Arts & Culture
Jonathan Burkhart
51k @burkhartsokc
As a passionate photographer based in Oklahoma City, Jonathan Burkhart uses his camera to capture images of visually entrancing people and places in and around the Sooner State. His ability to maintain a distinct mood with each of his photos is a talent that Burkhart is able to repeat page after page on Instagram. Burkhart uses light as a paintbrush, highlighting the shape and form of his subjects, using it as a tool just as important as the camera itself. When asked about some of his recent shots, Burkhart says, “A lot of it really is just experimenting, because I want to try and shoot new things that I’ve never done before. I always try to push myself everyday, and try to do something weirder or something that I’ve never thought about.” Burkhart primarily uses Instagram to deliver his new work to followers and generally posts multiple great shots each week.
Pascalle Lepas
Pascalle Lepas gained a significant online following with her web comic ZAP, which follows the adventures of a starship captain and his crew. ZAP’s story was continuously updated on a regular basis, eventually coming to a close after 11 years of publication online. Her current series, Wilde Life, a supernatural adventure story that takes place in a small town in Oklahoma, has gained thousands of fans with its quirky writing and clever mixture of humor, Native American folklore and horror. Lepas has a large presence on the popular artist’s community DeviantArt, where she interacts with her fans through insightful conversation and regular updates on her current series and other projects.
Curbside Chronicle
5,222 “curbsideokc”
1,111 @curbsideokc
This street paper provides the homeless community of Oklahoma City with a platform to tell stories and exercise creativity while attempting to eliminate panhandling by offering a profitable alternative through streetside magazine sales and distribution. The Curbside Chronicle’s powerful mission has changed the lives of numerous citizens in Oklahoma City by offering steady employment and structure to those who are at-risk or currently living with homelessness. Many of the stories are written by the homeless community themselves, covering topics that affect everyone such as mental health and domestic violence. On social media, Curbside Chronicle keeps readers updated not just on current magazine issues and upcoming stories but also on the lives of the magazine’s vendors, often celebrating their personal achievements and milestones. It is clear that at Curbside Chronicle, the individual lives of the vendors and others in the homeless community are as important as the magazine itself.
From a Basement in Tulsa
1,597 @fabitpodcast
1,233 “fromabasementintulsa”
From a Basement in Tulsa is a weekly podcast talk show featuring key figures in the Tulsa arts and music community. Hosted by Jason Ferguson, each episode features insightful conversation with Oklahoma musicians, comedians and filmmakers, including Sterlin Harjo, Fiawna Forté and The Tulsa Pin Up Mafia. If you are a regular in the Tulsa music scene, chances are Ferguson has already interviewed your favorite local band on the show. When asked about the beginnings of the podcast, Ferguson says, “I was playing music for quite a while before the podcast. I was in love with podcasts and with the idea of podcasting, and so I just started inviting friends into my basement and recording our conversations and uploading them to the internet.” Get updates on upcoming shows by following Ferguson on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
The Napkin Dad (Marty Coleman)
4,269 @thenapkindad
2,718 @thenapkindad
1,101 “napkindad”
napkindad.tumblr.com
Referred to as “Napkin Dad” on his blog and on social media, Marty Coleman has built a loyal following of fans online by livestreaming his creative process on Periscope, turning the act of creating visual art into an interactive community endeavor. Coleman gained national attention in 2008 after uploading a Barack Obama napkin drawing to Flickr, where it was quickly picked up by Time Magazine and published in the “Person of the Year” issue. Originally creating the artwork on a daily basis for his young daughters to include in their sack lunches, Coleman now inspires thousands of fans with his artwork, blog posts, livestreams and other online projects. When discussing his streaming video community, Coleman says, “It has opened me up to new ideas about what I can create, how big I can go. It’s an idea generator. I want to produce something really interesting and fun to watch, so it has been very energizing for me on social media.”
