The watercolor paintings of well-known Bartlesville artist June Floren Pritchard will be featured in an exhibition from Sept. 21 through Oct. 12 at Rogers State University.
The exhibition, which is free and open to the public, will be held in the Foundations Gallery in Baird Hall on the RSU campus in Claremore. The artist will be present at an opening reception for the exhibition from 5:30-7 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 21, at the gallery.
One of the paintings to be featured in the exhibition is titled “Down at the Station.” This watercolor painting depicts many of the landmark buildings in downtown Bartlesville, including the Santa Fe railroad station, which was built in 1909 and was recently restored to serve as the headquarters of the Bartlesville Area Chamber of Commerce. The painting features the tower of the Frank Phillips Building (1909), the Phillips Building (1964) and the Plaza Building (1985) in the distance. The original painting was acquired by the Chamber of Commerce after a competition. A reproduction of the painting was recently presented by the artist to the university. The painting hangs in the seventh-floor lobby of the campus in downtown Bartlesville.
“Mrs. Pritchard’s artwork is a combination of traditional landscapes, portraits and fantasy designs,” said Gary Moeller, RSU art professor. “The university is pleased to be able to present her work in our gallery in Claremore.”
Mrs. Pritchard is a native of Oklahoma and a long-time resident of Bartlesville. She studied art education at the University of Oklahoma and currently teaches art classes at her studio in Bartlesville.
She has studied with nationally known watercolorists including Milford Zornes, Robert E. Wood and Charles Sovek. She has traveled abroad to paint on-site in Italy, Greece, France and Mexico. She also has painted in many locations in the U.S.
Her watercolor paintings have been featured in solo exhibitions in Appleton, Wisconsin, Fort Smith, Arkansas, and Dallas, as well as in Bartlesville. Six of her paintings are on permanent display in the restored administrative building (the Foster Mansion) at Oklahoma Wesleyan University. Her paintings also are featured in private collections in 14 states and several other countries.
She is a long-time member of the Bartlesville Art Association and served as its president from 1998-1999. She continues to be active in organizing exhibitions for area artists.
RSU Foundations Gallery hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information, call (918) 343-7740.