Tulsa Girls Art School students leave artistic mark on Gathering Place

Fading artwork at Gathering Place is getting a fresh design thanks to a group of students from the Tulsa Girls Art School. Their canvas are rocks that lay underneath a large sycamore tree in the park's Fairyland Forest.

The girls began painting the rocks this week, but the project initially started five years ago. In 2020, a different generation of students from the after-school program gave the rocks their creative touch. Over the years the vibrant colors have faded and the park thought it was time for fresh designs.

Gathering Place Curator of Public Art, Laura Marshall Cook said, "One of the teachers at Tulsa Girls Art School now was a student when they painted the rocks the first time, so it has come full circle for her."

Tulsa Girls Art School is a nonprofit that creates access to artistic opportunities for girls in 3rd-5th grade. Helping to lead the girls through the design work of rock painting is artist Franky Cruz from the Tulsa Artist Fellowship. He is teaching them how to mix colors and paint on rough texture.

Each design is unique and draws inspiration from fairies, magical forests, and wildlife found within Gathering Place. "Visual art is storytelling, so when they see the art we hope that it leads them into their imagination," said Cook. "It helps the students and the children who visit kind of create this world that comes forward in the artwork."

Tulsa Girls Art School is always in need of donations and volunteers. For more information about how to get involved visit their website.