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Approximately 40 AP art students at Bartlesville High School visited Woolaroc a week ago to view an art exhibition entitled “The Woolaroc Retrospective Exhibit.”

Executive Director Blair Ellis said BHS art teacher Rhonda Williams applied for a $500 Experts in Residence grant through the Foundation to allow M.W. “Skip” Whitcomb to stay another day in the area. Ellis said the grant was given to Williams, which allowed the art class to visit with Whitcomb.

Thank you notes from the students flooded Ellis' office at the Education Service Center in Bartlesville. The handwritten notes talked about how great the experience was and how awesome it was to get to talk to a professional artist.

Skip Whitcomb is an accomplished Plein air painter, draftsman, and paint maker. He studied at the Art Center College of Design in Los Angeles. He is a two-time winner of both of the Artists' Choice Award at Buffalo Bill Art Show and Sale and the Red Smith Memorial Award at the National Museum of Wildlife Art in Jackson, Wyoming. If that wasn’t enough, Whitcomb has also won the Pastel Journal's International Competition.

Ellis said the BHS art students seemed to have left Woolaroc inspired after talking with Whitcomb on how to achieve their dreams in the art industry. She said the art exhibit on display at Woolaroc also seemed to move the students in a powerful way.

Over the years, Ellis said they have funded elementary STEM a lot. She said people may forget that they also heavily support the arts. The BPS Foundation has brought in musicians to speak with Fine Arts students, and the latest experience students had with Whitcomb is just an example of the love for the arts that take place at BHS.

Last year, four Experts in Residence grants were provided by the BPS Foundation. Two have been given so far this year. Ellis said they still have approximately $7,000 left in their $10,000, and she is excited to see what BHS' teacher bring to the Foundation next.

(Photo courtesy: Bartlesville Public Schools; Whitcomb talks to BHS AP art students)