Picture Perfect
Locals learn about watercolor
Carol Brimm
Oklahoma artist Lynden Wilcoxson taught a sketch class at the Mustang Public Library last week. Wilcoxson's work is on display this month at the library along with other Oklahoma artists. Wilcoxson, is an award-winning artist and president of the Oklahoma Watercolor Association. Visitors to the library will see Wilcoxson’s “The Governor’s Veranda” in addition to pieces by Terrell Roos and Ramona White.
Wilcoxson says he has been painting most of his life. He became interested in the arts in Junior High as he wiled away lazy afternoons drawing and painting with a friend who he says was an excellent artist. This interest led to his decision to major in art in college.
“I thought I would become an architect,” Wilcoxson said, “but I later changed my major to music.”
Wilcoxson graduated from Southwestern Oklahoma State University. He taught music, art and history in Canut and Custer City for several years before earning his Master’s in School Guidance Counseling. He moved to this area in 1975 and was a Guidance Counselor at Washington Schools, just south of Norman for 22 years. He and Kathleen married in 1982. They have one daughter, Stacy. Kathleen was elected to the Oklahoma State Senate in 1996 and was re-elected in 2000 and 2004. She represents Moore, South Oklahoma City, Mustang and Yukon.
“She finished her doctorate at OSU and went to work for the Republican Party,” Wilcoxson said. “She taught for a lot of years and then went back into politics.”
Wilcoxson says he has no political aspirations of his own. He says he has always been associated with creative people and has always had the urge to draw and paint. His favorite medium is watercolors.
“I paint with acrylics now, but they are water based so that gives more flexibility,” Wilcoxson said. “You can do transparent watercolors with acrylics, but you can also do oils.”
Wilcoxson said he has taken some classes with Bert Seabourn, an Oklahoma artist, and classes in Santa Fe and Taos on trips to visit his brother-in-law there each summer. Many of his paintings are realistic representational paintings, he says.
“The last one I sold was a picture of cows in a pasture. A typical Oklahoma landscape,” Wilcoxson said. “Most of my paintings are landscapes or barns. My barns seem to do quite well.”
He enters four or five art shows a year but says he doesn’t go to street festivals much anymore. His work is shown at 50 Penn Place Gallery at least four times a year and he says he tries to show in the Oklahoma Watercolor Association shows and Oklahoma Art Guild shows. This is his third year as president of the Oklahoma Watercolor Association and he is a member of the Oklahoma Art Guild.
Wilcoxson’s work was displayed at the City Arts Center as part of “Heroes and Outlaws: 100 Oklahomans by 100 Oklahomans” a celebration of Oklahoma’s Centennial. This exhibit featured the work of 100 Oklahoman artists from across the state creating works of art depicting or inspired by 100 Oklahomans from Oklahoma’s first 100 years.
Wilcoxson says art is trial and error with something learned from each trial.
“I like to see if I can come up with something pleasing and colorful and a well done piece of work,” Wilcoxson said. “I may paint five or ten paintings before I am really pleased with a piece. With each trial you learn how to do a technique or coloring contrast or shadow better. It is not a cut and dry thing for any artist. There is no magic brush or magic color,” Wilcoxson said. “My advice to new artist would be, take a few classes, get a good teacher but you just have to practice if you want to paint. Just put paint on canvas or paper.”
Wilcoxson says he hopes to teach some art classes in the Mustang area in the spring.
Locals learn about watercolor
Carol Brimm
Oklahoma artist Lynden Wilcoxson taught a sketch class at the Mustang Public Library last week. Wilcoxson's work is on display this month at the library along with other Oklahoma artists. Wilcoxson, is an award-winning artist and president of the Oklahoma Watercolor Association. Visitors to the library will see Wilcoxson’s “The Governor’s Veranda” in addition to pieces by Terrell Roos and Ramona White.
Wilcoxson says he has been painting most of his life. He became interested in the arts in Junior High as he wiled away lazy afternoons drawing and painting with a friend who he says was an excellent artist. This interest led to his decision to major in art in college.
“I thought I would become an architect,” Wilcoxson said, “but I later changed my major to music.”
Wilcoxson graduated from Southwestern Oklahoma State University. He taught music, art and history in Canut and Custer City for several years before earning his Master’s in School Guidance Counseling. He moved to this area in 1975 and was a Guidance Counselor at Washington Schools, just south of Norman for 22 years. He and Kathleen married in 1982. They have one daughter, Stacy. Kathleen was elected to the Oklahoma State Senate in 1996 and was re-elected in 2000 and 2004. She represents Moore, South Oklahoma City, Mustang and Yukon.
“She finished her doctorate at OSU and went to work for the Republican Party,” Wilcoxson said. “She taught for a lot of years and then went back into politics.”
Wilcoxson says he has no political aspirations of his own. He says he has always been associated with creative people and has always had the urge to draw and paint. His favorite medium is watercolors.
“I paint with acrylics now, but they are water based so that gives more flexibility,” Wilcoxson said. “You can do transparent watercolors with acrylics, but you can also do oils.”
Wilcoxson said he has taken some classes with Bert Seabourn, an Oklahoma artist, and classes in Santa Fe and Taos on trips to visit his brother-in-law there each summer. Many of his paintings are realistic representational paintings, he says.
“The last one I sold was a picture of cows in a pasture. A typical Oklahoma landscape,” Wilcoxson said. “Most of my paintings are landscapes or barns. My barns seem to do quite well.”
He enters four or five art shows a year but says he doesn’t go to street festivals much anymore. His work is shown at 50 Penn Place Gallery at least four times a year and he says he tries to show in the Oklahoma Watercolor Association shows and Oklahoma Art Guild shows. This is his third year as president of the Oklahoma Watercolor Association and he is a member of the Oklahoma Art Guild.
Wilcoxson’s work was displayed at the City Arts Center as part of “Heroes and Outlaws: 100 Oklahomans by 100 Oklahomans” a celebration of Oklahoma’s Centennial. This exhibit featured the work of 100 Oklahoman artists from across the state creating works of art depicting or inspired by 100 Oklahomans from Oklahoma’s first 100 years.
Wilcoxson says art is trial and error with something learned from each trial.
“I like to see if I can come up with something pleasing and colorful and a well done piece of work,” Wilcoxson said. “I may paint five or ten paintings before I am really pleased with a piece. With each trial you learn how to do a technique or coloring contrast or shadow better. It is not a cut and dry thing for any artist. There is no magic brush or magic color,” Wilcoxson said. “My advice to new artist would be, take a few classes, get a good teacher but you just have to practice if you want to paint. Just put paint on canvas or paper.”
Wilcoxson says he hopes to teach some art classes in the Mustang area in the spring.
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