See TulsaNow in person!

[RecycleMichael]

Come see the Invitational Gallery at Mayfest. We worked really hard at making it fresh this year.

It shows work from some of the best local artists and most of the pieces are very affordable.

Here is the Tulsa World review...

http://www.tulsaworld.com/entertainment/article.aspx?articleID=070517_238_D3_hMayf14115&breadcrumb=arts

[TheArtist]

Its perplexing that you have to put a 500 dollar limit on the art at the invitational gallery.  Perhaps they arent getting the traffic through there?  Some signage may help.  Before I knew there was an invitational gallery I wouldnt have run across it and even after I did I had to ask around to find it.

Mayfest bills itself as Tulsa's premier art festival,"created to promote a broader knowledge of and appreciation for arts and humanities among serious, as well as casual art lovers."  "planned to encompass some of the very best in both the exhibit and performance areas"


To me such a festival should have booths of art with artists having lots of works to sell not just an invitational gallery where each artist only has one work. I know its a contest so its not supposed to have several works by each artist, but I am still flummoxed as to why it doesn't allow more artists that have better quality art?  I was walking by on an errand and saw a booth setting up tie dyed T-shirts and another that had some sort of log furniture like you see them selling along the roadsides in Arkansas.  That kind of stuff shouldnt even be allowed, its not art or certainly shouldnt be taking up space that a decent artist could be using.

KCs art festival has over 200 artists and much of the work is quite nice and interesting.

http://search.cityguide.aol.com/kansascity/entertainment/plaza-art-fair/e-200055

Here is a list of some of the artists at their last festival and some have links to websites.  I glanced at a few and here are some that I found interesting.  I wonder how many artists Mayfest will have that will be like these?

http://www.countryclubplaza.com/plaza.aspx?pgID=944

http://www.sudduthglass.com/

http://www.kurtwalrath.com/portals2.html

rtbronzesculpture.com/New%20Work%202.htmhttp://www.a


http://www.suzyscarborough.com/image18.htm

http://brmdesign.com/items/moon~galaxy-bowls/galaxy-bowls/set-of-3-galaxy-bowls-gbset3-detail.htm

http://www.eatonart.com/ke/ke-serigraph-frm.html


http://www.stephenbach.com/Works/WorksDetail/BehindTheSky.htm

http://www.candone.com/catalog.html

[RecycleMichael]

We did not put a five hundred dollar limit on the art in the gallery. I suggested to artists that they price their art for the Tulsa market and mentioned that we only sold a few pieces last year that were priced over that amount.

Many of the local artists (90 in all) came back with very affordable art, but I have already sold four pieces this year that went for over a thousand dollars.

I limited it to two pieces of art per local artist because we wanted to include as many artists as we could.

I am really surprised at how much misinformation there is about Mayfest.

People keep bashing us and acting like we turn away from local art. I can assure you that it is not true. I didn't accept any art in the gallery from an artist who lived more than 75 miles from downtown Tulsa.

Urban Tulsa wrote about us "...with a few local artists huddled together in an "Invitational Gallery..." That really offends me. I don't know what you call 90 artists, but it is a few more than "a huddle".

I am also surprised that you say these clearly wrong things about Mayfest on this forum, William. Especially after we paid you to paint the mural and worked hard to publicize you in the paper and television.

Please get your facts straight next time.

[TheArtist]

I apologize if I mischaracterized things.  I read the TW article a bit too quickly on the 500 dollar limit thing.  The limit was on the size not the price. Thanks for the correction. I certainly did not mean to sound like I was bashing the invitational gallery at all.  They really do have some great art there.  I wish more people would go to see it, you will see wall to wall crowds on main street then go to the gallery and not find many people.  That was my complaint.  I want more people to see it.    

As for Mayfest.  I am very glad we have this festival downtown and I know everyone involved puts a lot of work into it.  I guess I am just frustrated that it is not MY vision of what it should be lol.  My goal of griping was to try and get someone to notice what I was complaining about is my desire to see more quality art booths there. I just want Mayfest to be better in that way, dont want to sound as If I dont like Mayfest.

I have mentioned this for years and years to many different people and I just get the ol brush off and excuses that dont seem to make sense to me.  If someone just said, "We don't want all art booths" or "We don't think that would go well in the Tulsa market."  or even, "Mayfest can't draw those high end artists because the market in Tulsa don't support them."  Then I would have an answer I could understand and could even possibly work to find a solution to help make things better. If ya dont know what the cause is, ya cant find a solution. And heck you may not want a solution. Everyone may like things just the way they are and its only me that wants more art there. I am sure there are people that dont care about the art at all. I suppose different people are going to have a different vision and each would complain or push for it to be the way they wanted it to be.

I suppose I should talk to you in person about this because this medium allows for too many musunderstandings on all sides.

[RecycleMichael]

Thanks William.  I will look forward to talking to you in person.

I am a big fan of your work. I was the one who came up with the mural idea for mayfest after seeing your work around town and visiting your website.

[Conan71]

quote:Originally posted by recyclemichael

Thanks William.  I will look forward to talking to you in person.

I am a big fan of your work. I was the one who came up with the mural idea for mayfest after seeing your work around town and visiting your website.

Bucking for a commission? []

See you guys out and about this evening.

[Admin]

TulsaNow is live and online in the blue dome district.

Pictures posted tonight.

Come see us!

[jdb]

I found the TN booth and even had a few beers on me: but alas, the booth was unmanned.

Curious. Behind the presentaion screen wall was but three folding chairs and a hammer.

I beat it out of their before SWAT or CSI showed up.
jdb

[TheArtist]

Hey a person has to eat ya know lol. Plus I wanted to check out what they had at Mayfest.[]  We have had some good response with the booth.  Quite a few people have mentioned that they are glad we are here, and that someone is doing what we are doing as an organization.  Makes ya feel good.  Been nice to listen to people as they look at our booth set up and talk about whats on the boards.

 Have had some nice discussions ranging from people concerned about neighborhood tear-downs and older buildings being lost downtown, to the possibility of a new Wal-Mart...some firmly against, some for.  A lot of people are excited about the possibilities for downtown that we have presented. Have got quite a few people who have wanted to sign up for our newsletter, and the bottle of wine lol.

I would really like to make us some better display boards at some time. These worked in a pinch and I am glad another member made us a second new one, but I think our organization really should have some quality presentation material for any type of gathering.  And definitely something that can stand up to a good breeze and not have to be taped, nailed, weighted,etc, down lol.

Oh and if nobody is in the TN booth check the photography booth next to it I may be hiding in the shade behind that. [8D]

[Admin]

We had 50 people sign up for the TulsaNow newsletter. Names to be drawn/winners announced soon. Many gave some interesting ideas of what they think Tulsa needs. From downtown revitalization to legalizing marijuana.

[Rico]

quote:Originally posted by Admin

We had 50 people sign up for the TulsaNow newsletter. Names to be drawn/winners announced soon. Many gave some interesting ideas of what they think Tulsa needs. From downtown revitalization to legalizing marijuana.

They did supply a mandatory DNA sample so that we can tell if they are real or mole people didn't they......?

[}:)]

[RecycleMichael]

quote:Originally posted by Admin

Many gave some interesting ideas of what they think Tulsa needs. From downtown revitalization to legalizing marijuana.

I could be in favor of legalizing marijuana, but only in downtown. That would be a corner "stone" of our revitalization plan.

[Admin]

quote:Originally posted by Rico

center]

They did supply a mandatory DNA sample so that we can tell if they are real or mole people didn't they......?

[}:)][/center]

No, but I think the contest was open to mole people as well. Didn't screen for suburbanites either.

[cannon_fodder]

I was there, and the booth was empty!

Who abandoned their post?  What if the Oklahoma Citians tried to invade and the post was not manned?  What then, huh?

[TheArtist]

I was hiding behind the barricade ready to pour a hot roiling cauldron of oil on any of them if they came within reach. []