ArtOFocus k l a h o m a
Okl a ho m a V i s u al A r ts C o al i t i on
Vo l u m e 2 4 N o . 1
January/February 2009
Art OFocus k l a h o m a Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition P.O. Box 1946 • Oklahoma City, OK 73101 ph: 405.232.6991 • e: director@ovac-ok.org visit our website at: www.ovac-ok.org Executive Director: Julia Kirt director@ovac-ok.org Editor: Kelsey Karper publications@ovac-ok.org Art Director: Anne Richardson anne@speccreative.com Art Focus Intern: Caroline Marie Jewell Art Focus Oklahoma is a bimonthly publication of the Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition dedicated to stimulating insight into and providing current information about the visual arts in Oklahoma.
Byron Shen Skiatook
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Julie Miller Sapulpa
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Dennis Johnson Oklahoma City
contents
profiles
3 Byron Shen 5 Julie Miller 8 Dennis Johnson
reviews/previews
10 12 16 18 20
Seeing Ourselves
features
Matthew Burke Defrosting Momentum Transformational Recycling Lori Oden
22 The Value of Art in Business
business of art
26 Believe in the Power of “Good Enough” 27 Hanging Art
On the Cover:
Mitsuno Ishii Reedy, Norman, Beauty and Strength, Oil on Canvas, 30”x40”, NBC Bank Oklahoma Artist Series 2008, see page 22
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OVAC news
28 New & Renewing Members 28 Round UP 29 At a Glance 30
gallery guide
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Mission: The Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition supports visual artists living and working in Oklahoma and promotes public interest and understanding of the arts. OVAC welcomes article submissions related to artists and art in Oklahoma. Call or email the editor for guidelines. OVAC welcomes your comments. Letters addressed to Art Focus Oklahoma are considered for publication unless otherwise specified. Mail or email comments to the editor at the address above. Letters may be edited for clarity or space reasons. Anonymous letters will not be published. Please include a phone number. Art Focus Committee: Janice McCormick, Bixby; Don Emrick, Tulsa; Susan Grossman, Sue Clancy, Norman; Michael Hoffner, Stephen Kovash, and Sue Moss Sullivan, Oklahoma City. OVAC Board of Directors 2008-2009: R.C. Morrison, Bixby; Richard Pearson, Rick Vermillion, Edmond; Jonathan Hils, Norman; Jennifer Barron, Susan Beaty, Stephen Kovash (President), Paul Mays, Suzanne Mitchell (Vice President), Carl Shortt, Suzanne Thomas, Sydney Bright Warren, Elia Woods (Secretary), Oklahoma City; Joey Frisillo, Sand Springs; Anita Fields, Stillwater; Cathy Deuschle, Elizabeth Downing, Jean Ann Fausser (Treasurer), Kathy McRuiz, Sandy Sober, Tulsa; Eunkyung Jeong, Weatherford. The Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition is solely responsible for the contents of Art Focus Oklahoma. However, the views expressed in articles do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Board or OVAC staff. Member Agency of Allied Arts and member of the Americans for the Arts. © 2009, Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition. All rights reserved. View this issue online at www.ArtFocusOklahoma.org.
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Byron Shen
Byron Shen, Skiatook, As Far As Can Be, Oil
by Allison Meier Through landscapes of striking colors, artist Byron Shen uses his painting as a concrete synaesthesia, evoking emotions with abstract hues. “I’m trying to make a visualization of something that’s very abstract,” Shen said. “I’m dealing with anxiety and joy and how to depict that.” Shen is currently the visual arts director at the Holland Hall Upper School in Tulsa. The intensely expressive colors and horizons in his paintings are the result of years of modifying his artistic expression in response to the changes in his life. Born in Hong Kong, he moved to the United States at the age of four and grew up in Washington, DC before going to school in Michigan and later moving to Oklahoma. “When I arrived in Tulsa, I was known for my installation work,” he said. “It’s grown from there as I’ve gotten older and with the
responsibilities of a family, I now have a different perspective.” Before focusing on visual art, he got his Bachelor of Arts in English and Creative Writing at Juniata College in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania. “I always liked art, I wasn’t sure if that was what I wanted to major in,” he said. “I was accepted to the Art Institute of Chicago, but I thought I wasn’t ready for a big city and the concept of focusing solely on art. By going to a small liberal arts college, I got to see life in a broader context.” After receiving his degree at Juniata College, he went on to the Cranbrook Academy of Art in Bloomfield Hills Michigan where he completed a Master of Fine Arts in Painting and Drawing. Early paintings had the viewer “flying above” muted canvases, while his newer art puts the viewer in the center of watery oil paints and mixed media. Rather
than the creative writing he originally studied, he now uses color instead of words to express journeys and emotions, with narratives of brush strokes to convey A Memory Long Ago or A Vibrant Feeling. “My older work was darker, more edgy stuff, the palette has shifted,” said Shen. “I deal with these personal journeys that each of us take in our life and our handling of those emotions.” Shen received a New Forms Regional Initiative Grant from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Rockefeller Foundation in 1991 and soon after became involved with OVAC and later served on the board. He continues to be involved with OVAC, including participating in the 12x12 Art Show and Sale and receiving one of the OVAC Painting Biennial Awards of Merit in 1993. “Per capita, the talent in Oklahoma is continued page 4
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probably one of the highest that I’ve been around in the sense of quality,” he said. “But there’s that Catch 22: people don’t particularly recognize fellow Oklahomans and the quality of the work that they do. That’s problematic. Then a lot of Oklahoma artists that succeed, they move away from here and they get well known.” By working with high school students to instill early appreciation for the arts and being an active member of community organizations like OVAC, Shen brings the same passion evoked by his paintings to the arts in Oklahoma. “I’ve been trying to support OVAC and help it grow from a grass roots organization to a major player in the arts in Oklahoma,” Shen said. “There are very few organizations that help visual artists the way that OVAC does, with the grants and award money they offer and now with the awards of excellence.” About the Author: Allison Meier teaches English in the southeast of France and is a freelance writer specializing in the arts. She can be reached at allisoncmeier@gmail.com.
(Top) Byron Shen, Skiatook, A Distant Truth, Mixed Media, 44”x28” (Bottom) Byron Shen works on a new painting in his Skiatook studio.
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P r of i l e :
Julie Miller By Sheri Ishmael-Waldrop
From the subdued coloring of Leaving and Girlfriends to the bright Parrot Tulips against a cool blue background, Oklahoma painter Julie Miller’s true joy lies in the combination of color and texture to evoke emotion. Most of Miller’s figurative paintings are relational in theme and she sees a lot of people respond when they identify in some way with the people in the painting. She hopes her art will cause observers to notice how lovely most things truly are. Her earliest memory of art occurred when she was in fourth grade. “My teacher taught us to draw trees that showed how the branches actually grew from the trunk,” Miller said. “I loved that and never drew or painted a ‘stuck on’ limb again.” At about the same age, while drawing clowns with her sister as a gift for her grandmother, Miller discovered her vision. “Hers was so neat and orderly… all his face painting matched and was carefully planned. My clown had a big smile with a loosely painted scheme similar to hers, but oh so different in technique… even then I did not want to stay in the lines,” she said. Miller’s subject choice is a personal one. She has been told that her paintings represent unusual themes, often overlooked by others. A subject can be very simple if the qualities of light and dark, shape and form, texture and strokes are done well. Miller works from photographs she has taken, but live models and still-life are exciting for her. Plein air is enjoyable, but she favors the fair weather days, she said jokingly. “My work is representational
Julie Miller, Sapulpa, Trees at Dripping Springs, Oil on Canvas, 24”x30”
so you recognize the subject, but it is painterly and loose in treatment,” she said. “Abstracted, exaggerated, expressionistic and impressionistic are all terms that apply.” Her figures are usually incidental people found in landscapes or interiors; working or resting, unconcerned that they have been noticed. “Since they remain anonymous there is no pretense, and we are comfortable spending time with them,” she says in her artist statement. Although she typically works in oil paint on a pre-stretched gessoed canvas, she has begun using Raymar and birch wood panels. “A new project I am doing uses oil pastel on painted mat board with a resin finish,” Miller said. The oil pastels are a more abstract design in a smaller format. The “fun” of the format allows her to be looser and more abstract in her approach to the subject matter. Rich color, along with both careful and fully abandoned brush strokes make painting so
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Julie Miller, Sapulpa, Girlfriends, Oil on Canvas, 14”x18”
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much fun and interesting to her eye, she said. The use of both brush strokes and a palette knife creates a soothing texture. Through her use of color temperature Miller produces a color combination placed with sensitivity. Well-placed strokes, along with strong values and edge treatment produce the effect she desires. Miller said, “Most paintings need a combination of excitement and restful places within them to give the viewer a reason to stay and look around.” Teaching is an ordered time for her which enhances her own creative work. It forces her to research, articulate and to think about art daily. Currently she is teaching an adult oil painting class for Edmond’s Fine Art Institute. In the past she has taught at the ARTeries Intergenerational Art Workshop in Sapulpa; pastels at the Lennon Art Studio in Edmond; open medium at the Guthrie Art Center; and adult oil painting at Waterworks Art Studio. She said “It is a thrill when an adult student breaks through to discover something they love to do, but were uncertain they could accomplish. By that time we have usually developed a professional friendship so that I can enjoy their triumphs as much as my own. I love to see them move ahead steadily in the encouragement of the class or workshop environment,” said Miller. She feels her job is to offer a place where this happens regularly and to recognize and celebrate with students who sell their first piece, get a gallery representation, enter a show or win an award. Fine Arts Institute of Edmond director Mitzi Hancuff said “Julie Miller is viewed as one of the best Oklahoma art teachers. Julie travels from Tulsa to Edmond to share her talents.” When asked what she hopes observers and students take away from her work, Miller said, “The ‘stop in their tracks’ reaction to a painting is always a lot of fun. Some of my most positive remarks come from other artists who want to loosen up.” Miller received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Kansas State University in 1978 with an emphasis on Graphic Design, and has studied with Kay Orr, Gary Lennon, Judy McCombs, Rick McClure, Dale Martin, Mitsuno Reedy, George Kountoupis and Gail Booth. Reading articles and books, as well as studying with creativity coach Romney Nesbitt to learn to use time wisely has allowed her love for painting to stay fresh and inspired. Her dedication to education has led her to Sapulpa Arts. As coordinator of the non-profit organization she encourages artists and residents in the Sapulpa area while providing art related events designed to expose artists of all ages to new experiences. She is currently developing a class for the Tulsa area. If you would like more information feel free to contact Miller by E-mail at jmstudio@juno.com. n About the Author: Sheri Ishmael-Waldrop is a freelance writer and fine art photographer living in the Tulsa area.
Julie Miller adds details to one of her works in progress.
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Dennis Johnson, Oklahoma City, Delectable, Oil, 36”x60”
P r of i l e :
Dennis Johnson by Caroline Jewell
Dennis Johnson’s art studio is one to be desired by many artists because not only is it an immense space for him to create his extravagant works but it is also a space he can call home. Nestled between many industrial buildings in Oklahoma City sits Johnson’s house, which looks like a typical industrial building itself, but inside this steel structure it is full of light and color, both of which satiate this Oklahoma artist’s life. Dennis Johnson’s work has many hidden meanings. There are problems to solve and many substances to be revealed. “I want my work to look like something is just hidden under the surface, as if you were excavating an archeological site. You start chipping away at the surface and discover an old artifact or an ancient society that has yet to be discovered,” said Johnson, “Some things are clouded and some things are painted over and others are coming out but hidden in shadows. That is what I want my audience to feel, that you can reach into the piece and discover something.” Choosing to call Oklahoma City home was one thing that Dennis Johnson knew he wanted when he was a young artist. “The one thing about Oklahoma is that no one really respects you until you’ve
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made it outside of the state. I think everyone just always looks at you as a local artist. I have become successful out of the state and internationally. Now I feel like the state welcomes me back because I did that,” Johnson said. He is an internationally recognized painter and has shown in galleries all over the world. Art galleries in St. John’s Newfoundland, Toronto, New Orleans, Kansas City, Austin, Santa Barbara and The Howell Gallery in Oklahoma City all represent him. “I do believe that talent is born,” said Johnson, “now what you do with it is one thing because it can be squashed if it’s not nurtured. Creating art is something that I picked up as a three year old and never put down. Growing up, I always knew that this is what I was meant to do with my life and the older I got, my priorities never changed. I first began my study of the non-objective style when I was in college.” Johnson attended Southwestern Oklahoma State University and graduated in 1974 with his B.F.A. That same year he spent a year at East Texas State University studying painting and printmaking before returning to Oklahoma.
Dennis Johnson, Oklahoma City, Denominate, Oil, 45”x45” Dennis Johnson, Oklahoma City, Stratum, Oil, 45”x60”
“I challenged myself to do figurative work back in the ’70s, like landscapes and figures. It all became a personal challenge to me. One of my painting instructors at East Texas introduced me to airbrush,” Dennis told me while pointing out one of his landscape pieces resting above his kitchen table. It is an abstract painting of water lilies that seem to be tangible, incredibly green and sharp to the point of explaining that this is nature and nature is intense. In Johnson’s artist’s statement he proclaims, “Color makes all the difference in non-objective abstraction. It opens up depth, dimensions, emotions…the more color the better!” When asked if he thought he was a color master, he looked at me, smiled, and said, “I have a color theory that I operate from that I think makes my paintings successful. Color still has to follow in harmony; it just can’t be a nice color on a canvas, and it is not based on the values of the color but from the color itself versus the gray areas. I don’t want the same amount of bright colors met with the same amount of gray colors. I’m not saying that I am a color master, it’s just that I know how to place color in the right places.” Dennis Johnson may not think he is a color master but I do believe he has mastered the theory of color. You can see many of his works at www.dennisjohnsonart.com and at www.howellgallery.com. n About the Author: Caroline Jewell is an intern with Art Focus Oklahoma and a graduate student at Oklahoma City University studying professional arts. She can be reached at carojewell@gmail.com.
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Timothy H. O’Sullivan, A Harvest of Death, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, Gardner’s Photographic Sketch Book of the War. Vol. L, 1866, 1863. Courtesy George Eastman House.
Seeing Ourselves: Masterpieces of American Photography from the George Eastman House Collection by Carolyn Deuschle
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In 1884, George Eastman invented roll film, consequently allowing nonprofessionals the opportunity to pursue photography as a hobby. Nearly a decade later, he founded the Eastman Kodak Company. Located in Rochester, New York at Eastman’s former mansion, The George Eastman House International Museum of Photography and Film opened to the public in 1949 with the mission to collect, preserve, and present the history of photography and film. The museum boasts one of the world’s most comprehensive collections of American photography. This February, the Philbrook Museum in Tulsa will welcome the traveling exhibition Seeing Ourselves: Masterpieces of American Photography from the George Eastman House Collection. The Eastman House organized Seeing Ourselves to introduce new audiences to the museum’s collection, and to broaden the public’s understanding of photography as a fine art, its technological development, and its social impact. An encyclopedic array of over 150 of some of the world’s most iconographic images, the exhibition offers a whirlwind tour of the history of the medium as presented by the world’s oldest museum of photography.
What makes beholding the original photograph different than seeing it reproduced, say, in a book, for example? Despite a printer’s best efforts, the original conditions of the photograph— color quality, focus, the effect of photographic paper—can seldom be properly authenticated. Print masters meticulously labor to ensure optimal print quality, and the quantity of reproductions is safely guarded. To be clear, many of the photographs presented in Seeing Ourselves have duplicates hanging in galleries and museums worldwide. (Multiplicity is the inherent nature of photography.) Worth reiterating, though, is the precision that photographic duplication requires, and is evinced in Seeing Ourselves. There are also photographs that evade reproduction. These, most notably, take form in daguerreotypes—an early photographic process from the mid-1800s that transferred the negative directly onto a metal plate without, in turn, preserving the negative, thus disallowing duplication. Early daguerreotypes of Indian Chiefs, African American women, and important politicians are on display, reiterating the historical role of photography as a tool for repression and power, and, thus, offering faint hints to its modern-day status. In other more obvious ways, Seeing Ourselves seeks to act directly as a learning tool by helping the viewer answer the question of what makes a photograph good. For example, to illustrate the difference between a masterpiece and a lesser work, Lewis Hine’s The Powerhouse Mechanic is showcased alongside other photographs Hine took during the shoot. Curatorial notes annotate the photograph describing what makes The Powerhouse Mechanic the superior image of the group. Dorothea Lange’s Migrant Mother is also the subject of analysis: two versions of the photograph hang side by side hinting at slight manipulations Lange made in order to exaggerate the emotional poignancy of her most celebrated image. To make the exhibition more accessible, it is divided into five categories: American Masterpieces, America at War, American Faces, America the Beautiful, and American Families. American Masterpieces showcases some of the most important photographs in the history of art including Lange’s Migrant Mother, Edward Weston’s Nautilus, and Robert Frank’s Parade-Hoboken, New Jersey. America at War features the harrowing work of prominent photojournalists from the Civil War to 9/11. The American Faces portion of the exhibit highlights the historical role of portrait photography—one of the first uses of the medium—with photographs by Alfred Stieglitz, Richard Avedon, and many unidentified makers. Landscape photography defines America the Beautiful, while photographs by Weegee, Garry Winogrand, and Donna Ferrato give wings to the American Families segment.
Lewis W. Hine, Powerhouse Mechanic, 1920. Courtesy George Eastman House.
Eastman made his fortune by allowing more people access to photography, and now his legacy gifts Oklahomans the opportunity to view an impressive selection of some of the world’s most historic images. Seeing Ourselves: Masterpieces of American Photography from the George Eastman House Collection is free with museum admission and will run from February 1–April 26, 2009. n About the Author: Carolyn Deuschle is an Editorial Assistant at Princeton Architectural Press in New York City. She grew up in Tulsa.
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An Interview with Matthew Burke by Cathy Deuschle Discovering significant art and contemplating the thought behind it is the great reward of writing for this magazine. This has been particularly true of sculptor, Matthew Burke. He’s having a show at the University of Tulsa’s Alexander Hogue gallery from January 29 to February 27. He will lecture on January 29 at 4:00; an opening reception will follow. Cathy Deuschle: Swoop, Pulse and Shift: Space and Time - the title is intriguing. What will we be seeing? Matthew Burke: The title is not meant as a summary of the show. My work has always been formed as I make it. Obviously, that is true of all work, the final version is composed through work. But I mean more than just physically. Metaphor helps here, and I frequently use the metaphor of conversation (another favorite “medium”—good conversation). When we converse we respond to one another in the moment, in addition to behaving in many subconscious ways (usually based upon established brain wiring), so a conversation can be seen as both new and very old. Creative and conservative. My work begins conservatively, that is, I have a form or division of space in mind (I pretty much always think in terms of solid mass) and I begin work on that idea. During the making, everything I do plays a role in morphing my initial idea into something new. I am not imposing my idea on clay, for example, and making the clay become a figure I see in my head. Rather I allow the moisture of the clay, the color, etc. to, in a sense, tell me how this figure should be. This approach is easily mistaken for spontaneity, or low-skill, or child’s play, but those approaches do not incorporate the initial conservative, hard won idea. The title is meant to add yet another layer on the “construction” of the exhibition, meaning the viewer will take the words and the frames of reference and metaphors they touch on neurally and formulate an idea of the work. It will be different for each person. What people will see, from my point of view, is 8-10 works all made of wood, all built with layers of wood, arriving at forms that began with the ideas of natural forces (bird flight, river flow, etc); human behavior (grabbing, shouting, hiding); and quasi-inventions (collectors, traps, shields). CD: How does local geography influence your work? You are a recent transplant to Kansas but some writing on your past work has referenced ocean swells. Do you need, for example, physical proximity to the ocean to be properly inspired by it or does distance give it added power? MB: Geography, place as I call it, is primary in my work. It’s primary in everyone’s work. Even if place is a bed, a car on a strip mall road, a parking lot, an office, that’s a place. It has meaning and impacts a life. I choose to focus on place in the idea part of my art. That being a meditation on the ocean or the hills, or the trees, etc. I’m very moved by thinkers who also find place as a primary spot, people like Emerson, Edward Abby, John Muir, especially Muir, who thought of stones no differently than he did people. So, a local geography is a place, as is a local store or a local house. Distance from something is a very interesting idea with regards to motivation or source for art. Many artists, all of us perhaps, use
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Matthew Burke (with Tom Huang), Lawrence, KS, Bamboo Canoe, Bamboo, hackberry, wire, plastic bags, 168”x40”x30”
distance to define a place. How else can something be defined if not by something its not? So I suppose distance is in the work. Thinking about that I would say the layering, wrapping, and compressing I do relates to distance in that we can think of memories as layers, or time as layers (of sediment). The past is present in my work through the time demanding actions I do, wrapping a form for example. I tend to think of parts of my work in terms of how long they took to make. On the one hand, that translates well into our high Capitalist Adam Smith view of “goods” being defined by labor, but the time is much more to me than a physical value. During the 100 hours I recently spent gluing layers of wood into hoop shapes, I thought about so many times in my life, so many people; I compare this to prayer in its most basic form. As I pray, or make and think, I’m asking questions and expending a mental energy through a pattern of electrical circuits that reflect the past, which is by definition a distant place. So, distance is not literally referenced in my work. I will never draw a picture of a past event in my life, for example, the stream I use to ford as a boy, but I will think about fording that stream and remember the way the water put pressure upon my rubber boot in its (sometime successful) attempt to soak my shoes. That memory will be the fuel with which I wrap 400 pieces of wood around one another. CD: What, if anything, about the culture of this region have you found helpful, surprising or challenging? MB: I came from NY City and in my first months in Kansas came to see our shared values of civility, privacy, civicism as inherently identical in terms of placing VALUE upon them. The expression of the value is completely different. And as I understood the difference between expression and idea, it allowed me to understand that difference in my work too. The most surprising thing about this culture is the lack of irony. Things are what they are. Saturday Night Live could literally use the same taped performance of say, Topeka Public Television’s pledge drive in all its corny, lovely homespun production and play it straight out, getting laughs because people would respond to the context on SNL as ironic. I miss the irony, but also am happy not to have to think in that mode. I welcome the break.
Matthew Burke, Lawrence, KS, Amphorapod, Walnut, cherry, hackberry hardwoods, 192”x96”x6”
CD: Has wood always been your primary medium and has your work with wood always been tied to sculpture or did it begin as traditional craft? For instance, there are woven aspects to some pieces; have you studied weaving per se? MB: I began figuratively in steel. I worked with steel through undergraduate and grad, mostly welding line and mass to achieve a form. When I left grad school and all the equipment and space, I had to switch to wood. It was a pragmatic choice. I was in NYC, so most lumber I used was pine, mass market plywood, or 2x4, often not even changed in its dimensions from the mill. I began with wood 10 years ago this way and the progression moved from layering and stacking to using the wood as a skin. Going from solid form, to a form with a skeleton (armature) and skin. The skin then became the only means of support in the weaving works, which started in earnest last summer. Craft need not be a natural starting point for an artist. It’s not with me. I could, will and should benefit from educating myself with a weaving class. Martin Puryear’s story of gathering knowledge of high European craft and mixing it with African traditional craft is a very common story for artists, but I don’t see the weaving class as the start. I have the why and need to learn more about the how, but that can come through “the conversation.” As a result, my body of work will tell a story over time. My “how’s” will surface and submerge, but the why will not change.
CD: Is your work usually conceived singly or in groups? And could you take us through an abbreviated version of your working process? MB: My work is usually singular in conception, but because of my process, during which many possibilities arise, the one work often breeds the next. So, my work process embraces serial work while focusing on singular works to guide me along the way. For example, I made a woven cylinder last summer which when I put my head inside to document it struck me as a marvelously rich visual experience- the whole tunnel of light, being under dappled autumn leaves type of metaphor. So, I filed that away and, after having conceived and completed three other works, will next build this piece. Drawings that I did in between having the experience in the tube and now have dictated the form of the new piece. I would like to add that materials, as they lie around waiting their turn, have a great impact on how I say something, how a form takes shape. I’ve had a piece of wood, or a bit of plastic that had been in my studio for 5 years and one day, bam!, its time. CD: From whose work have you recently sought inspiration and what artists and kinds of art have been primary influences? MB: Patrick Dougherty, the American site sculptor, has been a recent influence. I have almost never been so moved by an artist’s expression of form as to want to make something myself. I go to museums and look continued page 14
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continued from page 13 at books, but I’m not looking for ideas or inspiration, I’m either taking a break, or taking the time to get to know someone. I found my years in NY to be most helpful in seeing artists’ retrospectives. I’ve seen John’s, Rosenquist’s, and others, and what happens in each is I get a handle on what drives them to make their art. That’s inspirational, finding the heart of an artist’s reason for doing. As far as broader influences, I have a list: Shaker culture, objects and architecture—we think of them in terms of spiritual purity in behavior and craft, but they were really trying to appeal to an outside market, they weren’t just talking to themselves. Fishing traps, weirs, boats and the crafts associated. I was an early fanatic of Michelangelo (my early years not his). I love Richard Serra’s methods and ideas, his torqued ellipses, mostly for the way the top edge of the walls play off the sky/ceiling and are very light. CD: You’ve cited individual and collective memory as an area of interest. How does this interest play out in your work? MB: Personal and collective memory is my attempt to describe “the biography” and “the culture.” Most relevant to the public art pieces I’ve done, collective memory encompasses the frames of thought, the metaphors we bring to anything. Art is very good at first identifying some of those idea origins and them re-synthesizing the ideas into a new or collective statement. A mural about women’s suffrage would be a good example. It can hover around the central victory of suffrage, but be non-illustrative too. My public work for the Kansas City Avenue of the Art, on display next spring, will be about migration, movement within a day, a month, a year; the marking of a route is based upon convenience or pleasure that becomes a path, a road, a highway. I will use bird forms as passengers or sojourners and wooden rings or hoops as a metaphor for the passage of time. Spiritually, the passage of time is the only real thing about suffering or happiness. Both happiness and suffering are relative, not easily describable, and vulnerable to lapses of memory. The only real part, that isn’t even real in the sense that it too disappears, is the passage of such events. Everything must pass. So, on this level, while not an organized religious person, I have enough traditional organized religion to have the sense of a spiritual aspect to life, and the best I can say is I don’t know, I acknowledge the mystery. Personal memory, like I mentioned, is fleeting and fragile, and life is comprised of parts that can never be all known (there is always the forgotten story, the unmentioned motive). The only thing that is real about civilization is that it passes through (and in) time. CD: Could you please describe your studio? MB: It’s so messy I had to move to my backyard to build outside. This has been wonderful, because I’m near my family and my 4 year old son comes in and out of my “creative zone” at his will. It also is good to be near my wife, who is razor sharp in observation and very caring when I’m in a murky mood. n About the Author: Cathy Deuschle is an artist and a teacher living in Tulsa.
Matthew Burke, Lawrence, KS, Generator, Walnut, cherry, hackberry hardwoods, 108”x96”x96”
The University of Tulsa School of Art Alexandre Hogue Gallery
Jan 29 - Feb 27 Matthew Burke, sculptor Swoop, Pulse, and Shift: Shape and Time Website: www.arts.ku.edu/~sfa/art/sculpture/burke Lecture, Jerri Jones Lecture Hall Phillips Hall 211, 4pm, Jan. 29 Opening Reception, Hogue Gallery, 5-7pm, Jan. 29
For more information, please call
918-631-2739 The University of Tulsa is an equal employment opportunity/affirmative action institution. For EEO/AA information, contact the Office of Human Resources, (918) 631-2616; for disability accommodations, contact Dr. Jane Corso at (918) 631-2315.
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Momentum: Art Doesn’t Stand Still 2008 Photo by Romy Owens.
Defrosting Momentum by Jessica Calvert
It is the beginning of a brand new year. Normally, that means you are bundling up in layers of your warmest clothing to brave the cold and possibly icy weather for Momentum. This year things are different. Momentum is moving forward into March, and with any luck will be greeted with blue skies. No down coats necessary. If you were not part of the more than 2,400 people that attended Momentum in 2008, here is a little background. The full legal name is Momentum: Art Doesn’t Stand Still, and it is organized by the Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition. This annual event has an age limit of 30 for featured artists, but all ages are welcome to come and enjoy the show. With 2-D and 3-D art, film, installation, performance and more, there is plenty to see. This year you can find Momentum at the former US Postal Service mail distribution center located at 320 SW 5th in downtown Oklahoma City. The city of Oklahoma City has obtained the building as part of its Core to Shore project, but is letting Momentum use it first. There is a committee at work right now planning how to turn this enormous empty space into a Momentum to remember. Momentum provides an outlet for young artists in Oklahoma. For some it serves as a transition between school and becoming established in
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the art community. For those that are already established, it is a fun event that draws a wide range of people to see their work. The common thread in all of this is the people. It is because of many people’s contributions that Momentum is what it is today. First are the people who plan Momentum. The OVAC staff do not do it completely on their own. For each Momentum, there is a committee that comes together to plan the event. Most of the members are 30 and under, but not all are. Some of the committee members are still in school, while others are recent graduates, and a few are even teaching. Some have careers in the art field, and some use the Momentum committee to stay connected with the arts. Having this spectrum of members makes the committee stronger. The group works on some things as a whole, like getting sponsorships and recruiting volunteers for the night of the event. The group also divides into four subcommittees to work on more specialized tasks, like selecting a curator and finding a location. Everyone’s talents come together to make Momentum happen each year. Next are the artists in Momentum, who are as varied as the committee members. They are all Oklahoma residents, and of course 30 and under. The youngest artists are usually in high school, though I am
anticipating that a 5-year-old will enter soon. When you go to Momentum you won’t see the same kind of art at every turn. Art doesn’t stand still, and these young artists all demonstrate that in their own way using different styles, media, and subject matter. At Momentum you can find out what is new in art - not just according to one or two artists, but to 100 plus artists. Finally there are the people who go to Momentum. With no age or locality restraints, this is the most diverse group of people involved in the event. Some people will stop by for a short time, to support and congratulate a specific artist. Other people will come to take a look around. Volunteers will spend a couple of hours helping out before they get to take everything in. There are even people who stay for the entire night, because there really is that much to see and do. Maybe you are already a part of one these groups of people who make Momentum fabulous. If not, go to Momentum and give it a try. By going to Momentum you do more than have a good time, and you can take home more than art. You will be supporting an organization dedicated to helping artists succeed, showing your appreciation for the hard work of Oklahoma’s young artists, and you just might take home a door prize. Momentum: Art Doesn’t Stand Still will be held March 6-7, 2009 at 320 SW 5th St. For more information, visit www.MomentumOklahoma.org or call 405-232-6991. n About the Author: Jessica Calvert is spending her third year with Momentum as co-chair of the committee. You can contact her at jessica.a.calvert@gmail.com.
(Top) Patrick Cunningham, Digital Batter, Performance at Momentum 2008. (Bottom) The Mobile Disco Party at Momentum 2008. Photo by Carl Shortt.
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Silke Wawro, Volksware Meterware Carpet, 2005 Carpet made from recycled clothing. Dimensions variable.
Transformational Recycling by Janice McCormick 3-logy: Imaginative Qualities of Actual Things at Price Tower Art Center in Bartlesville, curated by Michaela Merryday, centers on the theme of recycling of the waste materials of industrial/consumer societies. This group exhibit with over thirty works precludes an extensive analysis. Instead, this review will focus on the two broad approaches to this overall theme and on several representative artworks. This will give some idea of this exhibit’s scope and diversity. Some works transform recyclables into fine art for personal self-expression, while others aesthetically re-design recyclables into new functional objects - sometimes for commercial production. This is sometimes called “upcycling,” rather than recycling. The first approach, using recycled materials for personal expression, find their most powerful and eloquent embodiment in the works of Georgia Russell, Cal Lane, Chris Jordan and Miwa Koizumi. En Vrac (In Bulk) by Georgia Russell (Scotland) consists of a book (which gives this artwork its title), stripped of its hardcover and spread out backwards so that its title page is on the right and last page is on the left. These pages are heavily incised with a feather-like pattern. The remaining pages, equally incised into feathers, are folded out to protrude unevenly around the edges. The resulting overall shape is a bird with wings fully extended in flight. Both the beige tint of the acidic paper and the enclosing acrylic case suggest a rare and perhaps extinct specimen. This beautiful destruction of a single book becomes a lament for the loss of all books – past and future. The most thought-provoking of all the works in this exhibit is Cal Lane’s Filigree Car Bombing (plasma cut steel automobile parts). Eleven twisted car parts appear to defy gravity. While two parts lay directly on the floor, the others hang completely or partially from nearly invisible wire – as if in suspended animation. An open lacy filigree of flowers
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and plant motifs – designs often on doilies and fine tablecloths – pierce and embellish their surfaces. The metal’s smoky grays and dried, bloodred suggest violence. The cozy familiarity of the lacework patterns contrasts starkly with the fearfulness of sudden destruction. Given the exhibit’s theme of a culture of waste, a superficial reading would think of this as pointing out how violence and war create material waste. A deeper reading would put this work within the context of contemporary events and see it as reflecting on how the terrorists attack western society’s materialism by using the very symbol of such materialism, the automobile, as a weapon against it. But, the deepest meaning, as suggested by the melding of masculinity and femininity as well as that of strength and fragility, is how humanity comes to see some of its own as disposable, as mere collateral damage. Chris Jordan’s Cell Phones is a gigantic assembly of smaller black and white photographs which, from a distance, looks like an abstract artwork or perhaps a slab of polished granite. Close examination reveals those black and white flecks are cell phones –thousands of them. The artist’s description states that they represent the 426,000 cell phones discarded each year. His image brings this abstract number down to concrete reality. Another of his contributions to this exhibit, Cans Seurat, adds an ironic twist to this recycling notion by re-interpreting or borrowing another artist’s work - Seurat’s A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte. Instead of Seurat’s tiny dots of paint, he photographs 106,000 colorful aluminum soda cans. These embedded images of cans represent the epitome of product placement. And, it suggests that if you did spend a day in the park, you would likely find soda cans littering the ground. Not only are the materials making up the image recycled, but even the image as a whole is recycled! Miwa Koizumi cut and melted polyethylene terephthalate beverage bottles to create the appropriately named PET Project. It mimics an
(left) Chris Jordan, Cans Seurat (Depicts 106,000 aluminum cans, the number used in the US every thirty seconds), 2007. Photographic inkjet print, 60” x 92” (right) Cal Lane, Filigree Car Bombing, 2006, Plasma cut automobile parts, Dimensions variable.
aquarium display: hanging from a mobile are clear plastic jelly fish which “float” at various heights, while sea anemones grow up from the seabed. Here we find the ubiquitous plastic water bottles melting into a new life as art. Its haunting beauty brought back to mind by way of contrast the televised image I had seen of the ugly, Texas-sized collection of plastic waste to be found in the middle of the North Pacific Ocean Gyre. What a contrast! Buying water in a disposable bottle is not a good idea. The second overall approach to the exhibition’s theme, redesigning recyclables into new products, meets with varying degrees of practical success, though all are aesthetically pleasing. This redesigning of discarded items ranges from simply embellishing the object while retaining its original purpose on the one hand, to a radical transmutation of the material into other types of objects serving other purposes, on the other hand. Here we find Hana Vitkova recycling old wine and beer bottles by embellishing them with impasto painted flowers and leaves plus a layer of gold. The results are simply elegant Euro Vases. A similar approach is taken by Karin Stiglman and Barbara Ambrosz with the work Ryker Dinnerware. The edges of antique porcelain plates are dipped in a platinum glaze and re-fired, covering up some of the old design. Both bottles and plates retain their function while taking on added beauty. One surprising transmutation is Greetje Van Tiem’s spinning newspaper into fabric in Today’s News, Tomorrow’s Textile –Yarn and Today’s News, Tomorrow’s Textile -Curtain. Yarn consists of three very large wooden spoons of thick rope-like thread, flecked with various shades of gray and a few hints of color. Curtain puts this yarn to good use in the form of a large wall-hanging. Not only is it decorative, it serves as a conversation piece as well. But, it is doubtful that such delicate fabric could be used in clothing since it did not look as though it could withstand wear and tear of daily activities. Yet, her artist statement states this fabric has been used to create upholstery and carpets. Another equally surprising creation of fabric from waste is Alyce Santoro’s sonic fabric, a textile woven out of discarded audio cassette tapes and polyester thread. One swath of this material invites the spectator to interact with the fabric’s auditory properties by moving a retrofitted portable cassette tape player head over its surface.
Unfortunately, at the time of my visit, this interactive aspect did not work out. But, I was assured by an attendant that a clicking sound would emanate from it. Her other work, Silence Dress, consists of a tunic draped over a dress –both made of this black, shiny sonic fabric. A black velvet square embellishing the front of the garment represents an oasis of silence, according to the artist’s statement. Contrary to what one would expect, the material feels soft to the touch. There is no doubt as to its practicality since the art center’s shop sells men’s ties made of it. Both of Silke Wawro’s works, Volksware Meterware Carpet (2005) and Volksware Seat, respectively a rug and hassock, are made out of garments. But, rather than old clothing cut into patches and sewn together as in quilt-making, these garments are pieced together while still retaining their original identity. So you see that pink sweater worn in middle school, a detachable fur collar that once adorned a coat, a tweed hat, several old blouses, and two worn brown socks - all on a long roll of carpet, suitable for purchase by the meter. The hassock is a smaller roll of clothing gathered up and held together by a couple of old belts. Neither carpet nor hassock seem all that practical – the carpet especially would be a tripping hazard, while the hassock probably won’t hold up long under the weight of an average person. Sidestep Cutlery by Steven Koch is a simple yet quite functional set of three spoons of varying sizes, one knife and one fork. All of them are cut out of a stainless steel remnant of the tubular sidesteps that run the length of a Range Rover SUV chassis. Thus, each utensil is concave, with only the working end shaped according to its function. This leaves the handle portion uniformly wide. On the surface of the handles, Koch etches an old-fashion handle design. This curious reference to the past seems unnecessary from a strictly practical point of view, yet here this harkening back to traditional English cutlery confirms a commitment to top quality and elegance. Recycled does not necessarily imply cheap, inferior quality. Both approaches to this broad theme of dealing with the waste materials of industrial/consumer societies go hand in hand. The artistic expressions convey the heart-felt need for transforming our wasteful society, while the more practical works offer a basis for action and perhaps hope. n
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Text and Image in Oden’s Objects and Alchemy by Janice McCormick Combining text with visual images can be quite tricky. A case in point is Lori Oden’s Objects and Alchemy, recently on view at the State Capitol Building. Here the text, mostly in the form of titles, proves problematic. Sometimes the title would just be a distraction – either too corny or overly earnest, to which you just roll your eyes and say “Oh, well.” Other times, however, the title would be misleading or ill-fitting, and therefore not so readily dismissed. The problem here is that the title distracts from appreciating the work because attention shifts to trying to figure how the title relates to the work. And, in a few works, where the image uses text within it, the problematic nature of that text comes to the fore and cannot be overlooked at all. Yet, this exhibit contains many excellent images of ordinary objects so eloquent in their seeming simplicity that they can very well stand on their own, only in need of equally simple, descriptive titles. It is to these works that the exhibit’s title proves most apropos. As to the exhibit’s general title, Objects and Alchemy is right on the mark. It conveys both the subject matter of the images (everyday objects and weathered antiques) and the historic photographic processes utilized. The processes include Platinum/Palladium prints (from either Collodion negatives or Polaroid 55 negatives) and tintypes. The invitation image Don’t Mind My Spots fits the exhibit’s title perfectly. The gestural application of photographic emulsion around the edges of the image suggests this is a fleeting glimpse of something that will soon fade away. Furthermore, these gestural strokes call attention to the work itself as a creative expression, rather than as a passive reproduction of reality. The crisp focal point centers on the upper dome-shaped part of a gourd, which is topped by a twisting, dried up stem. Its thrusting three-dimensionality is made even more palpable by myriad black spots created by mold. In contrast, the lower half of this gourd and another partially depicted gourd are out of focus,
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Lori Oden, Oklahoma City, Don’t Mind My Spots, Platinum/Palladium Print from Wet Collodion Negative, 5”x7”
their edges soften and the objects as a whole flatten out on the paper. They take on a ghost-like insubstantiality; the contrast between the solid and the insubstantial, coupled with the slightly off-centered focal point, gives the image an ephemeral quality. Despite its corny title, You Make Me Want To Cry is a visual ode to the sensual geometry of purple onions. The theme is the curve upon which variations are played out in terms of shapes and placement. Stripped of papery outer layers, roots and stem, the central onion has been sliced in half, laying bare its luminous layers. Fine dark lines delicately outline each curving layer. Below and to the right, a single layer of an onion forms a cup. On the other side, another single layer forms a shiny arch. Yet another piece of the onion above this arch brings to mind a ship’s prow, jutting outwards as if offering up its delicately lined layers to you. Clearly the artist’s hand has been involved in creating the dynamic composition of this work, but it does not feel staged or contrived. It has a spontaneous quality to it, as though she happened to be cutting up onions and, looking down, recognized their sensual geometry. We Are a Train Wreck Waiting to Happen exemplifies a misleading or ill-fitting title. Under a blank sky, an old train sits on a sideline, its four or five cars blurring into the distant past. A set of empty parallel
(Top Right) Lori Oden, Oklahoma City, We Are a Train Wreck Waiting to Happen, Platinum/Palladium Print from Polaroid 55 Negative, 4”x5” (Bottom Right) Lori Oden, Oklahoma City, I am Safe In Here, Platinum/Palladium Print from Wet Collodion Negative, 8”x10” (Top) Lori Oden, Oklahoma City, You Make me Want to Cry, Platinum/Palladium Print from Wet Collodion Negative, 5”x7”
tracks, running beside this train, dominates the whole left side of the image. The train looks as though it hasn’t moved in years. There is no way another train coming down the second set of tracks could even crash into it. So why is there this provocative title, with its sense of foreboding? The image does not support such an emotional response. Instead of a sense of something evil about to happen, the image suggests that nothing more can happen. What we have here is a rather wistful nostalgia for what had been. In I’m Safe in Here, a sealed mason jar sits on weathered boards. It contains a heart-shaped, hand-written note with the title’s phrase repeated over and over again. An old-fashion key lies next to it, bringing to mind the cliché of “a key to her heart” – even though no key would be required to open this type of jar. I half hoped that she was being ironic – being safe in a fragile glass vessel. But, overall, this image with its trite text came across as far too stagey and self-conscious. It was the least successful image in the thirty-four photographs displayed. All in all, Lori Oden’s Objects and Alchemy offers fleeting glimpses of things that will eventually fade away, though paradoxically preserved by antique processes. Here we see the alchemy of the photographer using historic photographic processes to transform the commonplace into extraordinary, turning dross into silver, if not gold. n About the Author: Janice McCormick is an art reviewer who has been writing about art in Tulsa and Oklahoma since 1990. Currently she teaches philosophy part-time at Tulsa Community College. She can be reached at artreview@olp.net.
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Mike Larsen, Perkins, Legend Keeper, Acrylic, 30”x40”, NBC Bank Oklahoma Artist Series 2003
The Value of Art in Business by Kelsey Karper
“The selection and installation of art in the workplace is a powerful way for a company to favorably project its overall image,” said Dr. Joy Reed Belt, owner and director of JRB Art at The Elms gallery in Oklahoma City, which provides corporate art services to help businesses place original art in their offices.
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The lounge at Iguana Mexican Grill in OKC features custom glass by Rick and Tracey Bewley, paintings by C. Lynn Mallett, seating by Kyle Golding and tables by Gary Bessinger
“Art instantly communicates a company’s unique corporate culture and makes the workplace more inviting and stimulating. It is also a means for businesses to remind their customers, as well as their employees, that they value creativity and originality.” Some Oklahoma businesses have taken this idea to heart and are commissioning local artists to help them express their place in the community. Iguana Mexican Grill, NBC Bank and Autry Technology Center all expressed their desire to support the artistic community, and in doing so, have created a place for the public to experience art in their daily lives. Iguana Mexican Grill, a restaurant that reopened in downtown Oklahoma City in the summer of 2008 after a nine year hiatus, has a distinctive atmosphere that features the work of many local artists. Owner Steve Mason is a supporter of the arts and thought it important to include original artwork in the new restaurant. Manager Robert Painter worked with artists to commission works to be included in the space. For Iguana Mexican Grill, the art is about more than decoration – it was a way to carry on the energy from their original location by featuring some of the same artists. Oklahoma City artists Sue Cooper and Brian Palmer each have several paintings in the restaurant
and were a part of the original Iguana artists. Other works include custom glass by Rick and Tracey Bewley, photography by Michael Humphreys, and paintings by C. Lynn Mallett. The handmade idea even continues to other elements of the restaurant with seating by Kyle Golding, tables by Gary Bessinger, window treatments by Jeffrey Hammons and dishes by Oklahoma’s Frankoma Pottery. When asked why they felt original works were important, Painter said “We wanted to support local artists. Artists struggle anyway and it’s hard to be an artist and make a living. I’ve lived in Oklahoma all my life and want to support the local talent here.” Painter said they even hope to someday use local farmers for their ingredients. A more unusual partnership between business and artists is found at NBC Bank with Chairman Ken Fergeson. An enthusiastic supporter of the arts, Fergeson developed a program called the Oklahoma Artist Series that truly sets his banks apart for customers. Each year, he commissions an Oklahoma artist to create an original work of art along with 500 signed reproductions of the work. The reproductions are given as gifts to many of the bank’s clients. With several locations across the state, the original painting travels to each site where
they host an artist reception, allowing the community and bank customers to experience the art and creator first-hand. Everyone who comes through the teller line at an NBC Bank receives a postcard with an image of the artwork and information about the artist. This tradition is now in its sixth year and Fergeson hopes to continue for at least twelve years, with a goal of creating a calendar featuring the entire collection. Many of the bank’s customers look forward to receiving their signed copy of the commissioned piece, some with the entire collection hanging in their office or homes. One customer even claims to have redecorated their summer home around their collection. Participating artists are all either born in Oklahoma or live in the state now and have included Mike Larsen, H. Holden, Jean Richardson, Kenny McKenna, Otto Duecker and Mitsuno Reedy. NBC Bank has also commissioned several public art pieces by Enid area sculptor H. Holden. Each year, the bank selects an Oklahoma charity as a recipient of a large Holden sculpture, to be placed in a public setting. Additionally, small versions of the sculpture are sold to fund the commission and to raise money for the charity organization. NBC Bank has found a way to make an investment in the community by making an investment in art. continued on page 24
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continued from page 23 Another example of art bringing life to a building is a new facility at the Autry Technology Center in Enid. The Center is a part of a nationwide system providing skill development and job opportunities and the new building is home to the Center for Business Development, a place to help people bring their entrepreneurial ideas to reality. The placement of photographs by Enid photographer Mike Klemme on the walls of the new building exemplify the community’s involvement in the planning of the center and the northwest Oklahoma perspective. The Autry Technology Center commissioned Klemme to create photographs that are representative of the industries in the area such as oil and energy industries and aviation. The photographs include custom commissioned pieces, as well as selections from Klemme’s large catalog of work. Ron Duggins, the Coordinator for the Center for Business Development, said that featuring the artwork in the building gives their clients a nice environment for beginning their business and contributes to a positive start-up for their endeavor.
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By offering such a wonderfully designed building, Autry is contributing to their success. These Oklahoma businesses have realized the potential of art to connect with their clients and distinguish themselves within their communities and beyond. The benefits extend beyond a well-decorated workplace by supporting the talents of Oklahoma artists, providing a venue for the public to interact with original artwork and creating an identity for their businesses as a place where imagination and innovative ideas are key to their success. n About the Author: Kelsey Karper is the Editor of Art Focus Oklahoma and a photographer working in historic and alternative processes. She can be reached at publications@ovac-ok.org.
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Mike Klemme, Enid, Smoker, Photography, Autry Technology Center collection.
Enjoy urban renewal & Oklahoma artists. Visit Urban Art to see glassblowing demos at Blue Sage, the fused glass process at Art Fusion, and work of Oklahoma artists at Istvan Gallery. Featured Artists Tunde Darvay & Nathan Lee now thru Jan 31 Ty Kelly & Becky Edmonds Feb 13 - May 1 NW 11 & Western
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Harold T. Holden, Kremlin, Mornin’ Mounts, Oil, 30”x40”, NBC Bank Oklahoma Artist Series 2004
UN I V E RSITY
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A R T S ,
OKLAHOMA
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African Art Collection Explore the most comprehensive exhibit of African art in the region! Objects from the 1st Century BCE through the 20th Century. Newly arranged and displayed for your enjoyment. Chambers Library, 2nd & 3rd floors For information, contact: Dr. William Hommel (405) 974-5252 bhommel @uco.edu
*This collection features pieces on loan from the Kirkpatrick Center Affiliated fund and Perry and Angela Tennison.
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Believe in the Power of
“Good Enough”
by Romney Nesbitt
In Dr. Wayne W. Dyer’s book, Ten Secrets for Success and Inner Peace, his second secret is “Don’t die with your music still in you.” I’ll add a variation on Dyer’s secret: “Don’t die with your paintings under your bed.” I believe paintings get dusty because of flawed reasoning and too much critical thinking. Believing in the power of “good enough” may be the answer. Imagine a horizontal line. On one end of the line is the word “Bad.” On the other end is the word “Good.” Right in the middle is “Good Enough.” For artists, Good Enough is a state of mind, a place where just for today you claim your talents and abilities, do your creative work with confidence, give yourself permission to make mistakes and learn from them, and gain courage to take action for the tomorrow you desire. Good Enough is not an excuse for sloppy work and half-hearted effort. It is a mental place of grace, a judgment-free zone where creativity can flourish. When an artist is afraid of judgment and criticism it’s easy to think one’s creative work is not good enough. Criticism can come from an offhand comment from your childhood: “When did you start thinking you could paint?” or from a more recent rejection from a gallery or museum: “We regret to inform you that your submission does not meet our needs.” Criticism generates fear and fear has a loud voice, “Better safe than sorry! You don’t want to get your heart broken do you? Quick! Hide your stuff before someone sees it!” Fear predicts rejection and ridicule are lurking around every corner. Creative people held captive by the real or imagined negative opinions of others are not thinking clearly. They live in fear of imaginary bad press, but in truth there has been no criticism from the outside world because the world hasn’t seen your artwork. Fear can drive perfectionism, postponing the end of every project. When a person is a perfectionist, the judge is on the inside. The creative person’s own personal high expectations and inflated ideals of excellence are miragelike, always just out of reach. Criticism generated by the ramblings of your inner critic can paralyze creativity. Realize your inner critic is not speaking Truth, only the thoughts you generate as the thinker, but if you choose to play that negative self-talk tape over and over in your head the dialogue will seem more like truth than imagination. Believing bad press from the inside or outside, the artist may shrink back and declare his or her work temporarily unfit for public consumption and in need of more work. Reworking a painting always seems like a good idea in the beginning but very often we regret our decision and wish we could rewind. Cicero said, “Any man can make mistakes, but only an idiot persists in his error.” A perfectionist is apt to set the bar too high and think each new piece has to be the best ever created. The power of Good Enough thinking can free you from the unrealistic belief that if you try hard enough it’ll be perfect someday. Knowing when you’ve reached a good enough state of completion comes from experience.
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Another mistake brought on by fear is a self-sabotaging behavior I call “failure to launch.” Creative people enslaved in fear of judgment often lose their confidence in their talents. They stop engaging in promotional and career-building opportunities. The person who will not launch work into the world may not realize a choice to do nothing is a real choice with real consequences. If you don’t show your work, then don’t complain about your paintings not selling. Do nothing and nothing will happen. Failure to launch will slow down the flow of creativity in your life and leave you with an underlying sense of dissatisfaction and discontent. There’s a high emotional and financial cost for not taking charge of your career. Another possible explanation as to why creative people drop out of the process is faulty thinking. Why would an artist leave a series of landscapes unfinished? Does that painter have proof that every home and office on the planet is already perfectly decorated? The Home and Garden Network doesn’t seem to think so. How could you possibly know what the public wants or needs? Release your work into the marketplace and trust the process. Some paintings will sell and some will not, but you can’t predict which will and which won’t. Don’t say “This will never sell.” You don’t know that. Let other people make their own decisions. It takes confidence in your creative abilities and courage to take a risk. Don’t assume your artwork isn’t marketable. Assume the right buyer is out there. Don’t assume you’re not good enough to compete. You are. Good enough thinking frees you from your own opinions and the opinion of others and frees you for forward motion. You’re a work in progress and your work is in progress too. Be realistic. Hasn’t your technique improved over time? Your work will improve as long as you keep working. Good enough thinking gives you the permission to put yourself on equal footing with others in your profession. There will always be someone ahead of you and someone behind you. We’re all in the learning process. That truth will put things in perspective and give you courage to act on your dreams. You have to participate in the life you want to live. It won’t just happen by chance or luck. Take action, get results. Assume your artistic efforts today are good enough for today, then get up again tomorrow morning and try again. Create your work and let your work speak for itself. The world deserves a chance to see what you can do. Exercise a little faith, but have faith in a positive outcome, not a negative outcome. Don’t fall into faulty thinking traps: criticism, fear, perfectionism, or failure to launch. Embrace the power of good enough thinking and gain courage to release your creative energies into the world. n About the Author: This article is an excerpt from Romney Nesbitt’s new book, Secrets From A Creativity Coach available at www.awocbooks.com. Contact Romney to speak to your group about creativity or submit a coaching question for Art Focus Oklahoma’s column Ask a Creativity Coach at RomneyN@att.net, or call 918-813-6962.
Hanging Art by Grant Lacquement
The heretics of artistic display will suggest that you simply put a nail in the wall and get that thing up there, but like all of our activities, care, intention, and mindful action bring huge rewards. The process for installing art is simple but it requires methodical work to succeed. Think of installing art as a part of the entire artistic process. The artist does the work to complete the piece, with some expected effect. Properly framed, attention is focused on the work and this intensifies the effect of a work. In the same way, proper installation of the work helps to eliminate distractions for the observer with the intention of allowing a deeper immersion in the work. All of this improves the chances that the artist’s agenda will be successful. I suggest you install art along a sight line. This is the average height that people look without looking up or down. A typical number used is 58 inches from the floor. Most museums and galleries hang art with half of the work above this line and half below. I prefer to hang work with one third above the sight line. This is because I have never had anyone suggest that work is hung too low, but often had questions about it being too high. One third of the work above the sight line drops things a little and also gives a more flowing look to the installation. Children will also have a chance to look at the bottom of the work. This assumes that people will be looking at the work standing. If it is going to be observed by people sitting down, adjust everything to the sight line at that level. When I see mistakes in installing work it is mostly because it is hung too high. As an example, consider the piece in the accompanying figure. We have selected a sight line (58 inches) and a hanging proportion (1/3 above the sight line). The frame is 24 inches tall. One third of this is 8 inches. So the total height from the floor to the top of the frame is 66 inches. Figuring out where to put the nail is complicated by the hanging wire. A method I use is hooking the tape measure to the wire and measuring to the top of the frame. In this case the measurement is 6 inches so the hanger goes in the wall 60 inches from the floor. If you are using two hangers spread apart you need to measure this height. I use a small level to hold the wire tight and measure from there.
When I place a mark on the wall I use the same level to locate the two hangers at the proper location. If the piece is large enough, it is nice to have two hangers to prevent movement. Now that you have your distance from the floor marked on the wall, place the hanger you are using with the bottom of the hook (where the wire will rest) at the mark. A common mistake is to put the nail at the mark. Most museums and dedicated art galleries have plywood walls covered in sheetrock. This holds nails much better. If you are hanging work in sheetrock alone, it is important to use an adequate hanger. The nail needs to enter the wall at a 45 degree angle so it doesn’t slip out. Large pieces may require special hardware to prevent pulling a chunk of wall loose (and seeing your new art work get a bounce test). If I’m hanging a lot of work, I lay the pieces out on the floor, leaning them against the wall to get the spacing. When you have determined your spacing, move the piece aside that you are currently hanging because you do not want to drop a hammer, or anything else, on the art! I do not recommend double hangs (two works hung vertically) or grids. This is the current style, but it can eliminate the chance to focus on any one piece. However, if you are hanging in groups, you lay the group of work out as if it were one large piece. I figure out the frame sizes and spacing on a piece of paper for the whole grid, then hang the group with the proper proportion above the sight line. By focusing on this methodology you can install work with the museum director talking in your right ear, the artist talking in your left, and a newspaper critic looking over your shoulder, and still get all the work up in time for the opening. n About the Author: Grant Lacquement works as a preparator at local museums, builds studio furniture, and dabbles in painting and photography. You can reach him at Lintegritas@gmail.com.
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Round Up A great thank you to Caroline Jewell, who served as Art Focus intern during the fall 2008 semester. Caroline helped to move many projects along, including getting Art Focus included in library archives around the state and helping with the digital Art Focus archive. OVAC appreciates all the support throughout its 20th Anniversary year. Besides having a fun time with all its old friends, OVAC was excited to raise over $15,000 for its endowment at the Oklahoma City Community Foundation. Thank you to the donors, past and current board members, volunteers and founders! Whew. We are done with anniversaries for a while. OVAC Benefits: We had the fortune of benefiting from parts of several events this fall and are thankful for the opportunities.
Jan/Feb 2009 The Metro Wine Bar and Bistro offered artists’ recreations of wine labels at a lively “Refreshing the Palate” event. Gaillardia Country Club developed a new event called “Gossamer and Granite,” from which OVAC and artists received art sales commissions. Thank you to all involved and who attended! Art People: The Oklahoma City Museum of Art announced Glen Gentele as the new president and chief executive officer. Gentele comes to the museum from the Laumeier Sculpture Park in St. Louis, MO. Gentele earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Florida State University and his Master of Fine Arts Degree for the Maryland Institute of Art, Baltimore. Welcome to Mr. Gentele and his wife Shannon Fitzgerald, an independent curator and writer.
Untitled [ArtSpace] welcomed Jon Burris as the new Executive Director. Burris has been a presence in the Oklahoma arts community for the past 30 years. Learn more about Untitled [ArtSpace] at www.1ne3.org. Creative Oklahoma announces Dr. Peter Abramo as the organization’s new Executive Director. Creative Oklahoma, Inc. oversees the Oklahoma Creativity Project, begun in 2004 to establish Oklahoma as a worldrenowned center of creativity and innovation in commerce, culture, and education. Over the past four years, Dr. Abramo has served as Executive Director of Cameron University’s highly successful Center for Emerging Technology & Entrepreneurial Studies. n
Thank you to our New and Renewing Members from September and October 2008 Robert Adams Andy and Marilyn Artus Phyllis and Darrell Baker Kimberly Baker Judith Bright Barnett DiAnn Berry Doris J. Bewley Mike and Corey Blake B. Queti Bondy Betty C. Bowen Stephanie Brudzinski Milissa Burkart Cecile Butler Sarah Capshaw Suzie Hardin Chelsea Carla Chew Lisa Chronister Dian Church Neil T. Cluck Gael Collar Karen L. Collier Janey Carns Crain Bob Curtis Jennie M. Curtis Elizabeth Davis Jacqueline Zanoni de los Santos Dorothy Dinsmoor Lukes Dollanhide
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OVAC news
Elizabeth K. Eickman Douglas Shaw Elder Dixie Erickson Karin Teresa Fain Sandra Fendrych Beverly K. Fentress Ron Fleming Gus Friedrich and Erena Rae Amy Frost Dan Garrett Amanda Green Susan Gregory Brenda Kennedy Grummer Barbara Hair Lou Moore Hale Kirkland and Julia Hall Jeremy Hancock Stuart Harrison Aaron Hauck Lacie Hays Jamie Henderson Carolyn Hill Margot Holaday, PhD Matt Jarvis Debra Jenkins Caroline Jewell Paula Jones Stephanie Jung
James Kendall Emily Kern Christopher and Kathryn Kirt Jacquelyn Knapp Nicholas Kyle and Rose Allison Mark Lackey Judy Laine Sharyl Landis Debbie Langston Ty Lawrence Tom E. Lee Monika Linehan Harolyn Long Chris and LaVeryl Lower Patta LT Jan Maddox Tina Majors Cynthia Manning Cedar Marie Kenny McCage Jay McCormick James McDaniel Jo Meacham & Michael Cobb Paul Medina Lin and Leah Meiring Jeremy Merz Jennifer Metcalf Jessica Milliman
Sharon J. Montgomery William and Janie Morris Joe Mueller Kim Norton Daonne Olson George Oswalt Phyllis A. Pace Bob E. Palmer J. Megan Parjeter Richard Pearson Ronna Pernell Laura Pickering Chris and Renee Porter Danielle Raimo Gary Rea Jennifer Reeder Karen Renfrow Don Risi Tammy Roberts John A. Robinson Steven J. Rosser Basil Russell Jr. Diane Salamon Paula and Don Sanders Barbara S. Scott Sheridan Scott Luci Seem John and Mary Seward
Randel and Dana Shadid Mark Sharfman Sandi Shaw Patricia Shy-Trent Tamara Sigler Rob Smith Cindy Swanson Lacye Swilley-Russell Layne Thrift and JC Casey Angela True Diana Tunnell Robert and Elizabeth Tyrrell Anne Vieux Jordan Vinyard Jason Wallace Becky Way Nancy Werneke Tom Wester Janie Wester B. J. White Cindy Williams Gary and Betsy Wood Dean Wyatt Lillian Yoeckel Tom Young
At a Glance:
Curtis Jones by Susan Grossman
I was not sure what to expect during a lunch hour visit to see Nearsighted, two distinct bodies of work at MainSite Contemporary Art in Norman. I stayed a lot longer than I intended. The abstract ink, watercolor and screen prints by Curtis Jones, assistant professor of art at the University of Oklahoma, are compelling. In Boxes is an exploration of the influences of the artist’s family and his connection to, and interpretation of, the world around him. The Tunnel in particular drew me back for several looks. At first glance, the hemp paper piece is a series of dots but a closer look reveals controlled burns across the surface. A title card explains the burn marks represent the radiation his mother endured during cancer treatments. Another interesting group of work features a collection of tiny party hats, created to honor the memory of the artist’s mother who asked for a celebration rather than a funeral after she died. Overall, the interpretative details accompany all of Jones’ pieces which helps to foster a personal connection and deeper meaning for the viewer. This was a lunch hour well spent. n About the Author: Susan Grossman is assistant director of marketing for University of Oklahoma Outreach and a freelance writer based in Norman. She can be reached at susangrossman@cox.net.
Curtis Jones, Norman, Positive Spin, screenprint and watercolor on paper (hand cut, assembled and arranged), dimensions vary. (Top: detail)
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Gallery Listings Ardmore My Favorite... January 1 – February 28 Studio 107 Gallery 107 East Main (580) 224-1143 studio107ardmore.com Jesús Moroles Through March 24 Closing Artist Reception, March 24 5:30-7 Marie Kash Weltzheimer Through January 9 Closing Reception January 9, 6:00 Michael B. Askew, Kelly Berry & Charles Rushton January 28 – March 14 The Goddard Center 401 First Avenue SW (580) 226-0909 goddardcenter.org
Bartlesville 3-logy Triennial 2008: Imaginative Qualities of Actual Things Through January 6 Fallingwater en Perspectiva: Frank Lloyd Wright’s House on the Waterfall January 16 – April 26 Price Tower Arts Center 510 Dewey Ave. (918) 336-4949 pricetower.org
Chickasha Leslie Powell Centerfold Show January 11 – February 6 Paul Mays February 15 – March 13 University of Sciences and Arts of Oklahoma GalleryDavis Hall 1806 17th Street (405) 574-1344 usao.edu/gallery
El Reno Movement in Line: Gerry Goodpasture Through February 5 Closing Reception
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gallery guide
February 5 2008 Gordon Parks Photography Finalists February 13 – March 27 Redlands Community College (405) 262-2552 redlandscc.edu
Lawton Deanna Wood, Betty Wood, Michael Lalone Opening January 10, 7-9 The Leslie Powell Foundation and Gallery 620 D Avenue (580) 357-9526 lpgallery.org
Norman Make It Your Own: Margaret Kinkeade, William Stidham & Jordan Strickland December 5 – January 23 Begging for More February 13 – March 20 Dreamer Concepts Studio & Foundation 324 East Main (405) 701-0048 dreamerconcepts.org Holiday Gift Gallery Through January 9 Firehouse Art Center 444 South Flood (405) 329-4523 normanfirehouse.com American Artists from the Russian Empire Reflections: Russian Photographs 1992-2002 Through January 4 Borderlands: Images of the American West January 24 – March 8 Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art 555 Elm Ave. (405) 325-4938 ou.edu/fjjma
Exhibition Schedule
Oklahoma City Doel Reed: Master of the Aquatint January 6 – June 27 Opening January 15, 5-7 Gaylord-Pickens Oklahoma Heritage Museum 1400 Classen Dr. (405) 235-4458 oklahomaheritage.com Sight Unseen January 17 – February 13 Opening January 17, 6-9 Individual Artists of Oklahoma 811 N. Broadway (405) 232-6060 iaogallery.org Craft In America: Expanding Traditions Through January 18 American Indian Mural Painting in Oklahoma and the Southwest Through May 3 Martha Maxwell: Rocky Mountain Taxidermist January 16 – July 12 National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum 1700 NE 63rd (405) 478-2250 nationalcowboymuseum.org
American Impressionists: Paintings from the Phillips Collection Through January 18 Harlem Renaissance February 5 – April 19 Oklahoma City Museum of Art 415 Couch Drive (405) 236-3100 okcmoa.com
Shawnee
smART: Small, Original Art for the Beginning Collector January 2 – 31 Opening January 2, 6-10 PAA Members Exhibition February 6 – 28 Opening February 6, 6-10 Paseo Art Space 3022 Paseo (405) 525-2688 thepaseo.com
Stillwater
Roots & Ties II Through January 24 Kahn and Selesnick February 13 – April 18 Opening February 13, 5:30-8 Untitled [ArtSpace] 1 NE 3rd St. (405) 815-9995 1ne3.org
The Kiowa Five Through January 25 Arts of the Amazon from the Museum of the Red River February 6 – March 29 Mabee-Gerrer Museum of Art 1900 West Macarthur (405) 878-5300 mgmoa.org
Reimagining The Distaff Toolkit January 8 – February 4 Opening and Artist Lecture, January 30, 5-7 Femfolio February 11 – March 6 Opening and Artist Lecture, March 6, 5-7 Gardiner Art Gallery Oklahoma State University 108 Bartlett University (405) 744-6016 okstate.edu
Emma Amos, Identity, Digital Print with hand lithography, 12”x12” at the Gardiner Art Gallery, Stillwater.
Tulsa Ansel Adams: A Legacy Through January 4 101 Ranch: The Real Wild West Through January 25 Gilcrease Museum 1400 Gilcrease Road (918) 596-2700 gilcrease.org Fire, Ice & Time: Outdoor Installation November 1 Fecundity: Sculpture by Anne Potter January 8-29 Contemporary Art by Oklahoma Black Artists February 5-19 New Genre Festival XVI February 26 – March 1 Domestic Arsonal: Installation by Ellen Doktorski February 26 – March 26 Living Arts 308 S. Kenosha (918) 585-1234 livingarts.org
Paintings from the Reign of Victoria: The Royal Holloway Collection, London Through January 4 Dancing Across the Page Through March 15 The Philbrook Museum of Art 2727 South Rockford Road (918) 749-7941 Philbrook.org
Highway 412: Darshan Phillips & Friends January 6-31 Eleanor Davy Carmack February 5-28 Tulsa Performing Arts Center Gallery Third and Cincinnati (918) 596-2368 tulsapac.com
The Horseman Condition by Kristin Vails January 2 – 31 Minors’ Major Works: Great Art by Tulsa Elementary School Children February 6-21 Walls: for the Axis Mundi Archives by Cindy Zimmerman February 26 – March 1 Tulsa Artists Coalition Gallery 9 East Brady (918) 592-0041 tacgallery.org
Matthew Burke: Swoop, Pulse and Shift: Shape and Time January 29 – February 27 Opening January 29, 5-7 Alexandre Hogue Gallery Phillips Hall, The University of Tulsa 2930 E. 5th St. (918) 631-2739 cas.utulsa.edu/art Contact editor for information about submitting listings at publications@ovac-ok.org. For a more complete list of Oklahoma galleries, visit www.ovac-ok.org.
Become a member of the Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition! Join today to begin enjoying the benefits of membership, including a subscription to Art Focus Oklahoma. Sustaining $250 -Listing on signage at events -Invitation to private reception with visiting curators -All of below Patron $100 -Acknowledgement in the Resource Guide and Art Focus Oklahoma -Copy of each OVAC exhibition catalog -All of below Family $55 -Same benefits as Individual for two people in household Individual $35 -Subscription to Art Focus Oklahoma -Inclusion in online Virtual Gallery -Monthly e-newsletter of visual art events statewide -Monthly e-newsletter of opportunities for artists -Receive all mailed OVAC call for entries and invitations -Artist entry fees waived for OVAC sponsored exhibitions -Listing in Annual Resource Guide and Member Directory -Copy of Annual Resource Guide and Member Directory -Access to “Members Only” area on OVAC website -Up to 50% discount on Artist Survival Kit workshops -Invitation to Annual Meeting Student $20 -Valid student ID required. Same benefits as Individual level.
Dave Cole, Trophy Wife No. 3 of 8, Found dress form and antlers with mixed media, 44”x16”x16” at the Gardiner Art Gallery, Stillwater.
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METROPOLIS
Paintings of a metaphorical city with its varied inhabitants.
Michele Mikesell Bennett Berry Opening Receptions: Thursday | 01.01.09 | 1p - 7p Friday | 01.02.09 | 6p - 10p
MICHI SUSAN
Mixed Media Paintings of Landscapes & Poems Opening Reception: Friday | 02.06.09 | 6p - 10p
2810 North Walker Oklahoma City, OK 73103 Phone: 405.528.6336 www.jrbartgallery.com
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