Thank You, Amelia Earhart, an All-Okie Film
Award-winning filmmaker, Al Mertens, has just wrapped up post-production on Thank You, Amelia Earhart, a feature-length film made entirely by Oklahomans––perhaps the state’s first. “From cast to crew, it was nothing but us Okies,” Mertens said. “Our state had every ounce of talent we needed. Mary Buss is our incredible lead actress, our crew included…
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Cosplay for Charity
As a child, Angela (Fae) Mullens enjoyed playing dress up. By junior high, she was altering thrift store clothing and sewing costumes. Fae was a married adult before she learned about the cosplay (costumed play) community, but now, she’s turned her hobby into a community service, recreating beloved characters to entertain at charity events or…
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The Crafted House
A two-story concrete structure stands out amongst the sea of wooden houses along the east side of the University of Central Oklahoma campus. The modern-looking house with its curved roof is the brainchild of architect, George Winters. “Smaller houses are needed in Edmond,” Winters said. “I don’t build homes for a living, but I wanted…
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Finding Lichen
Hundreds of Species Discovered Remember learning about lichen—that mossy-looking stuff that grows on trees? Probably not, because until recently, lichens barely received mention in high school biology. Now, thanks to the work of Dr. Sheila Strawn, much more is known about lichen and its roles in Oklahoma ecology. Not only has she discovered hundreds of…
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Backpackin’ the Backcountry
Backpacking in the wild can be a once-in-a-lifetime adventure, but for Kinsey Winters, it’s a once-a-week adventure. She dons a 50-pound backpack and leads vacationers through wild, uninhabited territory. The Edmondite has a wandering spirit, so she guides adventurers in different places each season. This summer, she’s working for Wildland Trekking, leading people through the…
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From Skits to a Screen Near You
As classmates and class clowns at Edmond Memorial High School in the late 1980s, Tommy Woodard and Eddie James could only have dreamed of starring in a movie together. Their first major motion picture, Family Camp, comes after 30 years of performing Christian comedy under the name Skit Guys. In the movie, two completely opposite…
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Farm Fresh and Fabulous Photography
For more than a decade, Deborah Vivona has raised chickens at her home in Deer Creek. Although she had never raised livestock before, she was motivated by the fear of the ticks at her five-acre farm. After some research, chickens seemed like the solution for preventing tick-borne diseases, so Deborah bought a dozen chicks and…
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Erase the Hate
An ill-placed tattoo can have lifelong ramifications—especially if it relays a message of prejudice, hatred, or gang affiliation. Tattoo removal is possible, but very expensive, so options are limited for many people who have taken a new path in life but continue to display an offensive message on their skin. In 2019, Oklahoma Plastic Surgeons…
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