Community Calendar

Many cities and towns across the state are offering Christmas tree removal and disposal opportunities for residents this January. <br/><br/> • Residential Oklahoma City Solid Waste customers with curbside trash and bulky waste services may place natural or artificial trees at the curbside for collection with other bulky waste no later than 6 a.m. on your assigned monthly bulky waste date. Bulky waste pickup dates are posted on water bills and at OKC.gov/utilities.<br/><br/> The OKC Parks department is accepting and mulching natural Christmas trees at two locations through January 14th. Trees must be free of lights, ornaments, nails and stands. Tree drop-off/mulch pick-up is from dawn until dusk in designated areas at both Will Rogers Park and Wheeler Park. Those planning to collect mulch will need to bring shovels and containers.<br/><br/> • Moore residents can leave live Christmas trees curbside on regular trash collection days through January 7th. Trees must be free of nails and/or all artificial decorations and need to be cut in 3-foot lengths. Call the Moore Public Works Department at 405-793-5070 or click www.cityofmoore.com/departments/public-works <br/> for details. <br/><br/><br/> • Residents of The Village can place trees curbside, during regular trash pickup days through January. More at <a href="http://wwwnew.thevillageok.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Guidelines-Residential-Sanitation-2.pdf">http://wwwnew.thevillageok.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Guidelines-Residential-Sanitation-2.pdf</a><br/><br/><br/> • The City of Yukon's Sanitation Services Department is picking up live trees during routine pickup days through January 14th. Additional information is available at <a href="http://www.yukonok.gov/news-events/news/m.blog/690/christmas-tree-disposal-offered-by-city#:~:text=Yukon%20utility%20customers%20may%20dispose,at%20the%20curb%20for%20free">http://www.yukonok.gov/news-events/news/m.blog/690/christmas-tree-disposal-offered-by-city#:~:text=Yukon%20utility%20customers%20may%20dispose,at%20the%20curb%20for%20free</a>.<br/><br/> • Edmond residents can call to schedule live tree pickup during the first week in January. Live trees can also be dropped off for recycling at Mitch Park until January 21st. go to <a href="https://www.edmondok.com/794/Christmas-Tree-Recycling">https://www.edmondok.com/794/Christmas-Tree-Recycling</a> for more information.<br/><br/><br/> • The City of Norman Sanitation Division will be picking up Christmas trees on the regular yard waste pick up schedule. Please remove any stands and/or ornaments. If the tree is more than 6ft. in length, please cut it in half and place at the curbside. Click <a href="https://www.normanok.gov/">https://www.normanok.gov/</a> for additional details.<br/><br/> Additional information on these and other cities and towns across the state can be found at www.pickyourownchristmastree.org/OklahomaTreeRecyclingDisposal.

According to a 2018 Entertainment Software Association survey, more than 166 million Americans play video games. Visual artists are gamers, too, yet video games are rarely examined as a major influence on contemporary art. Open World draws attention to this phenomenon through the presentation of artworks including painting, sculpture, textiles, prints, drawings, animation, video games, video game modifications and game-based performances and interventions by makers who self-identify as artists. <br/> The artworks in Open World reference a broad cross-section of games, ranging from early text adventure and arcade games to modern massively multiplayer online roleplaying games and first-person shooters. Participating artists are influenced by some of the most beloved video game franchises, including Super Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda, The Sims and Final Fantasy. <br/> The exhibition’s title refers to open-world video games, which allow a player to roam through a virtual world, freely selecting their objectives. The title also draws attention to the rich opportunities video games offer for creative expression. Through games, artists build immersive, alternate words. They use digital games to create meaning through imagery, music, sound effects, animation and narrative. The rules governing the experience of playing a video game can express a viewpoint and encourage critical thinking or empathy by directing the player’s attention to systems at work within the real world.

Traveling from Aspen Art Museum, the exhibition Nature, Sweet Nature, by renowned artist Maren Hassinger, has been reconfigured to respond to the grounds of Oklahoma Contemporary. Nature, Sweet Nature is comprised of two installations constructed with galvanized wire rope. Garden and Paradise Regained will each stand in rows at relative human scale; one near the entrance to the art center and the other within the Sculpture Garden. Garden's uncoiled ends fan out like tall ornamental grass while Paradise Regained is comprised of lengths of industrial rope leaning in a single direction. The movement evoked by the slightly curving lines creates a kinetic effect. Rendering the metal malleable, Hassinger references the movement of reeds, grass and the wind itself. In particular, the dance of shadows cast on the ground by the curved lines of Paradise Regained will track the movement of time through the course of the day and over the year that it will be installed at Oklahoma Contemporary. The accessibility of the Sculpture Garden to visitors entering the building provides a space for what Hassinger underscores as “our tenuous relationship to nature,” connecting each viewer to what might be fragile or responsive in the interdependent nature of our ecosystem. Image: Maren Hassinger, Garden, 2020. Wire rope and concrete (144 units), 61.5 inches tall. © Maren Hassinger. Photo by Simon Klein, courtesy Aspen Art Museum.

Commissioned specifically for Campbell Art Park, Shaved Portions is among the most recent additions to Booker’s body of work marked by her distinct ability to radically transform her signature material — salvaged rubber tires — into an incredible array of biomorphic sculptures. Booker slices, twists, weaves and rivets her medium into radically new forms and textures, which easily withstand outdoor environments. For the artist, the varied tones of the rubber parallels human diversity, while the tire treads suggest images as varied as African scarification and textile designs. Repurposed from cast-off industrial scraps that would otherwise have remained symbols of urban blight or measures of wanton waste, Shaved Portions is a monumental work standing sentinel atop Automobile Alley, which was originally lined with car dealerships. Image: Chakaia Booker, Manipulating Fractions, 2004.

Many cities and towns across the state are offering Christmas tree removal and disposal opportunities for residents this January. <br/><br/> • Residential Oklahoma City Solid Waste customers with curbside trash and bulky waste services may place natural or artificial trees at the curbside for collection with other bulky waste no later than 6 a.m. on your assigned monthly bulky waste date. Bulky waste pickup dates are posted on water bills and at OKC.gov/utilities.<br/><br/> The OKC Parks department is accepting and mulching natural Christmas trees at two locations through January 14th. Trees must be free of lights, ornaments, nails and stands. Tree drop-off/mulch pick-up is from dawn until dusk in designated areas at both Will Rogers Park and Wheeler Park. Those planning to collect mulch will need to bring shovels and containers.<br/><br/> • Moore residents can leave live Christmas trees curbside on regular trash collection days through January 7th. Trees must be free of nails and/or all artificial decorations and need to be cut in 3-foot lengths. Call the Moore Public Works Department at 405-793-5070 or click www.cityofmoore.com/departments/public-works <br/> for details. <br/><br/><br/> • Residents of The Village can place trees curbside, during regular trash pickup days through January. More at <a href="http://wwwnew.thevillageok.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Guidelines-Residential-Sanitation-2.pdf">http://wwwnew.thevillageok.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Guidelines-Residential-Sanitation-2.pdf</a><br/><br/><br/> • The City of Yukon's Sanitation Services Department is picking up live trees during routine pickup days through January 14th. Additional information is available at <a href="http://www.yukonok.gov/news-events/news/m.blog/690/christmas-tree-disposal-offered-by-city#:~:text=Yukon%20utility%20customers%20may%20dispose,at%20the%20curb%20for%20free">http://www.yukonok.gov/news-events/news/m.blog/690/christmas-tree-disposal-offered-by-city#:~:text=Yukon%20utility%20customers%20may%20dispose,at%20the%20curb%20for%20free</a>.<br/><br/> • Edmond residents can call to schedule live tree pickup during the first week in January. Live trees can also be dropped off for recycling at Mitch Park until January 21st. go to <a href="https://www.edmondok.com/794/Christmas-Tree-Recycling">https://www.edmondok.com/794/Christmas-Tree-Recycling</a> for more information.<br/><br/><br/> • The City of Norman Sanitation Division will be picking up Christmas trees on the regular yard waste pick up schedule. Please remove any stands and/or ornaments. If the tree is more than 6ft. in length, please cut it in half and place at the curbside. Click <a href="https://www.normanok.gov/">https://www.normanok.gov/</a> for additional details.<br/><br/> Additional information on these and other cities and towns across the state can be found at www.pickyourownchristmastree.org/OklahomaTreeRecyclingDisposal.

According to a 2018 Entertainment Software Association survey, more than 166 million Americans play video games. Visual artists are gamers, too, yet video games are rarely examined as a major influence on contemporary art. Open World draws attention to this phenomenon through the presentation of artworks including painting, sculpture, textiles, prints, drawings, animation, video games, video game modifications and game-based performances and interventions by makers who self-identify as artists. <br/> The artworks in Open World reference a broad cross-section of games, ranging from early text adventure and arcade games to modern massively multiplayer online roleplaying games and first-person shooters. Participating artists are influenced by some of the most beloved video game franchises, including Super Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda, The Sims and Final Fantasy. <br/> The exhibition’s title refers to open-world video games, which allow a player to roam through a virtual world, freely selecting their objectives. The title also draws attention to the rich opportunities video games offer for creative expression. Through games, artists build immersive, alternate words. They use digital games to create meaning through imagery, music, sound effects, animation and narrative. The rules governing the experience of playing a video game can express a viewpoint and encourage critical thinking or empathy by directing the player’s attention to systems at work within the real world.

With knowledgeable local tour guides equipped with a fleet of comfortable and easy to ride bikes, Ride OKC helps people connect with the city on a deeper level. This experience begins by covering OKC's history and it's epic founding. It travels through downtown to see skyscrapers, modern houses, historic buildings, a haunted hotel, luxurious mansions, and beautiful boathouses to learn about the architects and their design. We will visit sculptures, street art murals, bronze monuments and learn about the artists and their work. This leisurely 7.5 mile ride consists of mostly flat terrain and stops frequently for photo opportunities. We'll see key attractions but also discover off the beaten path and hidden gems not found on maps or travel books. Be prepared to be active, have fun, and leave feeling more connected to Oklahoma City on a deeper level. <br><br> Schedule: 2.5 hours <br><br> Transportation: A Ride OKC bicycle is provided <br><br> Key attractions such as the Oklahoma National Memorial, Overholser Mansion, Olympic Training Site, Land Run Monument. <br><br> Features:<br> A fun and knowledgeable local tour guide.<br> Insight into OKC’s downtown architecture, notable sites, and history.<br> Comfortable, easy to ride bike, and helmet (optional).<br> Leisurely ride set at a relaxed pace.<br> Bottled water.<br> <br><br> Price:<br> $45 per person, all inclusive adventure.<br> Save 20% off by bringing your own bike or scooter with promo code BYOB2018 at checkout.

Featuring 99 paintings created between 1809 and the present by masters such as Winslow Homer, John Singer Sargent and Andrew Wyeth, “For America: Paintings from the National Academy of Design” opens Nov. 6, 2021 at OKCMOA and runs through Jan. 30, 2022. These masterworks provide a unique history of American art as told by many of the best-known American artists. <br/> “'For America’ provides a fascinating and unprecedented look at the last two centuries of American art as told by the artists who lived it,” said Michael J. Anderson, Ph.D., OKCMOA president and CEO. “The incredible works included in this exhibition offer a rare opportunity to see masterpieces by many of our country’s greatest artists together in one place. I think visitors will enjoy walking through a visual representation of American history and seeing how styles, subjects and perspectives changed throughout the course of our history.” <br/> Founded in New York in 1825 by artists including Samuel F.B. Morse, Asher B. Durand and Thomas Cole, The National Academy of Design is the oldest artist honorary society in the United States. From 1825 to the present, the institution has required all Academicians to donate a representative work to the Academy’s collection, and, from 1839 to 1994, the Academy also required associates to present a portrait of themselves, whether painted by their own hand or that of a fellow artist. By presenting artists’ portraits together with their representative works, “For America” offers an opportunity to see how the artists viewed both themselves and their country. <br/> “For America” features work by Frederic Edwin Church, Eastman Johnson, Thomas Eakins, Cecilia Beaux, Isabel Bishop, Charles White, Wayne Thiebaud, Louisa Matthíasdóttir, David Diao, Jaune Quick-to-See Smith and Peter Saul, among others. <br/> “Since the artworks span over 200 years of American history, visitors can witness an evolving United States of America within the included artists and subject matter,” said OKCMOA curator Catherine Shotick. “For example, in the Academy’s early years, members eagerly supported the emergence of America’s first native school of landscape paintings, known as the Hudson River School. Painters Frederic Edwin Church and Albert Bierstadt were celebrated for their vast, romantic, idealized views of American landscapes. Genre painting, with its greater emphasis on the human figure, also flourished, and has stayed a prevalent subject at the Academy to present day.”

Commissioned specifically for Campbell Art Park, Shaved Portions is among the most recent additions to Booker’s body of work marked by her distinct ability to radically transform her signature material — salvaged rubber tires — into an incredible array of biomorphic sculptures. Booker slices, twists, weaves and rivets her medium into radically new forms and textures, which easily withstand outdoor environments. For the artist, the varied tones of the rubber parallels human diversity, while the tire treads suggest images as varied as African scarification and textile designs. Repurposed from cast-off industrial scraps that would otherwise have remained symbols of urban blight or measures of wanton waste, Shaved Portions is a monumental work standing sentinel atop Automobile Alley, which was originally lined with car dealerships. Image: Chakaia Booker, Manipulating Fractions, 2004.

Traveling from Aspen Art Museum, the exhibition Nature, Sweet Nature, by renowned artist Maren Hassinger, has been reconfigured to respond to the grounds of Oklahoma Contemporary. Nature, Sweet Nature is comprised of two installations constructed with galvanized wire rope. Garden and Paradise Regained will each stand in rows at relative human scale; one near the entrance to the art center and the other within the Sculpture Garden. Garden's uncoiled ends fan out like tall ornamental grass while Paradise Regained is comprised of lengths of industrial rope leaning in a single direction. The movement evoked by the slightly curving lines creates a kinetic effect. Rendering the metal malleable, Hassinger references the movement of reeds, grass and the wind itself. In particular, the dance of shadows cast on the ground by the curved lines of Paradise Regained will track the movement of time through the course of the day and over the year that it will be installed at Oklahoma Contemporary. The accessibility of the Sculpture Garden to visitors entering the building provides a space for what Hassinger underscores as “our tenuous relationship to nature,” connecting each viewer to what might be fragile or responsive in the interdependent nature of our ecosystem. Image: Maren Hassinger, Garden, 2020. Wire rope and concrete (144 units), 61.5 inches tall. © Maren Hassinger. Photo by Simon Klein, courtesy Aspen Art Museum.