Art and Affection

In November, the Broken Arrow Arts and Humanities Council hosted its first ever Poetry Slam at Stonewood Coffee and Café as part of its Art After Hours programming.

The unique event proved so successful that the council is hosting another slam on Thursday, Feb. 10, just in time for Valentine's Day. In honor of the upcoming holiday the theme for this poetry slam is "Love." Sign up location remains at Stonewood Coffee, 449 N. Stonewood Dr., but the location of the Poetry Slam will be held a the Stinchcomb Mansion, 1004 S. Main St. in Broken Arrow from 7-10pm.

While the theme and location have changed the rules are the same: participants have three minutes to present an original poem about love to a panel of judges. Audience members can influence judges with their feedback, and the most successful poets will red their poetry in a way that incites an energetic response from the crowd.

Participants should come with two poems prepared in case they progress to the second round. Local spoken word artist Deborah J. Hunter is the organizer and host of the event.

Musician Justin McKean will perform between rounds. Registration is $5 and funds a prize pool that will be awarded to the top three poets.

For more information, visit artsba.org.

Valentine Show at MA Doran

Also in honor of February's love-driven holiday MA Doran Gallery, 3509 S. Peoria Ave., will exhibit a Valentine Group Show featuring paintings, sculptures and American crafts inspired by the holiday. The opening will take place on Thursday, Feb. 10 from 5-8pm and will continue through March 5th.

For more information, visit madorangallery.com.

John Gary Brown at Joseph Gierek Fine Art

The oil paintings of Kansas artist John Gary Brown speak to the eternal nature of one of artists most revered subject matter: the landscape. In his work, Brown manipulates paint and drawing to create inventive worlds in which color is built up through a layering process that produces beautiful paintings with a rich sense of light and form. A selection of Brown's work opened at Joseph Gierek Fine Art, 1512 E. 15th St., in January and is on display through Saturday, Feb. 12.

"I believe that mankind's marks upon the earth are superficial and fleeting, and I try to depict and celebrate what is truly elemental in the landscape -- the breathing of life into great watery vistas, seen through shifting, atmospheric veils, or the falling of sun light onto undisturbed dust," Browd said about his work on his website.

For more information, visit gierek.com

"A Treasury of American Prints" at the Gilcrease Museum

Tulsa's art galleries have recently been drawing attention to printmaking as an art form worthy of recognition. The Gilcrease Museum is among the local art venues expressing appreciation for the art form with its special exhibition titled "A Treasure of American Prints from the Gilcrease Collection." The exhibition opened in December and is on display through March 13.

In "A Treasury of American Prints" Gilcrease curators have selected a number of relief, intaglio, and planographic prints from 31 artists within the Gilcrease collection. Artists such as Thomas Moran, Charles Banks Wilson, Thomas Hart Benton and Grant Wood are among those represented in the exhibition. Each artist's original prints were created from a variety of surfaces such as metal, stone slabs and blocks of wood. The subject matter of these American printmakers varies to include rich American landscapes, pastoral scenes and a rare look into the lives of New Mexico's Pueblo Indians.

The prints were created during a period in history when printmaking was used as an opportunity for artists to make a living creating series of images that were affordable to those with little money during the Great Depression. The different materials and techniques used by the artists make for a unique show that offers visitors a look into the art of another generation.

Don Thompson at Circle Cinema

The work of Tulsa photographer Don Thompson is on display at the Circle Cinema gallery through Feb. 27th. Thompson's work is a testament to the color and life that exists within the architecture and everyday life of our city.

For more information, visit circlecinema.com.

Weather-delayed Brady events

The Brady District's First Friday events, including the Living Arts' 24 Hour Video Race and artist opening as well as the February art opening at the Tulsa Artist Coalition have been rescheduled for Friday, Feb. 11th.