OKC Metro Blog

Hey, hey!  If you like "home-grown" Oklahoma music talent, check out our special "all-music" Metro on this website!  We feature some talented Oklahoma artists!

Ann-Janette (Webster) - piano and vocals

The Joe Settlemires Quartet - jazz

Edgar Cruz - acoustic guitar

Wally Brown - electric organ

Enrollment at "non-traditional" colleges is sky-rocketing!  More than two-thousand students are enrolled at Platt College campuses in Oklahoma and Dallas.  Michael Pugliese is the President of Platt College, and he joined us for an insightful conversation about the programs available for young adults who want to train for careers in Allied Health, Information Technologies, and the Culinary Arts.  Stat of the day:  more than 80% of the students enrolled at Platt College are women!

Mike Larsen is a well-known Chickasaw artist.  He painted the portrait of the ballerinas that graces part of the Rotunda at the State Capitol.  He and his wife, Photographer/Writer, Martha Larsen, are authors of a new book that pays tribute to the Elders of the Chickasaw Nation.  The book is entitled, "They Know Who They Are."  Both Mike and Martha share moving stories of the time they spent documenting the stories of some of the most respected members of the Chickasaw tribal community.

Our musical spotlight features the UCO Trombone Choir; they stopped-by our studio back in 2006 to record a medley of George M. Cohan favorites!

Thanks for supporting Metro...by web, DVR, or "appointment television!"

-DKMartin, Producer/Director- 

Got a little cabin fever?  If you're looking for a great family outing right here in the metro, and you want something that's also educational, we may have a suggestion or two!

"Anti.Gravity.Material.Light" is a new exhibit from New York artist, Jason Peters, and it's currently on display at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art in downtown OKC.  This exhibit is aptly-named!  Buckets and chairs are hanging from the rafters!  It's colorful and artistic and will certainly get the conversation going by those who stroll by for a look!  Museum Director, Glen Gentele, calls it "art of our time."  Makes a great outing for the whole family...

Another great, new exhibit celebrates government patronage of the fine arts during the Great Depression.  FDR's "New Deal" employed lots of people in the 1930's, and writers and artists were among those who were able to stay employed, thanks to federal intervention.  You can see the new exhibit at the Fred Jones, Jr. Museum of Art in Norman.  The exhibit is called, "Revisiting the New Deal," and features a variety of artwork from many artists.  There was also a poster contest in celebration of this exhibit, and we show you the winning design, which was submitted by an OU student. 

The Junior League of OKC and the OKC Metropolitan Library System have joined forces to help promote literacy!  Their program, "Read Around the World," is currently being hosted by several libraries across the metro!  Students can visit Latin America or Asia or Africa by reading books about the cultures and traditions of those countries.  The remaining topics, dates, and locations are:    Latin America: March 6th at the Del City Library and March 8th at the Choctaw Library.  Africa:  April 8th at the Capitol Hill Library and March 17th at the Ralph Ellison Library.

Speaking of reading, OETA & PBS have teamed-up to present the "Kids GO!" Writers Contest!  The purpose of the contest is to encourage children to write and illustrate their own storybooks.  The contest is open to all Oklahoma children in grades K through 3.  Hurry though; the contest ends April 2nd!  For rules and entry forms, go to oeta.tv/youngwriters.

In our musical spotlight, we feature the brilliant Australian artist, Tommy Emmanuel!  

Thanks for watching; whether it's by cable, satellite dish, website, or DVR!  We couldn't do what we do without your support. 

-DKMartin, Producer/Director-

Two great international organizations with deep roots in Oklahoma are doing yeoman's work in Haiti, and helping folks here at home recovering from this winter's two major snow and ice storms.  Both organizations are now heavily involved in relief efforts in Chile as well, following the massive earthquake there.  You can find links to several relief organizations on this website. 

-DKMartin, Producer/Director-