Construction on Oklahoma Contemporary’s new building began in 2018. The original museum opened in 1989, and when the Rand Elliott Architects–designed Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center opened at its new site in 2020, its aluminum façade and 53,916 square feet quickly drew national attention.
© John Newsom Studio
One of the center’s current exhibitions, Nature’s Course, is a mid-career retrospective showcasing 31 paintings by John Newsom from the past two decades. Newsom is best known for large-scale oil-on-canvas works that combine richly textured surfaces with vivid depictions of plants and animals. His paintings blend elements of abstract expressionism, minimalist geometry and hyper-realistic animal imagery to form layered allegories of the natural world.
Originally from Enid, Oklahoma, Newsom has worked from New York for most of his career and has participated in more than 100 national and international exhibitions since the mid-1990s. This retrospective emphasizes his development from the turn of the century to the present, presenting large-scale works from multiple series alongside smaller, more intimate pieces. The show also includes a newly completed nine-by-18-foot painting titled Nature’s Course.
© John Newsom Studio
“Growing up in Oklahoma, I always wanted to travel and explore the world as a painter,” Newsom said. “Nature’s Course is the culmination of that journey.”
Oklahoma Contemporary invites visitors to engage with art and creativity through exhibitions, performances and a wide range of educational programs. The retrospective of the Oklahoma-born, New York–based artist runs through Aug. 15. Admission to Oklahoma Contemporary’s exhibitions and most programs is free.