Stillwater’s Arts Community Shines at Festivals and on Stage
arts, jessica novak, multi arts center, stillwater,
From live theater to multimedia arts classes, Stillwater’s got the arts covered. And while many of those offerings currently fall into the “hidden gems” category, that’s about to change.
“The thing I heard time and time again before I came here is that this is Stillwater’s best-kept secret,” says Jessica Novak, program supervisor at the city’s Multi Arts Center. Built in 2001, the 14,000-square-foot arts center offers a dizzying, year-round calendar of events, including summer camps for children, parent-child classes, and artist-led classes and workshops in just about every medium imaginable.
“We’re trying to let the whole community know what we’ve got, and to get them to come and take some classes here,” Novak says. “Because we’re a municipal operation, it’s really inexpensive – people are really pleased when they find out what a bargain we are.”
The Multi Arts Center also works closely with the city’s six public elementary schools, bringing children on site for the classes they need to pass the state’s standards for art education. This also allows the center to plug into the community’s families and enhance its youth and family classes.
“Our ceramics classes are very popular, and the children’s classes sell out very quickly,” Novak says. “But we’re always looking to expand our offerings, and so we tell people to check with us often – there’s usually something new.”
Stillwater doesn’t lack for live performance, either. The Town and Gown Theatre has been putting on community-performed theater for more than 50 years, and is one of the most popular volunteer-driven arts organizations in the area. And then there are the academic contributions from OSU’s theater department and the Stillwater High School Performing Arts Center.
For those who like their art in a social environment, the Stillwater Arts and Heritage Festival is the ticket. Begun more than 30 years ago as a local art show, the annual springtime event now encompasses entertainment, children’s activities, food vendors and more. It also has developed a historical side, offering exhibits on Oklahoma’s heritage.
The arts have also infiltrated the business community, as galleries and other art-related concerns have popped up in town. Take Exhibit One Gallery, which opened in November 2007 and has a year-long waiting list for artists who wish to exhibit, according to Rachel Jenson, who co-owns the gallery with sister Michelle Himes-McCrory and mom Jewel Himes.
“We change exhibits every month, so we’ve already had a whole variety of art,” Jenson says. “We feature local artists, but have also had some from out of state.”
The gallery is booked through 2008, with artists jostling for position in 2009, she adds.
“We’ve had a really good response from the artists, and we have a reception every month for each show. The receptions draw a good turnout from the community,” she says. “Everyone has been telling us that they are really glad we’re here.”
Exhibit One joins such community mainstays as the Gardiner Art Gallery, which has been a big part of OSU’s art department since it opened in 1965. The gallery functions as part of the department’s teaching environment and as a community cultural resource. Gardiner hosts about 10 exhibits a year, four of which feature visiting artists, according to Teresa Holder, assistant director.
The Gardiner sees a steady stream of non-student visitors, and Holder says once the locals have been to an exhibit, they’re likely to return.
“It’s sometimes hard to get word out in the community about our exhibits and shows, but once they do come the reaction is always very positive,” she says.
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Story by Joe Morris
Photo by Jeff Adkins
