OC art gallery to feature mural

Submitted Photo

A 40-by-8-feet mural of endangered Oklahoma species will soon cover the entire back wall of the Oklahoma Christian University art gallery.

Hosted by the art and design department, the new exhibition, “Tread Lightly,” will feature the works of Matt Goad, a former student and now professional local artist.

“I hope that they’re inspired by art and nature,” Goad said. “I always try to incorporate either nature, history or a concept into each piece of art – it’s all to inspire people.”

Professor of Art and Design Michael O’Keefe said the purpose of the exhibit is to spark students’ imagination and raise awareness for the art and design department.

“What I’d like to see happen is that the students get so stimulated that of the 1,920 students on this campus that 1,600 of them change their majors to art and design because they’re so motivated,” O’Keefe said. “What I want them to do is to get engaged and see how art can be moving and emotional.”

Senior Quinn Krebs, a communication design major said he is most interested in seeing how Goad creates art on a large scale.

“I’d actually like to watch him do it and see how his process works,” Krebs said. “For the most part, the majority of people don’t have anything mural-sized. It’s going to be cool to see.”

According to O’Keefe murals are a rarity.

“Nationally, artists don’t operate or work on large canvasses anymore,” O’Keefe said. “It’s too expensive to ship those to galleries. For somebody to do a mural is very unusual.”

The mural will not be a permanent campus fixation.

“I’d like [the mural] to be, but it won’t be,” O’Keefe said. “After this show we have another show coming in, so we’ll have to paint over it. It’s a shame isn’t it?”

The exhibit will coincide with a lecture by Goad and Aaron Cahill, who is a local artist and art director for VI Marketing and Branding. The goal of the talk is to give students better insight into the life of a professional artist.

“Really all I can do is tell them my experience and why I do what I do,” Goad said. “[Give] some tips on how to be creative and not get stuck in rut and find new inspiration everywhere you look.”

O’Keefe said the talk and exhibit should demonstrate that students can be a successful professional in the art field.

“It can show that you can actually make a living producing the work,” O’Keefe said. “Students who are not art and design majors, maybe it will help them have a better appreciation of art. They can actually see what art is and appreciate it and reach for it.”

Goad is the creative director at Funnel Design Group. He said he hopes his art including his massive mural give students a new perspective.

“If you think art is this thing that hangs in galleries – it’s not,” Goad said. “It’s all around you.”

Goad and Cahill will lecture in an “Artist Talk” on Tuesday from 4-4:30 p.m. in Garvey Center room 147. The exhibit opens Thursday with a reception at 4:30 p.m. Goad’s mural will be on display until October 22.

More information about Goad and his past works is viewable at mattgoad.net.

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