GRANBURY, TEXAS -- Tarleton State University’s Dora Lee Langdon Cultural and Educational Center is currently presenting “Migration of Dreams – the Artwork of Ken O’Toole” through May. The artwork is on display at the center’s historic A. P. Gordon House, located at 308 East Pearl Street in Granbury.

O’Toole is an artist, photographer, published author and poet who began pursuing art in 2004 while working as a technical writer in the Fort Worth corporate world. He quickly found gallery representation for his art, after only a year of trying, and received numerous accolades in statewide and national juried shows.

“Our Rio Brazos juror accepted Ken’s work into the 2007 show at the Langdon Center,” said Janice Horak, director of the Langdon Center. “His work was the topic of many conversations over the two-week run, and I just needed to find out more about this artist and his work. He was so articulate about the vision and the process that I worked to secure this solo exhibit. He’s a true visual artist working with the tools of the past, present and future.”

There are three phases of O’Toole’s work shown in the Langdon Center exhibit.

The first phase, also named “Migration of Dreams,” includes digital images created from the source materials of multiple photo shoots and original paintings. The material is computer enhanced and manipulated resulting in the artwork, which exemplify the artist’s image of his own dreamscape. Some of the images are the result of PhotoShop techniques, while others involve using software tools in place of the canvas, paint and brushes of a painter.

The resulting images have been produced outside the computer in three formats: Solo edition giclée prints on canvas; LightJet Prints on Fuji Crystal Archive paper, laminated in a cold pressure sensitive process, and dry-mounted to Plexiglas, offering archival fine art quality; and Acrylic Transfers—images printed on a laser printer and then coated in acrylic gel to capture the color toner. Once the gel is completely dry the paper can be removed from the image. The transfer is then applied to a prepared support. 

“Our dreams have the ability to change us but only to the extent to which we have the courage to pursue them,” O’Toole said. “As we follow the lead of our dreams and passions, changing in the process, our dreams change along with us.  This continuous cycle of change can take us to our best selves as long as we do not give up on this perpetual migration of dreams.”

The second phase of the show is “Lifelines” and contains several contemporary, acrylic “action” paintings.

The third phase is “Cultural Ghosts.” The artist began taking photos of what impressed him as eerie figures created from plastic refuse caught in tree limbs and barbed wire fences.

O’Toole is a fulltime artist who also curates shows for several galleries in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. He has an ongoing role with Victory Media Network at the American Airlines Center in Dallas.

“Migration of Dreams – the Artwork of Ken O’Toole” runs through Friday, May 30. Exhibit hours are weekdays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturdays from 1p.m. to 5 p.m. The artist is scheduled to be in the gallery for last Friday Gallery Night on May 30 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

For more information on this and other Tarleton Langdon Center events, call 817-279-1164 or e-mail langdoncenter@sbcglobal.net.