Direct Support: Art 365 Curator Raechell Smith

After several years of planning, the Art 365 exhibition opened February 28, 2014 at [Artspace] at Untitled. Guest curator Raechell Smith worked with the five artists over the past year to develop the exhibition. Smith is the Director & Chief Curator at the H&R Block Artspace at the Kansas City Art Institute. Learn more about the exhibition and Smith’s perspective on the work in this video and in her curatorial statement below. 

Bryan Cook, Cathleen Faubert, Eyakem Gulilat, Alexandra Knox, Romy Owens

This year’s Art 365 introduces us to new and exciting artwork created by five artists who set out to challenge the vision and scope of their artistic practice in a dynamic partnership with the Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition (OVAC).

A journey undertaken can assume many forms and the scale of its encounters can be grand or small.  For this project, each artist has embarked on a unique, adventurous journey.

While four of the artists traveled to regions both near and far to gather images, experiences, knowledge, and materials for the works presented in the exhibition, all of the artists have made new discoveries and gained fresh perspectives.

While one artist’s inner quest to define a purposeful, creative life has been graciously transformed into an immersive space for others to experience quiet communion and contemplation, they each have expanded the edges of their artistic and personal realms in courageous ways.

Art 365 artist Cathleen Faubert in studio visit with curator Raechell Smith 

One remarkable and common theme present throughout the exhibition is a deep interest in place. The artists give shape to questions that help us understand how place informs our personal and cultural identity and how we sometimes gain from it a sense of belonging, an understanding of home or notions of a homeland.

In photography and installations, the artists explore personal, familial, natural and cultural histories and ecologies as they consider the many ways we can survey and understand place - a particular landscape - and our connection to it.

Over the course of the past year, these five creative practices have shifted and expanded to include new and innovative approaches to thinking and making work. 

With direct support from OVAC, each project has been generously shaped by inspiration, extraordinary vision, opportunity, conversation, and the shared knowledge of many. From all accounts, it has been a journey well taken.

Raechell Smith

Guest Curator, Art 365

See the exhibition [Artspace] at Untitled, 1 NE 3^rd, in Oklahoma City 10-5 Tuesday through Friday or 10-4 on Saturdays or check out some of the public programs. Admission is free and will continue through May 10. The exhibition will be recreated at the Hardesty Arts Center (AHHA)101 E Archer St, Tulsa May 23 through August 9, 2014.

Momentum Tulsa Emerging Curator: Krystle Brewer

Submissions for Momentum: Art Doesn’t Stand Still are due by September 5 at 5 pm. Oklahoma artists aged 30 and younger are eligible.

Guest curators for Momentum Tulsa are 108 Contemporary Director Emily Kern and emerging curator, Krystle Brewer. The curators selected three artists for Spotlight awards, for which the artists receive $2,000 and three months of curatorial guidance. Momentum Tulsa opens 8 p.m. until midnight, October 12th, 2013 at Living Arts, 307 E. Brady in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Gallery hours will continue through October 24.

I had the privilege of communicating with Brewer via e-mail to understand more about her background and process as Emerging Curator of Momentum Tulsa 2013. Below is the question and answer session from our conversation.

Laura Reese: What is your educational/professional background?
Krystle Brewer: I graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Oklahoma City University in 2009 with a focus in ceramics. After graduating, I did an internship with OVAC and then worked with the Cultural Development Corporation as Project Manager. I currently work as a Graduate Research Assistant at the OSU Museum of Art as I pursue a Master's in Art History.

Momentum Tulsa 2013 Emerging Curator Krystle Brewer

What brought you to this current point in your career?
I applied for this opportunity four times before I was chosen. After repeated rejections, I … began creating curating opportunities Each of the shows I have curated have been so drastically different that they have each taught me a different set of skills.


What is your interest in curating? Where do you think this stems from?
Curating has been the bridge between the art world and the world of academics for me. I see myself as being a part of both communities and through curating I get to both work with art and artists while still researching and writing about the works.

You have interned at OVAC, how might this affect your process in curating Momentum?
My internship at OVAC has broadened my understanding of the show. You don't realize how much work goes into the shows or to what an extent it is a communal effort. I think the way artists and art supporters join together for a common goal of promoting the arts in Oklahoma, especially for the young artist populous as in Momentum, ensures that in years to come, we will continue to have a thriving arts community here in Oklahoma.

How does your role as an artist affect the way you look at art?
You have a better understanding of mediums and processes that includes identifying choices that artists have made in their work.

Krystle Brewer, I Always Wanted to Live in a Yellow House
 So I Could Pretend to be VanGogh, Ceramic, fiber

As a past Momentum Artist, what do you think you can bring from that experience to curating?
I think it is helpful to have been on the other side of this process because it gives a greater understanding of the process the artists have gone through in the Spotlight Artist proposals and the general submission.

What do you find to be the most important thing about Momentum in the role of young artists?
I really believe in the role Momentum has as it gives an opportunity for young artists to show their work in a venue that is supportive and understanding of the learning process that artists go through. It isn't something that is often thought of when you are a young artist, but you have to learn how to show your work. Whether you get into Momentum or not, you learn from the process.

Emily Kern: Momentum Tulsa Curator

Serving as the curator for the 10^th anniversary of Momentum Tulsa, Emily Kern directs the 108 Contemporary showcasing fine, handmade contemporary craft in a wide range of media as one of the newest galleries in Tulsa’s Brady Arts District.

Momentum Curator Emily Kern

Kern earned her Bachelors of Fine Arts in painting and sculpture and her Masters of Science in Entrepreneurship. With this background she managed a variety of business and worked in the fine art print studio of Universal Limited Artist Editions in New York.

“Working at ULAE gave me more appreciation for artistic processes, helped me understand more about the business of selling art, and gave me experience working with artists," Kern noted.

With this high caliber print studio experience, she got 108 Contemporary’s gallery up and running. Her combination of business expertise and art sensibilities allows her to oversee the organizational aspects, such as memberships, as well as the artistic aspects, such as monitoring exhibition installation, and organizing workshops.

Artwork by Curator Emily Kern

A past Momentum Spotlight Artist and OVAC intern, Kern has a unique perspective in curating the exhibition and mentoring the artists.

“I hope to help this year's Spotlight Artists clarify their point of views so that their pieces are as strong as they possibly can be,” said Kern.

For Kern, “Momentum was "crucial in helping me develop my concepts and body of work,” and she knows how hard it is for emerging artists.

Kern observed, “Encouragement can be hard to come by when you are emerging, and Momentum provided that for me and hopefully will provide that for the 2013 artists.”

Submissions for Momentum: Art Doesn’t Stand Still are due by September 5 at 5 pm. Oklahoma artists aged 30 and younger are eligible. 

Guest curators for Momentum Tulsa are 108 Contemporary Director Emily Kern and emerging curator, Krystle Brewer. The curators selected three artists for Spotlight awards, for which the artists receive $2,000 and three months of curatorial guidance. Momentum Tulsa opens 8 p.m. until midnight, October 12th, 2013 at Living Arts, 307 E. Brady in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Gallery hours will continue through October 24.

Plug Projects: Momentum Guest Curators

Momentum Guest Curators: Plug Projects Team 

OVAC welcomes Plug Projects as the guest curators for Momentum OKC.  

Plug Projects is a curatorial collaboration by five Kansas City artists, Amy Kligman, Misha Kligman, Caitlin Caitlin Horsmon, Cory Imig and Caleb Taylor, who share the mission of bringing fresh perspectives and conversation to the local art community. 

Founded in 2011, the group seeks  to energize artists and the public at large by exhibiting challenging new work, initiating critical dialogue, and expanding connections of artists in Kansas City as part of a wider, national network of artists. 

They already have been noticed nationally for their thoughtful work as they have introduced new avenues for engaging the community. Besides keen exhibitions, they have launched critique nights, a new art journal and thematic films series and have served as guest writers for a national publication, Temporary Art Review. 

You may see them at Momentum on March 1 and 2. Also, Plug Projects will visit the University of Oklahoma School of Art and Art History to give a lecture and visit MFA student studios on March 1. They will present a free talk at Artspace at Untitled on March 2 at 3 pm. 

Momentum OKC  opens March 1 & 2 at the 50 Penn Place in Oklahoma City. View, experience and purchase art by Oklahoma emerging young artists. Learn more at www.MomentumOklahoma.org.

Momentum Tulsa Emerging Curator: Laura Reese

Momentum Tulsa Emerging Curator Laura Reese printing 

As Emerging Curator, Laura Reese will assist and be embedded alongside Momentum Tulsa guest curator Raechell Smith. Together they work with the Momentum Spotlight artists on their projects and will select work for the exhibition opening October 13, 2012. 

Reese is a BFA student at the University of Oklahoma with an emphasis on Printmaking. She expects to graduate in December this year.

To gain understanding of the arts community, Reese interned with the Femina Potens Art Gallery and FP Edge Artist Network in San Francisco, CA. She has interned locally with artist Marilyn Artus on the Girlie Show and Dr. Sketchy’s OKC as well as the Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition. She serves as President of the OU Print Club.  

Momentum Tulsa Emerging Curator Laura Reese (l) tours
Living Arts with Guest Curator Raechell Smith (r)

Exploring national organizations, she participated in the Southern Graphics Council International conference in New Orleans and exchanged work with young artists all over the country last spring.  She has exhibited in the student art exhibition, at Dreamer Concepts, and several other juried venues in the state.  

With a keen interest in helping promising artists, she said, “If art truly does not stand still at Momentum, then the work chosen must be work that can hold power in the community while being evocative of the shifting tides within the art world.”

Artists may enter artwork into the Momentum Tulsa survey exhibition until September 5, 2012. Learn about the show and submit online: www.MomentumOklahoma.org. Also, the Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition seeks an Emerging Curator for Momentum OKC 2013. Learn about the role and apply online. 

Raechell Smith: Guest Curator

Raechell Smith (c) with Spotlight artist Libby Williams (l)
& Emerging Curator Laura Reese (r) 

Serving as guest curator for Momentum Tulsa, Raechell Smith has begun working with the Momentum Spotlight artists on their projects and will select work for the exhibition opening October 13, 2012. 

Smith is the chief curator and founding director of the H&R Block Artspace at the Kansas City Art Institute. A dynamic contemporary art venue with a strong teaching mission, the Artspace has been recognized for excellence in architectural design and visual art programming within the region, since it opened in 1999.

Smith has organized exhibitions and public art projects presenting work by regional, national, and international artists including David Shrigley, Ghada Amer, Shirin Neshat, Wenda Gu, Lee Boroson, Alexis Rockman, Jenny Holzer, and Vik Muniz. She has also organized numerous thematic exhibitions.

Smith is an advocate for artists and the visual arts, serving as a consultant for numerous national and regional organizations. She is a founding board member of The Charlotte Street Foundation, a Kansas-City based non-profit organization, which recognizes outstanding artists in Kansas City and provides them with artistic, material, and financial support.

Artists may enter artwork into the Momentum Tulsa survey exhibition until September 5, 2012. Learn about and submit online: www.MomentumOklahoma.org. 

Momentum Emerging Curator: Candace Coker

Momentum Emerging Curator Candace Coker
with OVAC Board Member Margo Shultes von Schlageter

Candace Coker has seen all sides of Momentum, from participating to artist and committee member to curatorial intern. Now serving as Emerging Curator alongside guest curator Alison Hearst, Coker said the experience “feels completely different” and is "exciting." 

Coker and Hearst just completed their first visits to the Momentum Spotlight artists’ studios. Coker said she has enjoyed the challenge of talking with their artists about their work. She hopes to push them while ensuring the artists retain control of their projects. Next she and Hearst will select the artwork for the general survey exhibition from entries due by January 31.

Coker serves as Project Coordinator at City Arts Center in Oklahoma City where she assists with exhibitions, youth and adult studio classes, and more.  She received her BFA from the University of Oklahoma. She was a member of the 2010 Leadership Arts Class of the Oklahoma Arts Council.

Working with the Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition before, she interned for the inaugural Oklahoma Art Writing and Curatorial Fellowship and assisted Momentum OKC’s curators in 2010. She continues as an active volunteer for OVAC as well as Individual Artists of Oklahoma and Paseo Artists Association. Also a photographer, Coker has exhibited her work regionally.

Submissions for Momentum: Art Doesn’t Stand Still are due by January 31 at 5 pm. Oklahoma artists aged 30 and younger are eligible. The event opens March 9 and 10. 

Guest Curator: Alison Hearst

Luckily for us, Alison Hearst will be visiting Oklahoma artists quite a lot this year while serving as Guest Curator for both Momentum OKC and the Residencies for Concept/OK: Art in Oklahoma. Her background should help the community and artists she meets greatly. Now she’s working with the Momentum Spotlight artists on their projects that will debut in March. Her next tasks will be choosing finalists for the Residencies that she will visit in person (entries due January 20) and selecting the juried portion of Momentum OKC (entries due January 31).

Hearst is an art historian and writer living in Fort Worth, TX. She completed her MA in Art History from Texas Christian University and Bachelors in Art History from the University of North Texas. She has a long association with the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, serving first as an Assistant to the Director and now as an Assistant Curator. 

Hearst co-founded an experimental art collaborative Subtext Projects. She and her curatorial partner create exhibitions, publications and film series designed to promote discussion about the issues and practices of contemporary art.

Also a prolific writer, she has published reviews in Art Critical, Art Lies, Glasstire, and …might be good. She is an editorial advisor and review contributor for a new publication, Pastelegram. 

Hearst has interacted with Oklahoma’s art community before as part of the 2010 Oklahoma Art Writing and Curatorial Fellowship and contributing an essay about Liz Rodda for the Art 365 exhibition catalog. 

Curator’s Perspective: Professional Development for Artists

Curator Shannon Fitzgerald discusses Art 365 artwork
placement with Liz Rodda & Frank Wick.

Independent curator Shannon Fitzgerald has worked with artists from students preparing for their first exhibition to internationally-known artists enjoying their museum retrospective.

Since Fitzgerald leads an Artist Survival Kit workshop on November 19, I wanted to revisit some past interviews with her about working with artists, studio practice and more.  She will share her experience as a contemporary curator, giving artists an understanding of professional development and mindful career steps.

Read an interview Fitzgerald about working with local artists, studio visits and her selection process for the Art 365 exhibition in this Art Focus Oklahoma issue.  

See this blog post with her ideas about curators visiting artists’ studios.

The workshop, “The Artist & the Curator in the Studio: Professional Development for the Emerging Artist” will be held Saturday, November 19, 1-4 pm at Individual Artists of Oklahoma Gallery, in Oklahoma City. See more information or register here: www.artistsurvivalkit.org

Oklahomans Abroad: Local Scholarship and Art Making in an International Context

Southern Cheyenne Mocassins.
Cowhide, rawhide, sinew, glass beads. Early 20th century 

Welcome to new contributor Samantha Still, the Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition's Volunteer & Office Coordinator. 


Last May I completed my Master’s degree in Art History, with an emphasis in contemporary Native American art from the University of Oklahoma. Recently, I delivered a paper at the Native American Art Studies Association (NAASA) conference in Ottawa, ON Canada. At the conference I expected to meet other art historians from across North America. But what I didn’t expect was to meet an OU student with similar interests as my own, whose path I had never before crossed. John Lukavic is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Anthropology, who is particularly interested in the Cheyenne of Western Oklahoma. I learned that Lukavic is very much interested in applying art theory to his anthropological practice. How is Lukavic’s research relevant to OVAC? Well, Lukavic studies a group of art makers in Oklahoma, and is interested in developing a culturally specific art theory to the objects made by these fellow Oklahomans. So, OVAC blog readers, without further ado, meet John Lukavic:

SS: Why did you decide to study the Cheyenne of Oklahoma?

JL: Initially my research did not focus on the Cheyenne, but rather on the Indian art market in Oklahoma. I planned to study how non-Native consumer notions of tradition and authenticity differed from that of Native artists and Native consumers; however, as I focused my study, I limited my field site to western Oklahoma along the I-40 corridor and on the traditional arts for sale at tourist shops. I spent nearly a year collecting data on this topic, but once I began working with Cheyenne moccasin makers, my plans changed. The information I gathered opened my eyes to a complex system of cultural values in which Cheyenne moccasins circulate.

SS: In your NAASA paper you called for the development of a culturally specific art theory. Explain what you mean by this.

JL: I began my paper by explaining a deep connection between Cheyenne 'traditional' arts and orthodox Cheyenne beliefs. I argued that "in order to view it appropriately, one must understand the role of religious orthodoxy in Cheyenne arts," and that "any art theory that wants to claim authority in addressing Cheyenne arts must...be guided by the views found in the communities from which they originate." One cannot view art without a lens of interpretation, and to use a lens that dismisses the culture from which the art originates misses an opportunity to engage deeper meanings and is frankly disrespectful to those who possess an ideological system outside of Western Enlightenment. The idea that all art should be viewed from a single lens is a product of colonialism. Western Enlightenment, as I argue in my paper, "is insufficient for the study of Native arts," and that "Native art theory must grow organically from Native communities and be guided by the role art has within each of these communities."

Responding to the Artwork: Momentum Tulsa Curator Brian Hearn

Guest Author: Joey Stipek, Intern

Momentum is an annual exhibition that features Oklahoma artists 30 years and younger, working in all various media including art, film, performance, and large scale installations. Momentum’s mission is to present a diversified look at emerging artistic talent in Oklahoma. The Tulsa version opens 8 p.m. until midnight, October 8^th, 2011 at Living Arts, 307 E. Brady in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Guest curators for the Tulsa edition of Momentum are Oklahoma City Museum of Art film curator Brian Hearn along with emerging curator, Tulsa’s Lovetts Gallery director Waylon Summers. The curators selected three artists for Spotlight awards, for which the artists receive $1,750 and three months of curatorial guidance.

I had the honor of communicating with Hearn via e-mail and asking him questions about his thought process as one of the curators behind the Tulsa edition of Momentum. Below is the question and answer session from our conversation.

Brian Hearn participating in OK Art Writing & Curatorial Fellowship workshop

Q: As a curator for this year edition of Momentum, what drew you in particular to the artist’s work you’ve selected?

Brian Hearn: So far we've only selected the three Spotlight Artists for Momentum Tulsa, but each of them demonstrates complex ideas in a visually interesting way. Hey emerging artists out there, you've got until September 12 to submit!

Q: With both you and Waylon having diverse backgrounds, is there a medium emphasis either one of your chose when selecting the work for Momentum?

BH: Not at all. We both respond to quality work first and foremost. I take into consideration the multiple ways in which the work engages me: visual, intuitive, emotional, intellectual, physical. etc. In curating a show like Momentum there is also an element of "have I seen this before?"

Q: How has your experience been working with emerging curator Waylon Summers?

BH: It's been very enjoyable. I like the collaborative dialogue in curating this show. Waylon is very thoughtful and has a keen eye. His experience working in a commercial art gallery is a valuable contrast to my museum background. Though we've mostly agreed, it will be healthy to have some push and pull as we get deeper into the curatorial process.

Q: Can people attending Momentum expect a bigger emphasis on video installations or media?

BH: I doubt it. My sense is that emerging Oklahoma artists are embracing an astonishing array of artistic media. Everything is on the table these days. One of the strengths of Momentum as an art event is that it is broadly inclusive of all 2D and 3D media as well as performance, digital, sound, and installation. The work simply must be good. People attending Momentum Tulsa this year can expect to have fun and experience something new.

Artists may submit to the survey exhibition by September 12. See the call for entries here. Tickets to the October 8 opening party are $7 in advance or $10 at the door. Tickets can be purchased at www.MomentumOklahoma.org, or by phone at 405-879-2400. Regular gallery hours are free to attend.

Selecting Art, Art Business Skills: Waylon Summers, Momentum Curator

Guest Author: Joey Stipek, Summer Intern

Momentum is an annual exhibition that features Oklahoma artists 30 years and younger, working in all various media including art, film, performance, and large scale installations. Momentum’s mission is to present a diversified look at emerging artistic talent in Oklahoma. The Tulsa version opens 8 p.m. until midnight, October 8^th, 2011 at Living Arts, 307 E. Brady in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Guest curators for the Tulsa edition of Momentum are Oklahoma City Museum of Art film curator Brian Hearn along with emerging curator, Tulsa’s Lovetts Gallery director Waylon Summers. The curators selected three artists for Spotlight awards, for which the artists receive $1,750 and three months of curatorial guidance.

I had the honor of communicating with Summers via e-mail and asking him questions about his thought process as one of the curators behind the Tulsa edition of Momentum. Below is the question and answer session from our conversation.

Waylon Summers, Momentum Tulsa Emerging Curator

JS: As the guest curator for this year edition of Momentum, what drew you in particular to the Spotlight artist’s work you've selected?

Having been in the art industry for over a decade and having reviewed thousands of portfolios - innovative ideas, powerful design, and technical mastery are rarities (particularly within in one portfolio).  What drew me, in particular, to these three [Spotlight] artists was a combination of concept originality, narrative development, consideration for the venue and audience, likelihood of successful execution, and, interestingly, an acknowledgment that although their concept may not be entirely original, their ability to execute and convey their narrative to the audience makes their proposal worth investing in.

JS: With both you and Brian having a diverse background is there a medium emphasis either one of your chose when selecting the work for Momentum?

I can't speak for Brian, but I did look for three artists that spanned mediums, however, that did not trump the requirements mentioned above.

 JS: Previously, you had been selected as one of the Tulsa Business Journals 40 under 40, for impact on business in Tulsa and community involvement/visibility, why is Momentum in Tulsa so important to the community?

OVAC has offered so many great programs to Tulsa, including Momentum.  They are an indispensible asset responsible for tirelessly promoting the arts in Oklahoma. Momentum, specifically, provides an opportunity for young artists to hone their ideas while gaining tangible experience in taking a project from concept to fruition, while maintaining an ongoing dialogue with art professionals, a hard timeline with multiple deadlines, and accountability to a "governing" entity. Collegiate art programs rarely equip artists with the business skills that are requisite for success in the industry.  Momentum helps facilitate the conversation and mechanics of the business of art.

Artists may submit to the survey exhibition by September 12. See the call for entries here.

Tickets to the October 8 opening party are $7 in advance or $10 at the door. Tickets can be purchased at www.MomentumOklahoma.org, or by phone at 405-879-2400. Regular gallery hours are free to attend.

Art 365 Curator: Shannon Fitzgerald

Art 365 Curator Shannon Fitzgerald with Aaron Hauck as he places artwork. 

In anticipation of Art 365 Curator Shannon Fitzgerald's talk on Thursday evening, April 7, here are links to recent profiles of her. Fitzgerald will be addressing her curatorial philosophy and some interesting projects she has brewing. The talk starts at 6 pm in [Artspace] at Untitled, 1 NE 3rd, OKC.  This is an opportunity  hear from a curator experienced in working with artists from around the world who is well versed in the contemporary art world.

Art 365 Curator Shannon Fitzgerald discusses placement with Lis Rodda & Frank Wick.. 

In this article from Art Focus Oklahoma, learn about how Fitzgerald approached selecting the Art 365 artists, the process of working with artists on new projects, and more. 


This blog article series describes Fitzgerald's background and her perspective on writing and curatorial projects. 

This video from Momentum Tulsa 2010 introduces Fitzgerald and her approach to working whit emerging artists. Also, she is featured speaking about individual projects throughout the Art 365 artists' profile videos found here: http://www.youtube.com/okvisualarts.   

Meet the Momentum Curators: Erinn Gavaghan

Erinn Gavaghan

Erinn Gavaghan serves as the Emerging Curator for Momentum OKC 2011.  OVAC recruits up-and-coming curators to assist the guest curator in working with artists who receive the Spotlight commissioned projects and overseeing the vision for the general juried exhibition.  See yesterday’s post for a profile of Guest Curator Clint Stone.

She became the Executive Director of the Norman Arts Council in 2010. There she provides leadership in all aspects of operations including planning their events and marketing.  Gavaghan received her MA in Art History and Criticism at Webster University, St. Louis, MO, in 2010.

Gavaghan (left) touring site
with JP Morrison 

Previously, she worked as Manager of Donor Relations and Events at the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis, St. Louis, MO.  Besides managing individual giving and cultivation, she oversaw the Contemporary Collectors program, including coordinating educational programming and travel programming to art fairs such as Art Basel Miami and The Armory Show and exclusive gallery and museum tours across the country

Before moving to St. Louis, Gavaghan worked for Ballet Oklahoma directing special events and volunteers and spent several years teaching photography at City Arts Center. 

Momentum OKC will take place March 4 & 5 at the Farmer's Public Market, 311 S. Klein Ave in downtown OKC.  Artwork entries are due February 7 at 5 pm. See the full call for entries here

Meet the Momentum Curators: Clint Stone

The Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition recruits guest curators to lead each exhibition.  For Momentum, these knowledgeable, creative curators oversee the artistic vision for the exhibition, selecting the Spotlight commissions, juried exhibition artwork, and artist awards.  This year we are pleased to have Clint Stone as guest curator and Erinn Gavaghan as Emerging Curator.  Watch for a successive post about Gavaghan.

Clint Stone

Clint Stone has served as the Executive Director of Individual Artists of Oklahoma since September 2010.  Previously Stone was the Artistic Director/Director of Exhibits for City Arts Center where he curated exhibitions and led programs for more than five years.  Also, he has been an educator at the Philbrook Museum of Art and Science Museum Oklahoma.  He received a BA in Visual Art and Design Education at the University of Central Oklahoma in 1999. 

Stone said, “I am fortunate to have the opportunity to visit many shows from galleries, to non-profit arts spaces, to Universities, and coffee shops, etc. So I get to see a lot of young, enthusiastic emerging artists taking advantage of this opportunity for exposure. I feel these opportunities not only encourage these young artists but also provide them the forum to get much needed feedback and develop relationships with more artists.” 

Stone (center) touring Momentum site
with Alexandra Knox & Erinn Gavaghan  

About reviewing the artistic submissions, he said, “It seems there are a lot of young artists diligently developing their craft, focusing on their concepts, and embracing new media and technology.  This is very exciting. What is most exciting and what I am eagerly looking forward to seeing is art boldly created without fear.”

Stone is an active artist, showing most recently at Liggett Studios in Tulsa and Individual Artists of Oklahoma (prior to joining the staff). He has served in many volunteer capacities for the community, including serving on the Momentum committee for its early years.

Momentum OKC will take place March 4 & 5 at the Farmer's Public Market, 311 S. Klein Ave in downtown OKC.  Artwork entries are due February 7 at 5 pm. See the full call for entries here. 

Smoke & Mirrors: An International Juried Exhibition at OU's Lightwell Gallery

Smoke and Mirrors is an international juried exhibition curated by a group of graduate students at the University of Oklahoma and a project of Liz Rodda's class on curatorial work. The exhibition officially opens tonight, December 3, from 7-9 pm in the Lightwell Gallery inside the art building at 520 Parrington Oval, Norman. It will continue through December 10.

Lindsey Allgood is one of the graduate students who participated in the planning of this exhibition. Lindsey took some time to answer a few questions for us about the project.

What is the Smoke and Mirrors project?
Allgood: Smoke and Mirrors is a juried multimedia exhibit now on display at the Lightwell Gallery in the School of Art & Art History at the University of Oklahoma. A selection of graduate students and Associate Professor Liz Rodda juried from a submission pool of over 150 artists from 17 different countries.

How does this project relate to the work you are doing in the class?
Allgood: From my perspective as a first year graduate student, this undertaking is far more than a class project. It is a gigantic challenge and was a fantastic learning experience. I now know how to submit a proposal and represent myself on paper as an artist. After spending nearly an hour taping down electrical cords and painting the tape white to make the gallery look as professional as possible during install, I've scratched the surface of learning what it takes to curate a show.

Tell us a little about the process you and your collaborators went through to organize this exhibition.

Allgood: We spent hours reading proposals, scrutinizing tiny details like fonts on the posters, placement of pieces in the space, delegating odd jobs and maintaining professional correspondence with the artists. But every minute is worth it when I see students stop in the gallery on their way to class.

What has this project taught you as an artist serving on the other side of things, organizing an exhibition?
Allgood: I had the pleasure of driving visiting artist Aaron Finnis to the airport on his way home to San Francisco. He flew out to install his piece, which was an honor considering he studied at the prestigious Goldsmiths art school in London. Our chat was invaluable. He gave me artists to research, extensive feedback on my work and a few life lessons on the drive. These types of experiences allow networking, boost the school's name and broaden this region's art genre horizons. I think this show opens new doors for use of the Lightwell Gallery's space. It is so unique, which could and should draw equally unique and boundary-breaking works.

I've never seen a show as diverse in media as Smoke and Mirrors at OU. For me, being part of this curatorial class was one of the best decisions I made this semester.

Visit www.smokenmirrors2010.com for more about the exhibition.