Donate NOW to help IAO help Briarwood, Plaza Towers elementary students make T-shirts at end-of-year party
A swing set at Briarwood Elementary School on Tuesday, May 21, 2013, after a tornado struck south Oklahoma City and Moore, Okla., on Monday. Photo by Nate Billings, The Oklahoman
For the next 24 hours or so, the nonprofit Individual Artists of Oklahoma is directing all the donations it receives to T-shirts and art supplies for a special project for Briarwood and Plaza Tower Elementary students, whose schools were destroyed in Monday’s devastating tornado.
Here is the email I just received from IAO Executive Director Kendall Brown:
As you know, this week Moore was hit by one of the worst tornadoes in recorded history. Several of our member artists, and one of our sweet interns, were affected by the storms. For the last few days, we have been at a loss for words here at IAO, not knowing what to say and not knowing what to do.
Today, that has changed. One of the mothers of two young boys that attend Briarwood Elementary School, which was destroyed on Monday, has approached us and asked for our help. Tomorrow morning at 10 a.m. a farewell celebration will be thrown for the students of Briarwood and Plaza Tower Elementary schools at a third location. IAO has been asked to provide teaching artists to assist the students in an activity to create t-shirts for themselves, as a final, happier conclusion to the school year.
The T-shirts for Briarwood Elementary have already been donated. We have secured a company that will sell the shirts at cost for Plaza Tower Elementary if we can secure the donation, and we still must come up with the money for the supplies to decorate the shirts.
Please consider donating. A donation as small as $5 is enough to ensure that one of the 1,200 students from the two schools will be able to make a T-shirt.
Today, we are proud to be Oklahoman. Together, we will rise.
To donate via PayPal, click here.
For more information, call 232-6060 or email kbrown@iaogallery.org.
-BAM
Graduation advice 2013: Kelsey Karper of the Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition
The full version of this story, which appears in Sunday’s Life section of The Oklahoman, was compiled by The Oklahoman’s Features and Entertainment Staff, including yours truly. To read graduation advice from other Oklahomans, go to NewsOK.com.
Beyond ‘laugh often,’ ‘live much’: unique words of wisdom
If they knew then what they know now, here is what an assortment of Oklahomans would say to today’s graduates — or wish they had heard at their own graduation.
Thousands of Oklahoma students are graduating in the month of May; many this weekend. We asked some notable and interesting Oklahomans what they’d say to this year’s graduates, or what they wish they would have heard at their graduations. Here’s what one of them had to say:
Kelsey Karper, associate director of the Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition: ‘Discover what you truly love’
“Congratulations, graduates! At this time when everyone is asking you what you’ll do next, take time to ignore the outside pressures and look within. Ask yourself what you want to do next. Follow your own passion. Pursue your own true desires. Don’t let the world around you make the decisions that will shape your life. Don’t worry if you’re not sure what you want to do with the rest of your life. Figuring it out takes time. Do whatever it takes to discover what you truly love, then go for it with all you’ve got!”
-BAM
What to do in Oklahoma on May 19, 2013: See Perpetual Motion Dance Company’s “Water Won’t Wait” (with video)
Today’s featured event:
See the final performance of Perpetual Motion Dance Company’s spring production “Water Won’t Wait” at 2 p.m. today at Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center at State Fair Park, 3000 General Pershing Blvd.
“Water Won’t Wait” is a new and original production featuring the modern dance company’s signature blend of stunning visuals and technical ingenuity as it delves into the fear, despair, and courage inspired by the unalterable current of time. “Water Won’t Wait” emerged from conversations between Perpetual Motion’s Artistic Director Michelle Moeller and Aerial Arts Director Kimberly Kieffer, who both recently experienced major life changes.
“The idea is that our lives are like water, so even if there is a wall, we will go right through it,” Kieffer said in a news release. “If we are sharp water, the wall will move out in front of us. If not, we will get beaten up in the process of getting through, but one way or another, we are going through the wall.”
Moeller believes the universal struggle of change will give audiences a chance to bring their own life stories into the production. The choreographers are using classical elements, water, air, earth, to expand and explore the theme of change. More time has also been afforded to exploration during the rehearsal process than previous years because of the magnitude and introspection of the subject matter. In addition to the stage choreography, Perpetual Motion is collaborated with local filmmaker K Edward Van Osdol to create a series of dance films to be interwoven throughout the concert.
This presentation is supported in part by an award from the Mid-America Arts Alliance, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Oklahoma Arts Council, the Kirkpatrick Family Fund, and foundations, corporations and individuals throughout Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas. Through state appropriations and grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Oklahoma Arts Council funds more than 1,200 events annually with an estimated total attendance of more than 3.5 million. Projects funded by the Oklahoma Arts Council generally account for more than $20 million in grants and matching funds distributed throughout Oklahoma’s economy throughout the state’s rural and urban communities.
Check out the videos previewing the show posted below. For more information, go to www.perpetualmotiondance.org.
For more events, go to www.wimgo.com.
-BAM
What to do in Oklahoma on May 17, 2013: See Pollard Theatre’s “Avenue Q” in Guthrie
Today’s featured event:
GUTHRIE – Catch the final weekend of the daring modern musical “Avenue Q” at 8 p.m. today and Saturday at the Pollard Theatre, 120 W Harrison.
“Avenue Q” is billed as a gut-bustingly hilarious modern musical focusing on a group of unique 20-somethings making their way in the big city, seeking their purpose in life. Although the show addresses humorous adult issues, it is similar to a beloved children’s show – a place where puppets are friends, Monsters are good and life lessons are learned. Winner of the Tony “Triple Crown” for best musical, best score and best book, “Avenue Q” is part flesh, part felt, and packed with heart. Intended for adult audiences only, “Avenue Q” is called “Sesame Street meets South Park” and tells the story of Princeton, a bright-eyed college grad who comes to New York City, with big dreams and a tiny bank account.
The show contains strong language, adult humor and puppet sexuality, and theater-goers are cautioned, “if a show can offend you, this one will.”
For more information, go to www.thepollard.org.
For more events, go to www.wimgo.com.
-BAM
Oklahoma Contemporary offering “Last Look” at “Bryan Adams: Exposed” tonight
Lindsay Lohan, New York, 2007, by Bryan Adams.
The Oklahoma Contemporary Art Center is inviting the public to take a “Last Look” at the exhibit “Bryan Adams: Exposed” beginning at 5:30 p.m. today. The exhibit closes Friday.
Visitors are invited to partake of light refreshments while exploring the exhibition. No RSVP required. Admission is free.
For the past 12 years, Grammy-winning musician Bryan Adams has sharpened his skills as a professional photographer by capturing intimate images of friends and colleagues in the entertainment, fashion and art industries. This beautiful exhibition features select images from his recently released book titled, “Exposed,” a comprehensive retrospective of his photographic work.
“Bryan Adams’ photographs of distinguished personalities from the world of fashion, art and music precisely mirror the major public preoccupations of the 21st century. Exposed comprises of work that is accessible but challenging, offering the audience a creative tension of sorts. It’s my aim to form connections – between art and the individual, between viewing and learning, between the easily understandable and the unfamilar – and this exhibition does it on all levels,” said Mary Ann Prior, Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center Executive Director, in the release.
Adams, 53, told me in an email interview that the images in the book and exhibit mostly are taken from photo shoots he’s done for magazines such as Harper’s Bazaar, Esquire and Interview. He also founded and shoots for the German art fashion publication Zoo Magazine.
Sometimes the Grammy-winning singer/songwriter-turned-shutterbug uses elaborate set pieces, like the roomful of mirrors he arranged for Lana Del Rey after her highly scrutinized “Saturday Night Live” performance last year.
“They all seem to happen quite organically; things happen. I can’t explain it. I usually have a team of people I work with, all kinds of creatives, from hair and makeup to stylists and art directors,” he said of choosing the right sets and props.
“It’s a journey, I love working in the studio and sometimes on location. Candid shots are always being taken, and there is something spontaneous and fun about them … but my preference is the studio.”
To read more of my interview with Adams, click here.
Portraits in the exhibition include a cross-section of international celebrities and emerging stars such as Danny Trejo, Victoria Beckham, Lindsay Lohan, Amy Winehouse, Mickey Rourke, Lana Del Ray, Natalia Vodianova, Mick Jagger, Sean Penn, Queen Elizabeth II, Sir Ben Kingsley and South African rave rapper Yo-Landi Visser.
Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center, formerly City Arts Center, is located at State Fair Park, 3000 General Pershing Blvd. For more information, go to www.oklahomacontemporary.org.
-BAM
Musician and performance lineup announced for 2013 Paseo Arts Festival
John Calvin
The Paseo Arts Association has announced the music and performance lineup for the 2013 Paseo Arts Festival, set for May 25-27 in the historic Paseo Arts District.
Musicians and other performers featured at the festival will perform on one of two stages: the North Stage—near Picasso Café—or the South Stage—in the middle of Paseo Drive, near NW 28 Street. The North Stage, curated by Casey Friedman of Acoustic Oklahoma, features singer-songwriters and acoustic performers of all stripes, while the South Stage features high-energy, louder musicians and some of the event’s most popular returning acts, such as perennial Festival opening act Tarpley’s Tappers (Saturday, noon, South Stage) and Edgar Cruz (Monday, 4 p.m., South Stage)
Music committee chair Amy Young and Casey Friedman have worked since January to curate a strong, diverse group of performers, encompassing every genre from country, blues, and folk to rock, electronic music, and much more.
“This festival, even though it’s smaller than some, truly captures and celebrates the local Oklahoma music flavor.” Friedman said in a news release. “I think we’ve gathered some of the best, most talented, hardest-working musicians in the metro area. I’m really proud of the lineup we have.”
Among the acts she is most excited to see, Young lists Sunday headliners Pidgin Band (Sunday, 9:30 p.m., South Stage), who describe their sound as “experimental Afro-Funk,” and who Young said will “put on a high-energy show that will really get people moving.”
Beau Jennings (Sunday, 5 p.m., North Stage) is another musician that Young mentions. Previously headlining the Brooklyn-based band Cheyenne, Jennings has now made a home in Oklahoma, and has recently filmed a documentary on Will Rogers.
On the North Stage, Casey Friedman is looking forward to a performance by Bat-or Kalo. Kalo is best known in her native Israel, where she became well-known as a child star. She has been in and out of Oklahoma since 2005, and Friedman looks forward to her bringing an international aspect to the roster. Friedman also looks forward to performances by new rising local star Josh Qualls. (Saturday, 7 p.m., North Stage)
The musicians described above are only a few of the 57 acts booked for The Paseo Arts Festival, which will take place on Memorial Day weekend in the Paseo Arts District, Oklahoma City’s distinctive arts community. The Paseo Arts District is located between NW 30 and 27 Streets and Walker and Hudson Avenue.
For more information, go to www.thepaseo.com.
See the full live entertainment schedule after the break.
Photo Slam to showcase 12 Oklahoma photographers Thursday at Oklahoma City Museum of Art
This digital photograph composite titled “Herding the Teacup Pink Mammathus Primigenius,” is by Norman photographer Sarah Engel-Barnett, one of the participants in Thursday’s Photo Slam at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art.
A version of this story appears in Wednesday’s Life section of The Oklahoman.
Photo Slam to showcase 12 Oklahoma photographers
Part art exhibit, part poetry slam, with a hint of “The Gong Show,” the juried event offers photographers a high-energy opportunity to show their work at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art.
That’s what the Oklahoma City Museum of Art and Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition are going for with their Photo Slam, a speedy showcase of 12 Oklahoma artists planned for Thursday night at the museum.
“It’s like a poetry slam, a story slam, the idea of a slam, where it’s like a real high-energy, fast-paced discussion,” said Chandra Boyd, the museum’s senior associate curator of education.
“The idea is that each photographer has five minutes to present their work, and they can do that in any format. … If they go over the five minutes, they get gonged. It’s fun to see the photographers’ personalities come out. They really get into this opportunity to tell about their work.”
This digital photograph composite titled “Herding the Teacup Pink Mammathus Primigenius,” is by Norman photographer Sarah Engel-Barnett, one of the participants in Thursday’s Photo Slam at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art.
Dynamic presentation
The Photo Slam doesn’t follow the typical art lecture format, said OVAC Associate Director Kelsey Karper.
Along with dynamic and competitive poetry slams, she said Photo Slam is inspired by PechaKucha, a presentation style developed in Tokyo in 2003. A kind of show-and-tell version of an open mike, PechaKucha — which translates roughly to “chit-chat” in Japanese — is aimed at architects and other creative types, who showcase their work and ideas in 20 images, each shown for just 20 seconds.
“It’s a way to give a presentation that’s more interesting, fast-moving and entertaining, so that’s the format that you get. But there’s a very strict time limit,” Karper said.
“We were taking these ideas from different types of really engaging presentation styles, and we kind of melded them together to come up with the Photo Slam.”
She’s not kidding about the strict time limit: Photographers who go over the time limit really will hear someone really bang a gong.
“We do encourage the artists to use their five minutes creatively. In the past, we’ve had people incorporate music. We had one photographer who went through the theater and hid things under everyone’s seats,” Karper said. “We’ve actually even had the presenting photographer taking pictures of the audience during their presentation … so I’m excited to see what this year’s group will do.”
This digital photograph titled “Bloom,” is by Weatherford photographer Summer Lu, one of the participants in Thursday’s Photo Slam at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art.
Oklahoma showcase
The museum and OVAC served up their first Photo Slam in 2008, and Thursday’s event will mark the third installment. The slams typically are offered in conjunction with a photography exhibition at the museum. “Herb Ritts: Beauty & Celebrity,” an exhibit of 80 black-and-white images by the legendary portrait photographer, opened last week at the museum and shows there through July 28.
Carlos Knight, art director at This Land Press, selected the dozen Photo Slam participants from a pool of applicants. Oklahoma City photographer Rex Barrett will be the master of ceremonies for the juried showcase.
The 12 chosen photographers — Lucia Martinez, Wendy Mutz, Kurt Nagy, Zach Nash, Ben Pendleton, all of Oklahoma City; Natalie Slater and Chad Clark, both of Tulsa; Sarah Engel Barnett, Norman; Summer Lu, Weatherford; Thomas Tucker, Edmond; Crystal Walters, Pryor; and Reginna Zhidov Chickasha — come from around the state and have varying degrees of photography experience.” from students to pros.
“It’s any level, it’s anyone who’s aspiring or accomplished. So “I think that’s the really fun part. You’ve got like professional photographers up against people who are hobbyists,” Boyd said.
“This is really their chance to get into the museum and fill the auditorium with people who are also photo enthusiasts. … We’ve had really good attendance in the past. I think by partnering with Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition, they are good to help us really connect to the art community in a way that we normally don’t get to do.”
In addition, the 12 participants work in varying styles, techniques and subject matters. Traditional photographs, iPhone shots and photo manipulations are expected to be included.
“It is limited to photography, but within photography, there’s all these variations in different styles and ways of working and photographic methods,” Karper said. “That’s part of what makes it really interesting.”
The gong doesn’t hurt, either.
GOING ON
Photo Slam
When: 7 p.m. Thursday.
Where: Oklahoma City Museum of Art, 415 Couch Drive.
Admission: Free. Admission to the rest of the museum is $5 after 5 p.m. Thursdays.
Information: www.ovac-ok.org or www.okcmoa.com.
-BAM
What to do in Oklahoma on May 15, 2013: See Trent Lawson’s velvet paintings at a.k.a. gallery in the Paseo
Today’s featured event:
See the exhibit “Velvet Memes: New Work by Trent Lawson” at a.k.a. gallery, 3001 Paseo in the Paseo Arts District.
The gallery is noon to 5 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday.
The Oklahoma City specializes in kitschy and witty velvet paintings that mingle pop culture and art history. They are definitely worth seeing while the exhibit is on view through May 27.
For more information, go to http://akagallery.net or www.trentlawson.net.
For more events, go to www.wimgo.com.
-BAM
Best Bets for May 10-12, 2013: Turnpike Troubadours, Asian Festival, OKC Philharmonic and Jason Aldean
Turnpike Troubadours
Here are my picks for the Best Bets in entertainment in Oklahoma this weekend, as listed in Friday’s Weekend Look section of The Oklahoman. For more events, go to www.wimgo.com.
1. CONCHO — Hear Oklahoma red dirt band the Turnpike Troubadours at 8 p.m. Saturday at Lucky Star Casino, 7777 N U.S. 81. Doors open at 7 p.m. Information: 262-7612 or www.luckystarcasino.org.
2. Take in food, art, crafts and activities from nine Asian cultures at the free 27th Annual Asian Festival from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Langston University Oklahoma City campus, 4205 N Lincoln Blvd. Information: 819-3652 or (918) 853-1929.
3. Listen to the Oklahoma City Philharmonic play its season finale “A Globetrotter’s Guide to the Orchestra,” featuring selections from Wagner, Tchaikovsky, Strauss and more, at 8 p.m. Saturday at the Civic Center, 201 N Walker. Information: 842-5387 or www.okcphilharmonic.org.
4. TULSA — Catch country superstar Jason Aldean, plus special guests Jake Owen and Thomas Rhett, in concert at 7:30 p.m. Friday at the BOK Center, 200 S Denver. Information: (866) 726-5287 or www.bokcenter.com.
-BAM
Video: “Herb Ritts: Beauty and Celebrity” photography exhibit opens at Oklahoma City Museum of Art
Herb Ritts may not be a household name, but much of the art he created has become ingrained in popular culture.
Herb Ritts’ “Matthew McConaughey, Palmdale,” from 1996, is featured in the new exhibit “Herb Ritts: Beauty and Celebrity” at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art. Photo provided by the Herb Ritts Foundation.
“Chances are you’ve seen his work and you just don’t know it,” said Sandy Cotton, development director for the Oklahoma City Museum of Art, where the special exhibition “Herb Ritts: Beauty and Celebrity” opened this week.
The 80 black-and-white photos in the exhibit depict notable personalities from the worlds of film, fashion, music, art, sports and politics.
“Beauty and Celebrity” includes Ritts’ portraits of Madonna, Michael Jackson, Bruce Springsteen, Axl Rose, Christopher Reeve, Matthew McConaughey, Dale Chihuly, Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Nelson Mandela, Ronald and Nancy Reagan, among others.
“Herb Ritts became woven immediately into American culture in the 1980s and ‘90s because of so many magazine covers and magazine editorials, fashion advertisements, commercials and also music videos. So he not only created fine art photography, but also had a very successful commercial side to his photography, one that was easily disseminated throughout culture,” said Jennifer Klos, associate curator at the museum.
“(He was) extremely influential. Herb Ritts created and propelled his own style.”
In this NewsOK video, Angi Bruss talks to Klos about the exhibit. To read more about the new show, click here.
-BAM
