In Piedmont, Sophie Thompson and Logan Simunek are living the 14-year-old dream by running their own fashion design business. Yes, the teens own, run and manage Sassy Sistaz Designs under the pseudonyms Natalia Banks and Brooke Clemons. Their franchise began when they were doing what they loved: sewing. “We like a lot of couture magazines […]
Emily Summars
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Green Schools Program offers teachable moments
Take the Oklahoma Green Schools Program, for example. The program allows schools to participate in assistance with service learning projects, carbon dioxide reduction and LEED certification. “We have everything from classroom teachers to architects to energy consulting businesses that have come together to try to assist schools that want to become greener and healthier,” said […]
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Bar examination
“You read the statistics, you interview educators about it, people who are in positions of authority, but not until you’re in the actual prisons do you see what’s going on,” said Cassie Ketrick, associate producer and assistant editor of the documentary “Women Behind Bars,” made by several University of Oklahoma students and graduates. In the […]
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Wise man
His novel follows husband-and-wife team Jack and Michelle Townsend on an adventure to find the original ending to the Gospel of Mark as they encounter bombs, high-speed chases and secret libraries in the Vatican. “What you do is you take a slice of life and you manipulate it,” Wise said. “You mold it into story […]
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Freedom rings
The nationwide Children’s Defense Fund is the parent organization and chooses 80 to 90 book titles that are taught to the children, based around themed weeks. Working on basic skills like comprehension and recognition, executive director Amy Brooks-Young said each class has about 10 scholars with one leader, aka a college intern. “Everything is introduced […]
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Hoopin’ and painting
The smell of cotton candy, moon-bounce plastic and face paint fill the air. The season of carnivals and fairs is upon us with the kick-off of Uptown Kids’ first-anniversary carnival, to be held at the 5840 N. Classen Blvd. shop. The outdoor carnival is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Buy a wristband […]
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Fiber art
Going back to the roots of time, the latest art exhibit in the state Capitol’s East Gallery is “Roots and Connections,” on display through Sept. 25. For the pieces, Tulsa’s Jean Ann Fausser uses a combination of fiber art with textiles, embroidery and hand-painted embellishments, in an effort to continue exploring the connection between humankind […]
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Retiring Arts Council executive stresses economic value of arts education
Consider the experience of Suzanne Tate. The Oklahoma Arts Council’s retiring executive director has witnessed firsthand the impact of arts education in Oklahoma. “(The Arts Council) can’t put arts programs in every single school in the state, so that’s been the challenge,” she said. “There’s so much need, but we don’t have the resources.” Tate, […]
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Doggie styles
Man’s best friend is more than a furry pal who plays fetch, chews your coffee table and loves on you every afternoon. Man’s best friend is also an art exhibit, running through Aug. 31 at Contemporary Art Gallery, 2928 Paseo. Diana J. Smith’s “Canine Companions: Adoption Series” features more than the ball of fluff, but […]
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Flipping art
For about 20 years, since the restaurant’s inception, Flip’s walls have featured a different artist every six weeks. This month, it’s Melissa Key, who has been a professional photographer for 13 years. After surviving Hurricane Katrina in 2005, she found everything paintworthy. Without water and electricity for several weeks, she painted. Her current exhibition highlights […]