These local artists teamed up and took a page from their ‘Dust Bowl’ ancestors to make it through a tough 2020

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – The art might reflect blue skies and sunny days, but for Oklahoma artists like Tryason Conner, 2020 has been tough.

“Very much so,” he echoes. “It’s been a slow year.”

Same for Shane Glover, who we first met back in 2013.

Exhibitions cancelled, his new metal plasma cut bison didn’t have anywhere to roam.

“Every single art show I had was cancelled,” he says. “Every one of them.”

T-shirt designer Bridgett Loftiss started out selling her stuff at a kiosk in Quail Springs Mall three years ago.

Each year got a little bigger.

But this year she started calling more fellow artists who were old art show friends to join forces and re-connect with their Oklahoma art buyers.

“It just seemed like a natural fit to actually invite them in to create a store,” Loftiss says. “It’s a mini-art show in the mall. It’s a lot of fun to come in and shop, and see the creativity of other people.”

There are 10 different artists showing their work in the old Justice store.

Cut glass artist Lauren Lamb had been working on a whole new series this year called ‘Shattered 2020’.

When Bridget called she finally had a chance to show it off.

Lamb says of her ‘Shattered’ series, “We just tried to take old things and make them new.”

Painters, soap and lotion makers, jewelry, even boot jewelry – Oklahoma artists have had lots of extra time this year to work on creating new things.

“I don’t always know what it’s going to come out looking like,” says Trayson Conner of his altered photographs on canvas.

Bridget and her friends took a page from their Dust Bowl grandparents to figure out another way of sticking around through tough times.

“A lot of people migrated and that was great,” says Loftiss . “They stuck it out here and that’s what we’re doing. We’re sticking it out right here.”

The Dust Bowl store is located on the lower level of Quail Springs Mall in Oklahoma City next to the JCPenney store.

They’re open during mall hours from Black Friday to Christmas Eve.