Lar's New Gallery Representation
Tulsa Arts and Treasures Premier
Exhibit Starts 1 - 8 PM, Saturday March 17 - St. Patrick's
Day
Catch an unusual spot for some green beer with over one hundred original fine art
paintings offered during
the premier opening show of Tulsa Arts and Treasures by local owner Karen L. Ryan-White. The opening event will be from 1 PM until 8 PM on Saturday, St. Patrick's Day at the new gallery located at 5520 S. Memorial Drive in
Tulsa,
Oklahoma. Opening festivities include a preview of the art which was
gathered from around the world. The public is
invited.
Gallery Owner - Curator Karen L. Ryan
White is quite an artist
herself well known in the Tulsa area for her decorating
talents. "I've always been the one asked by friends and family when
it came to help with decorating", confesses Ryan-White. She explains,
"At one point I even sold an entire home complete with all the decor and
furnishings as the buyer didn't want it any other way than the way they first
saw it", she laughs. Adding, "There I was explaining, 'Wait, this art
is from my children when they were in grade school, surely I can't be expected
to part with that.' " The sale was completed but it was at that point
that Karen began to realize her life long love of decorating homes and
offices of her own and for others was something that might be carried forth into
the gallery world itself as so
often Karen found herself building around art pieces.
Karen will be offering her expertise to art collectors as service in her new gallery. She'll be
available for individual and private consultation in the future and able to assist while collectors find exactly what they are looking for. "People think that collecting art is only for the rich, well that is no longer the case with the opening of my new gallery", Ryan-White
explains, "Tulsa Arts and Treasures will have art for both home and office
decor in a variety of prices ranges, something for everyone from the highly established collector to
the novice who just wants to get away from hanging the same old pictures
everyone else has. People as decorators are growing tired of
continuing to hang the same old tired posters and massively produced images,
people want something that is pure, one of a kind
art."
Left to Right;
Art by Carol Plattner, Lar Shackelford and Karen "Ke"
Robinson
An International representation of paintings from as far away as Australia as well as some sculpture pieces in
this opening event will have special emphasis on Ryan-White's contract
artists. Those highlighted artists are Karen "Ke" Robinson of
West Palm Beach, FL, Carol Plattner of Bend, Oregon and Lar Shackelford of
Texas. Ryan-White says the exposition mixture makes for really fresh styles. "What makes it exciting with our opening exhibition is the chance to experience a variety of different styles and
individually created processes used by the Artists I've chosen to be represented
in my gallery. We have everything from Contemporary Modern Abstract
pieces to Realist paintings to Expressionistic works to Watercolors", Karen
explains. Tulsa Arts and Treasures will show popular art,
landscapes, modern abstracts, distinctive decorative art, and even some new loft
style art bringing some entirely different Art To
Tulsa.
Left to Right; Art by Lar Shackelford, Karen "Ke" Robinson and Carol
Plattner
Artist Lar
Shackelford adds, "We're so excited to be chosen and it's been great to see the
progress as all this has come together. Shackelford just finished an exposition
in England and this Artist from Texas says he feels Karen has a tremendous sense
of color and taste for the region, not to mention a flare for the unique.
Lar Shackelford's paintings involve acrylic and
oil. For the past three years he's experimented with mixed media
adding textures and surprise elements into abstract pieces. "It's fun to watch a viewer of one of my paintings and see if they notice the unexpected in them", Lar tell us. His patrons clamber for more paintings sometimes faster than he can produce them. At times Lar has several projects
going in both painting and in photography. Lar Shackelford
just won the ACA - Artist Choice Awards placing First for his still photography
by his fellow Artist peers. Of his Art, Shackelford says, "It's a way to express myself and
create some beauty as compared to parts of life that are not as beautiful, art
is a way to bring the positive back into one's psyche - mind, body and soul."
"Karen really knows what is hot in the Southwest for decorating in both
home and offices, so it's a real pleasure to work with her says, Artist Carol
Plattner. "Karen has a great amount of talent and vision and the Art she's
chosen goes above and beyond the usual presentation of Southwest Art and style
although she is not adverse to carrying the more typical Southwest genre'
either, muses Plattner. The Artists are pleased to see her keen eye and
broad approach to choosing art for Tulsa Arts and
Treasures.
Carol
Plattner has been painting professionally for several years for galleries, gift
shops, in art shows and for her personal clients. She enjoys painting
in her home studio and selling her artwork across the country and in fact is
collected worldwide. Plattner is well known for her vibrant,
bright, cheerful colors and inspired by her travels, love of animals and life's
everyday humor. She
says, "Painting brings me both a sense of peace and joy as I work with artistic
creations, I just marvel that they are so well received by my patrons.
I am such a lucky person being able to do what I
love!" Plattner placed fifth in the ACA - Artist Choice Awards in the
categories of Best - Fun Whimsical Art and Best in Folk Art by her fellow
Artists. Those close to Carol say she has a great sense of humor and
is a lot of fun and encouraging to be around.
Left to Right; Art by Lar Shackelford, Karen "Ke" Robinson and Carol
Plattner.
Karen "Ke" Robinson of West
Palm Beach, FL says,"Tulsa's new gallery owner, Ryan-White has a crack shot eye
for color and style, "I was so impressed with Karen's choices as I began to get
a peek of the total inventory she chose. One can tell that she has a
talent for recognizing talent with the art I saw and that she truly recognizes
what trends are taking place in the art world right now. Tulsa
Arts and Treasures is going to give the home decorator be it Mom or a
Professional a chance to buy something new and those who need something to liven
up or decorate an office will be equally impressed", Ke explains.
"Ke" Robinson's art is
one of a king, imaginative, often happy in it's portrayal and enjoyably
colorful. Blessed with a natural talent to create, she prefers
working with mixed media and experimental techniques. She feels the
process of creating is as gratifying as the final piece of
artwork. Her work has been developed through self education,
workshops, and is continually evolving. Ke is quick to point out,
"All Karen's Artists do commissioned works, so patrons who want something
special can order contract work through Karen and Tulsa Arts and Treasures".
Fine Art price ranges, are from $50 -
$5,000, perfect for any
collector budgets for everyone from novice collectors to long term art
collectors, as well as those looking for unique one of a kind decorative
art. For those works that Tulsa Arts and Treasures has
commissioned, just bring in a paint chip cards or fabric swatches so that
Ryan-White can work with her specially chosen team of Artisans to paint nicely
blending art to your new decor be it a complete renovation or a new sprits of
color. Karen and her
Artistic team will be able to help change home or office to fit individual
tastes.
