About IAO

History | Board of Directors | Staff | Website

Our Mission

IndividualArtists of Oklahoma is committed to sustaining and encouraging emerging and established artists in all media who are intellectually and aesthetically provocative or experimental in subject matter or technique.

IAO Gallery is located at 811 N. Broadway in Downtown OKC.
Our Mailing address is:

IAO Gallery
PO Box 60824
OKC, OK 73146

History

IndividualArtists of Oklahoma was founded in 1979 by three poets as a grass-roots alternative arts organization. IAO is committed to sustaining and encouraging emerging and established artists in all media who are intellectually and aesthetically provocative or experimental in subject matter or technique.

IAO creates opportunities for Oklahoma artists by curating and developing socially relevant exhibitions in one of the finest gallery spaces in region. The IAO Gallery features works and exhibitions that display innovative and thought-provoking concepts and approaches that broaden the dialogue with the community and enhance the public's understanding of the role of contemporary art and the artist.

IAO develops an appreciation of contemporary art by providing support for artists in all media through audience development, community participation, and publicity.

IAO has a working volunteer board of twenty, twelve of whom are artists. Each board member contributes financially at some level, as well as giving generously of time on projects and to secure in-kind and cash donations.

IAO’s board members also chair committees, including those that oversee programming areas. All works and exhibitions presented at IAO are selected from applications submitted to the Visual Arts, Film and Video, Poetry, or Performance Committees. The programs cover a broad range of expression by artists of all ages, at various levels of professional recognition, and who are diverse in race, philosophy, culture and economics. Selected program applications effectively demonstrate original contemporary themes and the technical ability to successfully convey the artists’ intentions.

Board of Directors • 2006–2007

Russell Bellamy
Sculptor — BFA, Georgetown College (Kentucky); MFA, University of Cincinnati
Adjunct professor and studio Technician at the University of Central Oklahoma

Jonathan Bryant
Poet — Vice President, UltraThin Ribbons and Medals; OKC Wintertales Host Committee; IAO Poetry Committee Co-Chair

Jacquelyn Farris, Secretary
JMFarris@opubco.com

Janice Francis-Smith
Poet and Journalist — Staff Writer and Reporter for the Journal Record

Michael E. Hoffner
Artist and Architect — Bachelor of Architecture, University of Oklahoma; Elliott+ Associates Architects; IAO Co-Chair Development Committee; IAO Grants Committee; Edgemere Park Neighborhood – Trustee and Chair of Historic Preservation Committee; OVAC – Arts Focus (OVAC’s quarterly publication) Committee

Joe Kirk
Commercial Artist, Freelance Photographer — BFA in Commercial Art, University of Oklahoma; BFA in Fine Art Film/Video/Photography, University of Oklahoma; MFA in Fine Art Photography, University of Oklahoma; IAO Development Committee; IAO Chair of Development Committee’s Grants Subcommittee; US Peace Corp Volunteer; Vietnam Era Veteran; Retired from state government administration; International Photography Hall of Fame and Museum Member; Metropolitan Professional Photographers of Oklahoma Member; Metro Camera Club Member
okcphotographer@cox.net

Trent Lawson
Artist — BFA in Studio Art, Oklahoma City University; IAO Visual Arts Committee Chair; Graduate of LOYAL Class I. Leadership OKC; Leadership OKC Alumni Association Member; OVAC Member and Volunteer; Momentum Committee 2003-07, Co-Chair 2004-06; Oklahoma City Arts Festival Co-Chair of Artful Experience tent ‘07; OKC Arts Council Volunteer
trent@trentlawson.net

Nathan Lee
Artist — Director, Inclusion in Art; Facilitator, Youth Cornerstone; OVAC Member; OVAC Momentum Committee; Inclusion in Art, Minorities in Visual Art, Founder; IAO Visual Arts Committee

April Tippens Mays, President
Director – Events/Business Management, Hoffman Enterprises/Hoffman Sports Association; BA in Print Journalism, University of Oklahoma; IAO Board Development Committee; IAO Public Relations Committee Chair; IAO Finance Committee; Past Committee Member Untitled [artspace] Friday Night Faction; Past Board Member Boys’ and Girls’ Club of Oklahoma City; Past Member OKC Chamber of Commerce Human Diversity Leadership Team
april@mathoffman.com

Titi Nguyen, MD, Treasurer

Larry Pickering
Artist

Patrick G. Riley
Artist

Christopher M. Salyer
Chairman, President and CEO of Magnolia Entertainment Co., L.L.C.; Chairman, Accel Financial Staffing, Inc. — MBA from Babson College, Boston, Massachusetts; Past President of Leadership Oklahoma; Graduate of Leadership Oklahoma City; Alumnus of Young Presidents Organization; Founder, Director and President of Automobile Alley, Inc.; Founding Chairman of the OKC Public Schools “Principal for a Day” Program; National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences; American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (Oklahoma and California Societies); Founding Chairman of the Friends of the Charles M. Russell Center at the school of Fine Arts at the University of Oklahoma; He has previously served on the boards of: Lifescience Corporation Medical Arts Laboratory, Metro Bank, Oklahoma Health Center Foundation, Oklahoma Heritage Association, YMCA, Zymetx Corporation, Ballet Oklahoma, Astin Martin Owners Club

Joe Slack
Artist — President, Slack Properties; BA, Oklahoma City University; IAO Visual Arts Committee; IAO Project Space Committee Co-Chair; OVAC Momentum Art Sub-Committee Co-Chair; Community Volunteer
slack101@cox.net

William R. Struby
Artist — Public Information Officer, Graphic Artist at Oklahoma Department of Libraries; Bachelor of Fine Arts; Master of Business Administration; IAO Board Development Committee Chair; IAO Finance Committee; IAO Visual Arts Committee; IAO Past President of Board of Directors; Contact Helpline Past President of Board of Directors

Jackson Davis Titus
Artist — Professor of Art, Oklahoma State University; BFA in Painting and Printmaking, East Texas State University; MFA in Painting and Drawing, University of Illinois; IAO Visual Arts Committee

Tracy Townsend, Vice President
Poet — Bachelor’s Degree in Communications emphasis in Theatre, University of Central Oklahoma—Minor in English Literature emphasis in Poetry; IAO Poetry Committee Chair

Dara Wanzer
dara.wanzer@mcafeetaft.com

Staff

Jeff Stokes, Executive Director
iaogallery@coxinet.net
Artist — Stokes grew up in Oklahoma and received a B.F.A. from Oklahoma State University in 1990, and an M.F. A. in painting from Wichita State University in 2004. Stokes has curated numerous contemporary art exhibits in Kansas and Oklahoma museums and galleries, as well as showing his own sculpture, drawings and paintings in Kansas, Oklahoma and New York. Stokes taught art in the secondary schools, and was an adjunct instructor in drawing at both Oklahoma State and Wichita State before accepting a position as Executive Director at Individual Artists of Oklahoma in 2005.

Website

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