Chisolm Trail Heritage Center Featured Artist: Gay Faulkenberry

The Chisholm Trail Heritage Center is proud to announce celebrated American painter Gay Faulkenberry as the featured artist for January and February with her exhibition, A Retrospective Collection of an Artistic Journey. Nationally recognized for her luminous impressionistic style, Faulkenberry has been a powerful presence in the American art world for more than two decades.

Known for her masterful use of color and light, Faulkenberry’s work spans plein air landscapes, intimate still lifes, floral compositions, and interior scenes. Her paintings—whether created on location or in the studio—capture atmosphere, emotion, and the quiet poetry of everyday life.
A native Oklahoman, Faulkenberry grew up throughout the American West and has traveled extensively across Europe, experiences that continue to shape her artistic voice. She began her journey in watercolor, studying at Southwestern State University and Oklahoma State University, before transitioning to oil painting after encountering alla prima techniques in Taos in the late 1970s. Her development was further influenced by independent studies with renowned Russian painter Sergei Bongart, whose teachings helped refine her confident brushwork and expressive approach.
“I remain a student of art, always reaching for higher levels of excellence,” Faulkenberry says. “However, it is the artist’s job to discover his or her personal voice in creating a language that communicates beyond words.”

Faulkenberry is a Signature Member of the Plein Air Painters of America—serving as its president and spokesperson in 2008–2009—and a Master Member of American Women Artists, and a member of the American Impressionist Society. Her paintings appear in corporate, private, and museum collections nationwide, and she is frequently invited to jury exhibitions and contribute to leading art publications. “We are excited to have Gay showcase her artistic works here at the Heritage Center,” said Leah Mulkey, Director. “We are fortunate to have one of her paintings on permanent display in our Garis Gallery. We look forward to seeing her new works as well as pieces from years past.”

A select number of new works will be available for purchase during the exhibition.

The Chisholm Trail Heritage Center invites the public to experience Faulkenberry’s extraordinary artistry throughout January and February. Her exhibition offers a rare opportunity to view both recent creations and earlier works from her distinguished career.