Molly Murphy

The time I spent in Tulsa deeply affected how I think about my work, and the direction in which I want my work to go. Through the generosity of the curators of the Philbrook and Gilcrease Museums, I was granted access to the permanent collections. The collections at both institutions are amazing and are filled with both historic and contemporary Native art: new artists I had never heard of, new works I had never seen. I had a general sense of being overwhelmed by the sheer volume and quality of artwork. There is an assumption that Native artists know the progression of contemporary Native art, and that they have a background in traditional arts. This may be true, but only in degrees. Very few universities focus on contemporary Native art and I am finding that picking up this education is a process of fits and starts. Before this trip, I never had a chance to see works by Oscar Howe from his early period, or to see pieces by artists I know and respect, like Benjamin Harjo, in a museum context. In short, both of these museums have world-class collections of art from multiple cultures that interest me. I could have spent a month at both. I would have preferred to spend more of my time there as a research student delving into details but the nature of my visit was to present information about me. Overall, I left Tulsa with impressions and questions. The foremost question is one of intent: what do I want my work to be as it reaches a level of maturity? In order to have my work be of this caliber I have to challenge how I think and how I work.

To cap these visits at the Philbrook and Gilcrease, I also spent time with the owners of Lovetts Gallery in Tulsa. My conversations with Lovetts encouraged my plans to incorporate more mixed media and modern elements in my work. The Tulsa visit jump started a professional re-evaluation and will be the starting point for new work. I plan on revisiting some shelved ideas, and pursuing new forms and media.

One thing is for certain, I am going back to Tulsa soon for more artwork, food, company, and inspiration!

(Oh, and did I mention the food was fabulous?)