McAlester Area Arts and Humanities Council

10/13/2026

📸 🎨 ✨ We had a wonderful evening celebrating the arts at our Puterbaugh Prize Juried Art Show Award Reception, and we want to extend a huge thank you to Katie Talley of McAlester Photo Co. for capturing so many amazing moments! ❤️

Katie did a fantastic job photographing the evening, and we are so excited to share these memories with everyone. Be sure to check out these photos from the event and relive a truly special night celebrating the incredible talent in our community!

But Katie wasn’t just behind the camera that evening—she was also one of the talented artists being celebrated! Congratulations to Katie on taking home 2nd Place for her photography artwork titled, Close Your Eyes and Make a Wish! 🏆🎉

We are so grateful for Katie’s talent, generosity, and support of the arts in our community. Thank you for helping us capture the magic of such a wonderful evening!

Join us in congratulating Katie on both her beautiful photography and her award-winning artwork!

10/11/2026

🎨✨ What a wonderful day celebrating the arts in McAlester! ✨🎨

The McAlester Area Arts and Humanities Council is thrilled to celebrate the talented artists and award winners of this year’s Puterbaugh Prize Juried Art Show! 🖼️

Congratulations to all of our winners, and a heartfelt thank you to every artist who shared their work with us. Each piece represents creativity, dedication, and a unique perspective that makes our local arts community so special.

🏆 Congratulations to our award winners!

🎨 Acrylics
🥉 3rd Place: Stiggy — Gwen Titsworth
🥈 2nd Place: Flower Moon — Debbie Sewell
🥇 1st Place: Blue Bonnets — Charlotte Harris

💧 Watercolors
🥉 3rd Place: Park Bridge — Darla Murray
🥈 2nd Place: Ojo Caliente — Donna Gina
🥇 1st Place: Bully Bully — Cappi Harris Coleman

🖌️ Oils
🥉 3rd Place: Up Ahead — Kerry Wilson
🥈 2nd Place: Haircut — Linda Bayard
🥇 1st Place: Issuba — Dustin Mathis

📸 Photography
🥉 3rd Place: Past Scars — Amanda Bleecker
🥈 2nd Place: Close Your Eyes and Make a Wish — Katie Talley
🥇 1st Place: One Flower — Charlotte Harris

🌟 BEST OF SHOW: Atmospheric Symphony — Mark David Wood!

A special thank you to our judge, Paul Walsh, our generous sponsor Sarah Lance, the Puterbaugh Foundation, the Christine Verner Memorial Fine Art Scholarship Foundation, our volunteers, and everyone who helped make this exhibition possible. We are grateful for your continued support of the arts!

❤️ MISSED THE AWARDS TONIGHT? THERE’S STILL TIME TO JOIN US!

🗓️ The show continues TOMORROW from 12:00–5:00 PM!

Come see the winning artwork, explore all the incredible pieces on display, meet the creativity of our local arts community, and purchase artwork if something catches your eye! Whether you’re looking to add a special piece to your collection or simply want to enjoy the beauty and talent on display, we’d love to see you there.

Bring a friend, enjoy some art, and help us celebrate the amazing artists of southeastern Oklahoma!

Thank you for supporting the arts in our community! 🎨💛

10/10/2026

🎨 Make plans to come enjoy the Art Show this weekend! Our talented local artists have put so much time, creativity, and hard work into their pieces, and the Arts Council has worked hard to bring it all together. We can’t wait for you to see and enjoy the amazing artwork our community has to offer! 🖼️❤️ We hope to see you there!

10/05/2026

🎨✨ A HUGE THANK YOU TO OUR PREMIER SPONSORS! ✨🎨

We are incredibly grateful to the amazing supporters who help make the 2026 Puterbaugh Prize Juried Art Show possible! Your generosity helps us celebrate and support the talented artists in our community. ❤️

🌟 Premier Sponsor:
🐄 Cowbunga On Down and Udderly Art – Sarah Lance
Thank you, Sarah, for your incredible support and commitment to the arts!

We also want to extend our heartfelt appreciation to:
🏛️ The Puterbaugh Foundation
🎨 Christine Verner Memorial Fine Art Scholarship Foundation

Your sponsorship and dedication make events like this possible, and we truly appreciate everything you do to support the arts in McAlester and beyond!

📅 Sat and Sun, October 10–11, 2026
📍 The Puterbaugh Crystal Hall
353 E. Adams Ave., McAlester, OK

Come out and enjoy an incredible weekend celebrating local and regional art! 🖼️✨

Saturday: 10 AM–8 PM Award Reception 6pm to 8pm.
Sunday: 12 PM–5 PM

09/25/2026

🇺🇸🎨🇮🇹 The Spirit of McAlester has arrived in Italy!

Four local artists. Four original works. One story of community — now an ocean away.

The inaugural Friendship Through Art: 2026 Collection has officially made its way to Marciano della Chiana, Italy, traveling with McAlester’s Friendship City delegation as a cultural gift celebrating the growing friendship between our two communities.

🎨 Gwen Titsworth — Pioneer Miner
🎨 Linda Bayard — Hello Butterfly
🎨 Terri Estrada — Behind the Walls of Coal
🎨 Otto Draper — Charging Buffalo

Each piece offers a unique interpretation of The Spirit of McAlester — reflecting our history, our people, our landscape and the personal connections that make our community special.

Now, these four works are helping tell McAlester’s story in a new place, creating a bridge between our community and our friends in Italy through the universal language of art. 🌎❤️

A heartfelt thank-you to Gwen, Linda, Terri and Otto for sharing their incredible talent, and to MAGIC for making this international cultural exchange possible.

From McAlester to Marciano della Chiana — our art has crossed the Atlantic, and our friendship continues to grow.

🇺🇸🎨🌎🇮🇹

09/25/2026

Celebrate Dolly Day tomorrow at Cowabunga On Down and Udderly Art 💖💖💖

09/21/2026

We are so thrilled to be apart of this!! ✨

The McAlester Association for Global Interconnections is launching a new cultural exchange initiative this month as the nonprofit continues building a friendship partnership between McAlester and Marciano della Chiana, Italy.

09/14/2026

It’s almost time! Email entry forms to [email protected]. Art should be delivered to Puterbaugh House on Friday, Oct 9th, along with the entry fee. Please call 918-916-6854 for any questions! 🎨❤️

09/11/2026

We are so thankful for our amazing community! 💚 Thank you for helping preserve and protect the incredible public art that makes McAlester such a special place. 🎨✨ Thank you for helping Keep McAlester Beautiful! 🥰🎨

06/18/2026

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