the arts

Winston Churchill once said, “If it weren’t for painting, I wouldn’t live. I couldn’t bear the extra strain of things.”

Searching for a new way to spend your Friday evenings? Look no further than First Fridays on the Paseo. Each first Friday of the month, more than 80 artists in the Paseo Arts District, Oklahoma City’s art community, will offer exclusive, themed exhibits and a variety of entertainment opportunities during an art walk through the district.

With spring here, that means the Festival of the Arts is near. The Festival of the Arts is a community-wide, signature event celebrating the visual, performing and culinary arts and bringing in various artisans, performers and tasteful eats from across Oklahoma.

The Russian National Ballet will return to Armstrong Auditorium on Tuesday, Jan. 29, at 7:30 p.m. to perform Tchaikovsky’s classic “Swan Lake.”

Approximately 90 works by Rembrandt van Rijn, Sir Anthony van Dyck, Peter Paul Rubens and other 12th- to 16th-century artists are on display at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art until Jan. 21, 2018.

Celebrate Oklahoma’s 110^th anniversary of statehood with a diverse collection of art created by Oklahomans, or about Oklahomans. The Oklahoma City Museum of Art is opening “The Art of Oklahoma” on Thursday, Nov. 16 to highlight the day of statehood.

The Philbrook Museum of Art in Tulsa is featuring a special exhibit, “Hope & Fear: Propaganda of the Great War.”

Sam Slater is the co-founder of Burn Later Productions, behind hit films, including “Drinking Buddies,” “The Intervention,” and “Adult Beginners.” He loves living in Boston close to friends and family, and collecting lots of frequent flyer miles.

Whether you’re traveling through Oklahoma or a local, Oklahoma’s iconic murals are a must-see for anyone. Here are a few to look out for:

https://vimeo.com/209621187

Ireland boasts a rich vocal history and song tradition passed down from generation to generation. Oklahomans will have a chance to hear it for themselves when The Five Irish Tenors visit Armstrong Auditorium. Not only will they showcase their Irish heritage, the quintet will feature contemporary songs from the Beatles, Frank Sinatra, Simon & Garfunkel and Billy Joel.

There is a hidden gem in Tulsa by the name of the Sherwin Miller Museum of Jewish Art.

Oklahoma’s own National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum has a long-standing history with its annual premier western art show Prix de West. Now in its 44th year, Prix de West is a celebration that includes artist demonstrations and seminars, live auctions and more.

Matt Stansberry & The Romance is one of Oklahoma’s most successful bands. Inspired by blues, jazz and soul, this 10-piece ensemble rocks out with their own unique modern sound that Stansberry calls “a little old meets new.”

Whether working as a globally known artist or crisis management specialist in the Balkan Islands, D.G. Smalling has a similar philosophy he’s used in both paths of his life.