Curated by Stacey Durham, NBC Oklahoma Manager of Art Collections
Named for the late Larry Greer, a respected artist and humanities supporter from Frederick, OK, in southwest Oklahoma, this exhibit coincides with the Ladies’ Christmas Open House in Altus, OK.
This “Greery Christmas” part of the exhibit pays homage to Greer and his ability to capture the spirit of the season; it also showcases the artwork of others who also were inspired by the winter holidays. Artists featured in this part of the show include Mike Larsen, Dan Robinson, George Hallmark, Chris Morel and designers from the Duncan Royal Company.
The “Feminine Strength and Beauty in Art” side of the exhibit examines a selection of 20th century images of women that share commanding gestures with powerful positive messages. Each unique portrait contributes to our evolving understanding of what it means to be feminine and beautiful Featured artists in this exhibition include Ashley Farrier, Tom Browning, Cathy Rowten, Sara Scribner and R.C. Gorman. Their work demonstrates the continuing power and relevance of the female body to artists today.
ABOUT LARRY GREER
Larry Greer was born in 1946 in Frederick, OK. He graduated from Southwestern State College in Weatherford, OK, with a bachelor’s degree in art and a minor in drama. Starting in 1969, he taught for three and a half years in Yukon, OK,before taking a position at Prentice-Hall publishing company and later at McGraw-Hill. In 1976 Greer decided to become a professional painter and began to take a greater interest in civic matters. He became a member of the Frederick Arts and Humanities Council, and he was key to the renovations at the Ramona Theater and Lois Long Center in the city. As an artist, Larry Greer's favorite subject matter was southwest Oklahoma, from which he drew inspiration in his work. Greer was known for using three distinctly different media in his images: watercolor, silver point and a mixed media drawing technique. He strongly believed his abilities in all three areas allowed him to create successful paintings, and be continued using these methods into the latter part of his career. Although Greer's life was cut short in 2005, his contributions to the art world, the Frederick community, and the State Oklahoma will continue to live on in his work.
Primarily known for figure painting, Greer combined different media such as watercolor, whiskey (!) and graphite to create unique and captivating works of art. His inspiration not only came from the American Southwest and its native animals but also from traditional holidays like Christmas. He returned to painting Santa Claus often through the years, and each version of Santa has its own character.
