A painting depicting a group of eight women and one child gathered in a warm, intimate setting. Most of the women are seated on a couch, engaged in relaxed conversation or smiling, while two women stand—one holding a baby and another holding a large bowl or tray. The artwork is rendered in expressive brushstrokes with dominant red, pink, and earthy tones, giving it a textured, emotional feel. The figures appear connected, suggesting themes of community, motherhood, and togetherness. — Vanessa Osmon, The Art of Hello and Goodbye, 2024, mixed media on Arches oil paper mounted on aluminum, 48 x 64 x 2 inches.

Historic exhibition makes its way to the OSU Museum of Art

Wednesday, August 6, 2025

Media Contact: Amy Juarez | OSU Museum of Art Marketing and Communications | 405-744-2783 | amyjuar@okstate.edu

“Cimarron National Works on Paper Exhibition 2025” will open Aug. 19 at the Oklahoma State University Museum of Art for the first time.

First established in 1987, the Cimarron National Works on Paper exhibition was held biennially in the Department of Art, Graphic Design and Art History’s Gardiner Gallery from 1987 to 1995, with resurgences in 2019 and 2021.

This image shows a detailed urban map displaying a city's street grid and geographical features. The map features a distinctive blue river or waterway that curves through the urban landscape, creating a meandering path from the upper left toward the lower right portion of the image. The city is laid out in a comprehensive grid pattern with white lines representing streets and avenues intersecting at regular intervals across the metropolitan area. — Camille Ann Brewer, Missed, 2023, paper and acrylic medium, 27.25 x 24 inches.

The 2025 exhibition features works on paper selected by guest juror and curator Amanda Lee. Lee, an assistant professor in Painting, Drawing, and Printmaking at the University of Washington School of Art + Art History + Design, selected more than 100 works from 629 submissions. The selected pieces represent 95 artists from 36 states.

An exhibition of this national prominence highlights the significance of works on paper within the broader art landscape. To support this medium, $2,000 has been designated for the acquisition of select pieces for the OSU Museum of Art’s permanent collection, which already features past Cimarron National prize winners and is largely composed of works on paper.

While the exhibition underscores OSU’s longstanding commitment to printmaking and paper-based art, it also illustrates the value of juried exhibitions in cultivating diverse artistic voices.

Dr. Kirsten Olds, associate provost for the arts, Marilynn & Carl Thoma Professor of the Arts and director of the OSU Museum of Art, is a strong advocate for juried exhibitions.

“Juried exhibitions provide opportunities to a wide swath of artists and this year’s show, like its predecessors, reflect that spirit of access and openness,” Olds said.  

The exhibition will be on display from Aug. 19 through Dec. 19, 2025, and a reception will be held Oct. 16 from 5-7 p.m. A Screenprint Open Workshop with Amanda Lee will take place earlier that day from 1-3 p.m. at the Prairie Arts Center.

Learn more about the exhibition on our website. 

Funding for this season is provided by Marilynn and Carl Thoma, Lou Watkins and the OSU Museum of Art Advocates.  