A Paden native is going to be integrating weather into an ambitious art project that will reach from the Panhandle to the Cookson Hills, Kansas to the Red River.
Leslie Anne Martin is creating a map of Oklahoma that will be composed of metal cutouts representing each of the 77 counties.
She is going to place each of those cutouts in the county it represents exposing it to the weather for a minimum of three months. At the end of that time she will have them mailed back to her and they will be placed on the completed 11-foot wide, five-foot tall 300 pound sculpture.
She said the idea came to her because of her Oklahoma roots."During storm season, many aspects of an Oklahoman’s life is influenced by the weather. When watching local TV, there is commonly an image of the state of Oklahoma in the corner of the screen with counties highlighted in shades of green, yellow, red, and occasionally black, warning the public of heavy rains, flooding, thunderstorms, and tornadoes."
Even though the political boundaries never change, "deadly weather has on this land can dramatically alter the landscape, causing streets to become unrecognizable because familiar landmarks are no longer there for wayfinding."
Martin who received her bachelor of fine arts degree from OSU, will be traveling throughout the state this spring placing each of those cutouts personally.
"It is important to me to personally install each stake, because I believe the journey is a crucial part of this project. This expedition will take two weeks to complete and documentation is a necessary component. I am searching for options on finding professional filming and photography, in hopes that a full-length documentary film can be formed. The purpose of this documentary would be to showcase the diverse beauty of Oklahoma’s landscape and culture as we explore ideas of permanence and the sublime. This expedition is scheduled to occur in spring of 2016."She plans to be placing the Okmulgee County cutout at a home near Henryetta in March.
When she is finished with the sculpture, it will be shown at her Masters thesis exhibition in Albuquerque in the fall of 2016. Martin says she plans to move back to Oklahoma following graduation next December and would like to have a series of exhibitions of the Oklahoma map as well as other work.
"I am very excited about this project and feel that it will be a great experiment to see what the weather does to the metal in each county. I also feel that this project can be a reminder to others on what a powerful force nature can be. I am always amazed at the feeling I get when weathering a severe storm, that I am so small and this is something much larger than I am. Why do I feel this way? Why are people fascinated with extreme weather? During my trip across Oklahoma installing these stakes, I hope to talk with various Oklahomans and get their take on these feelings, how do they prepare for when severe weather strikes, and where do they take shelter. The precautions that Oklahomans take to stay safe are unique and worthy of sharing with others."
This is the latest in a series of exhibitions where her work has been showcased.
Martin’s work has been juried into several exhibitions, including the 2013 Momentum OKC Annual Juried Exhibition and the Oklahoma State University 2013 Annual Student Juried Exhibition, where she was awarded Best in Show. She has also completed numerous commissions. Martin has received many awards, including the Sarah Clark Memorial Scholarship, the Carson Scott Scholarship, J. Jay McVicker Scholarship, and Smelser Vallion Endowed Scholarship. Prior to her artistic achievements, Martin earned her Bachelor Degree in Design, Housing and Merchandising at Oklahoma State University. She has worked as a junior designer for an architecture company that specializes in commercial buildings and healthcare, and has worked as a designer/project manager for a commercial furniture company.More of her work and the project can be seen at:
www.lesliemartinart.com
www.facebook.com/weatheringok
