Allie Jensen Memorial Art Gallery
Each month, the Equality Center gallery spotlights work by local artists. Meet the artist at our First Thursdays gallery openings, 6:00 – 9:00 pm on the first Thursday of every month.
Have art you would like to display? Contact us by clicking the button below to submit your proposal.
Have art you would like to display? Contact us by clicking the button below to submit your proposal.
2022 Art Exhibits
January 2022
The Allie Jensen Memorial Art Gallery
will feature
Margaret K. Eagler’s “Your Weeds are My Wild Flowers”
Artist Reception is Thursday, January 6th, at 6:00p.m.
"Margaret was raised in a family of highly creative people with perfectionist and success driven tendencies. Margaret was put in a box of "only" being creative with the written word by her family and discovering painting helped to break out of that box and discover new ideas, talents, and freedom. When the pandemic struck and Margaret's work became remote access, she knew she had to have something to DO that was not work related or she would fall into the habit of working non-stop. Even though she had "no talent" decided to pick up acrylic paint. Margaret fell head over heels in love with the process and learned many life lessons through her project - including but not limited to: there is no right or wrong in art ; if you don't like something you can start over or completely change it - just learn from it; mistakes are incredibly valuable in learning; and the play of color and light is as much about the shadows and spaces as it is about the focus. As Margaret continued to explore her more artistic side, she discovered that some of the characteristics in her that had been so strictly constrained by her family of origin were actually qualities that she craved and was at her best when able to touch on those hidden aspects of herself. One day while discussing, with a friend, the nature of growth and learning to love one's self as a whole person, not lacking because of someone else's prescribed identity, the concept of the dandelion kept coming up. How much her sons loved to give her dandelions and how much her neighbors put in work to kill those glorious wildflowers. She realized, just like some people think dandelions are weeds and she thinks they are wild flowers. She may not be what others think she should be. But that doesn't take away one bit of who she meant to be.
Margaret works as a Child Welfare Specialist with the Department of Human Services. She spends her days working to help families to change the way they live life on this planet in order to provide a safe and secure environment for her family. Margaret likes nothing more than when a parent gets to bring their child home and successfully complete their case. Margaret has found that in advocating for the vulnerable, she must examine her own vulnerability and painting has helped to bring grounding and allowed a safe space to examine those vulnerabilities. Margaret will continue to make a stand for both clients and friends and fight for the rejected, the marginalized, the hurting, and the weary and stand with those who are standing for themselves. Margaret's desire is that those who look at her art see the full range of emotions and relational connection and celebrate differences and imperfections. "
The reason I chose to show my artwork at the OKEQ Allie Jensen Art Gallery is A friend of mine suggested that I submit my artwork for the OkEQ art exhibit. I was honored to do so and even more honored when my art was accepted. When I was 18 I had a friend, Keith, who revealed to me that he was gay. In 1983, in Oklahoma it took so much bravery for him to trust me with that information. I watched his struggles with acceptance, being rejected by those closest to him, and ultimately the last time I saw him in 1990 he told me that he had AIDS. He shared with me his struggles and the rejections he'd experienced. My relationship with Keith has formed in me a deep determination that no friend would ever come to me and fear being rejected because of who they loved or who they identified as. The chance to show my art, my heart, to the world at the OkEQ is an honor that is hard to put into words but if one person sees my art feels the acceptance rather than rejection it will be a small tribute to my dear friend Keith.
The show opens at the Dennis R. Neill Equality Center located at 621 E. 4th Street Tulsa OK 74120 on Thursday, with COVID measures in place for those Non-vaccinated. The Artist Reception is Thursday, January 6th, at 6:00p.m. with. The exhibit continues throughout the month.
For more information, please visit www.okeq.org.
will feature
Margaret K. Eagler’s “Your Weeds are My Wild Flowers”
Artist Reception is Thursday, January 6th, at 6:00p.m.
"Margaret was raised in a family of highly creative people with perfectionist and success driven tendencies. Margaret was put in a box of "only" being creative with the written word by her family and discovering painting helped to break out of that box and discover new ideas, talents, and freedom. When the pandemic struck and Margaret's work became remote access, she knew she had to have something to DO that was not work related or she would fall into the habit of working non-stop. Even though she had "no talent" decided to pick up acrylic paint. Margaret fell head over heels in love with the process and learned many life lessons through her project - including but not limited to: there is no right or wrong in art ; if you don't like something you can start over or completely change it - just learn from it; mistakes are incredibly valuable in learning; and the play of color and light is as much about the shadows and spaces as it is about the focus. As Margaret continued to explore her more artistic side, she discovered that some of the characteristics in her that had been so strictly constrained by her family of origin were actually qualities that she craved and was at her best when able to touch on those hidden aspects of herself. One day while discussing, with a friend, the nature of growth and learning to love one's self as a whole person, not lacking because of someone else's prescribed identity, the concept of the dandelion kept coming up. How much her sons loved to give her dandelions and how much her neighbors put in work to kill those glorious wildflowers. She realized, just like some people think dandelions are weeds and she thinks they are wild flowers. She may not be what others think she should be. But that doesn't take away one bit of who she meant to be.
Margaret works as a Child Welfare Specialist with the Department of Human Services. She spends her days working to help families to change the way they live life on this planet in order to provide a safe and secure environment for her family. Margaret likes nothing more than when a parent gets to bring their child home and successfully complete their case. Margaret has found that in advocating for the vulnerable, she must examine her own vulnerability and painting has helped to bring grounding and allowed a safe space to examine those vulnerabilities. Margaret will continue to make a stand for both clients and friends and fight for the rejected, the marginalized, the hurting, and the weary and stand with those who are standing for themselves. Margaret's desire is that those who look at her art see the full range of emotions and relational connection and celebrate differences and imperfections. "
The reason I chose to show my artwork at the OKEQ Allie Jensen Art Gallery is A friend of mine suggested that I submit my artwork for the OkEQ art exhibit. I was honored to do so and even more honored when my art was accepted. When I was 18 I had a friend, Keith, who revealed to me that he was gay. In 1983, in Oklahoma it took so much bravery for him to trust me with that information. I watched his struggles with acceptance, being rejected by those closest to him, and ultimately the last time I saw him in 1990 he told me that he had AIDS. He shared with me his struggles and the rejections he'd experienced. My relationship with Keith has formed in me a deep determination that no friend would ever come to me and fear being rejected because of who they loved or who they identified as. The chance to show my art, my heart, to the world at the OkEQ is an honor that is hard to put into words but if one person sees my art feels the acceptance rather than rejection it will be a small tribute to my dear friend Keith.
The show opens at the Dennis R. Neill Equality Center located at 621 E. 4th Street Tulsa OK 74120 on Thursday, with COVID measures in place for those Non-vaccinated. The Artist Reception is Thursday, January 6th, at 6:00p.m. with. The exhibit continues throughout the month.
For more information, please visit www.okeq.org.