Contact:
Lisa Frein, Kazoo Marketing & Communications
(918) 935-1582

Kristin Ware, Kazoo Marketing & Communications
(918) 527-0617

Heather Pingry, Mayfest
(918) 582-6435 office or (918) 852-8214 cell

2016TULSA INTERNATIONAL MAYFEST STORY TIPS

New for 2016

The Inspired competition involves four past poster artists participating in a live art competition. Live at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday at 4th and Main, these artists will create art in real-time in a competition inspired by the Food Network show Chopped. Guests can watch the artists paint live as well as ask questions and interact with the artists. Mayfest corporate partners will participate in Inspired on Friday at 4:30 p.m. and local high school students will compete on Sunday at 11:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. Inspired is sponsored by GH2 Architects, LLC.

Pop Art Musicis a new for 2016 gallery features artwork from children at Hawthorne Elementary. Through a partnership with Mayfest, WPX Energy and the Arts Humanities Council of Tulsa, select fifth and sixth grade students enrolled in an after-school art program taught by Lauren Lunsford, a local artist and Mayfest steering committee member. The theme of the classes revolved around music and pop art, and the students studied artists like Andy Warhol. Their works are on display in the Pop Art Music gallery, located at the Downtown YMCA at 418 S. Main. Pop Art Music is open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday and is sponsored by WPX Energy.

Kids can design their own festival t-shirt! These Make Your Own Masterpiece shirts are available for purchase at the merchandise tent and at KidZone in the Art Beginnings tent. The shirts have a frame printed on the back and can be decorated at KidZone with fabric markers.

Saturday and Sunday offersThe Art of Movement with Carmen Paul of Deep Movement Studio. Free 20-minute natural movement classes will be offered every hour on the hour at KidZone. In addition to the classes, the studio also offers a natural movement obstacle course to explore, play, and test your movement patterns. This area will be available all day Saturdayfor all ages and abilities.

Performing Artists
Leon Rollersonperforms at 11:30 a.m. on Sunday, May 22 on the David Cameron Community Stage at 4th and Boston. Rollerson is the longest-running performance artist at Mayfest and is also the longest-running performer at a variety of Oklahoma festivals. During each performance, he enlists the help of a local music student to introduce him/her to the world of festival and live performances.

TheCapital Why’sare an up-and-coming Tulsa band, comprised of students ranging in age from 18 to 21. This five-member band juggles gigs with school, other jobs and families. Playing mainly original music, this young band takes the main stage (Williams Green) at 7:45 p.m. on Thursday, May 19, to open for Thursday’s main act.

Kinsey Sadler, of the Kinsey Sadler Band, grew up in Ardmore and graduated with a bachelor of science in nursing degree from the University of Oklahoma. Making music her career now, she lives in Nashville, has released a single and has opened for acts like Craig Morgan, Jared Neiman and Gloriana. She’s playing Mayfest because she enjoys coming home to play for a hometown crowd. She takes the main stage at 5 p.m. on Friday, May 20.

Visual Artists

Marjorie Atwood, a painter from Tulsa, is this year’s poster artist. A contemporary artist with a 20-year history of painting and exhibiting her work, she’s a graduate of Holland Hall High School and Sarah Lawrence College, and boasts former exhibits in galleries in Tulsa, New York, Pennsylvania, California, Texas and New Mexico. In each exhibition, she explores and combines various methods and materials on boards and canvas, resulting in unplanned creations and pieces.

Brandee Frost is a craftswoman from Oolagah who creates functional art pieces from old car parts. A former elementary school teacher who served three years in the Army as a vehicle mechanic, she tears down the car engines and performs the stripping, sanding, grinding and welding necessary to create these art pieces, including lamps, tables, clocks and more.

VariousTulsa professionals, who are not always known for art, are always featured in the Invitational Gallery. Or, some invitational gallery participants are artists, but submit a very different medium for the gallery. Ace Cuervo is an accomplished Tulsa photographer, yet submits metal pieces that create shadow art. Josh Butts is a local graphic designer, but always submits a drawing or painting. These artists use the Invitational Gallery to explore and expand their various artistic talents.

Melinda Whislerfrom Dallas is a marketplace vendor who creates custom shoes for shoppers. Customers can choose the heel height, color, style and design to end up with a truly unique pair of shoes that is also a work of art.

Jane Smith, an artist from Colorado, is an artist to feature in potential recycling or upcycling stories. Her hand-sewn crafts include tote bags, change purses, folios and more – and are all made out of recycled store bags. Some bags even include themes, such as an Oklahoma State/Eskimo Joe’s bag.
The best of show winner will be chosen by judgesaround 2 p.m. on Thursday, May 19. Once the winner is chosen, we are happy to provide contact info of the artist and more info about his/her works.

The PSO Mark of Excellence Award winner, who receives a $500 cash prize for outstanding creativity and technique, is a high school student chosen from Youth Art Gallery submissions. The winner is presented at a ceremony at a time to be determined during Mayfest at the Performing Arts Center, LaFortune Studio.

Lauren Ferrell is a past PSO Mark of Excellence winner who is now succeeding in art in her career. She graduated from Cascia Hall and the University of Cincinnati, and now resides in San Francisco. She won for her photography, but now uses her eye to focus exclusively on interior design. She’s available for a phone or email interview.

Food Vendors
Gary’s Fun Foodsis a returningMayfest vendor. This booth offers desserts such as cheesecake on a stick; bananas and more than can be dipped in a coating flavor, then covered with toppings such as nuts and sprinkles. The dips and toppings are all included for one price.

Schnitzels and Giggles is a first-time Mayfest vendor offering traditional Austro/German cuisine in a fun atmosphere, including servers decked out in German attire. A great photo opp!

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