17th painting in NBC Oklahoma Artist Series features work by New York artist John Newsom
Nov. 24, 2021
The work will be available to see in various NBC locations in December. The artist spent much of his childhood in Enid, and his work for NBC, “Homecoming,” reflects on his time in Oklahoma. In March, the Oklahoma Contemporary art center in Oklahoma City will feature his work, including this painting in a mid-career retrospective exhibit.
 A new painting by John Newsom is the latest in NBC Oklahoma’s Artist Series and features images that are familiar to Oklahomans. The oil-on-canvas painting is 84 inches tall by 60 inches wide.
“I wanted to create an iconic image using timeless motifs from the Oklahoma landscape,” Newsom said about his work. “The bison is a strong, yet contemplative animal from the plains. The scissor-tailed flycatcher is the state bird of Oklahoma, and the Indian Blanket is the state wildflower. Combined together these images become the perfect chorus. It is with great sincerity and reverence for the natural landscape of Oklahoma and its inhabitants, that this very meaningful and special painting has come into being.”
The public can see the original painting as it travels to NBC’s various locations between now and the end of the year. Stop by our banks in these communities on these dates to see the paintings and pick up a poster of the work. Newsom will also be available during a reception in Enid.
KINGFISHER, 801 S Main, on display from Nov. 29 to Dec. 3.
ALTUS, 123 W Commerce, on display from Dec. 6 to 10.
OKLAHOMA CITY, 13401 N Pennsylvania, on display from Dec. 13 to Dec. 17
ENID, Dec. 27 to 31, with an artist reception from 1 to 3 p.m. Dec. 28.
OKLAHOMA CITY, 6301 N Western, beginning sometime in January before the Oklahoma Contemporary show in March.
About The Artist
Newsom thrived in his Enid, Oklahoma, upbringing but always yearned to travel and explore the world as a painter. Homecoming represents a visual return to his experiences in Oklahoma. John currently lives in Brooklyn, NY, with his wife and their two children.
After receiving a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Rhode Island School of Design and a Master of Fine Arts from New York University, he had his first New York exhibition in 1995, when he was only 25. Since that first show, his work has been exhibited in the United States, across Europe, and in Japan. His paintings are included in the permanent collections of numerous public institutions including the Museum of Modern Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Brooklyn Museum, the Hammer Museum, Los Angeles; the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art; the Neuberger Museum of Art, Purchase, NY; Yale University Art Gallery, New Haven, CT; and the Rhode Island School of Design Museum, Providence, RI. Articles and reviews of his work have appeared in Artforum, Art in America, Flash Art, The New Yorker and The New York Times, among others.
NBC OKLAHOMA ARTIST SERIES
Homecoming is the 17th commissioned work of the NBC Oklahoma Artist Series, started by Ken Fergeson and NBC Oklahoma. Each year, NBC selects an Oklahoma artist to create an original work of art, which is then exhibited at each of the NBC bank locations in Altus, Enid, Kingfisher and Oklahoma City. The bank also reproduces the artwork on a limited number of prints, posters and postcards available to customers at NBC locations. Learn more about the series, its artists and how NBC supports the arts at nbcwigwam.art.
AT THE OKLAHOMA CONTEMPORARY
John Newsom: Nature’s Course
NBC Oklahoma is proud to loan Homecoming to Oklahoma Contemporary for Newsom’s first solo museum exhibition. This mid-career retrospective features 31 paintings created over the last 20 years.
Oklahoma Contemporary
March 24 – August 15, 2022
okcontemp.org
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