FRESH FEATURED THE WORK OF SIX UP-AND-COMING OKLAHOMA ARTISTS UNDER 30, AND FOR MOST THIS IS THEIR FIRST MAJOR GALLERY SHOW. THEY HAVE PREVIOUSLY SHOWN WORK IN COFFEE SHOPS SUCH AS RED CUP IN OKLAHOMA CITY, UNIVERSITY GALLERIES SUCH AS LIGHTWELL GALLERY AT OU, AND GROUP ART FAIRS SUCH AS THE GIRLIE SHOW IN OKLAHOMA CITY.
Almost all of the artists were interested in the viewer’s reaction to their work. Lawson wrote: “I encourage the viewer to become a part of the creative process by finding his own meaning or imagery in each [of my] works,” which are paintings of organic shapes. Madden wrote: “When observing my [nature-inspired installations], I hope that there is both an aesthetically engaging, and also bizarre sense of familiarity that the viewer feels.” In curating this exhibition, local artist and printmaker Betsy Barnum hoped to expose these emerging artists to the art world, as well as expose the public to some of the “fresh creative talent flourishing in Oklahoma City.”
Work varies from large-scale abstract painting to small-scale serigraphs (screen-printing), and from illustrative digital work to sculptural installation.
Most take inspiration from their surroundings or everyday life. Everything from their friends, to food, to common psychological phenomena feeds their artistic concepts.
They also each have different but specific ideas of how they want their viewer to react. Writes Trent Lawson of his organic shape paintings, “I encourage the viewer to become a part of the creative process by finding his own meaning or imagery in each work.” Brooke Madden writes of her nature-inspired installations, “When observing my work, I hope that there is both an aesthetically engaging, and also bizarre sense of familiarity that the viewer feels.”
The show brings together six unique up-and-coming artists working in Oklahoma City in hopes to both expose them to the gallery art world, and to expose the public to the fresh creative talent flourishing around them in Oklahoma City.
