Arlyn Brantley is the art Teacher at Marlow High School and has been a resident of the Stephens County area since 2004. He grew up on a family farm between Rush Springs and Sterling, where he learned to care for agriculture and livestock. He is in his 21st year of teaching and has shared student artwork with the public through student Mural Work and their annual art auctions.
The theme of his show, “Red Dirt Roots,” is based on the simple agricultural environments seen in our rural communities. Abandoned houses, buildings, barns, and livestock are reminders of the way of life in our state. Viewers may notice that many works are created on reclaimed signage and wooden boards that look like scrap materials easily found on a farm. “Many of our recent ancestors were resourceful and grew up with a mentality to reuse and repurpose. I wish our society could cut back on mass consumerism and the disposable nature of almost everything. Hopefully, my pieces will give a nod to the former mentality, and others will see beauty in the simple, rustic presentation of my work.” Arlyn‘s work will be on display at the Heritage Center Museum in April and May. He also helped the museum create a new feature exhibit titled Jesse Chisholm, where you may view his Mural Work and rendering of an old Homestead.
