MEETING THE ARTIST CAROL BEESLEY

One of the highlights of the spring is the annual Art Jubilee Competition and Show held on the campus of Oklahoma Panhandle State University near my home.  For the past eleven years I have taken my students to this event to compete against high school art programs from the surrounding five states.

This year my students won our tenth sweepstakes award and brought home our tenth 2-D Best of Show Award.  I was thrilled since this was one of the biggest turnouts for the Jubilee in years.

As part of the event, the university hosts workshops for both students and teachers.  This year it was a joy to meet and spend time with Oklahoma artist, Carol Beesley.  Carol's work has been featured throughout the Southwest.  She is currently part of the faculty at the University of Oklahoma. 

 Carol Beesley and Me

 Carol and some of her vivid, Oklahoma landscapes created with oil sticks.

As part of her workshop, Carol cut Van Gogh's Starry Night into little squares, passed them out to participants, gave us piles of oil pastels and square pieces of paper and led us to create our little section of the painting.  I had a ball.  It was so much fun to get to play with other artists.  I actually ended up painting two different, 18" x 18" pieces.

I hope to post some of the exceptional student work entered in the Jubilee soon.