MEET THE 2026 ARTISTS

ERIN MCGOWAN

Erin is a designer and illustrator based in Oklahoma City with professional experience in illustration, design, multi-media work, and craft 3D design. Erin’s approach to humor, narrative and detailed mark making give her work unique and marketable appeal. She finds great joy in making and creating, including running a portrait business out of a suitcase. When she’s not making art, you can often find her biking around OKC. You can find Erin on Instagram @erwin_mury.

 

 

 

 

 

FAROOQ KARIM

 

Farooq Karim is Director of Design for REES Associates Inc. and serves as Senior Vice President. Farooq began making art in 2016 with “Blossom Bowl”, a piece for the Oklahoma Museum of Art Omelet Party. But the story goes back to 2009 when he started making individual paper flowers during a time of personal darkness. It became a coping mechanism as he deconstructed two-dimensional Japanese family crests and reconstructed them using cut paper and made them into objects with shape, beauty, and meaning. He is inspired by stories of people, places, organizations, music and books, and each piece he creates has a story. However, the biggest inspiration of his art and life is his wife Blossom and every piece of art he creates has “Blossom” as part of its name. Since 2016 he has created over 450 pieces of art for fundraisers for nonprofit organizations across central Oklahoma. You can find Farooq on Instagram @farooq_karim_artist.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



JILLIAN BELL

Jillian Selene Bell is a Tulsa-based mixed media illustrator, visual artist, and muralist creating colorful work for public spaces and events. Her style is characterized by clean line-work, warm palettes, and magical motifs that inspire curiosity and connection. She is passionate about transforming everyday environments into vibrant, meaningful experiences through color and storytelling. When she’s not making art, you can find her with her cats, cooking vegan food, reading, or in the garden! Her clients and collaborators include Garden Deva, Philbrook Museum of Art, Gathering Place, Tulsa FMAC, Guthrie Green, and more. You can find Jillian on Instagram @jillianselene.

 

 

 

 

 

 


JOHN SALAME

John is a multi-faceted designer who lets concept govern the solution. He is comfortable working by hand or on the computer. John strikes a balance between creative imagery and analytical problem solving. His art has been featured at The National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum, Oklahoma Contemporary, Plaza Walls, and Artdesk. John lives in Oklahoma City with his dog Karl Barx. You can find John on Instagram @johnsalame.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


MAISIE CROSS

Maisie Cross is the artist behind Darnit, Darling — a creative practice rooted in sewing, storytelling, and transforming old materials into something new. Combining her sewing skills with a background in graphic design, she creates playful, one-of-a-kind pieces that celebrate the art of making by hand. Her work often incorporates upcycled vintage textiles and quilts, hand-painted details, and whimsical designs. In an eraof fast fashion, Maisie embraces the slower, more intentional process of mending and making, creating limited-batch and unique pieces filled with joy, creativity, and handmade charm. You can find Maisie on Instagram @darnit.darling.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

BRYCE YZAGUIRRE

Oklahoma City-based creative Bryce Yzaguirre holds a BFA in Graphic Design from Mississippi State University. He currently works as a graphic designer for Love’s Travel Stops while maintaining an active freelance career as an illustrator and comic artist. He works primarily with traditional analog materials such as ink and paper, drawing inspiration from vintage and retro imagery, aged textures, bold graphics, and classic print media. You can find Bryce on Instagram @brayz_art.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 





ESTHER VELASCO

Esther, also known as bien.chillona, is a Mexican artist born in Oklahoma City. Through mixed media, she explores sensitivity, the journey of the soul, and the beauty of being fully human. Her work is inspired by nature, the sky, her culture, and psychological and spiritual themes. For Esther, art is a way to express what words cannot. By embracing vulnerability, she hopes to show others how colorful life can become when they allow themselves to be free. She works across many mediums because she likes to do everything. She has fun. You can find Esther on Instagram @bien.chillona.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

KENDALL ROSS

Kendall Ross (I'd Knit That) is an Oklahoma City-based fiber artist best known for hand-knitting wearable and sculptural text-based work. Kendall earned a BA in History from Pepperdine University, where she researched women's knitting movements during World War I. Her work has been exhibited in galleries across the United States and abroad. You can find Kendall on Instagram @id.knit.that.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

VICTORIA GARCIA

Victoria Garcia creates whimsical, nostalgic artwork that celebrates the joy of childhood and the importance of staying connected to one’s inner child. Through her work, she embraces the silliness and wonder of youth, challenging societal expectations about growing older. Her pieces often feature beloved childhood toys and objects that evoke feelings of comfort, nostalgia, and happiness. Rather than outgrowing these interests, Victoria encourages others to celebrate the little things that continue to bring them joy. You can find Victoria on Instagram @sickvicsick.

  

 

 

 

 

 

VIRGINIA SITZES

Virginia Sitzes is an award-winning interdisciplinary artist based in OKC. She primarily works across the fields of printmaking, painting, and public art. Bold, layered, and built from bright colors with overlapping shapes, her pieces are networks of ideas, conversations, and connections rather than isolated moments. Printmaking often forms the starting point of her process, evolving into paintings then murals that carry that same energy into public space. Beyond the studio, Virginia is deeply invested in Oklahoma's creative community. She founded Sunny Dayz Mural Festival in 2021, co-founded Art Group OKC in 2017, and has spent years organizing print exchanges, teaching workshops, and working in the arts education sphere across the state. Her work has appeared in publications and podcasts, and she regularly curates shows in both professional institutions and unconventional spaces around the region. For Virginia, art making and community building are part of the same practice, each one constantly shaping the other. You can find Virginia on Instagram @virginiasitzes.