1219 Creative is proud to announce the completion of a public art mural on the north side of our building at 1219 N. Classen Blvd. in Oklahoma City by internationally celebrated Oklahoma artist Yatika Starr Fields. This 125’ wide by 11’ tall wall mural was privately funded by neighboring business owners J.B. Askins of Abraham’s Bail Bonds and Rick and Tracy Bewley of Art Fusion Studios. 

Robbie Kienzle, Arts and Cultural Affairs Liaison at the City of Oklahoma City and members of the Oklahoma City Arts Commission also facilitated the approval process for the short time period Fields was available to create the mural. The artwork is a long-term installation, with a potential 10-year lifespan, depending on the harsh Oklahoma weather. The mural is located in a public space and is intended to be shared with neighbors and the general public.

In August of this year, Mr. Askins approached the Bewleys and Kyle Golding, CEO of The Golding Group and 1219 Creative art gallery curator, with the idea of using the North wall of their shared building for a public art project. Mr. Askins wanted to “do something positive for the neighborhood”. The Bewleys and Golding (artist themselves) formed a committee with Nathan Lee, Executive Director of non-profit organization Inclusion In Art to facilitate an open call-to-artist for the project.

The Call For Artist was open for 30 days, consisting of a formal letter of interest, a proposal with narrative and drawings illustrating the artist concept, professional resume highlighting public art experience and two references familiar with the applicant’s artwork. Multiple entries were submitted and three artists were chosen as a finalist. These three artists were interviewed by the 1219 Creative panel along with representatives from Abraham’s Bail Bonds. 

The committee selected Fields for the project based on his creative proposal, extensive resume and impressive references. Submissions came from four different states, but all three of the top artist interviewed (Fields, Dylan Bradway and Kris Kanaly) were from Oklahoma. 

About The Artist: Yatika Starr Fields is from Stillwater Oklahoma but currently resides in Brooklyn, New York. You can find his work in galleries all over the country like Chiaroscuro Contemporary in Santa Fe, Sam Noble Museum in Norman and The Heard Museum in Phoenix. His most recent in-state work was a permanent mural for the lobby of the Oklahoma State University Museum of Art. OSU Assistant Professor and Independent Curator Louise Siddons, PhD describes Fields as “a rising star of the contemporary art world. He has created murals across the United States and abroad but still feels strongly connected to his home state of Oklahoma.”

In conjunction with that commission, Fields also led a collaborative public art project in Spring 2013 with over 20 OSU students. Together, they created a ten-panel mural cycle for the Seretean Performing Arts Center on campus, part of which was a live painting performance attended by over 300 spectators.

1219 Creative will celebrate the completion of the mural with a gallery show with Fields and many of the Oklahoma City artist whom submitted proposals for the mural project this Friday, November 28th from 4:00 – 7:00pm at 1219 N. Classen Blvd. This free event will include refreshments and the opportunity to meet the artist. Fields next art project will be at Art Basel in Miami, FL.

About 1219 Creative: Located at 1219 N. Classen Blvd. 1219 Creative is a collaborative space that includes two large suites, four small offices, a community conference room, break room and a co-work area with seven desks for individuals or organizations of all sizes. But what makes this space truly unique: the art gallery. A new art show opens in the gallery on the second Friday of every month. These shows range from photography, abstract paintings and sculpture to furniture, film and performance art.

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For more information about Yatika Starr Fields, please visit YatikaStarrFields.com
For more information about Inclusion In Art, please visit InclusionInArt.com