Wren Stratton
I began with a simple question, “Can an artist make a living in Muskogee, Oklahoma?” What I discovered were three gentlemen who each contribute to our quality of life in very unique ways. Each one devoted to his artistry and devoted to making Muskogee his home.
Roger Davis is a homegrown Okie, just not from Muskogee. He grew up in Oklahoma City and married into the Muskogee family. Roger is a visual artist and quite talented. He enjoys painting portraits but his subjects are varied from landscapes to still life. He has a gift for capturing the likeness and spirit in his portraits, especially of children.
Roger talked about the challenges of “making a living” from his passion. He and Ann, also a talented artist, have taken an approach to providing a “consistent income” which offers Muskogee a dual gift. Roger and Ann have opened a business in downtown Muskogee, named Lovie and Dodge. It is a charming invitation, designs by Ann, gift and art gallery.
Roger’s vision for an art Mecca in Muskogee, especially downtown, is exciting and possible. They have made the investment, a leap of faith, to invest in downtown Muskogee. Roger contributes his talents many times over to support non-profit efforts. He has recently joined the Muskogee Area Arts Council Board to expand his efforts on behalf of Muskogee.
Phil Sapienza is not homegrown Okie, much less from Muskogee. He grew up in New York and moved to Muskogee in 1995. This is his home by choice and he is a talented drummer. Phil began playing drums when he was nine and joined a drum corp. He never had a formal lesson, but the art of drumming has become his passion.
Phil says the secret to keeping your artistic passion alive is not attaching a price tag. He steps out of his comfort zone whenever possible. Although old school rock and roll is his first love, he plays worship music with the Fuel band at St. Paul’s Methodist Church and is often heard at musical theater productions in the area. He does have paying gigs, like Q-43 out of Tulsa or local bands.
“If you have a gift, it’s not yours to keep, re-gift it.” Phil shared that some of his most rewarding shows have been the free ones. He would tell young artists to keep growing their art. Keeping your portfolio diversified allows you the chance to expand and provides more opportunities to play.
Jermaine Mondaine is homegrown, but like Phil, has made the conscious choice of making Muskogee his home. Jermaine is a talented saxophonist. He was an elementary student at Benjamin Franklin elementary when the High School Jazz Band paid a visit to recruit students. He circled saxophone on the slip of paper, and his Dad was supportive and bought him his first instrument.
“What is making it?” Jermaine asks. Although playing to large audiences is certainly a rush, all that celebrity life-style is “not what it is cracked up to be. At some point in my career, I came to the realization that you can get anywhere from Muskogee, Oklahoma. I can play these places without living there. I like living in Muskogee, I like raising my boys here.”
Like Phil, Jermaine refers to his talents as gifts. He said, “It is only right to give back to the place that gave me the gift in the first place.” Jermaine gives back in many ways, playing for nonprofit events and many church events. Jermaine plays all over the country professionally but says the best performances are “when people feel what you are expressing and sometimes that’s the smallest, unexpected audiences.”
After visiting with these three artists, I realized my initial question seems somehow unimportant. It was never about “making a living” but much more about “making a life.” Artistic expression is a way of life for these men and Muskogee is the lucky recipient. Just three more wonderful reasons for pride in Muskogee.
