For the second year, OSU Institute of Technology’s School of Visual Communications is hosting ART Plus, an art show and auction featuring work done by alumni that benefits a student scholarship fund.
ART Plus is April 9 from 6 to 9 p.m., at the Mayo Hotel in downtown Tulsa. Proceeds from the silent auction go to the Visual Communications Student Scholarship Fund.
James McCullough, chair of the School of Visual Communications, said last year about 17 VisCom alumni participated in the inaugural event, but this year the number has grown to 25 artists, including photographers, donating pieces for ART Plus.
“By including photography, it expands the range of artwork there and gives us a whole other medium to pull from,” McCullough said. “We’ll have pencil drawings, to watercolors, to large oil paintings to photography. There should be something for everyone.”
In addition to multiple mediums of artwork available to bid on, the look and feel of the pieces are varied as well.
“Some are very straightforward, some are more conceptual, others are fun and youthful,” he said.
Commercial photographer and OSUIT alum John Amatucci, who owns his own company Amatucci Photography, is donating photos he took during the renovations of the Mayo Hotel, the venue for this year’s ART Plus.
“All the images I have chosen were captured right before the historic and iconic Mayo Hotel was renovated after being dormant for nearly 30 years,” Amatucci said. “These photos represent an image that can never again be captured while also representing Tulsa’s history in an artistic way. The fact that this event is taking place at the Mayo, it just made since to include these pieces.”
The first ART Plus raised a little more than $10,000 for the scholarship fund and McCullough wants to meet that goal or hopefully exceed it this year. In fact, $4,000 of the funds raised last year have already been awarded as scholarships to four Visual Communications students.
“We’ve already turned it back around and put it to work for our students,” he said. “Those that come to the show, not only are they investing in our students, but they get to take home a really great piece of art.”
Amatucci said he wouldn’t be where he is today if it weren’t for scholarships he received while pursuing an education.
“I believe all students that have the drive deserve an opportunity. Scholarships allowed me the opportunity to only work part time, go to school full time and completely focus on my studies,”said Amatucci, who is more than happy to give back. “I attribute so much of my success to the opportunities presented to me through OSUIT and the individuals who have inspired me through the Visual Communications program. I like to support anyone who has impacted my life the way OSUIT has.”
