Main Street Guymon launches Bringing Creativity Downtown program
GUYMON - Bringing Creativity Downtown is a new Main Street Guymon program working to stimulate economics by having local artists become partners with downtown businesses and area nonprofits.
Five artists were chosen, including watercolor artists Leyla Bello, photographer Brenda Eidson, wood worker Ben Helms, watercolor artist Kari Jauregui and potter Sam Ortiz.
They first chose a Guymon downtown business that matched their art well. Bello, who makes notecards with her watercolors, chose
SPC, a local business that sells many cards. Eidson, who loves taking photographs with country themes, chose Top Hand Western Store. Helms chose Golden Crown, which sells many special gift items. Jauregui chose Urban Bru Kitchen because she loves coffee and coffee houses, and the Kitchen has a positive and colorful vibe that matches her art. Ortiz chose Helm’s Nursery. Each of the business owners, who are all Main Street Guymon members, was enthusiastic to help the artists and see how soon they could get started.
“I’m so excited to be working with Tyler and Kalye Griffin,” said Eidson. “I love sharing my photographs. I want people to be able to
see the beauty we have around us.”
As the meetings and arrangements for this first stage of the project was happening, the artists were asked to name a local nonprofit that they would like to help with their artistic skills. Each of the artists named one that they have a real passion for their mission.
On Saturday, Oct. 31, Jauregui is doing a benefit painting at Urban Bru Kitchen, 118 NW 6th Street in Guymon, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The public is welcome to come in and visit with the artist as she makes watercolor magic on a painting that will be donated to the Alma Folklorica Dance Troupe under the leadership of Teri Mora. The painting will be in recognition of Dia de los Muertos, a historical holiday in the traditional Mexican culture. Alma dancers will also be at the painting benefit, with masks, showing their support for Jauregui.
“I love being able to share my love of my Mexican heritage,” says Jauregui with a smile. “And I appreciate Susan Barias for supporting me in doing so.”
Ben Helms will be doing a lathe demonstration on Nov. 5 at the Golden Crown during their monthly Shop and Dine. All are welcome to come in and
watch the artist at work from 4-6 p.m. Helms is going to build several wooden checker or tictac-toe games to give to the Heritage Community, who is also a Main Street Guymon member, for their residents and guests to enjoy in the dining area. The Golden Crown is located at 412 N. Main in Guymon.
A country theme with Eidson’s photographs in the spotlight is the plan for Sataturday, Nov. 14, from 4-6 p.m. at the Top Hand Western Store, 408 N. Main in Guymon. Fifty percent of all sales Eidson makes at the pictures at Top Hand will be donated to Panhandle Partners, and 10 percent from Top Hand. Panhandle Partners is a group that helps those fighting cancer in the Panhandle. Main Street Guymon is proud to have Panhandle Partners as a member, too.
Leyla Bello is working with the Friends of the Library to help them with a fund raiser for the library in addition to getting ready to have her cards up at SPC. There will be a reception at SPC soon to see Bello’s work. When choosing her nonprofit, Bello said her favorite place to be in the world is at the library. She learned about the Friends of the Library group and was thrilled to be able to use her skills to help the Guymon Public Library. The City of Guymon is the largest supporter of Main Street Guymon and the board is proud to have Bello choose to work with a city department.
Ortiz is busy working on pots to place at Helm’s Nursery and will be donating 10 percent of his sales from there to Loaves and Fishes, the local food pantry. An announcement of a reception to meet Ortiz is planned for the near future.
There are several other aspects to the program, including an artists workshop and artists applications to Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition for membership and grant funding. Then at the end of the program time, in June, there will be an art show featuring work from the five artists held downtown. For more information about the program, email Director@ MainStreetGuymon. com or call 580-3386246.
Main Street Guymon received an Oklahoma Arts Council Community Arts Opportunity Grant to help fund the program. The Oklahoma Arts Council is the official state agency for the support and development of the arts. The agency’s mission is to lead in the advancement of Oklahoma’s thriving arts industry. The Oklahoma Arts Council provides more than 400 grants to nearly 225 organizations in communities statewide each year, organizes professional development opportunities for the state’s arts and cultural industry and manages works of art in the Oklahoma Public Art Collection and the public spaces of the state Capitol. Additional information is available at arts.ok.gov.