The Inspiring Conversations Podcast

We continue the conversation and hear from Jennifer and Jeremiah about their life journeys and what led them to pursue careers in art and what brought them to Oklahoma and to Oklahoma Contemporary.

We also hear from them about the most formative life lessons that they have learned along the way and why moving to and working in the OKC area and in Oklahoma has been such a positive experience for both of them.

We conclude our visit with a very enlightening conversation about the collaborative and creative aspect of art and how it can benefit the next generation, the business community, as well as the community at large. We also hear from them about the efforts that they have been making and that they plan to make in the future to help bring about more collaboration with various stakeholders in the community.

Contact Information-

Oklahoma Contemporary

3000 General Pershing Boulevard

Oklahoma City, OK. 73107

405-951-0000

oklahomacontemporary.org

In this episode, Jeff visits with Kelsey Karper, Co-Founder of Current Studio and Factory Obscura and Thomas Thompson, a Co-Founder of Factory Obscura as well.

We begin by hearing from Kelsey about Current Studio and how they provide opportunities for various artists-in-residence at their facility. She then speaks about the inspiration and the origins of Factory Obscura and how it came into being as well as how she and Romy Owens, her partner at Current Studio, decided to house the first Factory Obscura exhibition, SHIFT, at their facility.

Kelsey then gives us an overview of how they created a vision for this group and how they brought area artists together to be a part of this first project at Current Studio. We transition into an overview about SHIFT and how it is the first fully-immersive and experiential art installation in the OKC area and what makes it so unique.

Kelsey then shares with listeners about where they can find more information about SHIFT, and all of this information is at the bottom of this summary for those who are interested.

After this, we hear from Thomas Thompson about his motivation for being involved in this project as he has an interest in human consciousness and in helping lead a project that will be providing both children and adults with the opportunity to have a full-sensory art experience that is so unique. He then reflects upon other art exhibits in other states that are somewhat similar to SHIFT.

After this, we hear some details about SHIFT from Kelsey as well as an overview of what people can expect, and it is really exciting that each person will have their own unique experience

We continue the conversation as Kelsey speaks about how it is very possible that people who feel that they aren't necessarily interested in art will find that they are partaking of it while interacting with the various full-sensory aspects of SHIFT as they progress through it.

We wrap things up by hearing from Thomas as he reflects about how this exhibit really focuses on providing people with an opportunity to experience something genuine and authentic as they interact with it in numerous ways.

Kelsey then shares an overview of the future vision of Factory Obscura as they plan to grow this project and ultimately have their own facility that will house larger-scale exhibits in the future.

Lastly, we hear from Kelsey about the various opportunities for volunteers to help be a part of Factory Obscura, and the link to sign up and indicate how they want to help in the future.

Visit the Current Studio website to learn about how to support Factory Obscura. Donations fund the creation of SHIFT at Current Studio including supplies and most importantly, paying the artists. Plus, donors will be the first to experience the fully immersive installation.

Factory Obscura Web Page

www.factoryobscura.com or https://www.currentstudio.org/factory-obscura/

Factory Obscura and Current Studio Facebook Pages

@factoryobscura

@currentstudiook

Link To Provide Tax Deductible Financial Support For SHIFT

https://www.hatchfund.org/project/factory_obscura_presents_shift_at_current_studio

Link To Sign Up To Volunteer

https://www.currentstudio.org/factory-obscura-volunteer-sign-up

About Factory Obscura And SHIFT

Factory Obscura (a collective of artists and community builders) presents SHIFT at Current Studio November 9, 2017-February 25, 2018

The SHIFT installation at Current Studio takes participants on a journey through the various levels of human consciousness, from feelings of dreamy introspection, to the high energy of being fully awake, and everything in between.

The fully immersive environment invites interactive play, both physical and mental, and for people of all ages and abilities. Created by our team of local artists, the installation provides an art experience like nothing seen before in Oklahoma City.

This will be the first immersive installation leadin

In this episode, Jeff sits down with Amanda Bleakley and Paige Powell of the Paseo Arts Association to hear about what makes The Paseo Arts District so unique.

One of the things that makes this area very special and unique is that it is the only place in the OKC metro area where people can park their car and walk from one gallery to another and see many diverse types of art while also having the opportunity to actually meet some of the artists and to be able to visit with them about their work.

Also, there are also numerous opportunities to see some of the artists working in their studios.

This area really has a very distinct and genuine feel of a neighborhood as many people know each other and really provides the feeling of a true community.

As we continue, Amanda shares an overview of what the District is like for those who haven't been there before.

We then hear from Amanda and Paige also share information about the various events that take place there:

1. First Friday Gallery Walk and different exhibits each month in the Association's own Art Space. This coming First Friday is themed "Pets On Paseo" on October 6th

2. The Annual Paseo Arts Festival that happens every Memorial Day Weekend

3. The Paseo Feast, which is on October 10th, which is a program that includes dinner at Picasso Cafe and that allows people who purchase a ticket to attend this event to vote for their favorite proposal to receive funding from ticket sale proceeds from amongst several that are submitted by various groups for different community art projects

4. Magic Lantern, which is a children's program that is coming up October 29th.

5. Fairy Ball, which is another children's creative imagination-based event that happens every summer.

6. They also partner with Edgemere Elementary School to provide a Hip Hop class for kids on the area as well.

7. SPACE-They partner with the Skirvin Hotel for this project, which is the Skirvin Paseo Artist Creativity Exposition, and it provides a one year residency for a selected artist to create and exhibit their work there, which is accessible to people visiting the hotel and open to people who work or are visiting the area.

8. Their annual awards program, which is open to the public, is hosted by The Skirvin Hotel, and tickets are 75 dollars apiece.

We also welcome Collin Rosebrook, the owner of Paseo Pottery, who has operated his business in The Paseo Arts District for 27 years and who is also the Chair of this coming annual Paseo Arts Festival.

We hear from him about the important fact that the artists who have entries in the competitions are actually judged by their peers, who are also professional artists who work in same particular medium in which they work.

He also speaks to how unique and how meaningful it is that people have the opportunity to meet and get to know the actual artists who created many of the pieces that are purchased in the District.

We wrap things up with Amanda talking about how attending a First Friday Gallery Walk is a great way to experience the District for the first time and how people can return to see these exhibits all month long in an unhurried and relaxed manner if they want to.

Contact Info-

The Paseo Arts Association

3022 Paseo

Oklahoma City, OK. 73103

405-525-2688

In this episode, we sit down with Jeff Ragan, Owner of Kize Concepts.

Kize is in the “business of changing lives” with a mission and passion to “fuel” people’s best through food, services, and community building initiatives around the world… to change the world… for the better, and help people, businesses, and communities be their best!

At the heart of everything they do is a passion to serve and help other’s live a better life. That’s why they donate their time, talents, treasure and a % of every purchase to go back to help those in need. They love to partner and recognize other outstanding organizations doing the same.

He shares information with us about how they change lives through food service and charity through their "give-back programs" and how they focus their charitable efforts in the areas of youth, health, and homelessness.

We continue as he talks about their Kize Energy Bars that taste like a no-bake cookie and are Non-GMO, Gluten Free, and no sugar added and made with four to six simple ingredients depending on which flavor it is.

We then hear from him about Kize Catering and Kize Meals and how they cultivate local relationships and serve the local community with healthy meals that also help others with their "one feeds two" programs.

He then speaks about some of their visions and goals for the future for expanding both the reach and breadth of products and services that they provide.

We continue by visiting some about future trends that he sees in the healthy meal delivery business.

Jeff then shares how their giving back to the community comes from a genuine and authentic passion for changing people's lives in a meaningful way and giving their customers an opportunity to be a part of their work in the community.

We wrap up this segment as Jeff shares some stories about his experiences in traveling to other countries and doing charitable work and how it has changed his life and given him more perspective.

He also mentions how people in our community can actually go on these trips with them and participate in the charitable work that they do as well.

In this segment, Jeff then shares an overview of his life story and how he started Kize Concepts and the values that mean the most to him and that has informed the evolution of the business over the years.

He then shares the story of how he began to make Kize Energy Bars and how he continued to get more clarity about the business in the early stages.

We continue the segment as Jeff talks about plans for the future and how they want to continue to grow their Kize Catering and Kize Meals businesses.

We wrap up this segment as he tells us about future plans to continue to give back even more in the local and international community and some new projects that they will be undertaking.