‘Wildest Dreams’ have magical feel in art show
NORMAN — Tiny petroglyph-like figures, handprints and animals give a magical feel of contemporary cave art to the work of Michael W. Jones.
Jones’ “My Wildest Dreams” water media show is at The Depot, 200 S Jones Ave., with a reception planned from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. April 13.
Jones is a professor of studio art at Rogers State University in Claremore, who lives in Broken Arrow with his wife of 42 years.
Two ghostly horses gallop toward a red paper circle, while a hand warns us not to get too close to a small, stickfigure hunting party, in “Running Magic.” A similar group of stick figure hunters looks too small to menace a giant buffalo standing over them, in his “Prairie Magic” water media collage.
Antlers lend “Deer Magic” to two more works, while in “Maternity,”
a big horn sheep stands with her offspring, as birds fly past the full moon (or sun).
Animals with both horns and antlers create “Cave Magic” for a petroglyph in a mostly black-and-white work, accented with areas of red and honeycomb textures.
“Desert Magic,” a little reminiscent of Georgia O’Keeffe, is conjured up by what appears to be part of a skull, of a large-horned mountain goat or sheep.
A bit larger, on freefloating pieces of paper, are his depictions of an “Equestrian Dream” of dark horses, and of a dark, running “Graffiti Horse.”
Dealing more directly with human subjects are his portrayals of a figure in a dark dress, creating “Dance Magic,” and of a skinny, stylized “Shaman,” glaring at us.
Even more intense is the face of a man, who could be a stand-in for the artist, who seems to be staring back at us fixedly, as he prepares to make “Creation Magic.”
The solo show is highly recommended in its run through April 27 at The Depot Gallery in the downtown Norman train station.