02-01-09 2009 Super Bowl (of Chili)
February 1, 2009 by wesleywinston
Filed under Featured, Society
Local social juggernaut Rania Nasreddine hosted the 2009 Super Bowl (of Chili) at her home near “The Ranch” at 51st and Sheridan Sunday night. The event was a Super Bowl party AND a chili cook off. Rania’s home was stuffed with Tulsan’s eager to down some chili and take in the Super Bowl.
The streets leading up to Rania’s house were packed with cars and my unofficial headcount put around 100 people at the event. From creatives to professionals it was a veritable who’s who of young Tulsanites.
02-01-09 2009 Super Bowl (of Chili) from Wesley Cox on Vimeo.
Full Photo Album / Flickr Set here
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Loose Leaf Co. Grand Opening
January 20, 2009 by Trevor Barrios
Filed under Culture, Featured, Galleries
Tulsa birthed a new urban art gallery on Friday night as Loose Leaf Co. opened it’s doors for the first time. To mark the occasion, the illustrations of David “HEK” Rogers marked their territory along the white walls of this otherwise sparse venue. Although the event ran from 7 to 10pm, I showed up relatively early to avoid the bustle of the blue dome crowd, but to my surprise the room had already filled-in.
Something refreshing about the throng of artgoers was the mixed bag of age brackets. There was no particular demographic on display this particular night, as is usually the case with more traditional institutions, and most everyone seemed to be familiar with the crowd in attendance, indicating a tightly knit creative community.
The color on the wall was courtesy of the aforementioned artist, and while the illustrations were a familiar genre for anyone who’s ever ventured outside of Tulsa, the technicality and vibrancy of Mr. Rogers work did not disappoint. At times the work represented a style reminiscent of Sailor Jerry tattoos, or even popular body art in general. Stylistically, the vernacular also included motifs from both Asian and Spanish-Catholic cultures as made evident by the depiction of dragons and effeminate skull and cloak characters.
Although the work on display was already familiar territory for the urban art scene, the one recurring element that really impressed was a faux-wood grain effect that HEK brought to life by creating a lively maze of delicate strokes that would ebb and flow across the page. Anyone who bothered to stay awake during their art history course in college would likely compare this treatment to the woodcut masterpieces of old, and they would be right. More than a couple of compositions showcased this gorgeous effect and I marveled at each of them.
While rubbing shoulders with the patronage, a dialog commonly overheard was how much Tulsa needed more places like this. That sentiment can’t be overstated. One correlation that’s constantly being reaffirmed is between the health of a community and the vibrancy of it’s art crowd. Tulsa, like many comparable cities, is looking to integrate itself with the progressive 21st century mindset of the more metropolitan areas.
Those who forego the trite migration to NYC in favor of making a community of their own right here in T-Town should be applauded for not giving in to one of our more prevalent cultural cliches. There is nothing stopping Tulsa from becoming a scale model of the notable metro areas scattered along the coast, and although such a transformation will take many more years, it’s apparent that we are heading in that direction.
The new Loose Leaf Gallery and all of the other haunts that make up the bohemian-like pockets of Cherry St., Brookside, Blue Dome & Brady will continue to sprawl, consume and enrich the outlying areas. I look forward to the coming years in North Tulsa and Loose Leaf is just one more reason to maintain faith in that direction.
Interested in experiencing Loose Leaf? Make your way over to 328 E. 1st ST. in downtown, just North of all the Blue Dome attractions. You’ll be glad you did.
- Trevor_B
Old School
January 13, 2009 by wesleywinston
Filed under Artists
featured artist: Nathaniel McKnight
Nat McKnight creates fresh images using traditional media.
“I am a firm believer in following the rules,” declares Nat McKnight, painter and printmaker.
“In art school, you have people who want to dive right into abstract expressionism, minimalism, all the new styles. And that’s totally valid, but what some fail to realize is that those movements were a response to, and an evolution from, the tradition of naturalism. If you take a look at the early works by modern, non-traditional artists, like the infamous Picasso, you will see that they all were very proficient in depicting the natural world as is.”
Nat’s work is very natural in appearance. He uses clean, well-intended lines and bright, fresh colors in his work. His figurative paintings and prints appear as if they could be in a magazine advertisement.
“To me, the canvas or paper is like a window to another dimension. I paint in order to capture what I see in reality, and my interpretation of reality allows the viewer to see how my mind processes the information.”
When asked about inspiration, Nat prefers fashion, natural beauty and the classics.
“Eye contact, posing, monumental figures…I wanted these paintings of my friends to be reminiscent of Archaic Greek Kouroi. There is a steadfastness, a monumental solitude in those statues that I try to instill into my paintings. The kouroi were treated like votive figures, objects of veneration. Painting is comparable to a religious experience for me.”
Indeed, the son of a preacher man, Nat has been somewhat sheltered from the world. Yet he interprets this as advantageous, for it has kept him from becoming desensitized in a world full of chaos.
“I never want to be overstimulated. There is so much trash and negative imagery proffered by the media. It can be too much. I pretty much gave up on television at school.”
Graduating from OU with a BFA in studio art last year, he has yet to figure out what to do professionally. “I’ve just always dreamt that I would be a painter, and it would be all romantic like the Renaissance; I would get a patron and paint my own Sistine Chapel. And then I graduate, and it’s like…oh. That’s not gonna work. Time to become a member of the real world.”
When asked why he doesn’t show his work on a regular basis, or even attempt to get his name out there, Nat gets tongue-tied. However, I get the impression that he knows exactly what’s going on.
“Well, it doesn’t help that I am somewhat reclusive by nature. And I tend to hoard. It’s not that I don’t want to profit from my work. But stage fright is a very real and powerful thing.”
Based on his body of work, I think Nat has little to worry about. Not only does he seem like a nice guy, his work stands out because it is good, ol’ fashioned realism. In an art world that gets off on shock value, political statements, and genre-pushing, it’s refreshing sometimes to just see things the way they are. Every viewpoint is valid.
“That’s not to say that I won’t ever divulge from the straight and narrow,” he says, continuing with, ”Like I said earlier, I believe in following the rules. Now that I feel I have a good, solid grip on realism, I am interested in breaking all that down and challenging myself to see and interpret the world in new ways.”
One way Nat has already done this is with his spiral drawings. Composed of one continuous line, these pieces are dizzying, and somewhat mathematical in their compositions.
“Umm, I don’t really know the meaning of these yet, or if I ever will. I started doodling this stuff as an eighth-grader. It’s crazy to see how it has evolved.” This could be Nat’s signature expression, like a new fingerprint. Besides on paper, he incorporates the spirals onto t-shirts.
“I love V-neck t-shirts and I usually customize them by hand with puff paint. I guess that’s pretty old school too,” he laughs.
“My favorites are the metallic, glitter, neon and glow-in-the-dark puff paints. They are SO AWESOME. I like the idea of taking a plain, fitted tee and transforming it into something luxe and “couture”. These shirts are one of a kind. No one else will have the same shirt…That is until I start mass producing!”
Nat has teamed up with local fashion house Weslet to market his designs, where he has his current line of 9 screen printed designs and several hand painted custom designs.
“For now, you kinda have to know me in order to get my work. But I like meeting new people and would love to share my visions with others.” HE WOULD . . .
Interested in Nat’s designs?
View and purchase his fashion line online at www.weslet.com
Tulsa Rockers With Style
Oklahoma Magazine features “People With Style” in their December issue. Among those featured are Aaron Hamby of Callupsie, Danelle Phillips of Congress of a Crow, rapper P.D.A. and songwriter Zac Maloy.
The issue features many photographs by Jeremy Charles. You can see alternate and unused photographs here.
View the issue online here and read each musician’s fashion description after the jump.
Aaron Hamby: Coffeehouse by day/ lead singer and guitarist for Callupsie by night. Wearing a vintage Wrangler red pearl snap shirt, green plaid zip-up from American Eagle and Krew extra skinny jeans with black Doc Martens and Enjoi Panda belt.Aaron’s favorite designer is Yves-Saint Laurent. “Simple. Bold. Sexy,” he says. The favorite thing in his closet right now is a cashmere hoodie from Banana Republic. Song that best describes his sense of style: “Lust” by The Raveonettes.
Danelle Phillips: lead singer, Congress of a Crow/graphic designer. Wearing, “this great little dress from Target, but it was white. I hand dyed it to my favorite shade of purple.” Tights from Hot Topic, vest by BCBG, shoes by Steve Madden.
Danelle says her favorite article of clothing is “anything weird or ugly. Sometimes I shop for those ‘fugly’ pieces because I enjoy the individuality of fashion and like taking risks. Right now it’s a pair of dark navy vinyl pumps. They go with everything”
P.D.A.: Lyrical artist, producer, musician. Wearing an ensemble from Greenhouse Clothing based in Stillwater.
P.D.A. say he loves Prince’s style. “I wish I could pull off the look that Prince has. But it’s too ‘out there’ for me at the moment. Maybe somewhere down the line,” he jokes. His favorite item of clothing is his billed beanie and the song he thinks best describes his style is “Gimme More” by Britney Spears.
Zac Maloy: Songwriter/producer/dad. Wearing an Armani shirt, Genetic jeans and John Varvatos boots.
Zac isn’t sure he could pull it off, but he admires Johnny Depp and Bono for their adventurous style. “They’re just so, so, so, so damn cool.” And although he has thankfully moved past his grunge phase, Zac’s still got a bit of the rocker in him. So what song does he say describes his style? He resists the temptation to shamelessly plug one of the artists he wrote with this year (Train, David Cook, Burn Halo, Andy Skib) and goes for a classic: “Too Sexy” by Right Said Fred.
Post from oklahomarock.com
Kim Abdo on What’s Hot This Summer
September 8, 2008 by admin
Filed under Fashion & Style
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The sweltering Oklahoma heat is already at 90+ degrees, meaning you are perspiring minutes after you get out of the shower and full out drenched in bodily fluids the second you walk outside, complete with frizz hair and an oilified face. But…how HOT are you? I’m not talking Fahrenheit or Celsius either. Do you know what’s hot this season and what’s not? Do you even care? If you don’t, you should and I’ll tell you why. As seemingly superficial as some people think fashion and personal style is or can be; I have a different philosophy. I believe in lifestyle dressing within a budget that your busy life will allow, especially with fuel prices and college tuition going through the roof. If you are a stay-at-home mom (the hardest, lowest paying and least appreciated career of all…you teachers come in second), a soccer mom, executive, entrepreneur or artist, it can be done. You can look “put together” all of the time with just a small investment of time and energy. Time + Energy = Results! What kind of first impression do you want to make? How do you want the world to portray you? Do you want to feel different on the inside? I am not saying style is paramount to spirituality, religion or overall well-being. Perhaps that is just an illusion thereof. Most people know that happiness and fulfillment are inside tasks. Filling yourself up with material things, most of the time, creates shame and guilt, like impulse buying. If you are unsure about something, don’t buy it. Put it on hold. If you are still thinking about that same item the next day or for many days ahead, then purchase it. Feeling good is also an outside task. How you define your style CAN change the way you feel on the inside. Fashion make-overs ARE life -changing. Skeptical? I have many testimonials to prove it. Try it. If you are unhappy with the results, you can always go back to baggy tee’s, jeans that are outdated and either too big or too short and Nike’s. Or, better yet, continue wearing the all black that you insist is slimming. To prove this concept, I am offering a complimentary fashion consultation, complete with one-on-one dressing room set up (by appt). This service is offered after hours, which saves you time and energy that you shouldn’t have to part with. For people braving the fast-paced lifestyle, curbside, home pick-up and deliveries are available as well. Every body type can wear any style or design. You just have to know how to dress for your body type, what separates to put together and in what ways to pull it in and pop color. The most important catch is the “BIG A.” ACCESSORIES! … The ultimate key to affordability while staying with the up-to-the-minute seasonal trends. What’s HOT and what’s NOT: Your T-Town Summer Style Guide COLOR, COLOR, COLOR! Please…push the black to the back! If you insist on wearing it, be sure to pop it with a pattern, metallic or bright hue of some sort. Yes, we all need the perfect lil’ black dress, but save it for a black tie event or a funeral: or better yet, when you’re dead. Let’s talk trends of the season, starting from the bottom and working our way up. Shoes: Separates/Denim: Dresses: Headwear/Handbags: So if you are stuck in your little fashion box or are somewhat style-deficient, then wake-up and re-create yourself! It doesn’t take much either. Help is out there…and complimentary at that. You have nothing to lose and only self-confidence to gain! _______________________________________ Kim Abdo |
Trend Alert
May 13, 2008 by admin
Filed under Fashion & Style
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Showcase: SPEXTON JEWERLY
May 13, 2008 by admin
Filed under Fashion & Style
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SPEXTON, SPEXTON, SPEXTON There is the most fabulous niche downtown on 2nd and Lansing, across from Tiny Lounge called Spexton Jewelry. If you are looking for high-end designs in stainless steel jewelry, check out this hip finery. The two owners and operators, Nate McPherson and Greg Shelton, have a cosmic display of chic jewelry in their trendy studio downtown. Greg, the manufacturer, designs bracelets, rings and necklaces out of industrial and precious metals such as sterling silver, 22k gold, titanium, stainless steel and copper. Other elements that make these adornments fantastic are rubber and diamonds …lots and lots of diamonds. McPherson, the sales and marketing guru, said, “What’s unique about our jewelry is that each piece is totally individually hand-carved and produced, whether the design is the same or not.” Shelton creates each item single-handedly with manual tools. Spexton’s Jewelry was a hot item worn in February. 2007 New York Fashion Week in Designer Carmen Marc Valvo’s collection. After Fashion Week, the Spexton boys have received nothing but bigger news. McPherson has said to expect great things from Spexton. “Spexton is a big, giant ball of potential.” Boutiques around the area such as Miss Jackson’s, Chrome, Dwelling Spaces and Silver Queen in Park City, Utah have carried the Spexton line. Most attention for Spexton is currently generated by their website. Within the hour that I visited the chic studio, website hits from Tulsa, Virginia, Colorado, Georgia and Atlanta were coming in. However, their biggest clientele is primarily Oklahomans, followed aggressively by Cali, New York, then Texas. France is the biggest consumer outside of the U.S. McPherson and Shelton attribute all of their success to their customers, which they describe as wonderfully unique. “We have a strong lesbian clientele,” said McPherson. “It’s super special.” If you are interested in Tulsa’s finest, exclusive jewelry line, visit Spexton Jewelry studio or check out www.spexton.com. You must hurry, these commodities are hot… and I’m talking about the jewelry! |
Sam and The Stylees
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Good vibes and good times A seemingly endless bridge of rhythm between people and the music: Sam and the Stylees emit vibrations of peace, love and oneness through a funky reggae ride. Their musical performances, often times experiments void of any consciousness of time, always provide a soulful experience. The band’s diverse mix creates a unique sound that Sam Jones, guitar and vocals, sums up as “reegospedellic”. Although Sam and the Stylees are always looking for new ways to spread their message, they pride themselves on their longevity. The band was born in 2002, and came out with their first debut cd, “Serious Ting” in 2003. The second album, “Survival Mode,” came some time later in 2007, so they are trying to immediately put something new out there in order to make up for lost time. “We want to keep the old tunes coming, but we want to experiment with new sounds at the same time,” explains Lance Reynolds, guitar. Sam and the Stylees share something unique when performing; each member seems to separate any inherent ego and let the music and energy flow outward into masses of crowds without reservation. The music speaks of love, acceptance and change. The lyrics are progressive strings of freedom and harmony that break down barriers amongst crowds and pump energy into the souls of listeners. |
Director’s Chair: Filming in Oklahoma
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AN OKLAHOMA FILM DIRECTOR talks about the advantages of filming in Oklahoma It’s hard to communicate the excitement I get from shooting films in Oklahoma… in that, I have nothing to compare it to. I’ve never shot a film anywhere else. I began filming music videos for my friend, Jeff Johnston’s band, when we were in college at OU. We usually shot the videos in his house during parties. I was a sophomore when I attempted to shoot my first feature film called LAST TRAIN. LAST TRAIN was a story about a Greek American who tries to get to his Grandfather’s funeral in Chicago to put two drachma coins on his eyes. On his way, the Greek-American man meets a hooker with a heart of gold, who joins him on his journey. The two decide that they need more money so they take a job with a farmer to get some extra cash. The farmer turns out to be a nut and makes their lives hell. It was a no budget film so, needless to say, they never made it out of Oklahoma. It was a weird script that I planned to shoot with the help of my friends on weekends over a period of six months. We shot most of it around Holdenville, my hometown. Food was the one thing I remember most about this experience, because the only thing we ate during that six-month period was deep-fried pizza pockets from the local gas station, real healthy. Now looking back at the footage, there’s not a shot in hell we could’ve made that film come together. I really didn’t know what I was doing, but the best way to learn is to just do it… even if you fail. The night before, we asked the owner if we could shoot there. He gave us the go ahead, and assured us that the days were not that busy in the bar- it was crucial that it be quiet in the bar for us to record dialogue. There was no keeping that crew quiet and the scene was ruined… a small price to pay for matrimony, I guess. Later, I thought that we should have just filmed the wedding, because I was sure it was a lot more interesting than the film we were trying to make. Since then, I’ve made films in Oklahoma with better results. After a few short- films, I made another feature called, FOUR SHEETS TO THE WIND in Holdenville and here in Tulsa. The film reaped a few awards such as Outstanding Performance for Tamara Podemski at Sundance 2007, Best Director at AIFI Festival 2007 in San Francisco, Best Actor for Cody Lightning at AIFI Festival 2007 and Best Film at Imaginative Film Festival 2007 in Toronto. It was also nominated for an Independent Spirit Award. "The great thing about filming Four Sheets to the Wind was that Tulsans were so helpful to us during the shoot." The great thing about filming Four Sheets to the Wind was that Tulsans were so helpful to us during the shoot. We shot at Double Shot Coffee, 818, the old Eclipse and numerous other locations around town. I love Tulsa and Oklahoma, and I love shooting here. Of course I want more film productions to come to the State, but at the same time, I feel like it’s our little secret. I just finished shooting a new film called, Barking Water. It is a road movie that was shot from northern Oklahoma to the southeastern part of the state. We used the diverse landscape of the state as our backdrop to the film. The changing landscape of the flat plains to the green hills provided an Oklahoma aesthetic that cannot be manufactured on any Hollywood set… and there is less traffic. |
Fake Camping
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There’s a cosmic hum resonating in downtown Tulsa and if you dare put your ear to the ground, you might hear it. From inside a damp, dark and windowless warehouse room on the east end of downtown, the band Fake Camping is looking to surf the new and growing wave of original music that has recently been showing a resurgence in Tulsa. Fake Camping has a unique approach to their songwriting process, striving to break the pop-rock mold of verse/chorus/verse/chorus rock and usher in a fresh taste of unconventional and unpredictable Space Rock and a psychedelic effect pedal Open House. The band also definitely doesn’t take themselves too seriously, as evident by future plans to “beef up” stage shows by incorporating true camping activities, snacks and merit badges, camp-fire sing-a-longs and visuals. Fake Camping may not be the flashiest act in town or have throngs of teenage girls snapping pictures of them on their camera phones, but listeners who turn out, give them a chance and 45-90 minutes, walk away feeling refreshed, surprised, entertained and glad they came. To hear songs or to learn more about Fake Camping, log on to fakecamping.com. In the meantime, dig out that old lawn chair and go check out a show. |
