“LFP was by far the most energetic art opening I’ve ever attended..”

Go pick up the newest issue of the Urban Tulsa Weekly. It features our first gallery review:

Left Field Project Gallery, 819 E. 3rd St., hosted TYPros third annual Next/Now art show,
“Countdown to Utopia.” This was my first stop – I walked into the gallery, trying not to run over other attendees or be run over – that’s how crowded it was, and smiled over at the DJs spinning music in the corner of the gallery. Songs blared while people chattered over them; I looked around for the breakdancers but didn’t see any obvious suspects.

Walking into LFP felt like walking into a crowded club on a Friday night, only there was cool art on the walls and people weren’t acting like drunken idiots. Circling the space, I scoped out the “Countdown to Utopia” show, based on an invitation for artists to interpret the sustainability movement in Tulsa as well as Tulsa’s potential for the future.

A set called “The Book Series” caught my attention, although no artist was acknowledged. There are four paintings in the set,“Where They Are (1),”which displays a monster from the popular
children’s book Where the Wild Things Are, “Corduroy,”with a rendition of the stuffed bear,
“Giving Tree,”with the giving tree in a prominent spot and “Where They Are (2),”with Max from
Where the Wild Things Are taking center stage. The figures are rendered in precise line-drawing
style closely mimicking the original illustrations while the background consists of loose brush strokes with a graffiti feel. Above the series, attached to the wall hangs a heavy piece of metal symbolizing the state of Oklahoma. A wrecking ball hanging from the panhandle appeared to be on the verge of crashing into the book series. Interpret this how you will.

I missed the first set of breakdancing when I decided to wander away from LFP, but I couldn’t help stopping back by to see the moves of Movement 918. When I returned to LFP, the members of Movement 918 were outside taking a break. These guys- Leonard Richardson, Boogi and Hex, have been breakdancing for almost six years. After getting their names, I let them rest and prepare for their next set.

Inside, LFP Gallery was still packed with people and the music continued in full force. I didn’t have to wait too long for Movement 918 to find their spot in the middle of the gallery floor. Their energy was through the roof, their moves amazing; the guys hammed it up for the art show crowd, who circled around the dancers and watched in awe and enjoyment. It was worth stopping back by LFP to see Movement 918 perform and take a second look at the art show.

I barely hit the tip of the arts iceberg in Tulsa this month. There are still many shows open during October; be sure to check out the Events section on page 49 for a full list of gallery exhibits in Tulsa. I hope that you are able to get out there and support our talented and energetic artists, visionary galleries and the arts in general.

LFP is playing host to the  TYPros (Tulsa Young Professionals) annual Next/Now Art Show. Duane will be painting 2 canvases during the show, Deeko (our resident DJ) will be spinning some records and we will have a few break dancers there to bring a new artistic mix to the space. Typros will be providing appetizers and there will be a cash bar to accommodate your beverage needs. The show will run from 6-9 PM, Thursday October 2nd. Admission is free. Come check it out!

directions

Last Friday was our grand opening party, and despite the jungle like atmosphere of the gallery (air conditioning solution in the works) the event went over well. All of Duane’s art is still on display, and some of the pieces are still available for purchase. We also have two amazing LFP t-shirt designs in an assortment of colors for both men and women. These are extremely limited edition, and we will not be printing these shirts ever again. So, get them before they’re hot or you’ll miss the boat. Though we don’t have regular hours established yet, we are officially moved in and will be working from the space. So, stop by and pay us a visit this week. We look forward to seeing you.

Dang…. Left Field Project the gallery is opening next Friday. Be there and be prepared to have a decent time. *Deeko has officially relocated to the neighborhood and he will be dropping his first set with us. I promise you, there will be ill tunes. Some drinks and some snacks. [I use the term "snacks" loosely] I can’t believe it’s already September…. We’re opening the doors as a gallery this month - once we get settled in, we will start bringing in the merchandise. We will be selling some limited edition LFP tee shirts for this event, so if you think you might want one, please e-mial me and let me know so we reserve one for you. As per usual, please download the flyer and throw it in your myspace, facebook, blog or website - we greatly appreciate it. We heart you kids - thank you for the support…. Email me if you have any questions.

*Deeko is a long time friend from Tucson AZ, we share the same taste in music, he is an amazing producer, he’s extremely kind and definitely one of the dopest DJ’s out there… Come out and check him out.

I was honored to be featured in the Tulsa Young Professionals first official vidcast… Check it: