The Evolution of The Words
My writing has evolved from school-mandated essays to arts writing for local Oklahoma publications to weekly vignettes from our time on the road. Submitting essays to a broader range of publications is the current phase, and a select list of these can be found below:
“Seeing Clearly.” Big Sky Journal Magazine, Summer 2023. - “Seeing clearly is a gift that we can give ourselves. Guiding others to see something clearer — that’s the work of heroes.”
“Carillon.” Sojournal, July 6th, 2023.
“Imitation of Life: Politics in Art.” ArtFocus Oklahoma, Spring 2017. - “In this cacophonous political atmosphere, how are Oklahoma artists reacting? What, if anything, has changed about their approach to current and future creative work? These questions were posed to four Oklahoma artists with differing backgrounds working in different media.”
“Tulsa Art Studio: Artist Spotlights.” OVAC Blog, February-April 2012.
“The Tulsa Art Studio Tour: Giving in to Curiosity.” ArtFocus Oklahoma, March/April 2012. - “Even though the lightening-in-a-bottle really happens in an artists’ mind, their space both reflects and inspires the direction of their work. Inhaling those scents, seeing stacks of raw materials, deciding on just the right color, and existing in that space helps many artists get into the flow…The Tulsa Art Studio Tour is about looking at exactly that - other artists molding their creativity into tangible work, whatever form it may take.”
“Shooting From the Hip.” ArtFocus Oklahoma, July/August 2011. - “J. Don Cook’s essays pick up the prologue’s momentum and run with it through subjects like side-of-the-road haircuts, the bliss of summer, alcoholism, tattoos, and fiddlers. It is these stories, particularly the prologue, that convinced the editors to publish a book of essays from a well-decorated photographer but essentially uncredentialed writer.”
“Art is in Her Nature: Paintings by Kim Fonder.” ArtFocus Oklahoma, May/June 2010. - “Her paintings convey the peace, tranquility, and awareness of our natural environment that comes from equal parts technical grace and raw passion.”
“Gallery Talk” column for Tulsa People.Com, December 2009-March 2010.
“UK/OK at the Price Tower Arts Center.” ArtFocus Oklahoma, September/October 2009. - “From a place where August brings drizzly skies and 60 degree nights to our own homestate, where heat drizzles from the pavement instead and 60 degrees only exists in the fridge, the UK/OK show brought the work of British and Oklahoma artists to the Price Tower in August.”
“Review: The Object Project.” ArtFocus Oklahoma, November/December 2008. - “What would fifteen artists do if asked to create works containing a bone, a glass of water, a hand mirror, a moth, and a ball of string?…Even though it seems a little like cheating to fit five objects into a still life, most of these pieces wowed with either their compelling and intriguing narrative threads or with their significant technical prowess.”