Ask Oklahoma City-based oil painter Kenny McKenna what kick-started his career, and he will tell you, in all seriousness, that it was disco. “This is a true story,” he says with a laugh. “It sounds ridiculous, but it’s true. As much as I dislike disco, I can thank it for what I’m doing today for a living.”

It does sound ridiculous, and it is a true story. McKenna, an accomplished musician who has been playing in various bands since he was in junior high school, was living in Phoenix, Arizona, and playing six nights a week with a successful local band back in the 1970s when the disco era arrived. Disco was what the audience wanted; disco was what McKenna’s band played. And he hated it.

Read the full article in the May/June 2022 issue.

Emerald Lake

Oil
40” by 44”

“The subalpine water of Emerald Lake is the jewel of Flattop Mountain Trail in Rocky Mountain National Park. The uphill hike was well worth the effort.”

Midday Performance

Oil
30” by 40”

“With more than 50 visits to the Grand Canyon, its drama continues to impress. With early morning and evening being the favored show times, a passing storm at high noon is equally as stunning.”