A Decade of Community Engagement: The Heart of Dillon Rose

Ten years ago the new key to our studio opened more than a physical space, it unlocked an opportunity for community. We inaugurated our new home with an art party. In a burst of creativity local artists adorned our walls, hanging sculptures from the ceiling and filling the air with music and melodies. I scattered rose petals across the floor like a wedding aisle, treating everyone as the guest of honor. This initial act was more than just a party; it was a foundational statement, a declaration that social engagement and community building would be core values of Dillon Rose.

We believe that uplifting the work of fellow artists is a powerful catalyst for our own creative exploration. It challenges us to embrace new perspectives, to push the boundaries of our artistic expression and to remain true to our inherent calling as artists, even as we navigate the commercial aspects of our craft. This symbiotic relationship—where we support, and in turn are inspired—has been a driving force behind our work.

As I reflect on our accomplishments over the past decade, twin feelings of humility and pride wash over me. Collaboration requires vulnerability, a request that others see, validate and share passionately. Art projects are not guaranteed to succeed and remaining open minded about outcomes is something I have had to learn. When I organized the Great Salt Plains photoshoot with 15 other women my expectations had to massively adjust when we found that the normally glittering white salt flats were brown and damp due to recent flooding. On top of that, there were scheduling challenges, I was frustrated and disheartened, but I pivoted and managed to direct a project that I’m still proud of. We all camped and cooked together that evening under bright Oklahoma stars. Every project has been an opportunity to forge connections and create magic with visual, musical, and culinary artists. These events are not merely exhibitions; they are celebrations of shared passion and collective talent.

Beyond the vibrant energy of our art shows, each collection we design carries a deeper purpose. It’s an opportunity to generate uplift for community projects that resonate deeply with us. I designed Collection V. to explore something sacred to me, the emergence and interconnectedness of life, found in both mushrooms and motherhood. To debut the collection I brought in Bradley James Dry, an indigenous chef familiar with foraging and cooking mushrooms to showcase his talent and create an unforgettable evening for collectors. Every purchase from that collection supported The Creative Field Guide of Northeastern Oklahoma, a creative, educational project by artist Liz Blood. 

Our artistic endeavors are immeasurably richer because of these collaborations and our unwavering commitment to community. I genuinely believe (and hope) that the community itself is richer because we choose to invest in it, because we dare to challenge it, and because we continually invite it to blossom alongside us. Dillon Rose is more than a studio; it is a testament to the power of art to connect, inspire, and elevate.

Below is a list of the collaborative projects I am most proud of - some of them have web pages of their own, others were fleeting, momentarily magical. Beyond anything, I am grateful to have a community that so often says yes when I dare to request they create alongside us. 

• Yoni Collection - fundraiser for Take Control Initiative.
  

• Queen Collection - Salt Plains photoshoot with fellow creatives Annie Ellicott, Melissa Lukenbaugh, JP Morrison Lans, Lydia Cheshewalla, Alisha Sayles, Ari Christopher and others.
  

• Queen Collection Installation at Tulsa Mayfest - a community art installation and dance movement that crowned hundreds of women as queens. See the video we made in this blog.
  

• Collection V - fundraiser for Liz Blood’s Creative Field Guide of Northeastern Oklahoma and dinner with Bradley James Dry
  

• Apiary collection - raising funds for local beekeepers.
  

• Reparations Project during the Tulsa Race Massacre Centennial that raised funds for Black Moon Art Collective
  

• Copper Cuff fundraiser for artist grants during COVID - what started as an independent project supporting musician friends turned into a collaboration with Red Dirt Relief Fund - giving out dozens of grants through sales of our copper cuffs.
  

• Fundraiser for Sunny Dayz Mural Festival
  

• Collaboration for Platinum Rose collection with artists Michael Palazzo and Natty Gray.
  

• Multiple fundraisers for Sutton and the Nature Conservancy - really too many to count! 
  

• Clothing collab with Cult Love Sound Tapes and artist Natty Gray
  

• Founding of Riverbend Arts District - coordinating and collaborating with the artists and business owners along Charles Page Blvd to bring public awareness and support to the host of creatives in industrial spaces along the river west of Downtown Tulsa. 
  

• Art Deco Collection - our debut party raised significant funds for the Tulsa Foundation for Architecture
  

• Hidden Gem Dinners with Cat Cox - a series of dinners hosted in our studio to honor fellow creatives and women that uplift the community. The sole purpose of this series is honor and connection. 
  

• Personal arts mentorship / facilitation via Artist Inc and the Mid America Arts Alliance.

• Help in funding and organizing Tiny Porch concerts - free, all age concerts that showcase local talent and bring the community of Owen Park together.

• Pantheon of the American West collaboration with talented visual artists - Jeremy Luther, Kalyn Fay, Melissa Lukenbaugh, Clay Brewer, Antonella Tarcetti and Joseph the Coyote.