Story by Darl Devault, Feature Writer

Described as a realignment and costing half a million dollars, the new section of the MAPS 3 West River Trail (WRT) opened the first week in May. This reopening allows its multi-use travelers access to and from downtown Oklahoma City on the trails after being closed for 22 months.
For seniors trying to make a decisive quality of life recovery from pandemic restrictions this reopening is important. Seniors got outside more for exercise during the pandemic. Bicycling and walking was two of the major explosions in growth. Seniors who are bicycling and walking more say their pent-up demand to safely ride their bicycles to and from the Boathouse District and downtown Oklahoma City is strong.
“My long bike rides each week often took me almost downtown, so the closure of the West River Trail was a huge inconvenience,” said Steve Persa, who lives across from the Lake Overholser Trail. With the trail closed I was forced to ride north, which took me into traffic, which is no fun at age 78.”
The WRT had been closed in the area since late spring of 2019. It was closed because of severe erosion from near-record heavy spring rain and resulting high North Canadian River flow next to the Rush Peterbilt Truck Center. The high rains moved the bend in the river closer to the truck center. Low-lying flat areas along the North Canadian River in El Reno, Yukon and west Oklahoma City in Canadian County were flooded by those heavy rains.
Although it looked safe to traverse from the trail after the heavy rains, it was not safe. Where the trail skirted the truck center property to the west, the river had eroded and dug out under the embankment below. This part of the trail posed a liability exposure to the city and endangered users. This caused the city to close it out of an abundance of caution in case it fell into the river.
The closure was from its western-most point at the Reno Avenue trailhead to Safari Point at Crystal Lake near SW 8th Street and Rockwell Avenue. This was about 3.3 miles of the 7.5-mile trail.
The new realignment section makes the trail longer than the posted 7.5-miles now running from NW 10th Street west of Council Road to SW 15th Street at Meridian Avenue. There it connects to the east to the Oklahoma River Trails to continue downtown. The North Canadian River is named the Oklahoma River through Oklahoma City’s downtown area.
Originally completed in 2015, the trail’s new realignment construction began in January of this year to reroute the trail east between the truck center and Interstate 40. The new trail features large, long concrete barriers protecting it from the embankment just north of the truck center. It turns south at 8700 W Interstate 40 Service Rd. and continues south next to Cara Lane to go west along SW 8th Street to reconnect to the existing trail.
“Cyclists have missed the use of the trail for the almost two years it was closed, because it is easier than riding to Lake Hefner and back,” said Dixie Duff, a retired nurse who rides here bicycle every other day in the area. “The West River Trail is preferred because of its east-west route, making it protected from Oklahoma’s strong south winds in spring and summer and winter’s strong and cold north winds.”
The WRT is one of the three trails created by tax dollars from MAPS 3. (The other two trails are Will Rogers and Lake Draper.) This is a more rural trek, taking users along the North Canadian River and around Crystal Lake well away from streets and traffic. The trail offers parking at NW 10th Street on the west end, Reno Street or Crystal Lake midway through the scenic trail.
This trail is a part of the more than 90 miles of Oklahoma City’s multi-use trails. The trails system offers recreation and exercise along a network of 10 interconnected trails that can take users to almost every point in the city.
Using the Better Streets, Safer City Sales Tax, the city has been adding bike infrastructure and resurfacing multiple trails around the city these last two years. Latest figures show 56 percent of Oklahoma City residents live within a half-mile of a park or trail. Oklahoma City averages one park for every 3,995 residents.
The good-for-all-skill-levels WRT offers several activity options and is accessible year-round. Dogs are welcomed but must be kept on a leash. No motorized vehicles are allowed on the trail system. This kid and stroller friendly trail is ideal for family nature trips. Many residents walk and run the trail while taking in the many river views.
It is a venue of unexpected ruggedness with some of its close-in, tree-lined boundaries in some sections. Parts of the trail fit the description of a nature trail. Most of the other city trails are open and windswept.

Story by Darl Devault, Feature Writer

As Father’s Day, June 20, rolls around an Oklahoma City father and son are proud to share their bond by continuing their mission to brighten the days of hospitalized children. The pair have created an exotic car outreach to give kids in hospitals a special experience to help keep their minds engaged and focused on a positive future.
Eric Wynn is the older of Redline4Kids original organizing duo who readily gives full credit to his son who had the idea. The two and nonprofit volunteers have been busy the last few years taking their exotic cars to children’s hospitals for special events.
Youngsters in hospital beds may have access to exotic car driving video games at home using a controller and their TVs. This nonprofit gives them the ability to sit behind a real steering wheel of the latest generation of exotic cars to help them deal with the stress of being in a hospital environment. Their goal is to bring joy to kids, and hope to families, through an experience with exotic cars.
While not trying to foster a new group of automotive fanatics, the organizers want to give young patients a break from their normal routine.
This desire to create a novel experience for children in hospitals springs from the creator’s early confinement to a hospital bed when he was first diagnosed with systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis at age four.
Now 25, Chance wants to offer kids in a hospital environment a fun exposure to cars most adults do not get by adding a fun part to their long hospital stays. The organizations name comes from high performance manual shift cars, where its instrument panel features a tachometer with a red line showing engine revolutions per minute where it is important to make the next shift.
“From experience I know hospital life, especially as a kid, is not fun and can be pretty traumatic,” said Chance Wynn, nonprofit president. “Any opportunity you get to escape, even if it is for just an hour is special. Whether you are a girl or boy, car lover or not, when you get close to these exotic cars it is a blast. It has been proven repeatedly as we have done so many of these events over the last four years from OKC to Dallas—Ft. Worth, and all the way to Miami Florida. It is all thanks to our great sponsors and volunteers. Without their support brightening children’s patient days would not be possible.”
The Wynns and volunteers want to give the kids a break from the hours upon hours of hospital routine by sparking their imagination of driving fun, fast cars. Chance is proud his idea gives such a memorable diversion from hospital routine to young children. The group offers them an outing, so the child can leave their hospital room which helps with cabin fever.
For those youngsters who already have a passion for automobiles it may be a dream come true to develop great memories that will stick with them.
The volunteers from Redline4Kids usually show up with a mixture of a dozen near-race cars, exotic or American muscle cars for the kids to enjoy. A few are among the fastest street-legal production cars in the world. Often the cream of the crop is European. They are built one at a time on a race engineered chassis with aerospace materials to create style, elegance, untamed power and speed on wheels.
“I love doing this event and excited to keep sharing my blessings with your organization and all of the kids!” said Tom Gore, volunteer car owner. Thank you so much for making this venue available to us.” He volunteers his legendary exotic, a 2019 Lamborghini Huracán Performante Spyder.
For the young patients, the experience runs the gamut from receiving a 1/64-scale die-cast toy car to play with to being able to climb behind the wheel of what seems like to them a “one-of-a-kind life-size car creation” because of their iconic rarity. Each child receives an event T shirt, wristband, a little Hot Wheels car and cards with photos and info about each vehicle on display.
“Once my son Chance bought his first exotic car, we quickly learned how kids wanted to get their picture taken with the car, or even sit inside of these types of cars,” said Eric Wynn, Redline4Kids board president. “As Chance spent a good deal of his childhood sick and in the hospital, the idea just came to him one day. He told me ‘Dad, I have an idea to help kids that are just like me’ and five years later here we are!”
The first event at OU Children’s Hospital was well documented in videos on YouTube by Imagine Productions OKC. They have also been featured on the front page of The Oklahoman newspaper.
After the first event in 2017 for OU Children’s Hospital where they have now appeared four times, the group targeted Texas patients. They visited the Scottish Rite Hospital for Children in Dallas, Children’s Medical Center in Plano, the Cook Children’s Hospital in Ft. Worth and Children’s Health in Plano through 2018.
In 2018 they refocused on Oklahoma with appearances at Bethany’s Children’s Center Rehabilitation Hospital twice. The exotic cars have also brightened the patient’s days at INTEGRIS Children’s – Baptist Medical Center in Oklahoma City and the J.D. McCarty Center in Norman. And in 2019, Redline4Kids recruited more exotic car enthusiasts to launch in Florida at The Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital in Fort Lauderdale.
As restrictions for the pandemic are lifting the Redline4Kids exotic cars are schedule to brighten the children’s days at the J.D. McCarty Center in Norman the third Saturdays in June and July. The group is working to finalize the dates for OU Children’s Hospital and INTEGRIS Children’s – Baptist Medical Center in Oklahoma City.
For more info, or to make a tax-deductible donation, visit www.Redline4kids.org.

* Focus, Rehabilitation and Tribal Facilities numbers are not assigned to a specific region as their patient populations reside across the state. Information provided through survey of Oklahoma hospitals as reported to HHS as of the time of this report. Response rate affects data. Facilities may update previously reported information as necessary. Data Source: Acute Disease Service, Oklahoma State Department of Health. *As of 2021-05-28 at 7:00 a.m

Tealridge Independent Living begins new normal

With COVID numbers dropping and the increasing number of vaccines that have been given in the state of Oklahoma, one could say that senior living communities are opening up! What wonderful news it is! Many people who were almost ready to make the decision to move during 2020 but placed their plans on hold have decided it is time to return to their search and make their final selections. Tealridge Retirement community has seen a significant influx of inquiries and  move-ins during the last 60 days!

During the pandemic, Tealridge Retirement Community in Edmond followed the recommendations of county and state health departments. As the state began relaxing some of its COVID-19 recommendations, so did Tealridge.

Gov. Kevin Stitt recently signed Executive Order 2021-11 to withdraw and rescind the COVID-19 State of Emergency.

“We are open! Residents are able to accept guests in their apartments. In fact, we are conducting tours in person. We  feel very fortunate that we are able to provide that place where residents can socialize and get back to normal”, said Melissa Mahaffey, Tealridge Retirement Community executive director.

The community continues to follow recommendations set by the county health department. Currently, residents continue to wear masks in common areas. However, Tealridge Independent Living is offering full dining again while maintaining an area in the dining room for residents who choose to eat by themselves or whenever an individual is not fully vaccinated.

“All in all, we are back and stronger than ever. Our community has continued to be the choice for so many seniors – we are growing!” Mahaffey said.

Joe and Sandra Ward, along with resident Jose Diaz, are among the residents who recently moved to Tealridge Independent Living.

“I think Tealridge has managed the CDC guidelines very well,” Jose said.

Retirees are eager to be a part of the Tealridge Family. The “opening” of the community encouraged Jose and the Wards to not waste a lot of time to make the decision to move. Jose said he wants to find ways to volunteer at Tealridge and meet all the residents.

In fact, people are wanting to make sure that they are somewhere that they will not feel isolated. When the pandemic was at its highest peak, Joe and Sandra were unable to socialize with friends or neighbors during darker days of the pandemic. They didn’t go out of their single family home because everybody was scared. They didn’t want to get sick, but they were impressed by the safety standards and amenities they found at Tealridge. Sandra said life at Tealridge Independent Living has made her feel safer during the pandemic.

“I was flabbergasted when I came down to visit the community. I looked around and saw a  nice living room and super dining room,” Joe said. “They showed me a couple of apartments and one that we finally settled on. People would wave to me or tell me, hello. It was just open and wide, clean and smelled good. Everybody you talked with was happy. I observed people sitting and visiting with one another. It appeared that everyone got along great and welcomed me. It was super.”

Sandra said she became impressed with Tealridge when driving up to the front door.

“From the very beginning it started off so nice,” Sandra said. “I was so pleased that people were there to help me so soon when we arrived. I just can’t tell you how much I love the place. I am impressed with it. People here help you and they’re great.”

The sales staff made a great impression on Jose, he said. He told his son that he was looking for a good place to relocate. He checked out a couple of other independent living centers, but they were not for him. Tealridge Independent Living best suited his needs, including health care concerns, he said.

Sales Coordinator Cathy McComas said the long-established residents at Tealridge are ready to get back to familiar ways of life whenever possible.

“They understand things have to open up slowly,” McComas explained. “I have people say, ‘Can my daughter have lunch with me,’ or ‘when can we do this or that’. We’re just as excited as they are. We’re ready to get back to family night. We’re ready to get back to lunch tours. We’re ready to get back to things we were doing before, but we’re being very cautious. We’re opening up a little bit at a time.”

COVID never really excluded people in the community from reaching out to Tealridge in previous months, said Kristen Moss, retirement counselor. Now many of those individuals who put their moving decisions on hold are approaching the retirement community saying they want a new tour. The next day, they call and let me know they are ready to make the move, Moss said.

While people were in their own homes during the pandemic, we were seeing more people that were not able to see their families. And families are even calling saying. “My gosh, I had no idea what was going on with mom, because we chose not to go inside their home for fear that we could potential create a health risk to them.”

COVID vaccinations changed everything. Families are no longer feeling the need to stay put in their home. It’s exciting for the Tealridge staff to be able to share the community, build on success, and be a resource for people, Moss said.

They even help people navigate to find resources they need, Moss has also counseled people as to where to get COVID shots.

We are delighted that so many people have chosen to make a decision to move to our community. This is family, we are all here at Tealridge to create a great environment where everyone feels welcome!” Moss said.

To learn more about the Tealridge Retirement community call (405) 604-5433 or visit our website www.tealridge.com. Visit us at 2200 NE 140th St, Edmond, OK 73013.

The Covid-19 pandemic has changed the long-term care community forever. Tamara Meadows, RN, the Divisional Director of Clinical Operations for Oklahoma with Stonegate Senior Living, stated that it brought infection control in long-term care to the 21st century.
“It highlighted the importance of our infection control program, while also highlighting the need for additional staff to assist with all the different infection control activities,” commented Meadows.
Towards the middle of last year Stonegate’s Chief Clinical Officer, Dianne Sullivan-Slazyk, RN determined along with the owners of Stonegate, that a new permanent role of an infection control preventionist in each facility was needed.
Already on staff at Stonegate, was the Director of Quality, Rhonda Abercrombie, RN who had extensive epidemiology experience with the CDC. So, it was a natural fit for Rhonda to lead the infection control department, which includes two Regional ICP nurses in the state of Oklahoma, along with 4 in Texas and Colorado. The Regional ICPs have oversight of each ICP nurse in each of Stonegate’s 11 skilled facilities throughout the state of Oklahoma. Their job duties vary from routine Covid testing, sometimes as often as twice a week on all residents and employees, to the routine infection control surveillance with tracking and trending of infections.
The ICPs will play a big part of staying in compliance with the newest guidance from CMS on educating residents and staff on vaccinations.
Although they have had a very good turn out with vaccination rates of residents, Director Abercrombie states, they would love to see an increase in the amount of staff vaccinations.
“We have partnered with our consulting pharmacy, PharMerica, to do our own vaccine clinics, which are open to staff, residents, and families,” said Abercrombie.
Asked, if these ICP nurses are temporary, Abercrombie states, “The owners of Stonegate have committed to these being permanent positions, which we are very proud!”
For more information about Stonegate Senior Living communities visit: www.stonegatesl.com or call 972-899-4401.

With the lifesaving potential of a bone marrow transplant comes an anxious few weeks of waiting to see if the patient begins producing new cells. A hematology oncologist at OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center is the co-leader of a national clinical trial that could revolutionize the field with an imaging technique that provides an early look at a transplant’s likely success or failure.

The clinical trial represents more than 15 years of work by Jennifer Holter-Chakrabarty, M.D., a bone marrow transplant physician at Stephenson Cancer Center. Her research was launched in response to the tragic outcome of a patient with leukemia who received a bone marrow transplant. She cared for the patient until the point when laboratory and clinical diagnostic techniques available at the time were able to determine if the bone marrow had repopulated. The transplant failed and the patient eventually succumbed to an infection and died.
Holter-Chakrabarty was determined to find a way to see, soon after a transplant, whether the bone marrow is growing. “That was the state of the science at the time – we didn’t have the diagnostic capability of predicting if a transplant would be successful,” she said. “It was very upsetting to lose my patient because I couldn’t tell whether her cells where growing. I am hopeful that this clinical trial will let us know early on whether a transplant is working, so that we can take different steps to intervene if needed. Waiting four to six weeks is too long.”
Holter-Chakrabarty’s research trajectory began after reading a publication by scientists in the Netherlands who had used a new imaging agent called fluorothymidine (FLT) in positron emission tomography (PET) for solid tumors like breast and lung cancer. In that case, FLT imaging provided an excellent view of the bones but a poor look at the breasts and lungs. Holter-Chakrabarty realized that those researchers’ problem was her solution – an imaging agent that could light up the bones to reveal whether marrow was growing.
FLT’s potential is in how it differs from the current standard imaging agent, FDG (fluorodeoxyglucose). Because FDG is tied to glucose, when used for imaging, it recognizes any cell that is active, whether dividing or because of inflammation. However, the thymidine in FLT only distinguishes cells that that are dividing – the exact behavior of a bone marrow transplant that is working as intended.
Holter-Chakrabarty first tested FLT imaging in the laboratory, where it allowed her to see bone marrow repopulating in mice whose marrow had been irradiated. She then tested it in a small clinical trial in bone marrow transplant patients who were at low risk of failure because of the similarity of the donor’s marrow. Again, that trial demonstrated that FLT imaging could accurately predict early marrow growth, as well as the safety of FLT.
In the current trial, Holter-Chakrabarty is testing FLT imaging in patients whose type of bone marrow transplant puts them at a 10-12% chance of failure. In particular, the patients have undergone cord blood transplants, which use donated cells from a mother’s placenta, and haplo-identical transplants, which are matched by half, usually siblings or parents of the recipient. Patients will undergo imaging one day prior to transplant, at five to nine days after transplant, and again 28 days after. In another cohort, patients who are not producing new cells by day 24 will undergo a single FLT image to determine whether the transplant is delayed or has failed.
The trial also will allow Holter-Chakrabarty to study different biomarkers to learn more about why some transplant recipients are more at risk for failure than others.
“The more we know about the biology of the process, like understanding which proteins are in particular places and what types of modifications occur in the cells, the more we can be very direct and prescriptive about how we make changes to help the patient early on,” she said.
The clinical trial, funded by the National Institutes of Health, will enroll 50 patients at three centers: OU Health, Emory University and the University of Michigan. Holter-Chakrabarty’s colleagues at the two other sites lead the project with her. If successful, the trial will mark a major leap forward for bone marrow transplant physicians and the blood cancer patients they treat. Patients whose bone marrow transplants fail only have a 30% survival rate over three years. Moving closer to improving those odds is gratifying, Holter-Chakrabarty said.
“It has been very exciting to reach this point,” she said. “To be able to see bone marrow growing in a human while you’re doing the transplant is a first for our field. This trial is addressing the very problem I faced when I lost my patient all those years ago, and it will provide hope for our patients in the future.”

by Greg Schwem

I recently contracted a social media manager, which is a business-y phrase for “paying somebody to make me more popular.”
Jeremy’s duties were clear: Figure out how to increase exposure for my streaming television show, “A Comedian Crashes Your Pad,” by getting me more YouTube views, more Instagram followers and “likes.”
As he repeatedly explained, the way to achieve higher numbers is by posting content as often as possible and engaging with viewers regardless of their opinions. In other words, if they comment, “This show sucks and should be removed from YouTube,” I should reply, “Thank you for stopping by. Have you checked out my Instagram page?”
The plan worked, as my numbers quickly increased. But maybe I should have used the “Audrey Nicole Francisquini” strategy instead.
Francisquini, 28, of Miami, was recently arrested for allegedly entering American Senior High School in Hialeah, Florida, and posing as a student solely to hand out pamphlets promoting her Instagram page. A Miami-Dade police report said Francisquini carried a skateboard and a painting as she roamed the halls, arousing suspicion after she continued doing so while classes were in session.
Francisquini was charged with multiple offenses after being identified, ironically, through her Instagram account. She is smiling in her mug shot and, yes, at first glance, she does resemble a high school student.
At 58 years old, I’d turn to my friend Kevin Haney for help in pulling off the high school look. Haney, who won an Oscar for his makeup expertise in “Driving Miss Daisy,” once transformed me into Bill Gates for a series of comedy shows. Yes, the process took four hours and required me to wear multiple layers of latex that made me scratch and sneeze, but the results were uncanny.
I’d choose my alma mater, Prospect High School in Mount Prospect, Illinois, for my ruse. Might as well pick a school where I’m familiar with the terrain, right? As long as the principal’s office is in the same location, I’ll know which area to avoid.
I don’t own a skateboard, nor do I paint, but I’m sure one of my high school tennis rackets is somewhere in my basement. I’ll carry that in one hand while holding my iPhone in the other. I’ll stick AirPods in my ears. Oh, and I’ll dress in baggy shorts, the preferred attire of high school males, even if the temperature is minus 20. Don’t believe me? You haven’t picked up a kid from school in January.
Now I just have to convince the Prospect student body to follow me on Instagram before I start sweating through my latex. Jeremy said one popular strategy is to conduct a giveaway; provide a prize to one lucky follower. But what do high school students want? A Chipotle gift card? A new pair of shorts? Bitcoin? I’ll worry about that later.
First, I need to find students. Should I crash soccer practice? Nah, can’t keep up. What about the marching band? Lots of potential followers there. I could slap my pamphlets on tuba cases and music stands while band members went through their paces.
From there I’ll mosey over to the drama club and tell all the members that, in exchange for a “like,” I’ll consider them for roles in an upcoming episode. Note that I’ll say, “consider.” Might as well teach these kids at an early age that, in show business, nothing is guaranteed.
If I continue to avoid school security, I’ll find the computer club. Perhaps one of those kids can write an algorithm guaranteed to get me even MORE followers. I’m not sure what I’d offer in return. My guess is that every member of a high school computer club is already a Bitcoin billionaire.
As I write this column, Francisquini’s Instagram account, although now private, has 3,526 followers, considerably more than mine. No word on how many she had when she began her alleged ruse, but a message on her profile says, “Video Explanation coming. Stay tuned.” I followed her just for that.
I’m sure her explanation will include an announcement of a Kickstarter campaign. For legal fees.
(Greg Schwem is a corporate stand-up comedian and author of two books: “Text Me If You’re Breathing: Observations, Frustrations and Life Lessons From a Low-Tech Dad” and the recently released “The Road To Success Goes Through the Salad Bar: A Pile of BS From a Corporate Comedian,” available at Amazon.com. Visit Greg on the web at www.gregschwem.com.
You’ve enjoyed reading, and laughing at, Greg Schwem’s monthly humor columns in Senior Living News. But did you know Greg is also a nationally touring stand-up comedian? And he loves to make audiences laugh about the joys, and frustrations, of growing older. Watch the clip and, if you’d like Greg to perform at your senior center or senior event, contact him through his website at www.gregschwem.com)

Story by Darl Devault, Feature Writer

Osage master artist Clancy Gray is excited and grateful to show his artwork at the annual Red Earth Festival coming up June 12-13 at the Grand Casino Hotel in Shawnee for being his one constant for exposure in the time of COVID-19.
Gray says his being selected Red Earth The Honored One in 2019 and the Festival being held with masks in 2020 is probably the reason he was nominated in 2020 to receive an Oklahoma Governor’s Art Award.
He said one of the surprising parts of being nominated for the Governor’s Art Award is the nomination came forward in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Governor’s Arts Awards is an annual event recognizing individuals and organizations for their contributions to the arts in Oklahoma. First awarded in 1975, the awards are presented by Gov. Kevin Stitt during a special ceremony at the State Capitol.
The selection committee may honor a recipient in a category of its choice. Gray assumes if selected his award would be an Arts in Education Award for promoting Native American art and cultural. It recognizes an individual, organization, school, educator or group for their outstanding leadership and service in the arts benefitting youth and/or arts in education.
During his 39-year career teaching high school art in the Greater Tulsa area Gray taught several thousand students at three schools.
“I was fortunate even when art shows were scarce, someone was evaluating my life-long contribution to art in Oklahoma enough to nominate me,” Gray said. “This new status, even if I am not selected this year, makes me doubly proud to be a member of the Osage Nation, both as a former art teacher and artist.,”
The Red Earth Honored One is an annual award presented to a visual artist whose support of Native art has been substantial throughout his or her life and whose continuing involvement, activity and participation in their art form embodies the collective wisdom of their cultural experience.
This year’s Red Earth again features a large art show, lectures, demonstrations, activities, a dance grand entry and opening ceremony.
“People always talk about my versatility in describing my efforts as an artist. They are amazed I work in so many media— mainly painting, watercolor, pencil drawing, silversmithing jewelry, sculpting and pottery,” Gray said. “I am fortunate my long-time patrons and my dozen or so international clientele continued to commission my work as I continue to honor my Native American heritage in creating all this art, even during the pandemic.”
Continuing his tradition of gaining notice for his individual works of art at the Red Earth Festival, Gray received recognition again in 2020 for his silversmithing of two jewelry pieces “Elegant Ring and Bracelet.”
“I have always been blessed in receiving recognition at Red Earth, as well as other art shows because I do not limit myself to one media, but create in many media,” Gray said.
Last fall, the Oklahoma Arts Council accepted nominations for the 2021 Governor’s Arts Awards, expecting to present the awards in spring 2021. They altered the timeframe as the COVID-19 pandemic evolved. Following the guidance of public health officials, the Oklahoma Arts Council adjusted the timeframe for the awards ceremony, with the goal of presenting the awards in fall 2021.
“Again, I am humbled by the nomination to be a Governor’s Art Award recipient,” Gray said.
Gray, who retired in 2018, says he is grateful he was able to just be doing his own art during the pandemic, instead of trying to teach his way through a school year impacted by COVID-19. He says, “God Bless Our Teachers!”
“My 39 years of teaching has allowed me to showcase many Native American youth in various shows, events, contests and scholarships,”. Gray said. “Exposing our Native American art student’s talents outside of their schoolwork was very important for their futures.”
Gray’s dramatic use of depth in the impasto style of painting has elevated his status in the Native American art world. His use of a palette knife to apply vivid acrylics gives the paintings depth and allows light to animate the focus of his work. This signature style allows the Osage master artist to create a modern ruggedness celebrating the light’s reflective sparkle built up in some areas.
By creating a ceramic glaze depth with skillful repetitious palette strokes of the water-based acrylic paint his paintings are unique. Those high-gloss highlights have a richness of color which capture the eye, whether portrait and figure, still life, or landscape.
For the collector there is a stillness, balance and yet movement in his work. The art patrons celebrate Gray’s intentional building up of depth in the painting highlighted by brilliant hues or light catching the shiny acrylic. Many art patrons add extra lighting to those areas in their homes where they display his work to get the full effect of his talent.
Osage Nation member and bronze casting legend John Free Jr. casts most of Gray’s sculptures at his Bronze Horse Foundry in Pawhuska, Okla. Free is famous for capturing the artist’s real goal in their work by applying some of the most skilled patinas in the crucible industry.
Gray said John and Matt Free’s ability to create a life-like patina to the many bronze sculpture he has created over the years has added to his own ability to create innovative patinas.
“It is an honor and a privilege to get to work with John Free and his group at the Bronze Horse Foundry.” Gray said. “I always say sculpting success is a two-part process, the artist who first creates it in clay and the foundry artisans who duplicate it in bronze for them.”
Gray’s traditional and contemporary influenced jewelry reflects the Osage master silversmith’s fondness for vivid color, texture, and asymmetrical design. The silver jewelry is often the most collected of his work and leads to the most commissions. This nationally collected master silversmith has won many awards in exhibitions and museum shows.
The Red Earth Native American Cultural Festival is one of the largest Native American cultural events in the country. It is held at the event center at the Grand Casino Hotel & Resort, a tribally-owned business 30 minutes east from downtown Oklahoma City on I-40.
The festival features a juried art market and competition attracting artists and collectors from across the state and nation.
Red Earth, Inc. is an Allied Arts member agency and is funded in part by the Chickasaw Nation, Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, Kirkpatrick Family Fund, James H. and Madalynne Norick Foundation, Oklahoma’s News 4, Allied Arts, and the Oklahoma Arts Council which receives support from the State of Oklahoma and the National Endowment for the Arts.
The Festival sponsors include the Grand Casino Hotel & Resort, Visit Shawnee and Communication Federal Credit Union