make it more beautiful? Where will we find the next amazing story to tell? How can we polish Luxiere to an even higher sheen? And so on. Even amid our nonstop quest to top ourselves, every so often one edition comes along and knocks our socks off. This is one of those.

Each story we bring you is a celebration of generosity, beauty, originality, perseverance and joy. Each one is about people who are unique, bold, kind and talented. Some are newly-minted Oklahomans and others hail from families who have been here for many generations.

Writers Michael Kinney and Alexandra Bohannon bring us two wildly different yet equally enthralling stories. Black cowboys and cowgirls, who have been part of Oklahoma culture for eons, haven’t historically been widely celebrated, a shame for many, many reasons. Now, thanks to the wildly talented photographer Jakian Parks, Oklahoma’s Black cowboy style was feted on the Louis Vuitton runway during Paris Fashion Week, arguably the most important event of its genre in the world. Kinney tells that story, and introduces us to Parks’ Instagram feed, Oklahoma Cowboy, which had been wowing Pharrell Williams for years. When Williams was named men’s creative director for Vuitton, he brought the American West— the real American West, in which one out of four cowboys were, in fact, Black— to the runway in the City of Lights.

Bohannon’s profile of deadCenter Director of Programming Sunrise Tippeconnie and his decades-long career in filmmaking is a terrific read. He shares insight about his early influences (including an English teacher who pushed him to examine Dead Poets Society for subtext), his realization that a film’s lighting can amplify its narrative and his recent work on the Oscar-nominated films Minari and Killers of the Flower Moon. His list of must-see Oklahoma-made films will fill up your movie nights for months.

Simple, when done well, is sublime. That goes for fashion, interior design and perhaps especially food. Greg Horton introduces us to Jamie Winteroth who, along with her husband

Jordan, helms Shared Plate Hospitality which operates OKC's City’s Social Deck and Dining, Aurora and Rev MEX. Their first concept, Social, was born in 2018 and, thanks to the Winteroths’ ability to pivot when the world shut down, is still thriving. Chef Jerrod Driskill has brought his easy refinement to the menu and you’ll love the vibe of the place.

We’ve heard for years that the younger generation’s dedication to philanthropic efforts is, perhaps, less robust than that of their forebears. We are pleased to report that this notion is certainly not the case here in Oklahoma. Two young Tulsans, Tony Li and Shawna Burroughs, are co-chairing one of the biggest — and boldest — galas of the season. The Tulsa CARES Red Ribbon Gala raises more than $1 million to benefit the nonprofit, and this year’s theme, “Year of the Dragon,” is so visually stunning we can’t stop looking at the images Li has created. Equally inspiring are his and Burroughs’ stories, as both their families are immigrants who instilled in them the crucial importance of giving back.

Are you tantalized? Almost impossible not to be. Enjoy this issue of Luxiere, and rest assured we’re already busy trying to top it for you.

Until next time,

STACY D. JOHNSON Publisher, Owner

RYAN "FIVISH" CASS Photographer

CHRISTINE EDDINGTON Writer

EDITION NO. 47

STACY D. JOHNSON

Owner/Publisher

DESIGN | nvsble studio

ON THE COVER | A model walks the runway in Louis Vuitton at Paris Fashion Week Getty Images, Stephane Cardinale

CONTRIBUTORS

Special thanks to all of our Luxiere partners for your contribution of time and talent to make this extraordinary resource.

LUXIERE MAGAZINE

CORPORATE OFFICE

2123 N Classen Blvd Oklahoma City, OK 73106 info @ luxiere.co www.luxiere.co

Luxiere Oklahoma is published bimonthly, direct-mailed to a curated readership and distributed at select retail locations free of charge for individual use. To request copies, please contact the publisher. For more information, visit www.luxiere.co.

ADVERTISING INQUIRIES

Email: stacy@ luxiere.co Phone: 405.808.1332

ANDREA SCHULTZ Writer

MICHAEL KINNEY Writer

COOPER ANDERSON Website

JESSE

DAVISON Designer

JUSTIN MIERS Photographer

KENNON BRYCE Photographer

VALENTINA GUTIÉRREZ Videographer/Writer

12 LUXIERE

4335

WOMAN OF INFLUENCE

TRISHA FINNEGAN

TBY CHRISTINE EDDINGTON

risha Finnegan is prone to bold, life-changing moves, moments of exuberance and using quirky ’80s slang like “super rad.” Her X (formerly Twitter) handle is peppy: @DashOfGood. Seismic shifts and embracing optimism are her jam. Making positive change is her life’s purpose and her energy crackles with intensity. This is a woman whose desire to do good and live her life on her own terms has led her to upend (almost) everything — twice.

The first time was in 2011. She’d attended the Louisville IdeaFestival in June that year, and by November had resigned her position with the healthcare company Humana, deciding that the 13-year corporate career she’d built wasn’t enough. Not in a monetary way; in a deeper, philosophical way. A dogooding way. She took about a year off, did some soul searching, wrote her personal manifesto and met with lots of people. “I would sit down and say, ‘Here’s who I am. And here are some of the things I’m good at. And here’s some of the things I’m not good at and here’s the contribution I want to make, and who do you think I should talk to next?’” Those conversations led her to the then-CEO of the Community Foundation of Louisville. Finnegan came to the world of philanthropy in her 30s. She’s a product of public schools and explains that she was not raised in a wealthy household. As a child, she remembers being told that she was very inquisitive. Probably fairly serious. She enjoyed academics and describes herself as a lifelong student.

A few years later, after working for a botanical nonprofit and a tech startup, she took a position with the Community Foundation of Louisville, where she spent seven and a half years, ultimately rising to become its chief strategy officer and senior vice president. Her career had become purpose-driven, just as she’d hoped when she took that leap of faith in 2011.

The next time Finnegan gave her life a good shuffle was about two years ago. She and her husband Daryn Demeritt, a health care lobbyist, picked up their whole life and moved from Louisville to Oklahoma City for Finnegan’s job as the new president and CEO of the Oklahoma City Community Foundation. A bold decision under any circumstance, but not a surprising one for our heroine given what we know about her style. It was certainly bold because the couple knew nobody in Oklahoma City when they made the move. They just jumped in, and quickly found that Oklahoma City suits them.

Perhaps bolder than that, though, she knew she’d be following in the footsteps of a pretty tough act. A larger-than-life figure in Oklahoma’s philanthropic community whose influence has been felt statewide for decades. Her predecessor is the venerable fellow former Kentuckian Nancy Anthony, who helmed the Foundation for nearly 38 years, taking it from an organization with assets of $20 million and two employees to one with assets of more than $1.6 billion and 50 full-time employees. The Oklahoma City Community Foundation now makes average annual distributions to the Oklahoma City community of $46 million, a figure more than twice its total assets in 1985.

Finnegan has taken up the baton with trademark enthusiasm and profound respect for all that has come before her. She is committed to moving urgently and responsibly, always looking for ways to do things better. “I love saying that Oklahoma City is my home. Even though it’s only been a year and a half, coming up on two years, I am really proud to be here,” she says, adding that people in Oklahoma City have been exceedingly welcoming. “I see it as a huge responsibility, in a positive way, to keep taking the good and make it better. To me, ‘better’ is taking what’s been built, and being really astute and thoughtful about what’s

needed next, and continually investing. That might mean ensuring a stable economy, improving economic conditions for more people or it might mean helping more people love Oklahoma City.”

This woman is on a nonstop learning expedition, looking for ways to carry the work of her forebears forward in ways that are meaningful now, and also will prepare and propel her organization forward. Because the Community Foundation touches so many nonprofit sectors, Finnegan and her team are able to help support projects, programs and scholarships that touch countless Oklahomans every day. “I think of us as a bit of a uniter or a matchmaker, you know: People have funds they want to invest, and people are doing great work that needs to be funded,” she says.

Finnegan feels fortunate to have walked into an organization with such a dedicated team. “They know they’re part of something bigger,” she says. “I really respect their ‘why.’” She also enjoys seeing people grow professionally, a facet of the job she finds deeply rewarding.

“Part of what connects me so closely and so passionately to what I do is that sense of figuring things out, making things better, contributing … Our communities are dynamic, our needs are dynamic. What Oklahoma City needs will be different today than it was six months ago or will be six months from now. It’s a fuel that never burns out for me, this sense of trying to make things better and understanding the complexities involved in trying to create the change that our community hopes for.”

How does this self-proclaimed introvert handle being the public face of an Oklahoma City institution? She approaches the multitude of events and meetings strategically, leveraging them for energy. She prefers to talk to people one at a time when possible and quickly moves past the superficial. “I am very energized by meaningful connection and conversation … for me, being out or at events, it’s about learning. It’s about meeting people, learning what organizations are doing and hearing what’s happening so that I can be knowledgeable to inform other people. The energy in that room for me is the learning, the connection and the relationship building.”

When she does have down time, Finnegan loves a good walk, plenty of sleep and dinner at a favorite restaurant (she’s partial to the oysters at The Drake), and she is intentional about making time for a creative outlet. She’s a maker and a crafter preferring to work in textiles, paints …anything “tactile and forgiving,” as she puts it.

She actively encourages community members to get involved, to reach out with ideas, and is happy to meet with folks who see something that could be improved, or who see a community need. “It does feel limitless. It really does. I mean, and I think that’s what’s so unique about a community foundation: Our sole purpose is to support the people in the place that we are privileged to be part of.” •

LUXIERE’s Woman of Influence is presented by First National Bank of Oklahoma

PHOTOGRAPH BY SHEVAUN WILLIAMS

Strength & Stability

Our Executive Leadership Team has over 100 years of combined banking experience. We will continue to follow the tried and true banking principles that have served us well.

Mel Martin President & CEO

Shawn Null EVP & Director, Commercial Banking

Pat Rooney Executive Chairman

THE SAVVY APPROACH

Business know-how to help medical experts succeed

OBY KATI HANNA

ver a year ago, I had the pleasure of meeting Jamie Spann, and from our first conversation, I was interested in learning more about how she built a successful consulting practice by targeting physicians and medical spa owners exclusively.

By perceiving a gap in the market, she has not only established a thriving business but has also become a guiding force for physicians and medical spa owners. In an industry where medical expertise requires a balance with business acumen, Spann and her team empower physicians to concentrate on their love of seeing patients while collaboratively working behind the scenes to help establish or build profitable practices.

Tell us about Business Savvy Physician.

Business Savvy Physician (BSP) is a distinguished boutique physician consulting firm, which supports private practice physicians and medical spas with a range of specialized business resources. Its comprehensive services cater to those launching their practice or seeking to grow existing ones.

Where did you get the idea to start your company?

Witnessing my father single-handedly manage his private medical practice, and later observing the struggles of surgeons in my medical sales role, sparked my determination to provide support. This led to the inception of BSP, initially conceived as an online video library featuring concise, on-demand content crafted by physicians and industry experts. Initially targeting residency programs and newly

practicing physicians, the venture evolved. I realized the demand for consulting specializing on the business side of private practices and medical spas.

How did you come up with the name of your company?

It was important for me to select a name that made it easy to understand what I do. It took longer than I imagined to come up with a name that helped define what I do but was also interesting and unique.

What do you consider to be Business Savvy Physician’s “secret sauce? ”

What makes it different from other organizations?

What sets BSP apart is a wealth of experience derived from years of being in the medical industry and working with physicians in all specialties. Our team excels in understanding the best practices necessary to run a successful and highly profitable practice. Our secret sauce is that we can come in to most any practice and jump-start their business simply by applying our well-defined best practices and partnering with the staff to successfully implement them.

As a business owner, what has been the most rewarding part of your entrepreneurial journey so far?

Watching my company grow. I have built something substantial from the ground up by successfully solving a common challenge in the medical and medical spa industry. When I work with a physician group or medical spa, I help my clients see results quickly — and most importantly allow them to focus on what matters most to them,

which is serving their patients. I’ve been told by my clients that they no longer feel as though they are having to figure their business out alone. That has been the most rewarding part of my journey so far.

What regular habits do you believe contribute to your overall success as a business owner?

Being determined, driven and willing to pivot quickly are three things that have gotten me to where I am today. Starting a business is hard and requires lots of pivoting. You run into roadblocks and challenges you didn’t plan on in the beginning. It is important to keep pushing forward even when you are told “no” or realize something isn’t working. It is important to keep an open mind and listen to what your customers want and need.

When you are not running your company, what can we find you doing?

I enjoy playing tennis for fun and competitively. I also love spending time with my family and friends. I have a 5-year-old daughter who keeps me very busy!

What is the most difficult part of being a business owner?

I think the most difficult part of being a business owner is learning to have a work-life balance. No one works as hard as you will when it is your company, and work follows you whether you are home or away. It is hard to let go and focus on enjoying the moments you are in sometimes when you have a growing company.

What is one piece of advice you would give a physician just starting his or her own practice?

I have two options I would give a physician thinking about or just opening his or her practice.  The first option is to hire a consultant to help you get things done faster and more efficiently. Consultants are highly connected and can help with hiring, banking relationships, legal relationships, etc. You can get in front of the right people much quicker, usually, with a consultant. Consultants also are highly valuable in helping get a practice profitable quicker and help a new physician avoid common mistakes that are often costly.

The second option is I encourage a physician to build their own personal board of directors. Ensure you have an attorney, a banker, a consultant and a trusted friend/ family member. Use your own board of directors to help you move forward in the right direction.

Where do you see Business Savvy Physician in 5 years?

I believe Business Savvy Physician will be well-known as a valuable resource to physicians and medical spa owners throughout the country. My clients are all over the country, and I hope to continue expanding my reach to ensure doctors and medical spa owners do not have to go it alone. I want to be the “go-to” resource for physicians with their own practices and physicians that are wanting to leave a hospital and start their own practice. The medical spa industry is continuing to expand, and I look forward to being a consultant owners can rely on to help them become profitable and long-term sustainable. I envision having a national team of consultants and recruiters to help more physician practices and medical spas.

We all enjoy the different luxuries life has to offer. Tell us a little about what you consider to be your favorite “ luxiere” in life.

I like to treat myself with treats such as a spa day or a fun day shopping. My latest luxury is taking my team and their spouses on a trip to celebrate our hard work and build deeper connections with one another. •

Kati Hanna, a seasoned partner at The Mettise Group, has a proven track record with over two decades of consulting services to growth stage businesses. Through her expert coaching, consulting and leadership development strategies, she has made a significant and positive impact on hundreds of organizations, and has earned a welldeserved reputation as a trusted and valued advisor.

Jamie Spann

An Innovative Approach to Functional Family Medicine

Castel Santana, MD is a functional medicine physician who offers a variety of services and specialized testing that provides an indepth look into root causes of chronic disease and potential health risks. Dr. Santana has developed a unique, multifaceted approach to health care, which he calls the Five Pillars They have been a major part of his practice for more than a decade and include:

MEDICAL WELLNESS

+

PHYSICAL WELLNESS +

MENTAL WELLNESS +

SPIRITUAL WELLNESS +

AESTHETIC WELLNESS

CASTEL SANTANA, MD/IFMCP

A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING

Saint Paloma Vintage owner Brittany Phillips finds fullfilment in creative variety

IBY ANDREA SCHULTZ PHOTOGRAPHS BY BETSY DUTCHER PHOTOGRAPHY

f you asked Brittany Phillips what she did for a living, “photographer” used to be the answer — but now she has amassed a creative portfolio that has stretched beyond just one category. Phillips is the face behind Saint Paloma Vintage, co-creator of the OK Vintage Market, photographer, stylist and overall creative powerhouse.

While she has long had a natural eye for photography, the shift in focusing on building her small business and working with other brands has pushed her to learn new techniques and enhance her visual storytelling to fill in the gaps she hadn’t yet explored in her work.

“My photography career has started to pivot in the last year, but I want to have an established portfolio so I can pitch to more brands,” she says. “I feel like my taste and creative vision are moving me in this direction. I want to continue to strengthen that muscle.”

OPPOSITE: Saint Paloma Vintage owner Brittany Phillips

One of her first and favorite brand shoots was with a swimsuit brand based out of California. “I reached out to a designer on Instagram asking about doing a shoot while I was in California, and they said yes. I produced the entire photoshoot myself.”

When the day of the shoot came, she had many obstacles working against her — including the designer getting stuck in California traffic and having to navigate the backdrop of a crowded beach on the 4th of July weekend. She was still somehow able to shoot all five of the client’s looks in only 30 minutes.

The designer was impressed that given the circumstances, Phillips not only powered through, but took killer photos in the process. Phillips realized her strength was her ability to keep cool under pressure, and that by living in Oklahoma with limited options, you learn how to make things work.

Originally from Modesto, California, Phillips moved to Eufaula in eastern Oklahoma when she was 20 years old after her grandparents — her primary caregivers in childhood — moved back to their hometown. The shift from the Central Valley of California to a small town in Oklahoma was not an easy transition.

However, her grandmother was an avid thrifter and loved to find a good bargain, and Phillips grew up going shopping with her grandma and aunts, and loved to observe how they dressed.

Her first introduction to true vintage fashion came from a group of friends during her teenage years in California: “I remember being 17 and I met this group of cool people who would have these really incredible house parties. One of my friends would always wear these amazing vintage leather jackets that she would paint or upcycle. I had never seen anything like it.”

Phillips was always into photography, and would carry a camera with her everywhere, but it wasn’t until her move to Eufaula that she began shooting senior photos, family portraits and couples, as one often gets their start. “It was a very confusing part in my life,” she remembers. “I knew I wanted to do something with photography, and I knew this was a way for me to be a photographer. At that time, fashion photography wasn’t even on my mind.”

Eventually, the growing influence of websites like Tumblr and Lookbook.com made Phillips start asking questions like, “Who is contributing to Vogue magazine?”...“Who is shooting these photos?”

Eventually she moved to Tulsa for a few years, and finally settled in Oklahoma City to follow more of her friends who were living there. “This group of friends reminded me of the friends I had back in California. People who wanted to be models or DJs or photographers. I used to find a lot of inspiration from people outside of Oklahoma, but now I find myself being inspired by the people here. It’s really comforting seeing people working and succeeding doing similar things … I’ve met the most supportive, amazing people I’ve had in my entire life in Oklahoma.”

Between the inspiration from her grandmother and her friends back home, her love of vintage clothing and accessories began to grow, and took shape in 2019 as she started her own online store, Saint Paloma Vintage.

Specializing in “American Heritage,” workwear, natural fiber textiles, some ’90s designer pieces and, of course, her striking collection of handpicked sterling silver jewelry, she’s attracted a following from across the U.S.

“One of the biggest things I love about sourcing directly from the original owner is learning the story behind each piece,” she says. “The articles of clothing are little pieces of history and I think it is crazy that some of the pieces have existed longer than my parents or grandparents. It is a true test of time.”

Her background in photography allows the imagery and styling of Saint Paloma to stand out among most vintage sellers. “One of my bigger focuses is that the pieces are shown how they look on a body and [you can] see it styled in a current way — to find how can you take a piece from the 1930s and style it in a way that a girl would wear today.”

In mid-August 2021, Phillips finally made the leap: She quit her corporate job and became a full-time business owner and photographer. One month after this milestone, her grandmother was diagnosed with cancer and passed away three weeks later.

“In August, I dropped my first collection on Saint Paloma and it sold out within five minutes. Then I went from this total high to a complete depression. It was bittersweet, but I didn’t stop working. Getting to come into the ‘Paloma Room’ and do photoshoots and find cool clothes helped me through the grieving process. It gave me a distraction on the days I needed it,” she says.

“During that time, I found some of my favorite pieces and was creating content like a mad woman. I don’t think I would have come out of that season as smoothly if I was still trying to work my corporate job.”

Phillips is also the co-creator of the OK Vintage Market in Oklahoma City, alongside Stephanie Espolt from Patted (@pattedshop). Several years ago, Phillips hosted a small vintage pop-up in the courtyard of her house with 3-4 other women who were also independent sellers. They began talking about the goals of their respective businesses, and saw the need to grow the vintage community in Oklahoma.

She explains, “There were a few markets around the Oklahoma/Texas area, and other cities have this massive community of tight-knit vintage sellers doing all these things together. When I first started, there weren’t that many independent sellers here, and it is really hard to get started without a following.”

Less than a year later, the OK Vintage Market was born.

While running Saint Paloma, keeping up with the monthly vintage market and pursuing freelance photography, Phillips has also leaned more into commercial styling in recent years, booking seven shoots in 2023. “I take on commercial styling as it comes, but I’d love to be able to start doing more creative styling,” she says.

“There was a time that I felt like I need to constantly put out content to stay relevant, and now I feel like I’m on the right path when I’m doing it for myself and finding joy in the process.” •

Stay up to date by following @saintpalomavintage on Instagram or at shopsaintpalomavintage.com, and be sure to check out Phillips’ curated shop in person at the next monthly market @okvintagemarket.

See the world’s wildlife with the Oklahoma City Zoo.

NEW CONSERVATION TRAVEL DESTINATIONS FOR 2025

DESTINATION

INDONESIA

DATES JUN 08-20, 2025

LIMITED T0 14 GUESTS

DESTINATION

SRI LANKA

DATES JUL 10-24, 2025

LIMITED T0 12 GUESTS

DESTINATION

ZIMBABWE

DATES AUG 11-20, 2025

LIMITED T0 12 GUESTS

For details and pricing, visit okczoo.org/travel

STILL STUDY

Artist James Andrew Smith’s depth of focus

TBY VALENTINA GUTIÉRREZ

ulsa-born James Andrew Smith has made his career as a painter, not a poet per se — but his visual creations speak volumes to the engaged viewer and he is thoughtful and eloquent about the nature and complexities of his craft. The artist, whose work can be viewed online at jamesandrewsmithart.com or in person at the Wally Workman Gallery in Austin, Joseph Gierek Fine Art in Tulsa or Oklahoma City’s Howell Gallery, spoke with us about cultural influences, his pursuit of precision and the beauty in mortality.

WALLY’S WHIMSIES

What was the most influential lesson you learned in your first art class as a child?

My mother was a taxi driver. One day she picked up a local Tulsa artist, Mr. George Kountoupis, and by the end of the trip, she had convinced him to take on her 12-year-old son as a student and include me in his adult art classes. The most influential lesson Mr. Kountoupis taught me was how to look, see and identify the colors in the still life objects and how to mix the oil paints to make the colors I saw. I already knew how to look at an object and represent it in lifelike drawing, but being able to understand how paints with strange names like burnt sienna, raw umber, alizarin crimson and yellow ochre mixed to make the colors I could see was an invaluable lesson.

How did your experiences at Booker T. Washington High School steer your artistic direction?

When I was a student at BTW, Dr. Andy Zaller recognized my artistic abilities, but rather than him narrowly constraining me to specific lessons, projects or skills, he opened his classroom to me as a place of infinite exploration. While other students were completing lessons on art fundamentals, I experimented. This wide exposure and free experimentation helped me recognize the breadth and depth of artistic expression and the intersections of skills and tools and approaches. I also began to see the world of art that could be open to me.

How did creating fashion illustrations during high school influence your artistic style?

Once again, my mother’s cab driving opened the door for my first art job. She picked up a young staff artist for the historic Tulsa Renberg’s clothing store, and by the end of the ride, I had the opportunity to bring samples of my work and interview for a staff illustrator position. Soon, I was hired to create pencil illustrations of the fashions that would be included in the weekly newspaper ads. When I finished my high school classes for the day, I drove downtown and began learning the ins and outs of creating copyready art and the elements of graphic design. So many other lessons were embedded in this experience. Essentially, at 16, I had stumbled into an incredible internship where I was learning from the knowledgeable and talented director of marketing at Renberg’s, Ms. Patsy Evans.

What inspired your shift from graphic design back to oil painting?

I went to school for graphic design, but after a decade working in corporate and agency advertising, I began feeling a restlessness of heart and a desire to return to oil painting.  I think it was both a kind of homecoming and a desire to regain control of my art, and to explore and express my unique artistic vision. Graphic design is always client-focused, and I wanted to move the focus back to my own vision.

ABOVE: “ BODEGON” 30x30” oil on linen

RIGHT: IMMINENT POTENTIAL” 24x30” oil on canvas

Why do you primarily choose still life as your subject, and how do you select your objects?

I have painted portraits, landscapes and non-objective or abstract works, but I am continually brought back to the still life genre because of its potential to tell stories and evoke emotions and reflections within the viewer. Objects can serve as symbols and characters, and they can also be carriers of beauty for their own sake. When I am arranging still life objects, I am looking for florals or items to arrange in a harmonious tableau, while thinking about something unexpected, or the hint of a conversation among the objects or the possibility of a narrative emerging from their relationship with each other.

How does your Native American heritage influence your art, especially in still life?

My life experience has been lived at the border-crossing, always attempting to make meaning and understand my blended Cherokee and white heritage as one that is rich and inclusive and finds a home in both communities and traditions. I am a Native American artist, regardless of what I paint. The still life emerges in the Western European artistic tradition — specifically the Dutch were fascinated by it. I might not choose to paint traditional or “stereotypical” Native American subject matter, such as basketry, clay pots, feathers, buffalo or beaded and ribboned regalia — but what I create, because it comes from my hand, is Native art. I am a Native American artist who paints at the intersection and complexity of the Western tradition. My art asks important questions: What does it mean to be a Native American artist? With what breadth and depth and rich diversity of expression can Native American art be understood and honored?

What do flowers symbolize in your work?

A floral blossom changes hour to hour. What begins as a carefully selected perfect bloom begins to diminish from the time it is cut, and in a few days it will be completely wilted and dropping petals. I think the transitory nature of flowers and edible produce is what captivated the attention of the early still life painters. They recognized the tension between abundance and lack; beauty and decay; and life and death. Many historic still life paintings were intentional studies of mortality. The death of a rose spoke directly to our own eventual deaths. I don’t think these were morbid thoughts, but a careful choice to capture beauty and abundance within the fleeting and transitory moments of our lives.

How has your artistic style and approach evolved over the years?

When I started painting, I learned to work on textured canvases and use heavy bristle brushes.  I learned to make gestural marks to evoke and express, rather than carefully describe. Over the years, I gradually moved away from that form of oil painting toward an approach that became increasingly refined. I began using smooth linens and wood panels in place of heavily textured canvases. I also set aside my bristle brushes in favor of smooth natural hair and soft synthetic brushes. My pursuit of control and precision, which evolved over time, resulted in careful paint applications through thin layers that gradually build up depth and richness of color. Recently, I have been playing with lost and found edges, and more gestural backgrounds, and recognize a kind of throwback to my early days as an oil painter. I have been painting the still life for decades now, but I am always surprised by how many ways there are to capture the fleshy beauty of a tulip petal, or the fragile skin of a grape. •

“ SUMMER SERENDIPITY” 40x60” oil on canvas

INJECTABLES

SKINCARE

STEP ONE

Cleanse with Biologique Recherche

STEP TWO

Tone with Biologique Recherche

Lotion P50

STEP THREE

Treat with C-Quence Serum

STEP FOUR

Hydrate and protect with Biologique Recherche moisturizer and finish with sunscreen

QUALITY / PURITY 40” x 40” oil on canvas JAMES ANDREW SMITH

RULE NUMBER ONE

CEO and founder Mauricio Umansky on The Agency’s arrival in Oklahoma

NBY ALEXANDRA BOHANNON

ew York City, Beverly Hills, Amsterdam, Maui, Panama City — this is just a short excerpt of the list of 100 locations that The Agency, one of Inman’s Top Luxury Brokerages, calls home.

This year, Oklahoma gets added to that list.

In February, Oklahoma joined the ranks of global Agency partners with a new office opening in downtown Edmond at 111 N. Broadway. This office of The Agency will serve the metro area, including Oklahoma City, Edmond and Nichols Hills, along with other desirable locations and neighborhoods.

“I couldn’t imagine a more perfect time to open our Oklahoma City office,” says The Agency CEO and founder Mauricio Umansky in this interview for Luxiere. “Particularly in such a unique real estate market where buyers are seeking new destinations to live, work and play.”

The Agency CEO and founder Mauricio Umansky

RIGHT PLACE, RIGHT TIME

2023 was a record year of expansion for The Agency, with 29 new offices opening around the world, according to the global boutique real estate brokerage’s annual report. The closest regional partners to the new Oklahoma location are Dallas (opened 2023), Austin (2022) and Denver (2021), so the arrival of a global partnership in Oklahoma is a welcome sight for those seeking luxurious housing options in the heartland.

The Agency landing in Oklahoma would have been unlikely without OKC’s urban renewal efforts, attributable in part to over 30 years of MAPS projects. According to an economic impact study developed by the Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce and RegionTrack, MAPS is “viewed as the clear catalyst behind the revitalization underway in Oklahoma City.” This report also asserts that the city’s increased public investment in transportation infrastructure and public amenities triggered “significant private development in housing, lodging, retail, office space and recreational offerings.”

Savvy developers, brokers and real estate agents have been reading the signs of OKC’s continued rebirth for years, and have been jumping at the opportunity to be a part of something transformational — and the Agency will now play a role in that transformation, which excites Umansky.

“We’re thrilled about the opportunity for our brand to contribute to the city’s continued growth while elevating the real estate experience for buyers, sellers and agents in the area,” says Umansky.

While Oklahoma’s market has been somewhat insulated from some of the turmoil of the global markets (Redfin reports a 6.2% increase in sale price in Oklahoma City year-over-year), the OKC metro area isn’t fully immune from what’s happening in other markets.

“The city’s growing popularity inevitably leads to an increased demand for housing,” Umansky says. “However, we’ve seen steady price appreciation over the last couple of years in large part due to the region’s affordability, economic stability and rise in new development, helping to mitigate the impact of market challenges such as low inventory.”

Indeed, the affordability of the region does make it attractive for developers and transplants looking to relocate. The median sale price for a home in Oklahoma City in 2023 was $256,990, whereas the sale price for a home in L.A. was $959,000 — which certainly explains why Oklahoma City was the number one spot for relocating Californians.

Umansky points out that it’s Oklahoma’s “incredible growth and resilient economy [that] presents unparalleled opportunities for real estate, especially in the luxury sector.”

THE AGENCY’S GLOBAL PARTNERSHIPS

Umansky and co-founder and vice chairman Billy Rose founded The Agency in 2011 — both seeking to disrupt the way that real estate was bought and sold. That came with opening the first office in Beverly Hills, developing and acquiring new technologies and setting up real estate agents with the marketing tools they needed to be successful.

After a strong five years, The Agency’s leadership team made moves to expand. 2016 was the year that The Agency went global, creating its first global partnership office in Los Cabos, Mexico, according to Gina Hall’s reporting for the Los Angeles Business Journal

Technically, global partners are franchisees of The Agency, but the parent company has a different approach to this form of business expansion. As global partners, these locations have the resources and backing of a real estate brand that has penetrated the cultural consciousness, even outside real estate and development circles. Umansky and The Agency team star in Netflix’s “Buying Beverly Hills,” and his family is part of the recurring cast in the “Real Housewives” franchise. Umansky himself competed on “Dancing With the Stars” just last year.

It’s now Oklahoma’s turn to harness this luxury brand’s starpower, as well as The Agency’s cutting-edge approach and proprietary tools and technology. At the helm of the new Oklahoma office is seasoned real estate veteran Wyatt Poindexter, formerly at Keller Williams, who Umansky describes as “the perfect partner.”

“Wyatt is a seasoned professional and true authority in this market,” Umansky says. “We’re confident he will be an incredible steward for The Agency brand, and I can’t wait to witness all of his success.”

Umansky and his leadership team make it clear that they only work with good people. As explored at length in “Buying Beverly Hills” and on the firm’s website, the Agency’s number one corporate value is two words: “No assholes.”

Besides a well-appointed changemaker leading The Agency in Oklahoma, Oklahoma’s special spark — a combination of the people and the culture — should be a driver of The Agency’s success.

“Oklahoma City offers a unique blend of cultural richness, economic growth and a thriving real estate market,” says Umansky. “Oklahoma City has become a hub for business, arts and entertainment, making it a perfect fit for The Agency.” •

To explore listings from around the corner to around the globe, visit

Wyatt Poindexter

JTHE COWBOY WAY

Jakian Parks shares Oklahoma fashion, culture and history with the world

BY MICHAEL KINNEY

akian Parks couldn’t resonate with what he was looking at. Even though he intellectually knew where he was and what he was doing there, the Oklahoma City native was unable to wrap his mind around the situation fully.

At the age of 22, Parks had just taken his first-ever international flight and was standing in the heart of Paris, France, as he prepared for what would essentially be the introduction of his brand, Oklahoma Cowboys, to the world.

“I couldn’t believe what I was walking into. We were walking and they were still putting everything up and they were putting up signs and laying out the red carpet and all that stuff,” Parks says. “It was just, ‘This is the real deal. I’m walking into the real deal.’”

What Parks had walked into was Paris Fashion Week, the most prestigious and trend-setting fashion show in the world. He and his team were asked to be part of the Louis Vuitton Men’s Fall-Winter 2024 Show, which took place at the Jardin d’Acclimatation on Jan. 16.

TK Smith sporting the Oklahoma Cowboys brand

PHOTOGRAPH BY JAKIAN PARKS

Music producer and Louis Vuitton Men’s Creative Director Pharrell Williams (“Happy,” “Beautiful”) designed the collection, which is described thus: “Evoking the iconography of the American Western wardrobe, cowboy-inspired silhouettes and workwear details are imbued with the Maison’s heritage signatures. Punctuated by quintessential adornments and refined materials, iconic bags and accessories exude nuanced style codes of the frontier.”

Because of that theme, Williams wanted an authentic look for his runway models. That’s where Parks and his cowboys came into the picture.

Oklahoma Cowboys is a non-profit organization that raises awareness and celebrates the significant role of Black cowboys and cowgirls in Oklahoma’s equestrian heritage. Through social media, Parks has put the lives of real cowboys in Oklahoma out into the world for people to see and marvel at.

Unbeknownst to Parks, Oklahoma Cowboys had gained a following that stretched well beyond the state’s borders.

“A representative from Louis Vuitton (Calvin Wilson) reached out to Nerissa Morgan, my public relations manager. I didn’t believe it at first. I thought the email was fake at first, but it had too many details,” Parks says. “The people who reached out were the modeling talent agency (Establishment New York) in New York City. Calvin reached out in regard to the Cowboys modeling Louis Vuitton in Paris.”

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

It took some time for all the particulars to be finalized. Parks wasn’t even sure the trip was going to take place until two days before the show; that was when the plane tickets to Paris were booked. Up until that point, Parks had kept the show a secret. Other than close family and members of his team, he didn’t want to even talk in case it fell through.

“When it actually hit is when we were sitting down in rehearsal and I was watching the guys go around and around,” Parks says. “I was like, ‘Man, I can’t believe this right now.’ I almost started crying. It was just unreal. I never would’ve thought that Louis Vuitton would’ve hit me up about Oklahoma Cowboys, or just anybody would highlight Oklahoma Cowboys on that type of aspect.”

The show went off without a hitch. In front of 1,200 guests that included actor Bradley Cooper, the rapper Lil Yachty and the K-pop band Riize, Parks said the Oklahoma Cowboys (Ronnie Davis, Taylor Williams) performed like seasoned catwalk veterans. Wearing pieces like rodeo-ready denim jeans and showcasing a $1 million Speedy Bag, they owned the runway with confidence.

The Oklahoma Cowboys were the only non-professional models at the show, but their addition gave Williams the authenticity he had been looking to display.

“When you see cowboys portrayed, you see only a few versions. You never really get to see what some of the original cowboys looked like. They looked like us, they looked like me. They looked Black. They looked Native American,” Williams said after the show. “We’re expressing ourselves from a place of love, no judgment. Just think about telling your story and telling your people’s story as best you can and doing it candidly and with love — that’s the overwhelming feeling.”

SADDLING UP

To understand how Parks and the Oklahoma Cowboys ended up in the fashion capital of the world, it takes going back to his childhood when he was hanging out with his aunt, Shay Nolan.

“Growing up as a young kid, I went to the rodeos with my Aunt Shay. I went to the rodeos all through the summer hanging out with her, and I was like a rodeo son. I grew up going to the rodeos with her and stuff like that. She’s the first one who bought me my first pair of cowboy boots, the first one to get me on a horse. Just all the little cowboy stuff that you would think about in a rodeo aspect. I did all that with her.”

Black rodeos were an ever-present part of Parks’ youth. He and Nolan traveled throughout the state to small, predominantly Black towns where the rodeo culture was still prevalent. Even after they stopped, Parks’ passion for the rodeo and the Black cowboy culture was undimmed.

“I really missed going to the rodeo,” Parks says. “I would beg her and beg her to take me to another rodeo. But she got sick. She went into the hospital in late 2017. She was in the hospital throughout all of 2018, and she passed away on May 1, 2019.”

Parks could have easily used Nolan’s death as a reason to never go to the rodeo again. To avoid the memories he shared with her on those hot Oklahoma days in the middle of the summer in towns like Boley and Okmulgee.

Instead, Parks did the opposite.

TAYLOR WILLIAMS

Out of all the runway models that were on display at the 2024 Louis Vuitton Winter Fashion Show, none had the same visual impact that Taylor Williams produced. Decked out in a bright red leather jacket and chaps, a beige cowboy hat, designer boots and sunglasses, the 23-year-old could not be missed.

But it wasn’t just what Williams had on that made him a hit during Paris Fashion Week. It was what he and the other Oklahoma Cowboys were able to bring to the show that no one else in Paris could at the time.

“They wanted real cowboys,” Williams says. “We were the only three real cowboys there. For us to represent the whole cowboy community, white and Black, as a whole, it meant a lot. Everybody else was just models, but us three, we were the only three that actually rodeoed.”

Williams is a real-life Black cowboy, and the Oklahoma City native has been a part of the cowboy culture his entire life. He comes from a line of men who have worked on ranches and competed in rodeos.

“My grandpa started Pony Express,” Williams says of the rodeo event that is starting to gain popularity. “He’s the one who actually invented Pony Express; he started it back in 1990. Then my dad started doing it. It means a lot to see how big it’s growing, how much people like the sport.”

Williams was barely in his 20s when he began working with Jakian Parks, the founder of Oklahoma Cowboys.

“Nobody has really shined a light on the cowboy world like that before,” Williams says. “But him taking pictures and broadcasting this on Instagram … it took it to another level so people outside of Oklahoma can see what we actually do. This Black cowboy thing, it’s pretty much just like an Oklahoma-type deal. It is not like a worldwide type of thing. So when he started doing that, it just brought in more people looking and got more followers. They wanted to see what we were doing.”

While he wants to expand his modeling career, he has no plans to give up the cowboy life.

“I’m a cowboy at heart, but I want to model too,” Williams says. “I can do both at the same time because that modeling is pretty cool. You just wake up and rehearse and let them take pictures that you get paid for. I can do both. I can definitely model in the States and be a cowboy at the same time.”

SHARING THE STORY

“I was in my creative path of photography, and I was getting into what I really wanted to do — highlight Black people and the Black culture here in Oklahoma,” Parks says. “So, in about 2021 I went to a rodeo at Wild Horse and I was sitting there and I had my camera. I’m like, ‘I need to do a project about this culture that I miss getting out here.’ I did a project called the Rodeo Record. And it was in honor of my Aunt Shay. It was a photo series about the Black cowboys in Oklahoma.”

However, the longer Parks hung out at the rodeos and saw what took place behind the scenes, the more clearly he saw he had more on his hands than a photo project. What Parks saw was a community that no one outside of it knew about. He kept asking himself why no one was highlighting it.

“Everybody should know about Black cowboys in this aspect in Oklahoma,” Parks says. “Like the Black cowboys in Oklahoma. Nobody knew. I’m talking about the world. Why does everybody not know about the Black cowboys here in Oklahoma? It just shocked me.”

Parks decided he needed to become their chronicler and show the rest of the world what they were missing. That was where the concept of Oklahoma Cowboys was born.

But even then, Parks had no real plan. While he had done other forays into photography and had a strong interest in fashion, he had no idea what he needed to do next.

“I didn’t know what exactly I was going to do. I just knew I was just going to keep doing what I do. I was going to do photos and that Rodeo

Record project,” Parks says. “That’s what I was going to continue to do with Oklahoma Cowboys photo series, highlighting all the cowboys at the rodeos and doing interviews with the cowboys. The content was going to go on social media. That’s the only way that I knew at that point. Even today, it still is on social media.”

Parks began posting his photos and videos on his Instagram account and then created an account for Oklahoma Cowboys. It is filled with photos and videos of young Black men and women competing at rodeos, working at stables or even just showing off their style in brightly colored Western shirts and traditional cowboy hats.

Parks wanted to show every aspect of the cowboys’ lives. And because he was fascinated with it, he couldn’t understand why it wasn’t more in the mainstream.

“This is a whole lifetime for them. This isn’t just a season. I feel like most of the cowboys in Oklahoma, they only compete in a season, but the whole cowboy lifestyle for them is a year-round thing,” Parks says. “When it’s cold outside, they’re out there breaking ice and freezing their hands, and they have to still tend to their horses. I have witnessed that.”

Just as important was putting history under a microscope. To let people know that when history books talk about taming the West, they are referring to the legacy of Black cowboys.

“My goal was to get this out there and also highlight the history aspect of where this all came from too,” Parks says. “That was my biggest goal. Talking to some of the older people to let the world know that this is something that isn’t overnight. This has been here.”

TK Smith

PHOTOGRAPH BY JAKIAN PARKS

ON THE RISE

It wasn’t until May 30, 2023, that the first piece of Oklahoma Cowboys gear made an appearance on Parks’ social media accounts. It was a black, long-sleeved hoodie with “Oklahoma Cowboy” written across the chest in a Western font. It was sleek, simple and bold, and quickly sold out.

“I didn’t start going with Oklahoma Cowboys until I had a logo,” Parks says. “I wasn’t going to put it out there on a social media aspect until I had a vision of what I really wanted to do.”

That same year Parks was contacted by Louis Vuitton and Timberland Boots. While LV wanted to fly the Oklahoma Cowboys out to Paris, Timberland had other ideas.

“Timberland reached out in the middle of last year. We did a campaign with them; it was a time crunch because they needed it done before the end of the year. The project was for Black History Month, which was launched January 25 and then it’s going to be for February. They did a boot in honor of Black History Month. And so the Cowboys and a few others modeled the boot. Timberland and their team had brought down some people and did the campaign.”

The Timberland project was shot in Oklahoma in towns like Jones and Wynnewood. But it will be part of the brand’s national campaign, which will put an even bigger spotlight on the Oklahoma Cowboys.

What started as a personal undertaking to the culture of Black cowboys has turned into a venture that Parks knows his aunt would be proud of, and that his home state will benefit from.

“The fashion show and the Timberland campaign will take Oklahoma Cowboy to a level that I never would’ve thought,” Parks says. “To a big level, something that Oklahoma never has seen before. Being from Oklahoma, we have never had any big brands highlight any type of culture down here, especially Black culture. No campaign highlighting a community, a culture or anything that we have going on down in Oklahoma. It means a lot and it’s huge, especially for Oklahoma.” •

AN EXCLUSIVE LUXIERE INTERVIEW DARRION BOGUS

Darrion Bogus knows his history; especially his Oklahoma cowboy history. So when Jakian Parks came to him one day about joining the Oklahoma Cowboys, what won the 29-year-old father over was the attention being paid to an almost forgotten culture in Oklahoma—the Black cowboy.

“We’ve been out here in Spencer doing it for a long time,” Bogus says. “And it’s the first time we just got some exposure and let the world see what we do.”

The culture Bogus is referring to is not celebrated on the big screen or even in history classes. Despite the fact it is still living and breathing throughout the state, it hasn’t been until recently that most people have become aware of it.

Bogus said the Oklahoma Cowboys have had a big influence on that.

“I don’t know why it took so long,” Bogus says. “Really, we’ve been out here getting to it every day. That’s what we do. It’s our lifestyle now. Even off the camera, we do this every day, seven days a week. Ain’t no off days.”

Bogus said he was born into the cowboy life, and along with training race horses, he is part of the Oklahoma Cowboys Pony Express rodeo team. So most of his day is spent working with horses in some capacity.

“Now we look at it as horsemen,” Bogus says. “We all ride horses. We all take care of our animals and it’s a great feeling and we love it. This is my lifestyle. I do this every day, man. I ride horses every day, all day long. Get on about 20, 30 horses a day.”

While Bogus didn’t make the trip to Europe to be part of the Louis Vuitton Fashion Show, he knew what that opportunity meant for his fellow cowboys.

“I was excited. It was nice to know that we can get out there like that,” Bogus says. “Oklahomans going all the way to Paris. Getting on the mat, especially with a big company like Louis Vuitton and Pharrell Williams. That was nice.”

PHOTOGRAPH BY JAKIAN PARKS

PHOTOGRAPH

A SPACE & A COMMUNITY

The drive for representation and inclusion behind Tulsa’s Fulton Street Books

OBY MICHAEL KINNEY PHOTOGRAPHY BY RYAN “FIVISH” CASS

nikah Asamoa-Caesar had a decision to make. After moving to Denver for a year, the former Tulsa teacher was looking to settle down and set up shop.   She had spent two years in Oklahoma working for the nonprofit Teach for America, and wasn’t sure she wanted to plant roots back in Tulsa. She could rattle off a number of reasons why she believed it wouldn’t be good for her or her future child.

Yet, Asamoa-Caesar couldn’t shake the feeling that Tulsa was calling her. During her previous time in the city, she had grown to appreciate its history, its people and its potential. Despite its various imperfections and issues, she came to believe Tulsa was where she needed to be to raise a family, start a business and be part of a community.

“Tulsa is not for the faint of heart,” Asamoa-Caesar says. “It’s an amazing place and it’s also full of its own special, unique and not unique challenges. I came back to see my students and their families, and I just remember feeling like — this is community. It may not be exactly what I envisioned and imagined, but this is community. And in Tulsa, we can be a part of building that.”

With the mission to increase intergenerational literacy and build a better community, Asamoa-Caesar moved back to Tulsa and started Fulton Street Books & Coffee in 2020.

“I say that Fulton Street is not inspired by one thing. I think it’s really just a culmination of my experiences as a Black woman, as a Black girl growing up in this country,” she says. “I was born in New Jersey, I was raised in Southern California and I finished high school in Mississippi. And I think all of my life experiences kind of led me to this place to open a space that’s centered around literature literacy.”

The spark for Asamoa-Caesar came during her time as a teacher in the Tulsa Public Schools system, when she saw how disinterested her students were in something she had always been passionate about.

“I taught first grade at Gilcrease Elementary School and was very, very excited to teach reading and engage in books and exploring other worlds through the pages with my first graders,” Asamoa-Caesar says. “They were not excited. We got to reading and it was like someone threw a wet blanket over my party. I started to try to understand what is happening, why aren’t my little ones excited about reading? Reading was always my escape growing up. It was my safe place, and they were not having that experience.”

What she learned forced her to make changes to her teaching methods.

“When I started to try to peel back the layers to understand what is happening, ultimately my discovery was everything that I’m putting in front of my little ones denies them a world in which they exist,” says Asamoa-Caesar. “They’re not seeing themselves represented. I’m showing them a world in which they do not exist. And so I then started to work extra hard to diversify all of the literature and materials that I used in my classroom. That changed the culture of our classroom, and it changed the way that my students interacted with literature.”

That belief in having diverse literature and learning stayed with Asamoa-Caesar and became the heart of Fulton Street Books & Coffee. From the first day she opened her doors to the public, she wanted to create a space that was inclusive and reflective of the entire community.

“How do we create spaces where folks walk in and we show them a space, a world in which they exist, in which their identities, their language, their communities, their stories are represented and respected and upheld?” Asamoa-Caesar says. “And I think more recently it’s become a step further: This is not just a place where those stories and identities are welcome, but it’s a place where they’re centered. I always say at Fulton Street, we center the stories, the narratives, the lived experiences of Black, brown, Indigenous, queer and otherwise marginalized voices.”

Fulton Street Books & Coffee owner Onikah Asamoa-Caesar

When Fulton Street opened, it was located in an area that AsamoaCaesar described as challenging. But when the opportunity came to relocate the shop to the Greenwood District next to the Greenwood Rising History Center, she jumped at the chance to be on the actual ground of what had been Black Wall Street.

However, the process tested her in ways that had her questioning whether she was on the right path.

“Jumping through all of the hurdles as a Black entrepreneur is something that I was not spared from. So you’re navigating all of these things. We were closed for much longer than I imagined we would be. At one point I was very concerned that it may not happen. And then there were points where I was like, ‘I don’t want to do this. I’m just going to go back to the office. This is too hard. Why am I doing this?’ So it was definitely a, I don’t want to call it a defining moment, but it was a very chaotic, tumultuous wrestling with, ‘Is this what I’m supposed to be doing? Is it here? Is it time to let go?’ Just a lot of that in the downtime.”

When it was all said and done and Fulton Street Books & Coffee reopened in its new location at 21 N. Greenwood Ave. in December, Asamoa-Caesar once again knew she was right where she needed to be: on the front lines.

“When we think about everything that’s happening now, whether it’s book bans or censorship — they just banned dictionaries in a school county in Florida — this is why we exist,” Asamoa-Caesar says. “When we think about all of the conversations that came out around Black authors’ lack of representation just in the publishing industry, when we talk about all of the book bans, whether it’s in schools or libraries, this is why we exist. This is why this space is important.” •

Experience the difference of a truly comprehensive approach from a Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon .

Dr. Anureet Bajaj is a plastic surgeon certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery who specializes in a variety of SURGICAL PROCEDURES , including Tummy Tucks, Breast Lifts, Breast Reduction, and Body Contouring after Weight Loss as well as NON-SURGICAL PROCEDURES.

Dr. Bajaj gets to the bottom of what makes you uniquely you, building an aesthetic plan around your life story and how you envision your future self, guiding you step-by-step before, during and after your procedure.

You can be confident knowing you’re in the hands of one of Oklahoma’s best female plastic surgeons with Dr. Bajaj.

“When you look good, you feel good.”

— DR. ANU BAJAJ

Anureet Bajaj, M.D. Plastic Surgeon

Setting the Standard for Dermatological Care

Treating Skin Cancer Without A Trace

As a board certified dermatologist and Oklahoma’s first fellowship-trained laser and cosmetic surgeon, Dr. Kimberly Jerdan and her team are beyond equipped to approach all your skin ailments, including skin cancer.

Jerdan Dermatology offers superficial radiation therapy for a variety of skin cancers.

The benefit of this approach, aside from treating skin cancer, is that it is scarless

Call today for your consultation.

OPPOSITE:

2024 Tulsa CARES Red Ribbon Gala co-chairs

Shawna Burroughs and Tony Li

THE YEAR OF THE DRAGON

Meet the New Philanthropists: Tony Li and Shawna Burroughs

BY CHRISTINE EDDINGTON PHOTOGRAPHY BY MCKENZIE ASHTON & COLE CHANDLER

Tony Li and Shawna Burroughs, co-chairs of the 2024 Tulsa CARES Red Ribbon Gala, Year of the Dragon, are working hard. When Luxiere caught up with them, they were cheerful, charming and passionate and they’d also clearly entered the giddy, exhausted phase of event planning where you’re fantasizing about the after-party. If you’ve been at the helm of a nonprofit event, you know exactly what we mean.

It’s a big deal, this gala they’re chairing. Their work — and that of their brilliant committee — on the 2024 installment of the Red Ribbon Gala will support the life-saving efforts of Tulsa CARES, a nonprofit founded in 1991 during some of the darkest days of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. In those early years, compassionate help was hard to come by and the stigma of this now-manageable disease was heartbreaking. Today, Tulsa CARES is the largest, most comprehensive provider of prevention and care programs for low-income people living with HIV/AIDS and hepatitis C in Oklahoma. Absolutely crucial work.

Burroughs and Li are following in some really impressive footsteps. In 2023, the Red Ribbon Gala generated $1.2 million. “Our fundraising goal is $1 million, but I am crossing my fingers and knocking on wood that we do $1.5,” says Li. “We have an incredible, well-connected committee who have been working very hard.”

A single ticket to Red Ribbon is a cool grand, costly by any measure, and that’s on purpose, Li explains. “We need money. I had a conversation with someone who felt excluded. They said no one can afford these tickets. And, you know, I had to remind them that this is a fundraiser, we’re here to raise the funds to be able to continue to run the agency to be able to serve the community … honestly, we’re here to raise money.”

Li is a wildly talented photographer and founder/principal of his company, The Tony Li Project. He got involved with Tulsa CARES about 10 years ago; he’d begun wading into the philanthropic scene in Tulsa, helping events with branding. One of those was Red Ribbon. “That’s when I kind of got my foot in the door with Red Ribbon and Tulsa CARES,” Li says.

Burroughs, a master hair stylist and makeup artist, has been lending her considerable talent, and that of her peers, to such excellent causes as Tulsa’s Pink Ribbon Gala to help fund breast cancer screenings. She’s been a part of the event’s fashion show for 14 years and, for the past eight or so, she and her glam squad have served as the official hair and makeup team for the event. Burroughs downplays her involvement, if you ask Li. This dynamic duo is humble about their philanthropic work. And Tulsa CARES struck a chord for both.

HIV/AIDS care has always resonated with Li, who remembers being moved as a child by the story of another little boy, Ryan White, who contracted the disease — at that time fatal — via a blood transfusion. “He was a kid around my age. And it made me think, you know, this can really affect anybody. Since then, it’s been really important for me to get involved with this particular cause.”

For Burroughs, giving back is a family value. “We both come from immigrant families and, you know, there’s this, this drive that we all should make a difference.” Her family, she says, “always reminds me that there’s much more to that than just making money and being successful.” Aside from that, Burroughs says, “Helping people just, well, first off, it feels good. And knowing that I can dedicate my time or if I have something to give, I can give it to somebody else that may not have it, or maybe they’re just needing it at that very moment. And I can help them. That really resonated with me.”

Burroughs went to Thailand this year. “I went to visit family I’ve never met and I got to see where my dad grew up and the conditions he lived in, small huts that had no electricity and no running water. That was very eye-opening and humbling.” Also eye-opening? “I noticed, as I was there, that every corner had some form of a clinic, that people could just walk in off the street, and were able to get tested and treated, and whatever needs that they needed for HIV AIDS, Hepatitis C, other sexually transmitted diseases.” She found it refreshing and inspirational to see the stigma removed, and care given to anyone who needs it.

These two young, first-gen Americans felt it was very serendipitous that 2024 is the Year of the Dragon in the lunar zodiac, and knew they could create something spectacular around that theme. “The Year of the Dragon is supposed to be one of the most auspicious years,” Li says. “And so that felt good. I’m also obsessed with the movie Crazy Rich Asians Shawna and I are both very visual people. And so we’re trying to create a visually spectacular evening that people are going to remember and, and have a great time at.”

They’re planning for an evening full of surprises, and prying any of those out of them was a non-starter, almost. Luxiere has been cleared to offer these tantalizing details: there’s a DJ coming in from Los Angeles. Li and Burroughs are each planning multiple outfit changes throughout the evening.

Bottom line, if you can get your hands on a ticket, do it. This is going to be one for the ages. •

Red Ribbon Gala serves as the largest fundraiser annually for Tulsa CARES.

Its 2024 theme, “Year of the Dragon,” was inspired in part by the co-chairs’ Asian heritage and Li’s obsession (his word) with the Kevin Kwan book and movie franchise, Crazy Rich Asians

Tulsa CARES serves 23 counties in northeast Oklahoma, where there are approximately 3,000 people living with HIV.

Oklahoma is one of seven states with the highest infection rate of HIV among rural communities.

The medical program at Tulsa CARES includes an HIV specialist physician. Clients can visit in person or via telehealth. There’s also a full-time medical assistant on the team who helps coordinate each individual’s care.

Oklahoma’s Hepatitis C prevalence is also among the highest in the nation.

Tulsa CARES offers wrap-around services for people living with Hepatitis C including education, medication assistance, education, food and nutrition and transportation assistance.

The Tulsa CARE Hepatitis C effort is supported with funding from Tulsa’s Ascension St. John Medical Center.

The 2024 Red Ribbon Gala is March 16 at Tulsa’s Cox Business Convention Center. Visit redribbongala.org for details and tickets.

A young Tony Li being held by his mother

ALL IN THE FAMILY

NATIVE-OWNED • MOM/DAUGHTER-OWNED LOCALLY-OWNED • SUSTAINABLE

FLAGSHIP MERCANTILE & VENUE

AUTO ALLEY — 807 N BROADWAY, OKC

Established in 2012, this 3,200 sq ft store is attached to The Venue at PLENTY. The building was the first Chevrolet dealership in Oklahoma and the 4-door pickup was invented here! Find our red 1957 Chevy truck inside the shop during the holidays, decked out in Christmas goods as a nod to the history.

RESERVE MERCANTILE

FIRST NATIONAL — 120 N ROBINSON, OKC

Opened in 2022 and designed to match the caliber of the First National Building. Our register is made from the building’s original elevator ceilings and brass escalator siding. Find best-sellers, new arrivals, drinks and snacks, and distinctly elevated products reserved for this location (location shown)

OKLAHOMA IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Sunrise Tippeconnie on the art of Okie films

OBY ALEXANDRA BOHANNON

klahoma filmmaker Sunrise Tippeconnie has, throughout his decadeslong filmmaking career, only had one job on a set that he’s truly disliked.

“I was a drapist on one commercial once — putting up curtains. You don’t think about how they get up,” Tippeconnie says. “They look nice, they work as curtains, but they’re very heavy and terrible to work with. That’s a department I do not want to have anything to do with.”

His willingness to explore almost every role on a film set has earned the Director of Programming for deadCenter Film Festival (DCFF) and part-time film lecturer some serious filmmaking chops and an IMDB page feet long, just recently having worked on Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon, nominated for 10 Academy Awards, and 2021 Academy Awards frontrunner Minari

But, despite the high-profile and out-of-state filmmaking opportunities on his resume, Tippeconnie always holds Oklahoma film close to his heart.

PULLING FOCUS

Tippeconnie tends to skirt the line of questioning about why he selected filmmaking as his career, but he does point to an experience in high school that influenced him. When an English teacher tasked the class with examining the movie Dead Poets Society for subtext, that was the first time he realized a film’s ability to convey something deeper.

“I was like, ‘Oh, this is really amazing that [a film] could reveal something to one person and someone else might be oblivious to it.’ That was intriguing enough for me to investigate what’s happening in a filmmaker’s body of work,” recalls Tippeconnie.

After early support of his interest in film, Tippeconnie entered the University of Oklahoma in the late 1990s as a dual Media Arts and Architecture major. Film captured his interest quickly, especially how light values work on screen to support the narrative and tone of a work. His obsession first started with the light meter, a tool used to measure light in film and photography.

“I felt like if I understood the light meter, I would understand [a film’s] subtext,” says Tippeconnie with a laugh. “It’s a magician’s tool — ‘learn the trick, you will figure out everything’ – which was not the case. But I became very proficient, technically. And then I started to work with other people and got hired on movies.”

Tippeconnie’s timing of selecting film as his creative outlet and his career couldn’t have been better. In 2001, The Oklahoma State Legislature enacted the Film Enhancement Rebate Program to incentivize film productions to shoot in Oklahoma and use local crew and talent.

Originally, the rebate was rolled out as a response to the Canadian government’s 1995 film rebate program, but over its 20-plus-year existence, it has been retooled to compete with those of other states. Georgia, New Mexico and Louisiana are all power players in the film industry now, thanks to generous film rebates and continued investment in the infrastructure required to support productions with blockbuster budgets.

To remain as a competitive alternative, Oklahoma has been notso-quietly retooling the rebate since 2005, increasing the annual reimbursement cap into the millions, where it is today. According to reporting by Oklahoma Voice, the current reimbursement cap for the Filmed In Oklahoma Act of 2021 is a pooled $30 million, which Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell hopes to increase to $80 million after this upcoming legislative session.

It’s not hard to see the cause-and-effect of Tippeconnie’s involvement in bigger films tied to the simultaneous rise in the rebate cap. He’s hoping that a higher cap will help offer that opportunity to more prospective Oklahoma filmmakers in the next couple of decades.

“Right now, we’re probably in a place again of transition in Oklahoma. We’re going to develop and nurture some really great talent here,” says Tippeconnie. “But where the [rebate] cap is will start to limit the kinds of productions that will take advantage of those opportunities.”

OKLAHOMA RISING

Tippeconnie’s support for Oklahoma’s film industry doesn’t stop when a director announces, “That’s a wrap.” Being appointed the Director of Programming for DCFF in 2023 — the first Indigenous person in the role —feels like a logical next step for him, a continuation of how he supports filmmakers, especially Okie-grown ones. Being in the leadership at DCFF comes with a significant responsibility, as it’s one of 193 festivals that can qualify filmmakers for the Academy Awards in short film categories, according to FilmFreeway.

But not all Oklahoma films make it into DCFF. What happens to those films that fall between the cracks, that never score widespread viewership, distribution or acclaim? What happens to those works?

Tippeconnie expresses hope for an archival and restoration initiative focusing on Oklahoma’s film scene. He extends his gratitude to the Oklahoma Historical Society for documenting and archiving some Oklahoma-made silent films (like The Daughter of the Dawn), historical films that include Theodore Roosevelt and the Abernathy boys, and Comanche chief Quanah Parker. But he also emphasizes the importance of extending this archival effort to more recent history.

OPPOSITE:

ABOVE:

Gladstone

LEFT:

Movie poster for Lee Isaac Chung’s 2021 Academy Award frontrunner Minari

Lily

with Martin Scorsese on the set of Killers of the Flower Moon

Frame from Oklahomamade silent film The Daughter of the Dawn

ABOVE:

Movie poster for Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon

RIGHT: Book cover for A Pipe for February by Charles H. Red Corn

“It would be great to be able to remaster films from the early period of Oklahoma filmmaking near the beginning of the millennium,” says Tippeconnie. “Money needs to be set aside for that as much as crew base development.”

Tippeconnie notes that as much as films like Twister attempt to understand and portray something about Oklahoma, they don’t truly capture the “Oklahoma-ness” of the state and end up being surface-level observations. (Tornadoes, “Boomer Sooner,” oil, football.)

But this tide is changing, especially regarding Indigenous stories centered in Oklahoma. Killers of the Flower Moon , shot in Pawhuska, may be one of the most prominent examples to date featuring historically accurate representations of Oklahoma and Indigenous people. Tippeconnie notes how the department heads on the film were deeply “interested in expressing” the story and understood what they were doing was an art form.

However, as he discussed in an interview for The Oklahoman regarding the film, Killers is one piece of a larger conversation surrounding accurate Indigenous representation in film.

“That is pretty much how I think about the film, that it is incomplete in its voice. Especially knowing now that there is an Osage writer behind A Pipe For February,” Tippeconnie says, mentioning a historical novel set at the time of the Osage murders that Scorsese used as a source.

A key factor that often separates well-done and lackluster Indigenous representation in film is whether Indigenous people are above the line in leadership roles on a production. Tippeconnie holds up Hulu/FX’s “Reservation Dogs” (on which Tippeconnie also worked) as an excellent portrayal of what Indigenous life is like in Oklahoma. Led by Oklahoman Sterlin Harjo and Academy Award winner Taika Waititi, “Reservation Dogs” is the first film project with only Indigenous leadership at the helm and an all-native writers’ room.

But for projects already attached to a specific director or writer that feature Indigenous characters, bringing in individuals who serve as consultants can help authentically portray the culture on screen — and center the story from the Indigenous character’s perspective.

“The benefit of having someone from a culture working on a film about that culture gives such depth,” says Tippeconnie in a podcast interview for The Cinematropolis regarding his experience consulting on the 2022 Predator prequel Prey, which centers around the Comanche Nation. “Many audiences won’t see it. But the audiences that are of that background definitely will embrace it. I think that’s one reason why it’s so popular.”

As Indigenous-led and Oklahoma-centered projects continue to break into the mainstream, Tippeconnie is excited for not just his upcoming projects but other filmmakers’ projects he can continue to champion through outlets like deadCenter and his film criticism.

That desire to support and lift Oklahoma filmmakers is reflected in the one job that Tippeconnie hasn’t yet had in the film industry: being a distributor.

“What an amazing position to be able to be in. ‘I get to fight for this artist, and this vision that I’m pretty sure is of value, and the audience will prove us right’ — that’s an undervalued gamble,” says Tippeconnie. “There’s something to be said about that, that somebody’s willing to fight for art.” •

From the historically impactful to the odd to the grotesque, here are some of Sunrise Tippeconnie’s recommended Oklahomamade films that understand the state and convey something authentically Okie.

“It’s important to understand what people have tried to do to get us where we are. And I would imagine a lot of techniques and filmmakers have resulted from these films.”

THE DAUGHTER OF THE DAWN (1920)

A formerly lost silent film, shot entirely in Oklahoma with members of the Comanche and Kiowa tribes. Restored by the Oklahoma Historical Society.

STARK FEAR (1962)

A black and white psychological horror movie created by Ned Hockman (who founded the OU film program) and Dwight V. Swain.

TERROR AT TENKILLER (1986)

An ’80s slasher that “is not that great, but it’s a part of American independent cinema, the horror genre.” Directed by Ken Meyer.

EYE OF GOD (1990)

Tim Blake Nelson’s play-turned-film that “captures something about what Oklahoma is in terms of its small-town nature.”

OKIE NOODLING (2001)

Documentary chronicling noodling for catfish, directed by Bradley Beesley.

GOODNIGHT IRENE - SHORT (2005)

Early work of director Sterlin Harjo that informs some of the characters on “Reservation Dogs.”

THE FEARLESS FREAKS (2005)

Rockumentary chronicling the rise of The Flaming Lips, directed by Bradley Beesley.

RAINBOW AROUND THE SUN (2008)

Rock opera and concept album that played at SXSW, directed by Kevin Ely and Beau Leland.

TO THE WONDER (2012)

“The closest I think any non-Oklahoman has gotten to capturing Oklahoma is Terrence Malick in To the Wonder. Somehow, he’s captured something that other people have not.”

SIMPLE DONE WELL

Jamie Winteroth’s education in Social studies

DBY GREG HORTON

epending on your sense of humor, the title of Miss Choctaw 1997 is the best place to start this story, especially if you know Jamie Winteroth nee Fritts.

“I’m going to find a picture, but just know the whole idea of pageants hurts my feminist heart; I did it for scholarship money,” said the operating partner and co-founder of Shared Plate Hospitality.

Houston-born Fritts moved to Oklahoma with her family when she was 5 years old, and she became Winteroth in 2009, when she married her now husband and business partner Jordan Winteroth. But the young woman who won the Miss Choctaw contest in 1997 had no intention of owning restaurants; she was headed for a fashion design career, but her jobs in high school and college were all hospitality-related, including opening the now defunct Joseppi’s Italian Kitchen in Stillwater.

Jamie Winteroth

PHOTOGRAPH BY DENNISE TOEWS

“I worked at a sno-cone stand in Choctaw when I was 16, and then at Dawson’s Restaurant, also in Choctaw,” Winteroth said. “I used to sing for tips.”

What? Sometimes a piece of information comes up — like Miss Choctaw 1997 or singing for tips Macaroni Grill-style — and you realize you didn’t know someone as well as you assumed.

“You sang for tips? You can sing?”

Winteroth laughed. “I don’t sing much anymore, but yeah. I had to choose between cheer and choir in high school, and I chose cheer.”

Like so many choices, that one created a new set of possibilities and closed the door on many others. Her decision to pursue cheerleading led to a scholarship at Rose State, which she fulfilled before moving on to Oklahoma State as a junior to finish her fashion design degree, which in turn helped her land an internship at BCBG in Los Angeles. In L.A. she realized the path she thought she wanted didn’t suit her well, so she returned to the OKC metro and began working at Boulevard Steakhouse, where she’d meet two mentors: the late, great Pete Holloway, and the now owner of Stella Modern Italian, Lori Burson.

“Lori hired me at Boulevard,” Winteroth said. “Working for Pete was a wonderful experience; it’s where I fell in love with fine dining.”

Over the next few years, she worked for Holloway Restaurant Group, Central Liquors (now Republic National Distributing) and Deep Fork Restaurant Group, where she met Jordan Winteroth. Their son Sebastian was born in 2009, and Jordan went to work for Republic Gastropub, both he and Jamie thinking it would be better if they worked for different hospitality outfits.

Social Deck + Dining

Miss Choctaw Jamie Fritts [Winteroth] in 1996

“By the time Sebastian was four, Jordan and I were both doing 70-hour weeks, and we knew it wasn’t right,” she said. “Every job I’ve ever had — catering, selling wine, the bank — was a result of this industry and the people I met.”

The bank gig, which made it possible for at least one of the parents to have a stable schedule with a toddler about to start school, came about as a result of Jamie’s sister having a massage therapy client who offered Jamie the job. The stability allowed for the couple to do something they’d talked about since early in their hospitality careers: own their own restaurant.

“When Daniel Chae closed his restaurant, he reached out to offer us the building,” Winteroth said. “Owning the building is such a big piece of success and independence in hospitality. The bank job had also given me the vocabulary and know-how to deal with the paperwork, loan process and all that goes into the business side of acquiring and running a restaurant.”

Social Deck and Dining opened Dec. 18, 2018 at 1933 NW 23rd St. The Winteroths had sold their house, using the equity to pay down debt to get the loan and offer a down payment. They were truly all in at that point.

“We didn’t have a five-year plan or a business plan,” she said. “We had a great network of friends and supporters, and we knew what to do and not do. That was it, but we said, ‘Let’s do this!’ I kept the bank job until 2019, just for the stability.”

Everyone knows what’s next. 2020. A new restaurant. One hard asset in the form of a building, which is to say a restaurant where guests could not eat beginning in March 2020. Their story is their own, but it’s also that of thousands of operators around the country: Food industry sources estimate there are roughly 750,000 restaurants in the U.S. as of 2023, a number that is surely smaller than it was in February 2020.

Social is “my baby,” per Jamie. They subsequently acquired Aurora in Plaza District, and Rev MEX on Classen, but they own every part of Social, and it was their first non-human baby. Before COVID, the Winteroths had what she called “a pipe dream” of what the restaurant could be. The couple loved the Pacific Northwest, with its communal meals, brunch, bubbles and simple, flavorful food.

“From the beginning, and still today, we have a mantra,” she said. “Simple done well.”

That works beautifully unless your restaurant is closed due to a pandemic. At that point, you have to pivot, and their years in the industry helped the couple adapt. Running a restaurant is all about adapting to today’s circumstance: staffing, deliveries, menu items, guests — all contain the potential to be problematic, even disastrous, so you learn to adapt, to make decisions that sometimes represent the least sucky choice among sucky choices.

Social went from weekday brunch to “brunch boxes,” roasting pans full of brunch for 2, 4 or any number they could pack into a pan so guests could pull up curbside and get Sunday brunch. It was so popular that other operators either emulated it or asked them to change their pricing so they could more easily compete.

Now, in 2024, those are troubled memories, but they are indicators of people who survive and thrive because they adapt. The Winteroths hired Chef Jerrod Driskill in 2023, and Social has begun a new chapter. Simple done well, yes, and still the shareable, communal approach, but Driskill’s food is also refined, chef-y (if they’ll forgive the descriptor) without being pretentious. Crispy potato salad is one of the best things — possibly the best — on the new menu. At the center of it, though, are the Winteroths. And they look proud of their “baby” that’s become a toddler.

“We are proud. I couldn’t be more proud,” Jamie said. They’ve earned it. •

Jordan and Jamie Winteroth

AN ARTISAN EMPIRE

How Tracia Forrest turned determination into distribution

MBY GREG HORTON PHOTOGRAPHY BY RYAN “FIVISH” CASS

any people play sports up until college, and then, when the realization sets in that they aren’t good enough to play at the next level, they start watching sports instead, perhaps continuing to play in work and church leagues. Tracia Forrest did play sports after college — for USA Volleyball, which, at the time, had several divisions below the national team — but hadn’t played until then. Still, she credits volleyball as being formative in her approach to work.

“When you play sports at any level, you get beat, but you don’t go home and quit,” she says. “You practice to get better. And then you play again.”

To be precise, good athletes and teams go practice; others go home and do something else, like playing video games or drinking. Forrest played for various teams for 10 years in the USVBA after finishing her degree at UCO. She is now the owner of Artisan Fine Wine and Spirits, a distribution company she founded in February 2016.

The family is from Oregon. Forrest moved to Midwest City when she was 13, went to Midwest City High School, earned a degree, taught for three years at Wheeler Elementary. For a brief time, she was in Chicago, and then she and her surgeon husband moved to Tulsa, his hometown.

“I stayed home for seven years, raising our three girls,” Forrest says. “After the divorce, I just stayed in Tulsa.”

In one of those the-big-city-is-really-a-small-town moments, her then-husband operated on John Jarboe, whose family owned one of Oklahoma’s two largest alcohol distributors and dominated the market alongside Central Liquor in Oklahoma City. (Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits, the largest distributor in the country with a $21 billion annual revenue, bought Jarboe after the laws changed in 2018.) The connection to Jarboe gave Forrest an in with the company, and her plan to become a pharmaceutical rep changed to wine and liquor rep.

Her stint at Jarboe lasted five years, and she still counts the family among her friends. In fact, they helped her get Artisan off the ground — but before that, she had two short-lived jobs and one more gig as a sales rep. It was at another large distributor that she learned the lessons so many women learn in male-dominated career tracks.

“I had to go through four interviews to get the job,” she says. “I didn’t realize how much staying home for those seven years would affect their perception of me as a potential employee.”

At the time, and until recently, there were no women in executive roles, but Forrest slogged on even though she recalls realizing early that there would be no advancement or greater responsibilities.

“It was a dead end for me and other women because it was a bunch of fraternity guys taking care of each other,” she says. “But I tried to have a voice, and I stood up for myself. In the end, though, I really needed to move on.”

Forrest decided it was time to work for herself while she was working as an agent for a Napa winery. Prior to the new liquor laws, Oklahoma had a four-tiered system: producer, agent, distributor, retailer/restaurant. Producers made the booze, brokers or agents represented the products in Oklahoma, distributors purchased products to sell to retailers and restaurants. Forrest was in that second tier with a handful of local companies: Thirst Wine Merchants, Premium Brands, Provisions Fine Beverage Purveyors and others, including Select, which was part of Jarboe.

Artisan was the first local broker with an out-front female owner, and predictably, Forrest heard all the naysayers. “You have to block out those voices,” she says. “You have to have the confidence — they called it insanity — to be aggressive. I was raised by mostly men, so I understood what to do, and my career had taught me what not to do.”

And then the laws changed. What consumers understood was that they’d get wine in grocery stores. But the new laws also erased the distinction between distributor and broker, which meant Forrest would need trucks and a distribution network. The transition was easier for multi-billion-dollar companies like Southern and Republic National Distributing, but the costs were problematic for small, local businesses. Forrest was one of the voices being assertive about the new laws being an opportunity, not an obstacle.

“I was saying, ‘The sky is not falling. They do this in other states!’” Forrest says. “I was told it was ‘big, dumb blonde talk’ by a few, but again, there will always be naysayers.”

She got funding for the expansion, and now, to quote her: “My goal is to dominate. I’m very competitive, and people learn that I’m laid back ’til I’m not. We acquired as many brands as we could just to have something to sell, and then we started working on building an even better portfolio.”

As if Artisan wasn’t enough, she also started Oklahoma Beverage Logistics, a company that leases trucks to smaller businesses that want to distribute in the state. Artisan now has product in roughly 75% of Oklahoma markets from Guymon to Broken Bow, per Forrest. It’s adding two new reps to cover secondary and tertiary markets in southeastern Oklahoma. It’s growing fast, and Forrest isn’t done.

“We survived the chaos of new laws and the chaos of COVID, and we’re thriving,” she says. “Now we just need to fine-tune.” •

A STREETCAR NAMED DELIGHT

The view aboard Lisbon’s bright yellow trams

OBY MICHAEL KINNEY

n Nov. 1, 1755, the city of Lisbon was nearly destroyed. A series of devastating earthquakes that are believed to have been so powerful they would have registered as high as 9.0 on the Richter scale leveled the capital of Portugal.

The quake was so violent, it generated a tsunami with 20-foot high waves that crashed into the port city as well. At that point, the future of Lisbon was in doubt as the upheaval subsided from what had become known as the “Great Lisbon Earthquake.”

Almost three centuries later, not only has Lisbon been rebuilt, but it has also become a popular tourist destination in Europe. In 2023, more than 3.6 million international tourists visited the city of just 548,000 residents.

At some point, nearly each and every one of those visitors likely found themselves riding on Lisbon’s iconic bright yellow trams (streetcar or trolley) that maneuver through the same streets that had once been turned to rubble.

Late into the night, Lisbon’s iconic yellow Tram 28 owns the cobblestone roadway.

On a recent trip to Lisbon in which I stayed in the historic Alfama district, I rode the trams and got a feel for just what makes them special.

Despite the majestic views and historic architecture that attract tourists to Lisbon, it has been the bright yellow trams that have become the symbol of the city. They are featured in movies, TV shows, paintings and popular postcards that are sent around the world.

Go anywhere in Lisbon, at almost any time of the day or night, and you’re bound to see a tram cross your path. From 6 a.m. when they first start their routes until past midnight, they can be seen gliding slowly through the colorful mosaic of cobblestone that makes up the narrow, winding paths — which can at times feel more like a maze than a network of streets — in a major city.

Lisbon (also called Lisboa by the Portuguese) is currently just one of three cities in Portugal — along with Porto and Sintra — to continue use of the trams, and the only one to keep them as a vital part of its public transportation system.

“Trams in Porto are only for sightseeing, while in Lisbon they are a local transportation mode,” said Marta David, a resident of Lisbon. “But we also have touristic trams in Lisbon. The Tram 28 in Lisbon is the more famous one, and I strongly recommend taking it as early as possible — until 9 a.m. You should be considerate to locals, especially older people and families with young children.”

The electric tram didn’t make its appearance in Lisbon until 1901, but it had a progenitor: The first tramway was a horsecar line in 1873 by Carris. At that time, the vehicles were called “Carros Americanos” because the idea came from America. However, they were unable to traverse the steep hills and rocky roads in areas like Alfama, until they switched to cable cars in 1884. The first electric tram, which went into operation at the dawn of the 20th century, carried passengers from Cais do Sodré to Algés, a distance of just under 10 km.

The Lisbon tramway network is still owned and operated by the Carris company. Many of its carriages are easily recognizable by the bright yellow that can be found on the celebrated Tram 28, which covers the areas from Martim Moniz Square to Campo de Ourique and takes passengers through Alfama past the historical sites.

“I was in Alfama at the starting point of route 28,” said Lisa Streets, who recently visited Lisbon. “The lineup was epic. I enjoyed watching trams drive past and taking photos of them with cool urban backgrounds.”

The vintage look inside each of the passenger trams adds to the overall feel of going back in time to the early 1900s.

There are five other lines, and one ride costs 3 euros for a ticket, which can be purchased from the driver. In total, the network in Lisbon spans 19 miles and consists of 63 trams in operation. Of those, 45 are considered historic remodelado (remodels), made to look and feel just as they were a century ago.

The trams work in conjunction with other public transportation such as the bus, the railroads and the subways. Tourists are encouraged to purchase the Lisbon or Viva Viagem cards, which can be used on all forms of public transportation and offer a less expensive rate.

Yet, this has also become an issue for those like Pedro Pinheiro Vaz, who was born and raised in Lisbon.

“It would be fantastic if people could think of them as public transportation — because that’s what they are — and not just another tourist attraction,” Vaz said. “Locals gave up long ago on waiting in line for hours to get on a precious means of transportation that could be really useful for people who live in the city.”

Despite those waits, the future of the tram could be on shaky ground. As ride-sharing apps continue to proliferate throughout the region, and people become in more of a hurry to see all that Portugal has to offer, it has become seen as a relic of a bygone past.

But that is also what makes the tram so appealing to visitors and residents alike. It’s a reminder of when people weren’t in such a hurry and there was time to hold a conversation or watch a sunset while looking out the window of the tram rather than down at a cell phone.

“In Lisbon, we rode Tram 12 from Martim Moniz since there was no line,” said Lynn Fox. “Later in the day we got on Tram 28 near Estrela and rode back to Martim Moniz and also avoided any lines. All were fun and enjoyable.” •

$1,300,000

$1,095,000

$865,000

$321,564

$1,222,000

$1,030,000

$550,000

$315,000

$935,000

$452,589

$165,000

$1,150,000

$899,000

$325,000

$150,000

6435 N Grandmark Drive

Nichols Hills

3 BD / 3 BA / 2,759 SQFT / $1,990,000

Welcome to 6435 Grandmark Dr, a pinnacle of luxury and sophistication in the heart of Nichols Hills. Nestled in one of the city’s most prestigious buildings, this extraordinary condo offers an unparalleled living experience with breathtaking finishes.

As you step inside this high-end haven, you are greeted by a large, entertaining living space with Venetian plaster, rounded corners, herringbone flooring, intricate lighting with natural light bathing every corner. The adjoining dining is an ideal space for hosting lavish dinner parties, boasting a sleek dining table and designer light fixtures. The gourmet kitchen is a chef’s dream, equipped with top-of-the-line stainless steel appliances, custom cabinetry, Italian marble, and a spacious center island with ample storage.

The home offers a gorgeous office space (3rd bedroom) with hand-painted wallpaper and custom glass doors. The primary suite is not only relaxing, but features two custom walk-in closets and a stunning ensuite bathroom with Italian marble throughout. This unit features one of the largest outdoor spaces, built-in grill and multiple sitting areas.

Grandmark offers convenient access to a wide range of amenities, such as high-end boutiques and fine dining establishments only steps away.

OKC Golf & Country Club Living

Debbie

metromarkrealestate.com

David Oliver Real Estate Group

ALEXX PFEIFFER, KATE BRENNAN, LANEY MARTIN, JENNIFER OLIVER, DAVID OLIVER, DIEDRA BARBER, JILL BEDNAR, AND KEVIN FLANERY

We are starting 2024 with Powerful Partnerships. We are pleased to announce the addition of Diedra Barber and Kate Brennan to the David Oliver Real Estate Group. Together they bring a robust amount of experience and knowledge to the client experience. As our new Director of Operations, Diedra will expand the team’s capacity with client support, sales, and operations. Before joining, Diedra worked with both local and national real estate brands and cultivates expert client communication that goes beyond just the transaction. Kate is a founding agent of Sage Sotheby’s International Realty and is a certified professional coach and brings meaningful connections with agents and clients globally.

KATE BRENNAN DAVID OLIVER DIEDRA BARBER

David

Esperanza Ranch, Luther | $6,500,000 oklahomafieldofdreams.com

15532 Laguna Drive, Esperanza | $1,995,000

6614 N Pennsylvania Avenue, Nichols Hills | $1,495,000

5716 Oliver Court, Gaillardia | $2,150,000

5716 Normandy Terrace, Gaillardia | $1,600,000

5832 Oliver Court, Gaillardia | $1,360,000

Joy Baresel / CEO

Private Office Real Estate Advisor, Broker

+1 405-826-7465

joy.baresel @ evrealestate.com

joybaresel.evrealestate.com

Instagram: @ joybaresel

215 WESTCHESTER, NORMAN $687,000

2823 GUILFORD LANE, NICHOLS HILLS $3,100,000

2825 GUILFORD LANE, NICHOLS HILLS $3,000,000

2827 GUILFORD LANE, NICHOLS HILLS $2,800,000

2530 W WILSHIRE BOULEVARD, OKLAHOMA CITY $2,500,000

11201 N BRYANT AVE, OKLAHOMA CITY $1,975,000 | SOLD

1831 DRAKESTONE AVENUE, NICHOLS HILLS $1,500,000 | PENDING

1309 REDBUD HOLLOW, EDMOND $1,150,000

615 NW 40TH ST, OKLAHOMA CITY $989,000 | SOLD

5016 WATER OAK WAY, EDMOND $1,236,100 | PENDING

1125 NW 42ND ST, OKLAHOMA CITY $799,900

1121 NW 42ND ST, OKLAHOMA CITY $799,900

312 CROWN COLONY LN, EDMOND $597,900

217 VICTORY LN, NORMAN $284,900 | SOLD

400 E 5TH ST, OKLAHOMA CITY $452,000 | SOLD