Woodward, Okla. — To help showcase Western Oklahoma the Woodward Main Street organization will be holding the Main Street Art Gala next weekend during the 81st Woodward Elks Rodeo.

The art show will take place Friday, July 22 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday, July 23 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Josie Adams Cultural Center.

While similar art shows have been held during the Main Street Westfest event in the past, Main Street Director Janet Fitz said this is the first time for the Main Street organization to be hold the show during the Elks Rodeo.

Fitz said the Woodward Elks Rodeo Committee approached the Main Street group about hosting the art show to help add to the celebration of western culture during rodeo week.

However, she said there will be “all sorts of arts” on display and available for sale during the show.

“Some will be strictly western to go a long with the rodeo and some will be other art such as nature pictures,” she said.

There will also be pieces of wearable art as Mona Story from Sharon will have handmade jewelry on display.

“She does a lot of work with beads,” Fitz said.

To help make the event a true gala, the Main Street director said there will be cheese tastings.

Katrina McDowell at A La Carte is now selling cheese at her store, so McDowell “will have 7 or 8 of her best selling cheeses available to sample at no cost" during the event, Fitz said.

Fitz said the Plains Indians and Pioneers Museum will also be a part of the art show.

“Ian Swart has his ‘Ghosts from the Past’ pictures and will bring some of those down to show,” Fitz said.

Swart, who is the curator at the museum, will also be offering some of his "Ghosts from the Past" images for sale.

Fitz said she is looking forward to seeing people visit Main Street to enjoy the art gala.

“Nothing is more pleasing then seeing people come out and seeing them enjoy themselves in Woodward instead of going out of town,” she said.



PARTICIPATION AND AWARDS

So far there are 18 artists signed up to participate in the Main Street Art Gala.

“We’ll have different artists coming in locally from Woodward and got some coming in from the outlying areas,” Fitz said, noting there are artists coming from Mooreland and Mutual.

There is also still space available if additional area artists wish to display their work in the show.

To sign up, Fitz said artists can just call her at (580) 254-8521 or stop by the Main Street Office at 1102 Main St. Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

"But they must get a hold of me by Monday at 5 p.m.,” Fitz said.  

Fitz said there are 11 sponsors that are helping put on the show.

“The sponsors are helping pay for the awards that will be given in the 3 different categories: photography, 3 dimensional and painting,” Fitz said.

Each category will have a 1st place through 3rd place winner, she said, noting “first place is $125, 2nd place is $75 and 3rd place is $35."

She said there will be also be a Best of Show with the winner receiving $150.

“We will have 3 judges come in from out of town and judge everything for us so they aren’t biased in anyway,” Fitz said, noting the judges are “from around Northwest Oklahoma.”

“The judges are professionals and they know what they are looking for,” she said. “I think the art pieces will be judged really well.”

Fitz said there will also be a People’s Choice Award where the crowd votes for their favorite art piece and the winner receives $100.

“The (People’s Choice) award is in memory of Clarice Rosser from Woodward who owned Peek-A-Boo and was also the co-founder in starting a Main Street art show,” she said.