Don Schooler
ARTIST’S STATEMENT
"It's cheaper than therapy." If you were to stop me on the street and ask me why I create art this is what I'd tell you.

I'm an oil, acrylic, pastel, pen-&-ink, and charcoal artist. And occasionally I work with encaustic and a couple of less-than-spectacular watercolors. I don't have a formal art education but have had the opportunity to work with a number of gifted Oklahoma artists such as Carol Armstrong, Firehouse Art Center instructor: Glen Thomas, Oklahoma Contemporary instructor; Mike Staubus, owner Slo-bird Studios; and Brad Price, Santa Fe and Taos gallery artist, who I owe dearly for their tutelage.

Who am I? I was that kid in class who was always drawing pictures in the corners of his text books, who was asked to make the sports banners for the Friday night football games, and who made a buck or two every now again drawing "fake" tattoos on guys' arms. As I recall, I was in 4th Grade when Star Wars came out and for a quarter I'd draw a picture of R2D2, Jawas, Darth Vader, Chewbacca, a TIE Fighter, or an X-Wing. This is when I first figured out I might be able parlay my passion for art into a little coinage.

Today I'm an attorney for the State of Oklahoma. I’m also an Artist in Residence at NorthHaven Church, Norman; co-founder of the NorthHaven Society for the Sacred Arts' (NSSA); NSSA's Annual Sacred Arts Contest & Exhibition head; and former head of NSSA Children's Summer Arts Academy. I've been a visiting artist at Truman Elementary, Norman on many occasions; member of the Oklahoma Art Guild ("OAG") and Norman Arts Council; and serve the Board of Directors for The Depot, Norman, OK, where I am currently the Chair. In 2014, I traveled with six (6) other artists to study and teach art in Istanbul, Turkey – sketching in the Hagia Sophia was extraordinary. And I have been a painting instructor in the Norman Creativity Camp since 2018.

During college, while employed at Slo-bird Studios in Stillwater, I had the great joy of working on projects as diverse as Eskimo Joes, Mexico Joes, & Stillwater Landing; the Wooden Nickel and the Stillwater HAIRport; Ditch Witch and Remington Park; I also worked on statewide political campaigns, local newspaper ads, a video arcade, and even a local calf fry festival, which was a ball. I was commissioned to redesign the mascots for the Dewey Public School System, Dewey, OK, (Bulldogger) anaggd Mount St. Mary, OKC, (Rockets). As well as being commissioned to design mascots for the Truman Trailblazers, Truman Elementary, Norman, (Harry) and the Oklahoma Workers Safety Policy Council, OK Dept. of Labor (Safety Bee). And I was one of several artists selected to create a coloring book for Oklahoma's Historical Society, in recognition of notable Oklahoma African Americans, for Black History month ("We Remember … Before & Beyond: An Oklahoma African American History Coloring Book").

My paintings are part of private and corporate collections throughout Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas, Arkansas, and Louisiana. I've been fortunate enough to compete in numerous shows, including the Oklahoma Bar Association's Annual Convention (Best of Show); the OAG's Member's Summer, Winter, and Small Works Shows; and the Tulsa Arts & Humanities Council. I've also been asked to donate pieces to various charity auctions, such as Teen EmPower!, the OK Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, National Exchange Club, and Center for Children & Families.

So, that's a little about me, and if you should ever happen to see me with a couple of brushes in one hand, maybe one in my teeth, a palette in my other hand, paint smeared across my forehead and a manic smile, don't be concerned . . . I'm just self-medicating. - Don Schooler

ARTIST’S RESUME
EDUCATION
2014 Studied with Glen Thomas – OK Contemporary instructor
2014+ Studied with Brad Price - Santa Fe & Taos, NM gallery artist
2014 Studied with Justin Eccles - Istanbul, Turkey gallery artist
2008-12 Studied with Carol Armstrong - Firehouse Art Center instructor
1987- 90 Graphic studio artist - Slo-bird Art Studios, Stillwater, OK

COMMISSIONS
2017 “OK African American History Coloring Book” OKC, OK
2014 “New Day” – oil landscape, NorthHaven building dedication Norman, OK
2012 “Confero” – oil abstract, NorthHaven Church Norman, OK
2011 “Anniversary” – oil portrait, private collection Edmond, OK
2009 “Harry” – mascot design, Truman Elementary School Norman, OK
2002 “Grandpa’s Pride” – watercolor portrait, private collection Tulsa, OK
2000 “Bulldogger” – mascot re-design, Dewey Public School System Dewey, OK
2000 “Rocket” – mascot re-design, Mount St. Mary High School OKC, OK
1998 “Safety Bee” – mascot design, Workers Safety Policy Council, Dept. of Labor OKC, OK

COLLECTIONS
1999 – 20 Oil, pastel, mixed media – Multiple private collections OK, TX, KS & AR
2007 “Bulldoggin’,” oil – Dewey Public School Admin. Bldg. OK
1999 “Bayou Bengal,” mixed-media – the Lod Cook Alumni Assoc. LSU Corp. Collection, LA

CHARITIES
2020 “Italian Restaurant,” whimsical still life – Teen EmPower! OKC, OK
2015 “Summer Bliss,” whimsical acrylic – Center for Children & Families (CCF) Norman, OK
2014 “On the Road to Taos,” oil landscape – CCF Norman, OK
2006 “Burst,” abstract, encaustic painting – Teen EmPower! OKC, OK
2004 “Teri’s Garden,” acrylic, landscape painting – OK Reg. of Deaf Interpreters OKC, OK
2001 “Tiger,” colored pencil on paper – OKC Chapter, National Exchange Club OKC, OK

AWARDS & HONORS
2014 Participant, Norman Public Arts Board “Samo Duck Project”
2008 1st and 3rd Place, oil, Oklahoma Bar Association (OBA) Annual Convention
2006 1st and 3rd Place, mixed media / encaustic, OBA Annual Convention
2006 Participant, “Small Works-Small Wonders,” Oklahoma Art Guild, Member’s Summer Show
2005 Participant, “OAG Annual Member Show”
2003 2nd Place, acrylics, OBA Annual Convention
2001 Participant, “Art on the Wall,” Tulsa Arts & Humanities Council
2000 Oklahoma Attorney Artist of the Year, charcoal, OBA Annual Convention
2000 1st Place & Best of Show, charcoal, OBA Annual Convention

ORGANIZATIONS & ACTIVITIES
Board of Directors Chair, Depot Gallery and Event Space Norman, OK
Painting Instructor for Norman Creativity Camp (summer) Norman, OK
Director/Founder of Summer Arts Academy & Society for Sacred Arts NorthHaven Church, Norman, OK
Artist in Residence NorthHaven Church, Norman, OK
Visiting Artist Truman Elementary, Norman, OK

SOLO SHOWS/REPRESENTATION
2019+ Michelangelo's Coffee and Wine Bar Norman, OK
2020 Pop Gallery Santa Fe, NM
 
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