Good Vibe-rations

"Edmond Icon," UCO's Old North in the Snow,  8 x 10 acrylic, gallery wrapped canvas 

Next Thursday, April 7,  I'm excited to be one of 70-plus visual artists and many performing artists  taking part in Edmond Vibes,https://edmondvibes.org/ , the first Thursdays summer arts festival in downtown Edmond, from 5 to 9 p.m.

Come browse and visit--I'm hosted by Prime Time Travel, https://www.primetimetrvl.com/ 18 N. Broadway this month, and they offer refreshments. The program is an event of the Edmond Fines Art Institute. https://edmondfinearts.com/

I will have more than 30 works of art displayed --watercolor, acrylics and oils-- inside their spacious foyer, priced from $35, and I'll be  painting a watercolor landscape that evening too. You can also view some of my unique Christmas cards and view some of my commissions.

That's the reason behind this latest acrylic, just completed and for sale April 7 during Vibes:  "Edmond Icon, " UCO's uco.edu historic Old North in the snow,  8 x 10 on gallery wrapped canvas.  

December Departures - Old North

"Old North at UCO," 5 by 7 watercolor card

Graduation days are departures as well as beginnings, and this marks the first December in more than two decades that I won't be attending at UCO,  congratulating favorite students receiving their degrees. It's why we teach.
Retirement has been departure, and they so are students, beginning new phases of our lives, leaving behind the iconic Old North, oldest higher education building in Oklahoma, dating from 1893. 

2016

For years I've painted snow scene watercolor cards for several friends on campus, but not this year. However I've photographed it a lot this year, watching its construction, and through the years. 
Old North was often the first thing I saw early in the morning as I arrived on campus, lit by the rising sun, or in the evening, silhouetted by the setting sun. Departures.
But  this year has been important for it as well. After sitting vacant since 2001 because it was unsafe, it reopened this fall, rebuilt inside, and added on to as well, the result of lot s of fundraising and committed administrative leadership. It is once again a showcase of the promise of education, including excellent art and photographs, the latest technology, and classrooms full of students. 
Anybody who has attended UCO in its various name changes through the years probably has stories to tell, because there are literally thousands of people who have had classes inside this former teacher's college--including me.
Here is last year's painting, and some photos I took walking around  campus in May, and some from earlier years. Departures.

(Day 16 of 31 December paintings)

Icon  of education

The new and old, and Chickasaw Plaza

Sunrise 

Sunset

Campus beauty

From UCO archives

From UCO archives

Icon of Oklahoma's years

As 2016 ends, another January, and semester,  is about to begin around an Oklahoma icon, now 124 years old.

1892

Classes began in Old North at Territorial Normal School in January, 1893, in Edmond, Oklahoma Territory. Construction began in summer 1892. The school was founded in December, 1890, and first classes began in November, 1891. 
It's the oldest public institution of higher ed in Oklahoma, and Old North is the oldest building still standing from the Territorial Legislature. In 1971 it was added to  the National Register of Historic Places. Thousands of teachers and other grads are alums. If you tell someone you work there, they either attended, or know someone who did.

1913-14

The college--now University of Central Oklahoma--has had many names as it has grown and changed, and most people just call it "Central."
The building has been vacant for safety reasons for years, though opening is scheduled soon. It's taken many more years, and dollars to renovate and restore her than the actual construction did. 

I had classes inside as an undergraduate long ago, and the clock tower has been a part of my almost daily view and life for more than a quarter century now. Old North faces west, but I my building is east of her, so I've watched the seasons change with the morning sun on her east face.
My watercolor card was inspired by the winter scene from 100 years ago. Black and white photos from the UCO archives. Others are mine.

"Tick, tock, paint the clock"

The years go by, at Old North--16 x 20

That's what the flyer said a couple of weeks ago, arriving in my mailbox from the Max Chambers Library here at UCO.
The fundraiser cost $45, and would be held at Paint Your Art Out in downtown Edmond. It obviously referred  to our iconic Old North clock tower on campus, the first higher education building in Oklahoma Territory, erected in 1893. 
I bit, especially since I've painted watercolors of it in the past, and it promised wine and snacks.  And I thought it would be neat, since this is UCO's 125th year.
But this time would be different--using acrylics, something I'd never done before. I was one of 33 people who showed up Friday night, and discovered the outline of Old North already drawn on the canvasses. We used Styrofoam plates as palettes.

Paint Your Art Out painting the clock

Teacher was Jay Tracy, working the crowd step by step through a new painting, with a finished one as model. He's witty, patient and good.
Of course Clark had to do his own thing, having asked to bring my own brushes, and with a previous scene in mind ahead of time. I shoulda followed the crowd and listened to Tracy because I'd learned more though. Acrylics may be water based, but the similarity to watercolor ends there.

Very early view of Old North which inspired my art

Anyway, never much for instructions, I plunged ahead and managed to turn out a painting, which is full of faults, including perspective that is off. But I, and the crowd had fun...lots of laughter and camaraderie.
Paint Your Art Out and other versions are springing up around the metro, but I'm impressed with owners Ben and Renee Deakle who were the first to do it here, starting in 2009. They gracious hosts and  offer classes and other activities, so click on  their website above. 
I think this shows a real hunger for people in this modern, fast paced, too serious and sad world to come together, have fun, and be creative. 

Two Days to 121 Christmases at Old North

Old North tower's 121st Christmas--4 by 6 watercolor

The icon and symbol of the University of Central Oklahoma is Old North, the first building of higher education in Oklahoma. It was built in  summer and fall of 1892 and first classes in it were held in January, 1893. Central is the oldest public institution of higher education in Oklahoma, founded in 1890 as the Territorial Normal School, to train teachers with a two year certificate. First classes, with 23 students,  were held in Edmond in Nov. 1891. So many generations and memories.
Today we have more than 17,000 students in many areas of study, on a growing campus. It's gone from Territorial Normal School to Central Normal School, to Central State College, to Central State University to the University of Central Oklahoma. But over it all, stands this icon of education for thousands of students over the years.
It has been vacant because of structural problems for at least a decade, but is nearing completion of renovation and expansion. This was this year's card to President Don Betz, who is the 20th president.

Merry Christmas

Old North in the snow, UCO, watercolor

Merry Christmas

from

Terry and Susan