Artists have the opportunity to show off their works and meet shoppers at the annual Art in the Square. Watercolors, stained glass, pottery, woodworking and more will be on display for visitors from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 4, at Utica Square, 21st Street and Utica Avenue. Interact with the artists and ask those questions you’ve always wanted answers to. Those with children should make their way to Art Alley for face painting, art activities and more. Go to www.uticasquare.com for more information and a guide to the shops of Utica Square.
It’s safe to say that few concert pianists are compared to a sexy, high-octane engine. But that’s just how one major newspaper described Horacio Gutierrez in performance. That power, technical mastery and artistry will be in the spotlight on Saturday, Oct. 4, at 8 p.m. when the pianist takes the Oklahoma City Civic Center Music Hall stage with the Oklahoma City Philharmonic to play works from Chopin and Bach. Gutierrez Plays Chopin is the next in the OKC Phil’s classics series of music performances in the new season. The music hall is located at 201 N. Walker Ave., in downtown Oklahoma City. Tickets to the performance are $24-$60, available at www.okcphilharmonic.org.
Photo by Georgia Read. Courtesy Oklahoma City Boathouse Foundation.
Photo by Georgia Read, courtesy Oklahoma City Boathouse Foundation.
Thursday, Oct. 2-Sunday, Oct. 5
The Oklahoma City Boathouse District will fill with rowers and spectators as the annual Oklahoma Regatta Festival kicks off Thursday. This celebration of rowing, kayaking and dragon boating will kick off with OGE NightSprints and Fireworks on Thursday. The nightly events and fireworks displays will continue through Saturday night. Other highlights include live music, a children’s area and food from some of the area’s best restaurants. Adults can imbibe in the beer and wine garden and enjoy a front-row seat to the main event: the races. The event will conclude on Sunday with the INTEGRIS Jim Thorpe Courage Run at 7:45 a.m. Look for the fun in the district, 725 S. Lincoln Blvd., in Oklahoma City. For other details, visit www.boathousedistrict.org.
Superstar Katy Perry returns to Tulsa and the BOK Center for a live show that is every bit as prismatic as the singer. Best known for stage presence and hit songs “Teenage Dream” from her 2010 breakout record and “Roar” from the Prism album, Perry’s concerts are famous for extravagant sets, costumes and more. When she plays the BOK Center, 200 S. Denver Ave., Tulsa, Perry will bring Tegan and Sara with her as the night’s special guest act. Tickets are $48-$127.50, available at www.bokcenter.com.
The faces Beck presents through his music are as different as Mellow Gold from Midnite Vultures – albums in which the recording artist gives personal license to define alternative rock before taking it where it’s never been. So when his 12th studio album was released earlier this year, the comparisons of Morning Phase to 2002’s atmospheric Sea Change rushed across the web along with praise for a return to elegant strummers with simmering lyrics. For many of us, however, Beck will always be at his best when indulging all his musical sides, and the anthemic drone of 1994’s “Loser” is as audacious as the day it was released. Beck returns to Tulsa to play the Brady Theater, 105 W. Brady St., on Oct. 7 at 8 p.m. It will be his first concert in T-Town since his 2008 show at Cain’s Ballroom. Tickets are $49.50-$59.50 at www.bradytheater.com.
When the clever lead singer and songwriter of The Shins met the fascinating producer-half of Gnarls Barkley, we knew it would be magic. James Mercer and Danger Mouse, aka Brian Burton, are Broken Bells, but that’s not an apt description for the sleek, mature beats and sounds manufactured from two of the most uniquely creative musicians recording today. Broken Bells ventures to Tulsa and the Brady Theater, 105 W. Brady St., for a performance at 8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 8. Advance tickets are $32.50, but tickets purchased the day of the show are $36.50. Get them and more information at www.bradytheater.com.
Tom Rink can always find more room to hang his growing art collection in his tulsa apartment. Photo by Brandon Scott.
Tom Rink can always find more room to hang his growing art collection in his tulsa apartment. Photo by Brandon Scott.
Tulsa art collector Tom Rink lives in an 828-square-foot apartment, but that has not stopped him from collecting countless paintings and sculptures to display.
The works cover his apartment walls “like a huge jigsaw puzzle,” Rink says, “and I just have to make sure I maximize the space to fit all of the pieces together.”[pullquote][Most people] don’t really understand what it means to collect to the point where you really do run out of wall space.”[/pullquote]
Rink was a long-time Tulsa police officer before he obtained a master’s degree in library and information studies. He now serves as an academic librarian for Northeastern State University-Broken Arrow. The school has exhibited Rink’s collection three times in its Visitors Center Gallery.
A print by Inuit artist Garry Meeches, Protecting Circle – a college graduation gift from his parents – may have been the piece that began Rink’s art collecting hobby; he points to it as a favorite in his collection. In the signed, limited-edition woodblock print, five bison stand in a line, their manes flipping in the wind.
Rink’s father, Bernie, worked at Northwestern Michigan College in Traverse City, Michigan, and held an annual Inuit art sale at the college as a fundraiser for the library in the 1960s. This sale became so popular that the Dennos Museum Center was built to house the large collection amassed by the college, says Rink.
Though he and his father didn’t talk much about art, “I was certainly exposed to art early on, and I was able to develop a love for – and appreciation of – art in all forms,” he says.
Rink’s love of American Indian art expanded when he moved to Tulsa in 1982 and visited the Philbrook Museum of Art and Gilcrease Museum on a regular basis. Though Rink considers Tulsa a wonderful environment to appreciate art, he noticed that no matter where his travels took him, he was constantly looking for local art to purchase.
“[Most people] don’t really understand what it means to collect to the point where you really do run out of wall space,” says Rink.
But wall space is at a premium in his apartment. It took Rink two weeks to finish hanging the artwork when he moved.
“Because I have so much art to display, I can’t afford to get cute with the presentation strategy,” Rink says.
The paintings cover the walls, and glass and bronze sculptures are on wall displays and pedestals.
When people visit Rink’s apartment for the first time, “they are struck by the eclectic variety of artists, styles and [media],” he says. “My collection is very colorful, and lots of guests comment on how bright and cheerful my apartment is because of the art.”
Rink admits that his collection might eventually outgrow his display space. However, “one simply does not stop buying art because one has no more wall space,” he adds.
Daniel brunson, manager of hicks brunson eyewear, and rick brunson, company president, stand by a commitment to meet all their customers’ needs. Photo by Brandon Scott.
Daniel brunson, manager of hicks brunson eyewear, and rick brunson, company president, stand by a commitment to meet all their customers’ needs. Photo by Brandon Scott.
In 1929, Hicks G. Brunson came to Tulsa to open an American Optical Dispensary shop downtown. Since then, the Brunson family has continued to provide cutting-edge eyewear from a select line of designers.
“In 1950, my great-grandfather purchased the company and changed the name to Hicks Brunson,” says store manager Daniel Brunson. “He opened a second location in Utica Square in 1952, just after Utica Square was built.”
For the past 64 years, Hick Brunson has focused on fit as well as fashion, using expertise to take the guesswork out of finding the perfect pair of glasses.
“We will help you find a selection of frames that will flatter your face shape and complement your natural coloring,” says Brunson. “Then you can choose the look that reflects your personal style and that you are most comfortable with. We may even custom design a frame for you.
“We really like to have an interactive experience with our customers,” he continues. “We don’t make you have to figure it out yourself.”
Part of the retailer’s long-term success has been the result of providing customers with a diverse selection from which to choose. Many designers that Hicks Brunson carries are not offered anywhere else in the state.
“We like to work with designers that are as passionate as we are,” says Brunson. “A lot of our glasses come from independent artisans.”
Zero G is a line that features lightweight, comfortable and durable frames with a clean, classic look. Leisure Society, designed by the much sought-after Shane Baum, are heirloom-quality frames made from pure Japanese titanium and coated in 12-, 18- or 22-karat gold. Face A Face offers a collection of fun colors and shapes, and all frames are handmade in Paris. These are just a few exclusive lines that Hicks Brunson carries.
“In 2009 I met Tom Davies,” says Brunson. “That relationship changed everything.”
Davies, a British eyewear designer, is famous for his bespoke service, providing custom designed eyewear tailored for comfort with the perfect shape and color.
“We have collaborated several times to produce our Tom Davies by Hicks Brunson Eyewear collection,” says Brunson. “Our newest collection, called Dekko Lux, makes use of fun cat shapes for women and classic wayfarer-inspired shapes for men.
“[Tom Davies] eyewear can be tailored just like clothing,” explains Brunson. “Rather than pick a stock frame, you can create the perfect one for you.”
Daniel brunson, manager of hicks brunson eyewear, and rick brunson, company president, stand by a commitment to meet all their customers’ needs. Photo by Brandon Scott. [/caption]
Hicks Brunson’s dedication to providing for customers’ needs continues today.
Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA) in Tulsa is the first hospital in the state of Oklahoma to be recognized by the Quality Oncology Practice Initiative (QOPI®) Certification Program, an affiliate of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. The QOPI® Certification Program provides a three-year certification for outpatient hematology-oncology practices that meet the highest standards for quality cancer care.
“This certification acknowledges excellence in patient safety and care, especially related to chemotherapy, and is a direct result of our team of highly skilled oncology providers,” says Denise Geuder, RN, MS, CNOR, vice president of patient care services and chief nursing officer at CTCA. “We are proud to be the first certified program in the state of Oklahoma.”
To become certified, hospitals submit to an evaluation of their entire practices and documentation standards and then undergo an on-site inspection and evaluation of core standards in treatment areas including:
Treatment planning;
Staff training and education;
Chemotherapy orders and drug preparation;
Patient consent and education;
Safe chemotherapy administration; and
Monitoring and assessment of patient well-being.
CTCA Clinical Support Director Teri Jennings, RN, OCN, who was involved in the QOPI® evaluation process, encourages patients to take an active role in their cancer treatment and to ask many questions.
“Patient education is vital so that all aspects of the treatment are understood. Patients should feel comfortable asking questions of their clinical staff before undergoing any treatment, especially chemotherapy,” she says.
Before undergoing chemotherapy, Jennings recommends patients ask the following questions:
How long will the treatment take?
Who should I call if I have problems?
What side effects should I watch for?
When should I call for help?
How can I protect myself, but still have a good quality of life?
Coweta resident Cathie Hogate, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2011, underwent eight rounds of chemotherapy as part of her treatment. She says she valued the “eye-to-eye” chemotherapy education she received at CTCA.
“When I was first diagnosed with cancer, I was in shock,” recounts Hogate. “Then I was in awe, or I guess you would call it denial. After all that wore off and I was sitting in front of the education nurse, who explained the process and type of treatment I was about to receive, it all sank in. It became real. My chemo education nurse was more than helpful and even had pictures of the various items that would be used, such as what a port looked like or what the bag looked like. Printed materials were also helpful to refer to later when I was at home.”
Hogate, who recently celebrated her 65th birthday, shares the following advice for anyone who is about to start chemotherapy.
“Educate yourself,” she says. “Ask a lot of questions, then trust your doctor to do the right thing. You need to be educated to make the right choices.”
No case is typical. You should not expect to experience these results. To learn more about Cancer Treatment Centers of America in Tulsa, visit cancercenter.com or call 888.333.CTCA.
