Artist showcase delights Saturday audience

Apr. 23—The Ada art scene continues to flourish. Kind Origin hosted their Anniversary Artist Showcase featuring artist Summer Zah and the band Pard Saturday night at Kind Origin Dispensary on North Mississippi in Ada.

"My artwork has evolved a lot since my first attempts in my undergrad years," Zah explained. "Tonight, I am presenting a showcase of what I have been exploring," she said.

"The right side," she explained, gesturing to the north wall at the dispensary," "is primarily exploring identity itself; 'what does it mean?' My background is Dine, or Navajo, Apache, and the Choctaw people of Oklahoma, but some Mississippi background as well."

"The left side," she continued, "is kind of coming full circle with my spirituality. 'How do I express those parts of myself?' 'What does it mean to be a part of a culture that's existing now.'"

Zah said her art is best expressed as permanent installations but is also inspired by making and displaying prints.

"My background is in printmaking. I love printmaking," she continued. "I'm trying to decide what that all means, what can I do to push the boundaries of printmaking, what it's married with my spirituality as an indigenous woman."

Zah said she received an undergraduate degree from East Central University and a Master of Fine Arts from the University of Oklahoma. She works at the First Americans Museum in Oklahoma City.

The band Pard played on the other end of the room while guests enjoyed the evening. Pard features Marshall Omohundro and Luke Crabtree.

Kind Origin also hosts an Open Mic Night on the first Monday of each month at 6 p.m.