CONNECTING TO THE LAND

Landscape or landscape/figure based paintings that are psychologically based or mysterious in nature. 

Kristal Tomshany Bio 

Kristal Tomshany has been painting for fifty years. She grew up in the small farming community  of Hooker, Oklahoma where she was lucky enough to have summer painting lessons available.  They were taught by Hazel Davis in a dilapidated upstairs studio above the vacant 1914 corner  bank. Resident pigeons often watched the students as they worked.  

She attended undergraduate school at Oklahoma State University, where she studied under  Dean Bloodgood and Marty Avrett. The late 70’s was a wonderful time to be an art student.  She has fond memories of sneaking through a second story window in Gardiner Hall, along  with other classmates, to access the painting room on weekends.  

Tomshany received her MA and MFA at the University of Tulsa, where she studied under Glenn  Godsey. From applying glazes to playing a tin whistle, there was nothing Glenn could not teach  you if you asked. At that time, an old gutted bungalow house on campus was available to  graduate students to use as studio space. It was a beehive of creative collaboration.  

Over her painting career, Tomshany has taught art at various places in Tulsa: Tulsa Community  College, Artist in the Schools, Harwelden Institute, Gilcrease Museum, Philbrook Art Museum,  as well as Rogers State University in Claremore.  

Kristal has shown work throughout Oklahoma: Mainsite Gallery in Edmond, OK, Maybee-Gerrer  Museum of Art, Oklahoma City Museum of Art, Tulsa Artist Coalition, Tulsa Performing Art  Center, M.A.Doran Gallery, Hogue Gallery, and Gardiner Gallery. She has also exhibited work  several times in the Wichita Art Gallery in Kansas.