New art creations brought to center stage at Mayfest | Local News
Mayfest is encouraging festivalgoers to immerse themselves in art not only by looking at works from professionals but also by creating their own art on the spot.
Mayfest is a free outdoor art festival that allows people to support local artists and enjoy music, food and interactive fun. It’s open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.
On the side of the ahha building — as the Arts & Humanities Council of Tulsa refers to its Arts District headquarters at 101 E. Archer St. — are sentences written in chalk with fill-in-the-blank sections at the end: “I feel most creative when ___.” In completing this sentence, people think about what inspires them and what environments encourage them to create.
Behind the FC Tulsa Main Stage at Guthrie Green, a studio has items for people of all ages to create something original. Stations for the youth offer items such as fairy wands, magical masks and rocks. Paint can be used to add to a wooden mural and chalk to beautify a sidewalk.
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Liz Osborn brought her family to Mayfest on Friday and was happy at how family-friendly the festival is. Her husband, Scott Osborn, drew a blue smiley face near the top of the wooden canvas, while their 3-year-old daughter drew a pink heart and made abstract strokes.
“We love to look at the art, but creating it is definitely one of our favorite parts,” Liz Osborn said.
Creating art on the spot at his artist tent, Josh Stout was sculpting a coyote inspired by one of his paintings. The coyote was a piece in a series of paintings inspired by his trip to Arizona.
“When you’re an artist for a long time, you’d like to become more creative and less worried about getting outside of the lines,” Stout said.
The bottom floor of ahha displays the Youth Art Gallery with emerging artists on one side and seasoned artists on the other. The art is supplemented with music from the Garden Stage, where bands and solo artists were moving others to dance in the sunny weather Friday.
Near the center of the festival, between both music stages, stands a row of pianos beautifully painted with a variety of themed designs for a section of the festival called Play Me Tulsa!
One piano player, John Ford, had attendees gravitating toward the instrument he has played for 61 years with his ragtime and classical tunes.
“I can’t compete with that,” Ford said modestly about a band on the Guthrie Green Main Stage. “If you can get other people interested in music, if you can inspire one person for that matter, then that’s great.”
Throwback Tulsa: Mayfest through the years
Mayfest through the years
An overview of Tulsa’s Civic Center Plaza during Jubilee ’73. Jubilee was held in May 1973 and became Mayfest a few years later. Tulsa World file photo published May 19, 1973.Tulsa World file
Mayfest through the years
Tulsans enjoy Jubilee ’73. Jubilee ’73 was held on the Civic Center Plaza in May 1973 in honor of Tulsa’s 75th birthday. The Jubilee celebration, sponsored by the Tulsa Junior League, became Mayfest a few years later. Tulsa World file
Mayfest through the years
Sammy Davis Jr. performed at the first Mayfest.
Mayfest through the years
“Artificial Cloud” by Native American artist Robert Haozous created for 1991 MayFest at the Center Of The Universe with the BOK Tower in the background. STEPHEN PINGRY/Tulsa World File
Mayfest through the years
The young Hanson boys (Isaac, Taylor and Zac) at their first performance ever, Mayfest, 1992. From the book “Another Hot Oklahoma Night,” a history of Oklahoma rock ‘n’ roll put together by the Oklahoma History Center and Oklahoma Historical Society. Photo courtesy Oklahoma History Center, from the library of Walker Hanson.
Mayfest through the years
Carol Cadoo stands in front of her business, Top Hat and Glove Theater, 20 E. Brady St., during the 1992 Mayfest. She was part of a dispute over who could sell beer during the festival. Mayfest’s organizer tried to prevent the beer sales by using tents, a beer truck and heavy equipment to block her signs. TOM GILBERT/Tulsa World file
Mayfest through the years
During Mayfest 1992, Michael Bull of Salt Lake City looks through his things at Mayfest in the Brady District. Rainfall and wind caused his tent to collapse and caused thousands of dollars in damage to hand-painted silk items he was offering for sale. TOM GILBERT/Tulsa World File
Mayfest through the years
The corner of fifth and Main in downtown Tulsa looked very different in 1999, as people gather for a Mayfest performance. Tulsa World File
Mayfest through the years
This is a May 11, 1999 photograph of a piece of controversial piece of art that was on display for the Tulsa International Mayfest 1999. The art is the Statue of Liberty holding her bare breast with her left hand and the torch burning the American flag. The light bulb at the top has ‘Phallus(Y)’ written on it. Tulsa World File
Mayfest through the years
Lisa Guild from Tulsa admires a metal sculpture on the Main Mall at the Tulsa International Mayfest on May 17, 2001. Tulsa World File
Mayfest through the years
The offical Tulsa International Mayfest 2002 poster by Paul Davis on May 17, 2002. TOM GILBERT/Tulsa World File
Mayfest through the years
Gary Detter, of Boulder, Colo., cleans up his booth at Tulsa International Mayfest 2003 after strong thunderstorms early Friday morning caused damage to some of the tents and products for sale. Detter’s tent was ruined. JOHN CLANTON/Tulsa World File
Mayfest through the years
Passersby help clear up after the pottery booth belonging to artist Richard Kunkel (background) was blown down by strong winds at the Tulsa International Mayfest 2004 on May 13, 2004. Tulsa World File
Mayfest through the years
Taylor Hanson cheers on the crowd at Tulsa International Mayfest 2005. Tulsa World File
Mayfest through the years
Taylor Hanson (right) plays with Tulsa legends Leon Russell (left) and Steve Ripley at Tulsa International Mayfest 2005. Tulsa World File
Mayfest through the years
Volunteers hold on to booths while strong wind gusts battered the Tulsa International Mayfest 2004 during an afternoon of severe weather on May 13, 2004. Tulsa World File
Mayfest through the years
Steve Liddell performs on May 18, 2006 during Tulsa International Mayfest. MATT BARNARD/Tulsa World File
Mayfest through the years
A view looking south along Main street between Third and Fifth Street shows the lack of construction along the Mayfest displays in several years as the lunch time crowd begins to arrive in downtown Tulsa, OK May 15, 2008. Tulsa World File
Mayfest through the years
Lina Taylor (left) and her husband Brett Taylor, of Tulsa, look at pottery in one of the merchandise tents at Mayfest on South Main Street in Tulsa on May 16, 2008. Tulsa World File
Mayfest through the years
Festival-goers Nikki Hupman and Michael Willis, co-workers for the Schnake-Turnbo-Frank public relations, chat while walking along Main Street on the first day of Mayfest, on Thursday, May 14, 2009. Tulsa World File
Mayfest through the years
A wind sculpture by Jimmy and Cheryl Jones of Springfield, Missouri, blows in the wind at Mayfest. Tulsa World File
Mayfest through the years
Camdyn Dwyer Brown,4, rides on her father Jared Brown’s shoulders at Mayfest May 16, 2010. MIKE SIMONS/Tulsa World File
Mayfest through the years
Jean Creekmore views glass art at Mayfest May 19, 2011. MIKE SIMONS/Tulsa World File
Mayfest through the years
Lori Kirsch of The Vintage Jewel from Phoenix, Arizona works her tent during a at Mayfest May 19, 2011. MIKE SIMONS/Tulsa World File
Mayfest through the years
Artist William Franklin works on the new Mayfest mural on the south wall of the Hyatt Regency Hotel at 3rd and Main streets in downtown Tulsa, OK May 11, 2011. Tulsa World File
Mayfest through the years
JD McPherson performing at Mayfest, May 19, 2012. STEPHEN PINGRY/Tulsa World File
Mayfest through the years
Paco Sutera of Austin, Texas, relaxes by playing his harmonica outside of his pottery shop at Mayfest on May 17 , 2012. KT KING/For the Tulsa World
Mayfest through the years
Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey performs at Mayfest in Tulsa on Thursday, May 17, 2012. MATT BARNARD/Tulsa World File
Mayfest through the years
Visitors walk amongst arts and crafts during Mayfest in Tulsa, Okla., taken on May 18, 2013. Tulsa World File
Mayfest through the years
Olivia Orr, 14, hugs her sister, Pepper, 2, during Mayfest in Tulsa, Thursday, May 16, 2013. Tulsa World File
Mayfest through the years
Hawthorne Elementary School/Art of the Monarch fifth-grader Dymond Ray, 10, finishes an art project that will be on display at the downtown YMCA, promoted by Mayfest, on Wednesday, April 16, 2014. Tulsa World File
Mayfest through the years
Quinnley Dennis, age two of Tulsa, plays in the fountain at 5th and Main during this year’s MayFest May 16, 2015, in downtown Tulsa, OK. Tulsa World File
Mayfest through the years
Potter Gretchyn Nothhouse from Missouri plays a guitar while at her booth at Mayfest in downtown Tulsa, Okla., taken on May 19, 2016. Tulsa World File
Mayfest through the years
Madison Shuffield outlines Olivia Ramirez’s body as she lays on the ground in the middle of Mayfest, protesting Betty Shelby’s release with a “die in” on Saturday, May 20, 2017. Tulsa World File
Mayfest through the years
James Jones and his brother Max make paintings with marbles and water colors at a booth on Main St. during Mayfest on May 20, 2018. /JOSEPH RUSHMORE/ For the Tulsa World
Mayfest through the years
Sights during Mayest in the Arts District on Friday, May 17, 2019. TOM GILBERT/Tulsa World File