Tulsa’s ‘First Thursday’ features artists Micheal Jones and Ethan Hopper

(Tulsa) The November OkEq ‘First Thursday’ exhibit of local artists will feature the works of Micheal Jones and Ethan Hopper. The show begins with a reception on Thursday, November 7 from 6-9pm at the Dennis R. Neill Equality Center (621 E. 4th Street in Downtown Tulsa), and continues throughout the month.  

The exhibit is a collaborative effort between Micheal Jones and Ethan Hopper. Thirteen years ago, Ethan was a young art student in Micheal’s sixth grade art class. Over the years, they have stayed in close contact, inspiring, encouraging, mentoring, and collaborating. Ethan is now a graduate of ORU, with a feverish drive for creativity and outstanding artistic maturity. Ethan’s work has a very personal view, while Micheal is the mature painter and a professor of art with a more world-oriented view.

Together they have created a group of paintings, collectively called “The Outside of Language.” The paintings use images, symbols, and words as a means of communication, of “things said, and unsaid.” The paintings are raw and emotional, dealing with life issues and world issues, from the perspective of a 23 year old man and the 60-something artist who has served as his mentor, teacher and collaborator. The exhibit includes 12-15 large-scale oil and acrylic paintings, some created entirely by Ethan, some entirely created by Micheal, with a few collaborative paintings by both artists.

November 3, 2013