Eddlemon said she enjoys using a mix of media in addition to acrylic paint. “I love using unexpected colors and varied mark-making with a variety of media, including charcoal, oil sticks and inks in a loose, painterly manner,” she said.

“My paintings are living narratives—each brushstroke carries story, surprise, and emotion.” – Rosanne Schaefer

Inspired by her father’s sharp style and presence, Tulsa-based artist Charisa Dené Jacobs explores the power and complexity of Black male identity through professional dress in her solo exhibit, The Professional and Other Works. Opening September 5 at the Tulsa Artists’ Coalition gallery, the show features life-sized oil portraits of imagined Black men dressed in timeless suits and western wear—each piece a statement on pride, presence, and personal expression.

Becoming an artist was not something I envisioned. It crept up on me as impressions other people had about me. Art was just something I did, which friends and family encouraged me to share. When I began to be accepted into art shows and sell my work, I gained more confidence to transition from being artistic to artist. My first one- woman show at a respected art gallery sealed my sense that what I was doing was appreciated by others.

He’s not interested in grand, familiar vistas. Instead, he loves “finding those small, out-of-the-way and ordinary spaces that we all pass by without recognizing how beautiful those spaces can be.” This eye for everyday beauty connects him to his roots in northeast Oklahoma, where he was born and raised.

Growing up in his father’s commercial art studio, surrounded by artists, paints, and the hum of creation, shaped his path from the very...

[Gina’s] journey, deeply rooted in her Colombian heritage ... is a testament to the profound impact art can have on an individual.