ArtOFocus k l a h o m a
Ok l aho m a V i s ual A r ts C oal i t i on
Vo l u m e 3 6 N o . 4
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Fall 2021
THE SPACE BETWEEN:
ANITA FIELDS & MOLLY MURPHY ADAMS
October 1 – November 21, 2021 This project is generously funded by Osage Nation Foundation, Flint Family Foundation, Mid-America Arts Alliance, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the state arts agencies of Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas.
Move Forward #2, by Anita Fields Winter Tracks, by Molly Murphy Adams
THE STATE OF CRAFT 2022
OKLAHOMA MEMBER ARTISTS Juried by Jennifer Scanlan
December 3, 2021 – January 23, 2022
This project is generously funded by the Oklahoma Arts Council which receives funding from the State of Oklahoma and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Divide (detail), by Beth Downing
www.108contemporary.org 108 East Reconciliation Way Tulsa, Oklahoma 74103 918.895.6302
FREE ADMISSION Brady Craft Inc., dba 108|Contemporary, is a charitable organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. 108|Contemporary is an equal opportunity employer committed to principles of the broadest form of diversity. Design by Han Dinh.
Art Focus
Ok l a h o m a Vo l u m e 3 6 N o . 4
| Fall 2021
R e v i e w s a n d P re v i e w s 4 On the cover: FAM HoP Night Lights Blue by James Pepper Henry, page 12.
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A Journey of The Spirit with Tony A. Tiger
by L. C. Collins
In Good Company with Lauren Florence
by Emily L. Newman
Voices From the Drum Celebrates Osage Culture
by Carson Ball
10 Art of the Aloha Shirt: Keoni of Hawaii by Kerry M. Azzarello
F e a t u re s 12 One Place Many Nations: First Americans Museum by Kristin Gentry
Artist Daniel Sutliff with his work, page 19.
16 Quilting a Life: One Patch at a Time by B. L. Eikner
19 In the Studio with Daniel Sutliff by Steve Liggett
22 A Cursed Blessing: How Art Saved Sean Gonzales By Eliseo Garcia
24 EKPHRASIS: Art & Poetry edited by Liz Blood
27 OVAC News 28 Gallery Guide
Artist Lauren Florence, courtesy of The Price Tower Arts Center, page 6.
Correction: In the article Paint, Promote, and Paint Again: Art by Dawn Tree in the Summer 2021 issue of Art Focus Oklahoma, it was stated that Dawn Tree was a graduate of Oklahoma State University. She is actually a graduate of The University of Oklahoma.
Support from: Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition PHONE: 405.879.2400 1720 N Shartel Ave, Ste B, Oklahoma City, OK 73103. WEB: ovac-ok.org Editor: Krystle Kaye, director@ovac-ok.org Art Director: Anne Richardson, speccreative@gmail.com Art Focus Oklahoma is a quarterly publication of the Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition dedicated to stimulating insight into and providing current information about the visual arts in Oklahoma. Mission: Growing and developing Oklahoma’s visual arts through education, promotion, connection, and funding. 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.
2020-2021 Board of Directors: President: Douglas Sorocco, OKC; Vice President: Kirsten Olds, Tulsa; Treasurer: Diane Salamon, Tulsa; Secretary: Kyle Larson, Alva; Parliamentarian: Jon Fisher, OKC; Past President: John Marshall; Matthew Anderson, Tahlequah; Marjorie Atwood, Tulsa; Bob Curtis, OKC; Barbara Gabel, OKC; Farooq Karim, OKC; Kathryn Kenney, Tulsa; Jacquelyn Knapp, Chickasha; Drew Knox; Heather Lunsford, OKC; Russ Teubner, Stillwater; Chris Winland, OKC. 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. © 2021, Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition. All rights reserved. View the online archive at ArtFocusOklahoma.org.
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A Journey of The Spirit with Tony A. Tiger By L. C. Collins
Tony Tiger (Sac and Fox, Seminole, Muscogee Creek), Mvskoke Preacher, etching, serigraph, ink, acrylic paint on paper, 11” x 15”
Tony A. Tiger takes us on a journey of “the spiritual portion of humanity” in his potent exhibition, Memorial: Positive and Negative Space. As an artist and renaissance man, he combines a myriad of painting styles, tools, and visual art mediums to convey a richly cultural and boldly vulnerable depiction of preservation, lineage, and spirituality. A curator of Indigenous art, Tiger formulates his shows as a conduit to amplify the voices and concerns of his multitribal (Seminole, Mvskoke, and Sac and Fox) community and the artists within. Tiger’s work is an open and personal observation of his life and the roots of the Indigenous cultures of his ancestors. Worldwide, few found themselves exempt from the negative aspects of this passing year. Separation, loss, and death have affected us all or someone we know. Grief and 4
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uncertainty are found somewhere within our six degrees of separation as assuredly as joy and triumph. Tiger’s Memorial honors the many Indigenous people who lost their lives in this time of covid while interlocking equal gratitude for life, nature, and Indigenous design. Acrylic on canvas with all the glory of nature’s hues preserved, sealed by a bold tapestry of North Woodland Indigenous floral design. Tiger describes, “Ribbons of intricate patterns juxtapose creating the positive and negative space.” The space in between shifting constantly toying with the eye. Tiger, himself an avid outdoorsman, uses inspiration from his grandfather’s allotment, alongside his personal history and ancestry. Tiger explains as a result of the Indian Removal Act of the 1830s, many men and women from different tribes, thirty-nine tribes in Oklahoma, came together
intertwining cultures resulting in a rich tapestry of heritage with a poignant story, not to be forgotten. The exhibition commemorates the positive and negative aspects of life in a way that Tiger hopes to inspire questions, introspection, and greater understanding. Each work walks us through a voyage of the mind, the body, and the spirit. The kinesthetic energy of Transformation Full Consciousness visibly rises from the canvas as if it moves and breathes. The piece encompasses bold dancing lines, gripping tribal colors, verging vibrant textures, and rich symbolism. This masterpiece is crafted from an amalgam of elements, acrylic paint on panel, Mulberry paper, serigraph, ink, and wood. Three levels like ascending stairs, the first in black and cream and shadow as if visual commentary on life’s duality and grey areas. Upon the
second ascending stair we find the Mvskoke translation of The Lord’s Prayer and encased triangular symbols that appear etched or cemented, a hint of Tiger’s screen printing. These triangles interlocked sporadically across the sector, Tiger explains, represent “the men and women creating the next generation teaching the next generation language, culture, and faith.” Some lightened, almost fossilized, as opposed to the darker more defined speaking to the passing on of heritage, forcible removal, and natural nomadic travel. Their etched-in-stone appearance is a showing of the strength of the native men and women and the power of preservation of culture. This testament to his culture’s faith and language culminating with a rise to the mosaic-like open arms of the centerpiece a black swallowtail butterfly, crystalized in a mirage of tribal colors, emerging from its chrysalis to complete the transformation. Tiger gives of himself in a vibrant variety of mediums: screen printing, serigraph, Woodland design, etching, Seminole Above: Tony Tiger (Sac and Fox, Seminole, patchwork, Indigenous languages, and Muscogee Creek), Memorial, acrylic on photography, to name a few. The personal canvas, artist-built stretcher, Woodland design, inspired by ribbon appliqué, 36” x 48” photographs of himself and his progenitors, treasured heirlooms, are an offering to the viewers to help give his message breath. You’ll find that all the pieces tie into one another, Tony explains, urging his viewers to look closer still when eyeing the multiple differing works. The image of the Mvskoke Preacher, a moment from the 1900s sealed in time, bordered by an eager, colorful congregation of the familiar adjoining triangles we have come to know as a symbol of the people. The Baptist minister, Tiger’s grandfather who he recalls fondly as a man of faith, was the first to be college educated in his family. He taught the importance of education and was an athlete and avid outdoorsman just as his grandson. Tiger builds a world large enough to get lost in at The Myriad Botanical Gardens. The show is open August 5 -November 5 and is free to view during listed hours. You can see up close how the story unfolds and the detailoriented eye may discern the subtle intricacies of how each creation ties into the other and gives voice. Speak: Speak While You Can, Tiger’s most recent curation, opened at the Seminole Nation Museum on September 1st. It carries a message of equal impactful value, showcasing twenty-five local Indigenous artists’ work on a topic at the forefront of the community—the sustentation of Native languages that they were for so long denied utterance by colonial government policy. You can stay up to date with Tiger’s work on Facebook at Tony Tiger and Tumblr at Tigerartstudios. n
Tony Tiger (Sac and Fox, Seminole, Muscogee Creek), Safe to Speak, Mvskoke etching, serigraph, ink, Mulberry paper, wax, Elm branches, copper wire, waxed sinew, LED light, and Popular wood, 24” x 24” x 24”
L. C. Collins is a Tulsa native artist, creator, poet, and Co-Founder of the non-profit organization Trash Talk, cleaning underserved communities in Tulsa. p re v i e w
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In Good Company with Lauren Florence By Emily L. Newman
Left: Lauren Florence, In Good Company III, 2021, acrylic, 36” x 36”, courtesy of the artist. Right: Lauren Florence, Birdie, 2020, acrylic, 48” x 48”, courtesy of the artist
As we are all coping and handling the pandemic in the best ways that we can, most of us recognize that connections of all types have become that much more important to us. For those of us that went months without seeing and hugging family, we can now appreciate even more a sense of togetherness. In many ways, experiencing and communing with Lauren Florence’s work can create a similar sense of familiarity. In Good Company, being presented at the Price Tower Arts Center from August 28 – November 7, features a number of paintings exploring people, animals, relationships, and identity. Often based on vintage photographs, Florence originally used family and friends’ photos, but also referred to images that were on display in the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City. In her interpretation and manipulation of these older photographs, Florence works to create paintings that recall memories and relatable histories. Speaking of these works, she has noted, “I’m looking for narrative and joy, primarily…. Sometimes the narrative in a photo is clear, but not always. When the 6
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narrative is vague, I enjoy combining other elements to push the narrative into a bigger story.” It’s no surprise then to see cowboys and cowgirls in these paintings in this part of the country, as they seem to inform every Oklahoman’s identity in some way or another. Undoubtedly, and at this very moment, there is comfort in that kind of nostalgia. These images are not meant to shock, rather, Florence repeatedly asserts that she wants the viewers to find joy in these works. The colors are bold and bright, often fun and unexpected, not the colors of real life. Orange and green skies, purple cows, and pastel colored cowboy hats proliferate. While there are not any smiles, there also does not seem to be any pain or heartache. The paintings embody a sense of being in a moment, frozen in time – much like photographs. But in their color and brushstrokes, these works of art assert their painting-ness. Like the 18th Century Japanese masters of Ukiyo-E print techniques whose work was adapted in the Western world by Edgar Degas and Mary Cassatt, flatness, pattern, and decoration all unite to create an image
that pushes everything to the surface with an array of color and style. These influences are only enhanced by Florence’s own schooling as she received a degree in textile design from the University of Kansas. The composition and design of textiles recalls this 18th and 19th century work, while also bridging to the obviously named Pattern and Decoration Movement of the 1970s (currently experiencing a much-needed revival right now through pivotal retrospective exhibitions in the past few years in New York, Los Angeles, and Vienna among other places). These ideas all come together in her work, as seen in A Day at the Races. In the foreground stands a woman wearing a white cloche hat and a boldly patterned coat. Hitting at mid-calf, the coat has white squares surrounded by two shades of red, with what appears to be a fur collar and a large flower pinned to her lapel. The woman holds a red/orange coordinated handbag as she smiles and poses for the camera. Behind her, three jockeys sit atop their horses as if lined up before or after a race. But unlike the woman who has at least a pink tone to her skin, the jockeys and horses are a mass of color–
Left: Lauren Florence, A Day at the Races, 2019, acrylic, 24” x 24”, courtesy of the artist Right: Lauren Florence, Caretaker II, 2021, acrylic, 24” x 24”, courtesy of the artist
mainly orange. There is no linework or shift in tone to distinguish where the humans end and where the horses begin. On top of the orange, red lines cross, splatters of green appear and mauve squares all feel haphazardly placed. The third background layer is dusty rose checkered with white diamonds covered with simple lines, which appear to almost have been cut into the paint. While Florence creates these layers in her painting, they don’t have the full depth and intensity that one might expect. This is the flattening mentioned earlier, where she collapses the space into one, while not fully allowing for a realization of three dimensionality. The woman at the front does not have the full roundness of shoulders and body shape, the jockeys and horses merge, and the background is not a fully realized race track or barn, rather it is a simple harlequin pattern, recalling the design that often accompanied jockey’s uniforms. This particular image is a good example of how Florence imbues her work with narratives, as she explains, “I have a tiny photo of a woman standing all by herself in front of a hedge in her
beautiful coat, hat, and giant mum. Someone must have said, ‘You look so pretty! Go stand over there and let me take your picture.’ But why was she all dressed up? Where was she going? The narrative is lost. So, for the painting, I added the horses with jockeys behind her, imagining her destination.” Thus, she creates a story, yet one that still provides room for interpretation and imagination as well as interplay with flatness and dimensionality. As many of us slowly leave our homes and caves where we have hidden from COVID-19, Lauren Florence has created paintings that allow her viewers to relate to them, have a sense of nostalgia, and use colors in a way to brighten faded vintage photographs. These paintings could be those of our family, our animals, and our homes. At a time where society is trying to figure out how to approach the next decade and how we must choose to live in a world grappling with a pandemic, race and social justice issues, rising poverty, among other concerns, Florence works provide a needed escapism. She encourages us to remove ourselves from our everyday struggle and to reconnect with an idealized, colorful past.
In Good Company, work by Lauren Florence, is up from August 28 – November 7 at the Price Tower Arts Center (510 Dewey Avenue, Bartlesville, OK 74003, Ph. 918-336-4949). The Price Tower Exhibit Gallery is open every day from 8am-8pm. For more information, visit pricetower.org. For more on Florence, including contact and buying information, visit laurenflorence.com. n
Emily L. Newman is presently Associate Professor of Art History at Texas A&M UniversityCommerce, specializing in contemporary art, gender studies, and popular culture. Feminist Fashion and Art in United States Protests and Politics, her current book project, explores how art and fashion have been used by feminists to shape and argue for the political beliefs. Her latest books include The Female Body Image in Contemporary Art: Fatness, Dieting, SelfHarm, and Eating Disorders (Routledge, 2018 and 2020) and The Food Network Recipe: Essays on Essays on Cooking, Celebrity and Competition (McFarland Publishing, 2021). p re v i e w
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Voices From the Drum Celebrates Osage Culture By Carson Ball
Jessica Moore Harjo and Rock Pipestem, Little Stars from the Sky Lodge, 2018, pine, birch plywood, bison hide, acrylic paint, steel, Photo: Ryan Red Corn
At the heart of the Osage Nation, serving as a keepsake for cultural traditions, sits the drum. The Osage Nation Museum explores the significance of the drum and its role in Osage culture in their exhibition, Voices From the Drum, on view until March 26. Here, the Osage Nation Foundation (ONF) not only cultivates a space to learn, but also to promote numerous Osage artists at many stages in their careers. Voices From the Drum is a community arts initiative by the ONF, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving and promoting Osage culture. The exhibition was first brought about by conversations between ONF and Wilson Pipestem, who was inspired to view the hand drum as an artistic 8
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canvas. Wilson says he was “motivated” by his brother, Rock Pipestem, an Osage singer and drum maker, to bring this vision to life. Rock Pipestem, son of the late Browning and Sharon Pipestem of the Grayhorse District, is a nationally recognized artist. His drum-making inspiration comes from his Osage and OtoeMissouria people’s ceremonies and traditions. He has demonstrated his drum-making for the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C. and this past year was inducted into the 2021 class of Cultural Capital Fellows for The First Peoples Fund, one of the oldest national organizations dedicated to supporting Native American artists and culture bearers.
When creating the plan for the Voices From the Drum exhibition, ONF board member Chad Renfro explained that they wanted this exhibition to “be large enough, successful enough, and speak about us (ONF) enough that we could move this and keep it moving as a traveling exhibition all around the United States, and perhaps even take a trip to Europe at some point.” With this end goal in mind, the ONF commissioned Rock Pipestem to create nineteen drums. Pipestem partnered with Osage artists to bring their individual visions to life. Each piece was designed by a different Osage artist who used the drum as a canvas to
Left: Norman Akers and Rock Pipestem, From the Heart, 2018, pine, birch plywood, bison hide, steel, acrylic paint, Photo: Ryan Red Corn; Right: Sarah Elsberry and Rock Pipestem, Untitled, 2018, pine, birch plywood, bison hide, acrylic paint, steel, Photo: Ryan Red Corn
express their individuality and Indigenity like the relationship between geography and community in Norman Akers’ From the Heart. Exhibiting artists include: Norman Akers, Dante Biss-Grayson, Joe Don Brave, June Carpenter, Sarah Elsberry, Anita Fields, Yatika Fields, Jessica Moore Harjo, Kilan Jacobs, Jonathan Lunsford, Harleigh Moore, Ted Moore, Vanessa Moore, Rock Pipestem, Wendy Ponca, Alex Ponca Stock, Jon Red Corn, RA Red Corn, Addie Roanhorse, and Jen Tiger. Based on these artists’ visions Rock Pipestem began building each piece. When he finished each drum, he then personally presented it to the Osage artist commissioned for the project, and together they discussed their thoughts and experiences surrounding their individual drum. Voices From the Drum is a representation of the Osage community’s beliefs, culture, humor, and craftsmanship. The artists in the exhibition range from well-established and nationally known to emerging. ONF board member Julie O’Keefe states “This [exhibition] brought out artists that we currently know, but there were some emerging artists that we didn’t know existed. It was amazing to see talent in our tribe that we didn’t even know we had. I felt like we uncovered treasures along the way.” Voices From
the Drum will be many of these emerging artists’ first museum show, creating opportunities for them to gain increased recognition and build a foundation for their careers. Among these new nineteen drums will be one historic drum, used at veterans dances, on loan from the Pawhuska American Legion Post 198. The integration of this drum creates juxtaposition within the exhibition to underscore the historical significance of the items on display. Throughout Osage history the drum has stood as a cultural symbol representing past ancestors and present generations. The Voices From the Drum exhibition models community building through the underlying collaboration between Osage creators. While maintaining traditional modes of crafting the drum, artists continuously re-envision its meaning. In this, the Osage Nation Museum creates a space that simultaneously invites viewers to learn about tradition while celebrating the innovation of each individual artist. The exhibition will be on view until March 26th, 2022 at the Osage Nation Museum in Pawhuska, OK. n
June Carpenter and Rock Pipestem, Untitled, 2018, pine, birch plywood, bison hide, acrylic paint, synthetic sinew, steel, Photo: Ryan Red Corn
Carson Ball is an Indigenous Graduate Student and Fulbright Scholar at the University of British Columbia. His hometown is Owasso, Oklahoma. p re v i e w
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Art of the Aloha Shirt: Keoni of Hawaii By Kerry M. Azzarello
John “Keoni” Meigs, Island Feast, 1946, manufactured by Kamehameha, cotton, 35” x 24”, © Keoni Collection
Movie stars, rock and roll legends, United States Presidents, possibly even you. That is the answer to the hypothetical game show question, “Who are people who have Aloha shirts”? Aloha shirts, often also called Hawaiian shirts, are so common one could make the mistake of overlooking them. However, the latest exhibition at the Mabee-Gerrer Museum of Art (MGMoA) in Shawnee, Oklahoma, brings these garments to the forefront, allowing visitors to take a closer look at a unique artform. Art of the Aloha Shirt: Keoni of Hawaii, 1938– 51 features original textile artwork, production sketches, fabric swatches, print advertisements, and vintage shirts from John “Keoni” Meigs. Keoni (Hawaiian for John and pronounced “Key-O-nee”) was a self-taught artist born in Chicago in 1916. After graduating from 10 p re v i e w
UCLA in 1936, he moved to Hawaii the following year. His first designs were created in 1938 and centered around Polynesian tapa patterns inspired by designs he had seen in the Bishop Museum, the Hawaii State Museum of Natural and Cultural History. During his prolific career, John Meigs produced Hawaiian textiles as “Keoni of Hawaii.”
to, a most special place.” Given Keoni’s bountiful output of over 300 textile designs, it was difficult for the team to narrow which pieces to include. Ultimately, sixty objects were selected to display and tell the story. The pieces are from the 1930s through the 1950s, a time period often considered the “Golden Age” for Aloha shirts.
The concept for Art of the Aloha Shirt was a collaboration between exhibition curator Dale Hope, a Mainland collector of Aloha shirts, and the Mid-America Arts Alliance (M-AAA). According to Hope, “There is probably no garment in the world that [better] captures a land’s ‘spirit of place’. For well over a half a century, the Aloha shirt has been Hawaii’s most enduring and visible greeter and ambassador. Like a lei, the Aloha shirt is worn as a statement of one’s love for, and connection
MGMoA Curator of Collections, Delaynna Trim, notes the museum typically hosts or develops exhibitions that feature art from various cultures and communities. While the museum does not have any Aloha shirts in their collection, Keoni’s work complements the museum’s Polynesian and Hawaiian native artifacts. Diverting from a stereotypical art exhibition, Art of the Aloha Shirt exposes guests to
Left: John “Keoni” Meigs, painting for Waikiki Reef, c. late 1940s, gouache on paper, 24” x 30”, © Keoni Collection; Right: John “Keoni” Meigs, preliminary design for Waikiki Reef, c. late 1940s, pencil on vellum, 24” x 30” inches, © Keoni Collection
an entire industry–garment creation. By displaying iterations of the designs, from initial sketches to finished shirts, visitors are able to take a peek behind the curtain and gain a better understanding of the process, the evolution of an idea.
choosing island themes that resonated the spirit of the Islands in an authentic, serious way, that was refined, not corny. He was very respectful for his subject matter, portraying themes accurately with artistic license that kept it fun.” The result: shirts that make the heart smile.
Subject matter for Aloha shirts centers around themes of Hawaiian activities (Hula dancing, surfing, and fishing), agriculture (pineapples and sugarcane), and island life (flowers, beaches, and sunsets). When planning a textile graphic, the artist not only needs to be concerned about the aesthetics of the piece, but also how that image will work harmoniously when repeated across the fabric.
By focusing on a single designer, this exhibition provides an easily digestible entrée into the world of Aloha shirts. However, by nature, it excludes scores of other talented designers, manufacturers, retailers, and advertisers who contributed to the field. Such notable artists include Ethel Chun Lum, Elsie Das, Nobuji Yoshida, Jerry Chong, Vera Stone Cook, Tony Walker, Dick Lucier, Eugene Savage, and Kingfisher-born poet and artist, Don Blanding.
Waikiki Reef depicts a man standing in water using various means to fish. Three vignettes, as he holds a net, spear, and trident, are visually tied together with a large diagonal net. Shells, fish, and bubbles, all in varying scales, fill in the design. Viewers can compare Waikiki Reef as a working pencil drawing on tracing paper as well as a gouache painting of the finished pattern. Keoni sold the final Waikiki Reef design to Tanbro Fabrics Corporation for $125. Keoni’s designs are well-balanced and carefully crafted to authentically convey a spirit of Hawaii. Hope notes, “Keoni was the master of
For a broader picture, one can delve into the book The Aloha Shirt: Spirit of the Islands. Authored by Dale Hope with Gregory Tozian, the 211-page book is filled with colorful photos and an in-depth look at Aloha shirts far beyond the museum walls. After you visit the exhibition, odds are you will pull your aloha shirt out of the closet or want to purchase one. If you fall in the latter category, know that Western Aloha has a licensed collection of Keoni’s shirts, including a navy-blue variation of Waikiki Reef.
An earlier iteration of this exhibition, titled Keoni of Hawaii: Aloha Shirt Designs 1938-1951 was developed in 1997 and displayed at the Graphics Arts Gallery of the Honolulu Academy of Arts. While this show undoubtedly makes an impact any time, one cannot help but appreciate it more at this moment in time, when so much of life has been disrupted, including travel. Although there may be trepidation in making the trek to Hawaii, one could relatively easily take some time to visit Shawnee and enjoy this unique collection of Aloha shirt artifacts. Art of the Aloha Shirt: Keoni of Hawaii, 1938–51 is on view September 11 – October 17, 2021, at the Mabee-Gerrer Museum of Art located at 1900 West MacArthur in Shawnee, Oklahoma. Museum hours are Tuesday through Saturday 10am-5pm and Sunday 1pm-4pm. Admission is $5 for adults. Visit mgmoa.com or call 405-878-5300 to learn more. For more information about Dale Hope and his book, The Aloha Shirt, visit thealohashirt.com. n Kerry M. Azzarello is an artist, writer, and marketer living and working in Oklahoma City. She currently owns two Aloha shirts and can be reached at kerryazzarello@gmail.com. p re v i e w 11
One Place Many Nations: First Americans Museum By Kristin Gentry
FAMily, photo courtesy of First Americans Museum
It’s often said that the First Americans Museum (FAM) in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma has been in the making for the last thirty years. On the public surface, the brick-and-mortar museum structure, that was true. On a cultural, ethnological, or historical level, the museum has been in the making since the original First Americans or Indigenous inhabitants began their lives in the geographical area of what is called Oklahoma today. All thirty-nine tribal nations that make up Oklahoma were represented in the opening processional that started on the very first day 12 f e a t u re
the First Americans Museum finally opened to the public. This long-awaited grand opening was filled with the visions and prayers of everyone that had been working for decades to bring this physical gathering space into existence. It was a powerful and thought-out gathering of all the tribal nations in Oklahoma into one location at one point in history. The phrase, One Place, Many Nations, led to the mission of the First Americans Museum that says, “In one place, visitors will experience the collective histories of thirty-nine distinctive First American Nations in Oklahoma today.
First Americans Museum will share the cultural diversity, history, and contributions of the First Americans.” Visitors were able to share in the core values of the Museum, Reciprocity, Relationships, and Responsibility, in every part of the campus whether it was on the Festival Plaza, inside the inaugural exhibitions, shopping from First American artists, or experiencing the First American impressed cuisine inside the restaurant or café. One of the highlights for the First Americans Museum’s grand opening ceremonies
Top left: Jeri Redcorn, Photo Credit: Ryan Redcorn; Bottom left: First Americans Museum aerial photography by Kimberly Rodriguez; Right: Jessica Harjo, Floral, Origins Theater
included not just her poetry, but also live music from the band of the United States’ National Poet Laureate, Joy Harjo (Muscogee Nation). Several collections of her poetry and her memoir, Crazy Brave and Poet Warrior were for sale in the Museum’s store, called the FAMstore, located inside the Museum Xchange entrance. The outdoor ceremonies were organized into a festival-celebration atmosphere with open space for the community to socially distance for the global pandemic guidelines set forth by the CDC. Food trucks, cultural demonstrations, First
Americans fashion show hosted by Matriarch Oklahoma, music, dancing, a community mural designed by Micah Wesley (Muscogee and Kiowa), and many more family friendly activities were shared with the community. FAM says that it was “developed in close collaboration with the tribal nations in Oklahoma, Native scholars, and Knowledge Givers. FAM exhibitions represent our narratives from a distinctly Native perspective.” Many different Oklahoma tribal citizens that work for FAM continually
expressed how happy they are to share their own histories, struggles, triumphs, and resilience today in their own words for the first time. “We are thrilled to share with the public a premier venue dedicated to the history, art, and cultural lifeways of First Americans in Oklahoma,” said FAM Director & CEO, James Pepper Henry. When he came on board with FAM, he restructured many parts of the museum to be what it is physically today, and he also very specifically designed the FAMstore. Every architectural (continued to page 14) f e a t u re 13
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Jeri Redcorn, Handbag, FAMstore Exclusive Collection, courtesy of FAM
and cardinal directional design element was purposely created to exemplify a part of a different tribal nation of the state, and then collectively build them all together into one overarching space through natural and manmade elements. For example, The Hall of the People is structured after a traditional Wichita lodge, and the circular structure of the layout of the entire grounds are reflective of Oklahoma tribal cultures. During the Summer Solstice the sun sets at the peak of the FAM Mound and during the Winter Solstice the sun sets through the tunnel embedded in the FAM Mound. The FAM mound pays homage to the Southeastern tribal cultures present in Oklahoma. The opening exhibitions, Winiko: Life of an Object and OKLA HOMMA are in the south wing of the museum. The entire curatorial team came from Oklahoma tribes. Okla and Homma are words from the Chahta Anumpa, 14 p re v i e w
(the Choctaw Language,) and are combined into one word that created the State’s name, Oklahoma. Winiko: Life of an Object contains selections from the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian and also newly commissioned artworks. Each of the thirty-nine tribes had at least three objects representing them. Winiko is the Caddoan word for “everything on earth, the universe, and beyond.” This exhibition was named after and honors the Caddo people who have always inhabited this part of the continent. Winiko explored the concept that the items’ original intent was not to sit long-term inside a museum space, but to be often a utilitarian object that would be used until it ultimately returned to the earth. This part of the exhibition also showed how even First American cultures are objectified, and ties into the OKLA HOMMA exhibition displayed on the first floor.
OKLA HOMMA was the signature exhibition that directed visitors through the origins, the histories, Indian Removal, trials, rebuilding, humor, and the resilience of the thirtynine tribes of Oklahoma today. Through collaboration with the Oklahoma Arts Council’s Arts in Public Places program was where Jeri Redcorn’s work came into FAM. The Oklahoma Arts Council described her design as, “connecting the past with the present on the outside of the Origin’s Theater inside the OKLA HOMMA exhibition.” The Origins Theater was modeled after Jeri’s Caddoan pottery designs that she is credited with revitalizing from her own tribal culture. Inside the Origins Theater plays multiple origin stories from various tribes. Jessica Harjo (Otoe, Osage, Pawne, and Sac & Fox tribal nations), describes her experiences creating graphic art to tell her own tribal origin story, “It’s really a tremendous endeavor to try and represent all thirty-nine tribes of Oklahoma in such a short amount of time. The Origins Theater allows the viewer to understand ata-glance that all tribes have different origins. The Otoe-Missouria creation story is the story that I helped to tell through illustrations that I created and animated. Each illustration represents a clan and is animated on a dark background like you see in the coats, blankets, and other significant items that Otoe people wore (ie. Faw Faw coat). The colors were chosen to represent the different roles. It was also important to represent the original homelands where the Otoe lived and give an accurate view of the land.” Jessica’s art will be featured, along with Jeri Redcorn, Joseph Erb (Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma), Kennetha Greenwood (Otoe Missouria Tribe), and Chris Pappan (Kaw Nation, Osage Nation, Cheyenne River Sioux tribe) in the FAMstore’s Exclusive Collection of apparel, accessories, handbags, and other items that are only for sale at the Museum. FAM opens as a public-private partnership between the State of Oklahoma and the City of Oklahoma City, with the help of a Chickasaw Nation Subsidiary, the American Indian Cultural Center Foundation, and numerous donors. First Americans Museum is in Oklahoma City at the Crossroads of America, the confluence
Jessica Harjo, Photo Credit: Cody Hammer
2020 Winter Solstice through the FAM Mound
on Interstates 35, 40, 235 and 44. FAM is open to the public every day except Tuesdays. Visitors are encouraged to purchase tickets at www.famok.org. Upcoming events include panel discussions, film screenings, programming for Indigenous People’s Day in October, and the Winter Holiday Arts Market December 4th and 5th. n Kristin Gentry, MS, BFA, is a citizen of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. She works as an artist, writer, curator and arts educator.
CREATE, COLLABORATE, COMMISERATE Two Art Galleries | Gift Shop | Photography Studio 10 Artists’ Studios | Art Workshops 3024 Paseo, Oklahoma City, OK 73103 Tues-Fri 11am-5pm Sat Noon-5pm
thepaseo.org/PACC 405.525.2688
p re v i e w 15
Quilting a Life: One Patch at a Time By B. L. Eikner
The Gee’s Bend Quilters, African American quilters who kept the art alive and are from the small town of Gee’s Bend, Alabama, is the most famous quilting circle in America and have toured around the world. There are many quilting circles in Oklahoma and Sistah’s Bee Quilting (SBQ) in Tulsa, after almost twenty-four years, is moving into the light of the art world. The Sistah’s Bee Quilting group was founded in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1997 by a group of women from various backgrounds but with the common thread of having grandmothers and mothers who quilted. When asked for the top three reasons for joining the quilting group, Joyce Williams, president, stated, “Our mothers and grandmothers were quilters, so we grew up exposed to the art and necessity of quilts; [second], the ability to make something functional out of nothing and furthering the principle of ‘waste not/want not’ and finally, expanding on and sharing creative ideas and coalescing with other ‘Sistahs’. During these times we solve world problems, listen to rhythm and blues, and enjoy each other’s company.”
Margaret Love with her quilt Shadow Box, 98” x 108”, cotton, machine quilted and hand sewn, Photo by Don Thompson Images
The art of quilting has been around for centuries. First seen in the textile works of the Chinese, Turks, and North Africans. Men of war wore quilted vests and jackets layered to add warmth and protection during activities of conflict. As time went by, bedding was designed with multiple layers to ensure warmth during frigid weather for the rich and elite and then peoples around the world used patches and scraps to make quilts a common bedding among the public.
Sistah’s Bee Quilting, Left to right: Joyce Williams, Lois Smith, Margaret Love, Gwen Taylor, Sammie Hitche, Billie Patterson and Tereena Johnson with African designs inspired quilt, Photo by Don Thompson Images
The quilts’ journey to the North American continent was by the indigenous travelers, movement of Europeans during the 16th century, enslaved Africans, and other immigrants. The process, though originally handmade, was changed significantly during the industrial revolution and with the invention of the sewing machine in 1840. This revolutionized the textile industry domestically and internationally. There are over thirty quilt museums around the country and over fifty-five around the world. The various styles, techniques and models have kept the quilting art form alive and well.
16 p re v i e w
In 2007, the SBQ decided to open a shop, The Quilters Hangout, and transform their pastime into a center of artistic creation, education, and exposing the art of quilts to the community. The shop is located at 3314 N Harvard Avenue, Tulsa, Oklahoma and was built by O. C. Taylor, one of the founding members. The members have not only made quilts but collected family and antique heirlooms and repaired quilts for clients and family members who want to preserve them. Member and founder Shirley Smith has been given the name, Quilt Whisperer, due to her extensive skills and expertise in repairing antique quilts. As a group, Sistah’s Bee Quilting, has crafted close to one thousand quilts. They have not entered any contests, sold any quilts, or asked for payment on any of their projects since inception in 1997. The Founding members are Gwen Taylor (Treasurer/ Instructor), Shirley Smith (Instructor), Lois Smith (Instructor), Billie Patterson (Vice President), O. C. Taylor, and the late Reverend J. B. Patterson. Current members are Alona Alexander, Margaret Love (Secretary), Tareena Johnson (Instructor), Teri Evans, Deborah Brown, Pauline Banks, Ella Hunt, Shannon Rentie, Sammye Hitchye, Cheryl Rainey, Theressa Hingin, Mary Beth Morgan, Emily Marshall, and Joyce G. Smith Williams (President). (continued to page 18)
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(continued from page 16)
Right: Joyce G. Williams, President of SBQ with her African creation of Batik patches, hand sewn shells and patches of African influence designs. Left: Shirley Smith “Quilt Whisperer” and Founder of Sistah’s Bee Quilting with one of the many antique quilts she has repaired for clients
Most of SBQ quilts are machine quilted and hand sewn with batting of 100% cotton. Here are a few questions posed to Joyce G. Williams: Eikner: Who inspired you to Quilt?
Williams: Most of our grandmothers quilted. For me personally, Gwen Taylor, Shirley Smith, and Lois Smith have been my teachers because I didn’t have the interest when I was surrounded by the masters of the art in my family. Eikner: Have you quilted for non-profits or celebrities?
Williams: Yes, we have made quilts for The Laura Dester Center, Children’s Medical Center, The Women’s’ Shelter, Overseas Media Services, The African Ancestral Society, A Pocket Full of Hope, Friends of the Rudisill Library, Lacy Park, The Terence Crutcher Foundation, The Juice (Bobby Eaton Media Services), and Theater North. Eikner: Do you teach or plan to host quilting classes for youth or adults?
Williams: COVID-19 has disrupted our flow but we usually, under normal circumstances, 18 p re v i e w
have classes twice a month, depending on the number of students/new members for adults and teenagers. We generally have workshops for children during the summer.
do believe that there is an increased interest in the quilting arts.
Eikner: Have you visited or seen any historical quilting groups such as Gees Bend in Alabama?
Williams: The Church of the Restoration, the Greenwood Cultural Center, the Office of the Terrence Crutcher Foundation, and Living Arts of Tulsa.
Williams: A couple of our quilters are on the waiting list for the 2022 Gees Bend Workshop. I have seen several quilt exhibitions at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C. Eikner: Where do you get your designs from…nature, soul, spirit, community?
Williams: Really, all the above in addition to magazines and quilting books and programs. We can never underestimate the power of the imagination, especially when we consider combining colors and textures of fabric. Eikner: Do you think quilting is a dying art or on the rise among the public?
Williams: Quilting, as an art form has certainly been under-valued among the general population. The educational system has not provided or facilitated a mechanism for developing skills in the textile area, however I
Eikner: Where are your quilts currently on exhibit as art pieces?
Eikner: Do you have any major projects planned for 2021?
Williams: Due to the resurgence of the Delta variant of COVID-19 we have delayed any projects until the start of 2022. Sistah’s Bee Quilting can be contacted at Gwen Taylor-SBQ, 3314 N Harvard Avenue, Tulsa, Oklahoma 74106 n B. L. Eikner is an author, journalist, poet, and art consultant. She is owner of Trabar & Associates and a regular contributor to Art Focus Oklahoma. Her works are included in Release Me, The Spirits of Greenwood Speak, Anthology 2021. She can be reached at Trabar@ windstream.net and on Twitter @trabar1.
In the Studio with Daniel Sutliff By Steve Liggett
Artist Daniel Sutliff with his work
I’ve watched Daniel’s work evolve over the past fifteen years. He has an obsessive fascination with electronic music, early 8-bit video games, and the interaction between the two. I love his lack of fear to follow his own path wherever that leads and have given him this opportunity to show that lack of fear through his paintings in this exhibition.
Liggett: Where did your original interest
Liggett: It’s really interesting that you are
Sutliff: I’ve always liked seeing and hearing [about] the process of things. The digital world is so streamlined and invisible. I prefer giant glowing buttons that honk and flash when you press them. I want to see the gears moving.
Sutliff: The digital realm is a tool that I use like a sketchbook. It’s practical. I can design and choose colors before committing to them
in analog technologies stem from?
creating what looks like digital art with paint. Can you talk about the relationship between the two mediums and how that shows up in your work?
(continued to page 20) f e a t u re 19
(continued from page 19)
Daniel Sutliff, Snake Pass, 2021, acrylic on canvas, 36” x 48”
physically. Paint is expensive! When you’re using a wide array of colors it helps. When it comes to realizing the ideas in the physical world, I want them to look handmade. I want the imperfections to show. Liggett: You talk about how you celebrate the limitations that minimalist computer graphics impose on your work. How does working within those restraints on your work affect the outcome?
Sutliff: It helps me get the most out of what I’m working with. Nothing is wasted. It feels like one complete expression. There is nothing worse than having an infinite number of options. That being said, I haven’t limited my color palette and that’s often the hardest thing to figure out!
20 f e a t u re
Top right: Magenta Manifold, 2019, acrylic on canvas, 24” x 24” Above: Phasic Guards (Detail), 2021
Liggett: Do the images you create come
represent: still frames from an endless animated sequence.
Sutliff: Both. The figures and some of the structures are mined from games I grew up playing. I use them as raw material. The paintings are like collages. Instead of ripping apart National Geographics I’m ripping apart video games.
Daniel Sutliff’s exhibition, Byte Sized Mind, is on view at Liggett Studio in Tulsa, OK from October 8 to October 29. More of his work can be found at danielsutliff.com. More information about the exhibition can be found at liggettstudio.com. n
from actual video games or are they all imagined worlds?
Liggett: We are so excited to show your
work at Liggett Studio. What can viewers expect to see at the show?
Sutliff: Several paintings and what I call “free shapes,” which are like disembodied fragments from the paintings. I’m also working on some sculptural reliefs and some animations to illustrate the nature of what the paintings
Steve Liggett is a working artist/artist advocate with a 50-year history of supporting local artists by showing their works. He has won many awards including the Governor’s Art Award, the Harwelden Award, and the John Hope Franklin Award. He currently operates Liggett Studio and Liggett Pottery in Tulsa, OK.
1400 Classen Drive, Oklahoma City
EARTHLY MIRAGE
Hoesy Corona August 6 - October 24, 2021 ahhaTulsa.org
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A Cursed Blessing: How Art Saved Sean Gonzales By Eliseo Garcia
Sean Gonzales with his work
The Curse of 2020 and How Art Got Sean Gonzales Through a Pandemic
“Art is something I never grew out of,” Sean Gonzales said, his arms, tattooed like a canvas. “It was something I always liked to do. Some kids like to play sports, I would doodle. In school, most guys played football; I had notebooks full of drawings.” Gonzales, a truck driver by trade living in west Texas, worked long hours for days on end. He lacked motivation, and the long days stole the wind from his creative sails. He daydreamed at work, wondering what was next in his life. During the pandemic, his work hours were cut, and like many people, he had trouble with bills and rent. Gonzales was given the option of a voluntary layoff. With his children away at college he was alone. “I would start to miss my kids. I would go through little rough patches, fall into depression and stay in bed locked away in my room.” While the pandemic was a curse, it forced Gonzales to do what he had always dreamed of doing. The once-trucker turned to art, and he found that creative desire again in his hometown of Clinton, Oklahoma. 22 f e a t u re
The Blessing
Influences and Pop Artists
Gonzales’ children, who are his biggest critics and artistic guides, could visit more frequently after the move. “I like that my kids will give it to me raw—they don’t sugar coat; they don’t hold back,” said Gonzales. “During the pandemic, I rediscovered my love for art.”
Gonzales attributes cartoons, Star Wars, and comic books as early influences. He was also fascinated by his uncle Adolfo’s detailed artwork. As a collector of Topps Garbage Pail Kids trading cards, Gonzales once wrote Topps with examples and ideas of new characters. Someone from Topps wrote him back and told him they loved his ideas, but Gonzales thought because of child labor laws, they couldn’t employ him as an artist.
After battling his panic and personal demons, Gonzales moved back to his hometown of 20,000 people, but he never thought he would return to pursue his art. However, Clinton is the birthplace of his passion for creation. In the fourth grade Gonzales was once given an assignment to draw what he wanted to be when he grew up. He remembered the drawing made it on the front page of the Clinton Daily News at the age of ten or eleven. “I drew myself as an artist, painting on an easel, wearing a beret with a lamp shining down on me. The art became more therapeutic. I started doing more painting, to keep my mind busy,” he said. With ideas always in his head during 2020, he was able to dedicate more time to his true passion.
When he enrolled in art class in eighth grade his art teacher praised his work and encouraged him to continue. His teacher gravitated towards him, impressed with the young artist’s ability. “I was one of six people in eighth grade to receive a certificate of special recognition for art at graduation if I remember correctly.” Early on, his drawing sketches were primarily in pencil and he worked little with color. “I was always intimidated by colors and paint,” he said, “There are a lot of artists that I love and like to emulate.” Gonzales said artists Andy Warhol, Salvador Dali, Alec Monopoly, Steven Paul Judd, D*Face, Alex Pardee, and Banksy were the artists who inspired him the most.
Left: Sean Gonzales, Be Quiet and Drive, acrylics and spray paint on MDF board, 24” x 30” Above: Sean Gonzales, Moonage Daydream, mixed media, Lego panels, acrylics and spray paint in resin on MDF board, 31” x 31”
Gonzales pre-enrolled in the Art Institute of Dallas, but never followed through due to his responsibilities as a parent to two young children. Years later he would discover another way to perfect his craft. “I saw this commercial for The Art Instruction Schools around 2007 or 2008, and I got accepted for home study courses,” he said. He completed several of the drawing assignment, but again life’s challenges got in the way. More Than a Hobby
Walking into Gonzales’ home is like entering an art gallery. His walls are adorned with his original works alongside works from some of his favorite artists. Masks from the Marvel Universe and Star Wars creations are scattered throughout. When he returned to Clinton, his family and friends visited and marveled at his art collection. “One of my aunts asked me, ‘did you paint these?’ and gave me a picture of what she wanted and asked if I could paint it, so it took off from there.” That first commission led Gonzales to realize his hobby could become so much more.
By word of mouth through family and friends, he began to get more and more requests. Starting out in his living room, and then out into his garage, his art and paintings kept growing. Gonzales, AKA Swab, created an Instagram page @swabscream dedicated to his art. “I started with maybe 60 followers, and now I’m at 4,400 plus followers,” he said. He was invited by another relocated artist and friend Cody McElroy better known as Dirty Needle Embroidery, to join him at the art space of West OK CO-OP , located at 613 Frisco Ave. in Clinton Oklahoma. He has been commissioned to paint star athletes like standouts CeeDee Lamb and Trey Sermon to icons Selena, Madonna, and Audrey Hepburn. “Someone actually tagged Sermon on my Instagram post of the painting I was working on, and I was honored that he responded,” Gonzales said. During the 2021 Cinco de Mayo festival in Clinton, Gonzales rented a booth to display his art and did a live painting adorning his favorite sugar skull mask.
“I can remember this lady came up to me and wanted a picture. I started to pose without my mask, and she looked at me saying, ‘You’re not going to wear the mask?’” From then on, the mask has been SWAB’s calling card. “I love the mask; it makes me feel like a kid–it’s like a whole other persona and I’d rather take photos with the mask on,” Gonzales said. The pandemic has thrust SWAB back into his art and he has no plans on looking back. “I’d rather grind and do what I’ve always wanted to do than go back to my old job. I don’t want it to come to that,” he said. Thus, his favorite Salvador Dali quote: “Those who do not want to imitate anything, produce nothing.” “I would be honored in the years to come if my art inspires future artist to emulate my style,” said Gonzales. n Eliseo “Rudy” Garcia, a University of Central Oklahoma graduate, is a curious, well-rounded, father, actor, writer,Tex-Mex living in Oklahoma. They can be reached at eliseogarcia.okc@gmail.com. f e a t u re 23
EKPHRASIS: Art & Poetry edited by Liz Blood
Ekphrasis is an ongoing series joining verse and visual art. Here, Mason Whitehorn Powell responds to Steve Blesh’s mixed media work, that’s life.
Is This It?
We were all enemies Without one the wiser. Vying for sunlight, Water and air. Particles of life flashed like Lightning, giving and taking. I internalized this world Until my debt was intangible, And all that was not me became An assault on my existence. Perhaps it didn’t have to be so? If I had the chance to become Someone new. My rebirth could be A second coming or reclaiming Steve Blesch is a visual, sound, and installation artist from Tulsa. Their work is inspired by the relationship between humans and nature and explores themes ranging from tranquility to malevolence. Mason Whitehorn Powell is an independent journalist and poet from Osage County, Oklahoma. A tribal member of the Osage Nation, his writing often focuses on Indigenous arts and representation.
24 e k p h r a s i s
Of better days. If it’s too late Is not a question for me to answer.
Steve Blesch, that’s life, 2020, spray paint, graphite, acrylic, metallic paper, & glitter on cold pressed paper, 16” x 21”
e k p h r a s i s 25
The University of Tulsa’s School of Art, Design and Art History is an intimate school where students are encouraged to thrive as an individual with their own goals, talents and vision. For Piper Prolago, a senior studying art history and anthropology, The University of Tulsa has been a place that has enabled her to pursue her many interests, both educational and professional. “My favorite thing about going to TU has been the opportunity for such a specialized education. My professors have all cared about me as an individual and helped me to find opportunities to engage with all of my interests.” Piper is not just an incredible student; she has used her considerable knowledge to achieve a multitude of accomplishments, including obtaining competitive awards, internships and playing an instrument in the TU Orchestra. This summer, Piper worked at the Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition as a D’Arcy intern and starting in the fall semester, she will serve as the Editor-in-Chief of TU’s student-run newspaper, The Collegian. Through TU programs like the Tulsa Undergraduate Research Challenge (TURC) and a fellowship with the Oklahoma Center for the Humanities, Piper has been able to develop research which she has presented at several conferences and her work has been published in places like Art Focus! Most recently, Piper was awarded the Jerri Jones Award to travel to the International Conference on the Image in Lisbon, Portugal and present a paper entitled “Within and Without: Navigating the Orientalist Fantasy and Hybrid Identity through the Architectural Settings of Lalla Essaydi, Shirin Neshat, and Hassan Hajjaj.” An essay she developed through TURC entitled “Socializing Sculpture: Commemorative Public Art as a Pedagogical Tool” was selected for publication in Art Style International Magazine in their special issue called “Metropolis: Visual Dynamic and Democratic Ideals.” TU’s small size, excellent faculty and targeted programs that foster student research opportunities have made an impact on students such as Piper, allowing them to study both the theory and practice of various subjects. Whether it is the opportunity to undertake research, obtain competitive awards and fellowships, engage in creative endeavors, or play a musical instrument in the orchestra, students come away feeling they were able to get the most from their education. “TU’s special programs like Honors and Global Scholars as well as spaces like TURC and the Oklahoma Center for the Humanities have allowed me to explore many topics that I am interested in outside of classes. I feel that my education has really been unique to me and centered around the things that I am passionate about.” Check out our most recent activities at @utulsaart and utulsa.edu/art.
For more information, visit www.utulsa.edu/art or call 918.631.2739 TU is an EEO/AA institution
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OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY FALL 2021 EXHIBITIONS
Rafael Corzo The Color of Dreams
September 23 — October 29, 2021
Opening reception Thursday, September 23, 2021 at 5 pm
Oklahoma Art Educators Association Exhibition November 4 — November 12, 2021
Opening reception Friday, November 5, 2021 at 5 pm
Capstone Exhibition
November 17 — December 12, 2021
Opening reception Wednesday, November 17, 2021 @ 5 pm
gardinergallery_osu
GardinerArtGallery
art.okstate.edu/gardiner-gallery/gardiner-art-gallery
OVAC NEWS
FALL 2021
Back again this year is our pandemic-born, statewide OK Art Crawl, planned for Saturday, October 16th from 10am to 8pm. Artists will set up their work for public viewing on their porches, in their driveways, and in parking lots across the state. It is free to attend and you can find all of the artists’ locations on an interactive map at OKArtCrawl.org. We are already busy planning Momentum, our exhibition for artists 30 and under, and we are excited to announce our Guest Curator for 2022 will be local curator and art appraiser, Helen Opper! The application for Emerging Curator closes on November 4th and the application for Spotlight closes on November 18th. For more information and to apply, visit MomentumOklahoma.org. Over the last several months, we have been working with a dedicated task force of
volunteers to help us reimagine Art Focus Oklahoma. Most of the content will be the same with a few new types of articles, but we are redesigning the logo and layout to give it a fresh new look. Additionally, we will have a new guest editor for the 2022 year! It’s everything you love about the publication with a few new additions—launching in Winter 2022! For the digital archive, information about writing, and to advertise with us, visit ArtFocusOklahoma.org. To keep up with the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter! Sincerely,
Krystle Kaye Executive Director
Krystle Kaye, Executive Director
Thank you to our new and renewing members from May through July 2021 Sharon Allred Ivan Alvarez Kolby Anderson Kristy Andrew Matthew Bacon Robin Baker Rea Baldridge Susan Baley Joanne Ballard Eric Bloemers Bryan Boone Tracey Brauer Amadee Braxton Rebecca Brienen Autumn Brown Elizabeth Anne Brown Tammy Brummell Martha Burger Zach Burns Pattie Calfy Gayle Canada Stan Carroll Claudia Carroll-Phelps Justine Cherwink Julianne Clark Matthew Claybrook
Glenda Cobb James Cobb Rick Cotter Peter Cullum Jason Cytacki Wanda D’Amato Bryan Dahlvang Leslie Dallam Kasey Davis Adrienne Day Paula Desrochers Madeline Dillner Julia DuBreuil Andrea Duran-Cason Tess Elliot Sarah Engel Ellen Etzler ashlyn faulkner Jon Fisher Lauren Florence Ellen Frank Andrea Gardner Kristin Gentry Geologic Colors Studio Irmgard Geul Kristen and Dusty Gilpin
Kevin Gleason Austin Gober Jean Griffin Betty Hancock Jessica Harjo Patricia Harper william hawk Adam Heilman Walt and Jean Hendrickson Shelly Henry Ame Hernandez Geoffrey Hicks Samuel Higgins Todd Horner Pamela Husky Jennifer Hustis Sheri Ishmael-Waldrop EunKyung Jeong Kelsey Karper Krystle Kaye Joel Kelley Paitton Kendrick Callery Eric Kimberlin Jessica Kinsey Jana LaChance
Brian Landreth Kelly Langley Adam Lanman Michelle Lapidus Anitra Lavanhar Trent Lawson Darci Lenker William Livingston Trace Logan Dana Lombardo Rebecca Lucht Cynthia Marcoux Chelsea Marr Dru Marseilles Leslie Martin Debra Martin-Barber Janice Mathews-Gordon Andy Mattern Mark Maxted Deina McIntosh Richard McKown John Porter McNeese Michael McRuiz Michelle “Mikie” Metcalfe Nicole Moan Brenden Moore
Anne Morales Lynsie Morris R.C. Morrison Roxxann Murphy Kathryn Nelson Lauretta Newby-Coker Marilyn Nicely Caleb Nichols The O. Gail Poole Collection Taylor Painter-Wolfe Caroline Patton Karen Paul Jamie Pemberton Ronna Pernell Nancy Peterson Haley Prestifilippo Lynn Questell Elizabeth Richards Anne Richardson Kathy Rodgers Tim Ryan Jay Sage Katy Sanchez Stephen Schwark Kerri Shadid
Carl and Beth Shortt Ashley Showalter Indu Singh David Smith Diana J. Smith James Smith Ann Solinski Agnes Stadler Jonene Swigart E. Dee Tabor Jim Terrell Thunderbird Clubhouse Steve Tomlin Urban Renewal Designs Jason White Elizabeth Wilson John Wolfe Keith Wolfe May Yang Rhonda Young Candie Yount
o v a c n e w s 27
Gallery Listings & Exhibition Schedule Ada
Claremore
Aug 17 – Oct 14 Courtney Starrett Oct 25 – Nov 19 66th Annual Faculty Exhibit Nov 22 – Dec 10 Senior Exhibition Dec 13 – Jan 6 HS:X3 The Pogue Gallery East Central University 920 E Main St (580) 559-5353 ecok.edu
The Gary Moeller Gallery of the Arts Rogers State University 1701 W Will Rogers Blvd (918) 343-7740 rsu.edu
Altus Wigwam Gallery 121 W Commerce St (580) 477-1100
Alva Oct 1 Oct 30 Pathways and Things Nov 5 – Nov 30 Gateways Dec 3 – Dec 31 Christmas Show and Sale Graceful Art Center 523 Barnes St (580) 327-ARTS gracefulartscenter.org
Ardmore
The Goddard Center 401 1st Ave SW (580) 226-0909 goddardcenter.org
Bartlesville Aug 28 – Nov 7 In Good Company Price Tower Arts Center 510 Dewey Ave (918) 336-4949 pricetower.org
Davis Jul 1 – Oct 31 Eva Cantrell Chickasaw Nation Welcome Center 35 N Colbert Rd (580) 369-4222 chickasawcountry.com/explore/ view/Chickasaw-nationwelcome-center
Duncan Oct 1 – Dec 31 Blackhorse: A Retrospective Chisholm Trail Heritage Center & Garis Gallery of the American West 1000 Chisholm Trail Pkwy (580) 252-6692 onthechisholmtrail.com
Durant Centre Art Gallery Southeastern Oklahoma State University 1614 N 1st St
Durham Metcalfe Museum 8647 N 1745 Rd (580) 655-4467 metcalfemuseum.org
Edmond
Chickasha
Sep 16 – Nov 18 Women’s Rights Are Human Rights: International Posters on Gender-Based Inequality, Violence, and Discrimination Dec 9 – Dec 16 Senior Capstone Exhibition Melton Gallery University of Central Oklahoma 100 University Dr (405) 974-6358 uco.edu/cfad
Nesbitt Gallery University of Science and Arts Oklahoma 1806 17th St (405) 574-1344 usao.edu/gallery/schedule
Edmond Historical Society & Museum 431 S Blvd (405) 340-0078 edmondhistory.org
Broken Bow Forest Heritage Center Beaver’s Bend Resort (580) 494-6497 beaversbend.com
Oct 7 – Oct 29 Lezley Lynch Nov 4 – Nov 29
28 g a l l e r y g u i d e
Behnaz Sohrabian Dec 2 – Jan 1 Kyndall Rainey Fine Arts Institute of Edmond 27 E Edwards St (405) 340-4481 edmondfinearts.com University Gallery Oklahoma Christian University 2501 E Memorial Rd oc.edu
El Reno Oct 4 – Oct 29 JessOh Nov 1 – Dec 17 Student Art Show Redlands Community College 1300 S Country Club Rd (405) 262-2552 redlandscc.edu
Guthrie Hancock Creative Shop 116 S 2nd St (405) 471-1951 hancockcreativeshop.wordpress. com Home Sweet Home on the Range 110 W Harrison Ave (405) 230-7323 Owens Arts Place Museum 1202 E Harrison Ave (405) 260-0204
Guymon All Fired Up Art Gallery 421 N Main St (580) 338-4278 artistincubation.com
Idabel Museum of the Red River 812 E Lincoln Rd (580) 286-3616 museumoftheredriver.org
Lawton The Leslie Powell Foundation and Gallery 620 SW D Ave (580) 357-9526 lpgallery.org Museum of the Great Plains 601 NW Ferris Ave (580) 581-3460 discovermpg.org
Norman The Crucible Gallery 110 E Tonhawa St (405) 579-2700 thecruciblellc.com Downtown Art and Frame 115 S Santa Fe Ave (405) 329-0309 Firehouse Art Center 444 S Flood Ave (405) 329-4523 normanfirehouse.com Grapevine Gallery 200 N University Blvd (405) 528-3739 grapevinegalleryokc.com Aug 22 – Oct 18 Azhwakwa: Contemporary Anishinaabe Art Jacobson House 609 Chautauqua Ave (405) 366-1667 jacobsonhouse.com Jun 24 – Dec 31 A Life in Looking Aug 5 – Jan 30 Patrick Nagatani: Nuclear Enchantment Fred Jones Jr Museum of Art 555 Elm Ave (405) 325-3272 ou.edu/fjjma Oct 12 – Nov 12 Isla Hansen Nov 22 – Dec 14 MFA Inclusive Exhibition Lightwell Gallery University of Oklahoma 520 Parrington Oval (405) 325-2691 art.ou.edu Oct 8 – Nov 24 Herb Greene: Mapping the Mental Continuum MAINSITE Contemporary Art Gallery 122 E Main St (405) 360-1162 normanarts.org Sep 10 – Nov 6 Annual Quilt and Textile Arts Show Nov 27 – Jan 8 Christmas in Oklahoma Territory Moore-Lindsey Historical House Museum 508 N Peters Ave (405) 321-0156 normanhistorichouse.org
The Depot Gallery 200 S Jones Ave (405) 307-9320 normandepot.org
Oklahoma City Nov 19 Postcard Perspectives [ArtSpace] at Untitled 1 NE 3rd St (405) 815-9995 artspaceatuntitled.org Contemporary Art Gallery 2928 Paseo (405) 601-7474 Sep 9 – Oct 10 Tony Thunder Oct 7 – Nov 7 No Regrets Tattoo Nov 11 – Dec 5 Natural Process Show DNA Galleries 1709 NW 16th St (405) 525-3499 dnagalleries.com Jul 1 – Oct 31 Women Warriors Nov 1 – Feb 28 Klan Stories July 1 – Oct 31 Women Warriors Exhibit C 1 E Sheridan Ave Ste 100 (405) 767-8900 chickasawcountry.com Factory Obscura 25 NW 9th St factoryobscura.com Gaylord-Pickens Oklahoma Heritage Museum 1400 Classen Dr (405) 235-4458 oklahomaheritage.com Howell Gallery 6432 N Western Ave (405) 840-4437 howellgallery.com In Your Eye Studio and Gallery 3005A Paseo (405) 525-2161 inyoureyegallery.com JRB Art at the Elms 2810 N Walker Ave (405) 528-6336 jrbartgallery.com
Aug 20 – Oct 17 Find Your North Jul 16 – Feb 27 Framework: Exploring the Artistic Process Jul 9 – Oct 17 ¡Viva México! Aug 27 – May 8 Tattooing: Religion, Reality and Regret Sep 10 – Jan 2 New Beginning: An American Story of Romantics and Modernists in the West Oct 1 – Jan 2 Traditional Cowboy Arts Exhibition & Sale Nov 6 – Nov 28 Small Works, Great Wonders Nov 20 - May 8 Santa Fe Trail Dec 10 – May 8 Mother Roads National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum 1700 NE 63rd St (405) 478-2250 nationalcowboymuseum.org
Jun 26 – Oct 17 The Painters of Pompeii May 12 – Nov 7 Fritz Scholder May 15 – Nov 7 From Heroes to Immortals May 15 – Nov 7 A Room with a View Oklahoma City Museum of Art 415 Couch Dr (405) 236-3100 okcmoa.com
Nault Gallery 816 N Walker Ave www.naultfineart.com
Oct 1 – Oct 30 OK Pastel Society Sept - Oct Paseo Photofest Nov - Dec Brent Learned Nov – Dec SmallArt Show Paseo Arts & Creativity Center 3024 Paseo (405) 525-2688 thepaseo.com
Aug 13 – Oct 16 Connect: Collect Print Exchange & Print as Object Oct 21 – Dec 3 Small Worlds – Carolyn Cardenas Contradictions – Bobby Ross Nona Hulsey Gallery, Norick Art Center Oklahoma City University 1600 NW 26th St (405) 208-5226 okcu.edu Aug 12 – Oct 26 Thoughts on Africa Inasmuch Foundation Gallery Oklahoma City Community College 7777 S May Ave (405) 682-7576 occc.edu Sep 16 – Nov 18 Women’s Rights are Human Rights: International Posters on Gender-Based Inequality, Violence, and Discrimination Dec 9 – Dec 16 Senior Capstone Exhibition Melton Gallery University of Central Oklahoma 2501 N Blackwelder Ave (405) 208-5000 www.uco.edu
May 27 – Oct 28 Crystal Z Campbell: Flight May 6 - Sept 20 Chakaia Booker: Shaved Portions Oct 21 – Feb 21 Open World Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center 11 NW 11th St (405) 951-0000 oklahomacontemporary.org Oklahoma State Capitol Galleries 2300 N Lincoln Blvd (405) 521-2931 arts.ok.gov
Red Earth BancFirst Tower 100 N Broadway Ave, Suite 2750 (405) 427-5228 redearth.org Oct 30 – April 15 Mind Mirrors: Empathy in Art and Neuroscience smART Space Science Museum Oklahoma 2020 Remington Pl (405) 602-6664 sciencemuseumok.org
Pauls Valley
Tahlequah
Oct 15 – Nov 12 Hometowns The Vault Art Space and Gathering Place 111 E Paul Ave, Suite 2 (405) 343-6610
Cherokee Arts Center 212 S Water Ave (918) 453-5728 Cherokeenationart.com
Ponca City Ponca City Art Center 400 E Central Ave (580) 765-9746 poncacityartassociation.org
Shawnee Sep 11 – Oct 17 Art of the Aloha Shirt: Keoni of Hawaii, 1938-51 Mabee-Gerrer Museum of Art 1900 W Macarthur St (405) 878-5300 mgmoa.org
Stillwater Sep 23 – Oct 29 Rafael Corzo: The Color of Dreams Nov 4 – Nov 12 Oklahoma Arts Educators Association Exhibition Nov 17- Dec 10 BFA Studio Capstone Exhibition Gardiner Gallery of Art Oklahoma State University 107 Bartlett Center for the Visual Arts (405) 744-6016 museum. okstate.edu Jul 6 – Oct 30 Sun Patters, Dark Canyon Oct 19 – Dec 11 Themes on Being: A Mark Sisson Retrospective Postal Plaza Gallery Oklahoma State University Museum of Art 720 S Husband St (405) 744-2780 museum. okstate.edu Oct 3 – Oct 26 OSU Faculty Show Modella Art Gallery 721 S Main St Modellaartgallery.org
Park Hill
Sulphur
Cherokee National Historical Society, Inc. 21192 S Keeler Dr (918) 456-6007 cherokeeheritage.org
Jul 1 – Oct 31 Kristin Gentry Chickasaw Visitor Center 901 W 1st St (580) 622-8050 chickasawcountry.com/explore/ view/Chickasaw-visitor-center
The Spider Gallery 215 S Muskogee Ave (918) 453-5728
Tonkawa Eleanor Hays Gallery Northern Oklahoma College 1220 E Grand Ave (580) 628-6670 north-ok.edu
Tulsa Oct 1 – Nov 21 The Space Between Dec 3 – Jan 23 State of Craft 108|Contemporary 108 E Reconciliation Way (918) 895-6302 108contemporary.org exhibit by aberson 3524B S Peoria Ave (918) 740-1054 abersonexhibits.com Aug 6 – Oct 24 Earthly Mirage by Hoesy Corona Nov 5 – Dec 26 Seed Reef by Emma Difani and Malcolm Zachariah ahha 101 E Archer St (918) 584-3333 ahhatulsa.org Gilcrease Museum 1400 N Gilcrease Museum Rd (918) 596-2700 gilcrease.utulsa.edu Henry Zarrow Center for Art and Education 124 E Reconciliation Way (918) 631-4400 gilcrease.utulsa. edu/Explore/Zarrow Alexandre Hogue Gallery University of Tulsa 2935 E 5th St (918) 631-2739 utulsa.edu/art Oct 30 – Nov 24 ARTworks Holliman Gallery Holland Hall 5666 E 81st St (918) 879-4791 hollandhall.org
Joseph Gierek Fine Art 1342 E 11th St (918) 592-5432 gierek.com Sep 3 – Oct 8 Oh, Tulsa! Living Arts 307 E Reconciliation Way (918) 585-1234 livingarts.org M.A. Doran Gallery 3509 S Peoria Ave (918) 748-8700 madorangallery.com Oct 8 – Oct 29 Byte Sized Mind Nov 5 – Nov 13 Money or Life Liggett Studio 314 S Kenosha Ave (918) 694-5719 liggettstudio.com Oct 23 Candles and Flamethrowers Lovetts Gallery 6528 E 51st St (918) 664-4732 lovettsgallery.com Philbrook Museum of Art 2727 S Rockford Rd (918) 748-5300 philbrook.org Pierson Gallery 1309-1313 E 15th St (918) 584-2440 piersongallery.com Nov 5 5x5 Sale and Show Tulsa Artists’ Coalition 9 E MB Brady St (918) 592-0041 tacgallery.org Tulsa Performing Arts Center Gallery 110 E 2nd St (918) 596-7122 tulsapac.com Urban Art Lab Studios 1130 S Harvard Ave (918) 625-0777 Waterworks Art Studio 1710 Charles Page Blvd (918) 596-2440 cityoftulsa.org
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Weatherford SWOSU Art Gallery 100 Campus Drive (580) 774-3756 swosu.edu
Wilburton The Gallery at Wilburton 108 W Main St (918) 465-9669
Woodward Plains Indians and Pioneers Museum 2009 Williams Ave (580) 256-6136 nwok-pipm.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. Collector Level + Community Supported Art (CSA) Program $1,000 ($85 a month option) · · · · ·
2 original and quality pieces of art by Oklahoma artists 2 tickets to CSA Launch Events twice a year 2 tickets to 12x12 Art Fundraiser $400 of this membership is tax deductible All of below
PATRON $250 · · · · ·
Listing of self or business on signage at events Invitation for 2 people to private reception with visiting curator 2 tickets each to Momentum OKC & Momentum Tulsa $200 of this membership is tax deductible. All of below
FELLOW $150 · · · · ·
Acknowledgement in Resource Guide and Art Focus Oklahoma Copy of each OVAC exhibition catalog 2 tickets to Tulsa Art Studio Tour $100 of this membership is tax deductible. All of below
FAMILY $75
· Same benefits as Individual, for 2 people in household
INDIVIDUAL $45 · · · · ·
Subscription to Art Focus Oklahoma magazine Monthly e-newsletter of Oklahoma art events & artist opportunities Receive all OVAC mailings Listing in and copy of annual Resource Guide & Member Directory Invitation to Annual Members’ Meeting
Plus, artists receive: · Inclusion in online Artist Gallery, ovacgallery.com · Artist entry fees waived for OVAC exhibitions · Up to 50% discount on Artist Survival Kit workshops · Affiliate benefits with Fractured Atlas, Artist INC Online, Artwork Archive, and the National Alliance for Media Arts & Culture.
STUDENT $25
· Same benefits as Individual level. All Student members are automatically enrolled in Green Membership program (receive all benefits digitally).
30
MEMBER FORM ¨ Collector Level + Community Supported Art Program ¨ Patron ¨ Fellow ¨ Family ¨ Individual ¨ Student ¨ Optional: Make my membership green! Email only. No printed materials will be mailed. Name Street Address City, State, Zip Email Website
Phone
Credit card #
Exp. Date
Are you an artist? Y N Medium?________________________ Would you like to be included in the Membership Directory? Y N
Would you like us to share your information for other arts-related events?
Y
N
Detach and mail form along with payment to: OVAC 1720 N Shartel Ave, Ste B, Oklahoma City, OK 73103 Or join online at ovac-ok.org
Art Focus
Ok l a h o m a
UPCOMING EVENTS
Oct 7th:
Art Crit Night
Oct 11 – Nov 12:
24 Works on Paper at SEOSU Centre Arts Gallery, Durant
Oct 12:
ASK Workshop: Digital Marketing with Theresa Hultberg
Oct 16:
OK Art Crawl
Nov 4:
Momentum Emerging Curator Deadline
Nov 10:
Art Crit Night
Nov 18:
Momentum Spotlight Artist Deadline
Dec 2 – Jan 22:
24 Works on Paper at Gaylord Pickens Museum, Oklahoma City
1720 N Shartel Ave, Suite B Oklahoma City, OK 73103
Non Profit Org. US POSTAGE PAID Oklahoma City, OK Permit No. 113
The Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition grows and develops Oklahoma’s visual arts community through education, promotion, connection, and funding. Visit ovac-ok.org to learn more.
By proudly supporting arts and cultural education within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation and throughout the state of Oklahoma, the Chickasaw Nation plays a critical role in ensuring fine arts will continue to build bridges between cultures and remain something we can all enjoy for generations.
WE THRIVE BILL ANOATUBBY, GOVERNOR
