Ada educators attend Oklahoma Fall Arts Institute at Quartz Mountain

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla., -- This fall, Ada educators Vicki Cowger, Kelly Reed, and Rodd Wellington journeyed to Quartz Mountain for an arts immersion workshop. The artists and educators attended the Oklahoma Fall Arts Institute (OFAI), a series of retreats in the literary, visual and performing arts taught by award-winning artists.

“It has been an absolute pleasure to work with a professional artist and the most talented teacher peers,” said Reed, a teacher at Vanoss Elementary School. Reed participated in an OFAI painting workshop.

OFAI allows Oklahomans to study with nationally renowned artists without traveling far from home. OFAI faculty has included winners of the Pulitzer Prize and the Academy, Emmy, Grammy and Tony Awards. This year’s faculty included Rilla Askew, author of “Fire in Beulah” and an American Book Award winner.

“The workshop helped me understand Photoshop better and will allow me to learn it on my own and teach my students,” said Wellington, an art teacher at Ada High School who studied photography at OFAI. Cowger, a teacher at Byng Junior High School, also participated in a photography workshop.

OFAI is held at the Quartz Mountain Arts and Conference Center in southwest Oklahoma. Nestled between the dry, cacti-dotted Quartz Mountains and peaceful Lake Altus, the conference center is the ideal location for arts immersion. Artists gain inspiration from the natural setting, and the secluded locale allows artists to focus on their work with few distractions.

All Oklahoma public school educators automatically receive full scholarships to attend OFAI, including tuition, room and board. Ada educators were sponsored by the Oklahoma State Department of Education, Sarkeys Foundation, and The Albers Family Fund with additional support from the Oklahoma Arts Council and various private donors.

“Each year, the Oklahoma Arts Institute reaches over 50,000 public school children across the state by empowering their teachers at OFAI,” said Julie Cohen, OAI president. “Educators return to their classroom refreshed, energized, and ready to implement their new ideas and techniques.”

The Oklahoma Arts Institute is a private, non-profit organization developed in 1977 with a vision to cultivate established and emerging artists and educators through art workshops, immersion and awareness. OAI administers a fine arts program for talented Oklahoma youth and a series of continuing education workshops for adults.