Letters to the Editor (3): Tuesday, November 28, 2023
By Admin in Printmaking
“Our Moccasins, Our Journey” highlights significance of moccasins in Choctaw culture, history
Durant, Oklahoma — The art gallery at Sky Tower inside Choctaw Casino & Resort – Durant has been updated with a special collection in honor of Native November.
The gallery is part of the art walk, which is an interactive exhibit used to tell the stories of the Choctaw people. The most recent installment is called “Our Moccasins, Our Journey,” and it highlights the significance of the footwear in Choctaw culture and history.
A monitor inside the gallery guides viewers through the exhibit, from the design and evolution of the shoe to the significance of Choctaw dancers continuing to wear them to this day as a way to honor and acknowledge a connection with the earth.
“Moccasins hold importance in Native history, including that of the Choctaw Nation, and this exhibit showcases all the ways in which they’re a part of our story,” said Kaley Green, Durant regional marketing director. “We’re honored to host this exhibit, which shows how moccasins have been a part of our journey all the way back to the Trail of Tears, and they continue to be a part of our journey today as we work to keep our traditions alive and honor those who came before us.”
Durr produces oil paintings and received the Governors Choice Award at Cowgirl Up 2022, while Newby-Coker handcrafts stained glass mosaics won the Grand Award at the 2020 Red Earth Festival. Rhoades’ pieces are oil paintings on canvas, and Howard paints scenes of family stories and Choctaw life. Sisneros creates large, modern acrylic inspired by Choctaw traditions, and Phillips captures the strength of womanhood in Native and western inspired paintings. Lester creates illustrations of contemporary Choctaw culture and was Master Artist at the Five Civilized Tribes Museum’s annual art competition in 2007. Umsted works with various mediums and was recently appointed to the Institute of American Arts Board of Trustees by President Joe Biden.
About Choctaw Casino & Resort in Durant, Okla.
Located an hour north of the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex, Choctaw Casino & Resort – Durant is a AAA Four Diamond casino resort, entertainment and convention destination in southeastern Oklahoma. The casino has more than 7,400 slot machines, table games, a poker room, and a large non-smoking casino. The resort offers more than 100,000 square feet of meeting and convention space and seats more than 3,000 at the Academy of Country Music (ACM) award-winning Grand Theater. The resort also includes more than 1,600 luxurious rooms and suites, 20 restaurants, 21 bars and lounges, six retail stores, two fitness centers, a spa, and two outdoor pools and a water park. The family-friendly District offers guests 20 bowling lanes, a 6-screen premier movie theater, 70 arcade games and dining options. Additionally, guests can enjoy the 77-camper Choctaw RV Park located across from the casino. For more information, visit choctawcasinos.com.
When you think Christmas decorations, you picture trees, ornaments, and lights. But one Alice native is bringing the holidays to life with brushes and paint.
Just over two years ago, Joseph Garza was in prison after he found himself addicted to pain pills. He said his time behind bars gave him the opportunity to not only reflect on his life, it also helped him rediscover his passion for art.
“I’ve seen success in all kinds of ways, but like I said drug addiction ruined my life,” Garza said.
After getting out of prison, Garza got a job with a car dealership in Corpus Christi. They allowed him to paint their display windows for the Christmas holiday. That led to other businesses contacting him about doing the same for them.
Garza is now spreading the Christmas spirit through acrylic paint. He said is painting is more than just a job – he learns about himself with each stroke of his paint brush.
“For me I feel like it brings color to people’s lives. Whatever people take from it, they take from it. I enjoy doing it when I do it – for me personally – it’s my therapy. It’s just me and the paint,” Garza said.
Each painting takes six hours to complete. Although he wishes he found a use for his skills an easier way, he knows that without his time in prison – he wouldn’t be making other people happy this Christmas season.
Garza said his therapy and his passion is taking him from around South Texas – not only for the holidays.
His wish is to see where his talent takes him.
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By Admin in Art World News
The role of digital signage has evolved exponentially over the last decade. While previously only seen in boardrooms and airport directories, use cases now expand far beyond, from quick serve restaurant drive-throughs to digital out-of-home (DOOH) locations like stadiums and malls. Due in part to its flexibility and versatility, traditional technology like whiteboards in the classroom and projectors in meeting rooms are being swapped out for digital signage that’s driving immersive experiences and creating opportunity for users and consumers everywhere.
As customers enter businesses and venues, they are immediately greeted by striking images of digital signage. These signage solutions are becoming a common sight across diverse industries, from the buzzing atmosphere of hotels and sports stadiums to the inspiring spaces of educational institutions and art galleries. They enrich customer experiences in every setting.
Digital signage is no longer perceived as a mere advertising display — it’s so much more. It has become one of the most sought-after media platforms for personalized information, content, education, sports, art, and more. These digital signage applications not only change the look and feel of the environment, but captivate and leave a lasting impression on its viewers.
As the role of signage in everyday life continues to evolve, so evolves the depth of the market itself, too. According to Fortune Business Insight, the digital signage market is expected to grow to more than $35 billion by 2026.1 Along with the industry’s substantial growth, Samsung Electronics has maintained its number one position in the market for 14 consecutive years,2 and continues to expand the boundaries of digital signage with its unrivalled technology.
Let’s take a look at how Samsung has continued to lead the global industry for 14 consecutive years during the heyday of digital signage.
▲ Samsung Smart Signages have advanced immersion across various fields in 2023
In today’s world, organizations across sectors aren’t just adopting new technologies – they are embracing a total experience that provides an integrated approach that combines internal and external facets of their operations. According to Gartner, it’s expected that by 2024, organizations providing a total experience will outperform competitors by 25% in satisfaction metrics, impacting both customer and employee experiences.3 Similarly, Samsung supports projects from inception to completion in a number of ways including mechanical design and training, site surveys, product delivery, and installation, ensuring customers are equipped with the tools to be successful.
In times of such transformation, digital signage plays a pivotal role. A perfect example can be found in the heart of Vatican City. At the historic St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City, visitors gather from all corners of the world for a once in a lifetime ceremony from the Pope.
▲ Visitors and worshippers can clearly view the proceedings through Samsung’s outdoor LED signage (XHB series, two measuring 7.935m x 4.83m and two measuring 5.865m x 3.105m) at St. Peter’s Square, Vatican City
Enhancing this once-in-a-lifetime experience, Samsung has integrated advanced signage solutions seamlessly by installing four high-precision LED displays. The result is a dramatically improved experience for all in attendance, regardless of their physical positioning. Paired with audio solutions that deliver crystal clear sound, the technology ensures the Pope’s message resonates profoundly with everyone at the event.
In addition to bringing events closer to attendees, Samsung’s innovative technology turns any space into an immersive experience, filled with vivid colors, crystal clear picture quality and dynamic content. Capturing guest attention and ensuring a great experience is vital for any high-end destination. Digital signage solutions are a great tool for enabling this attraction and retention. A prime example of this in action is at one of the world’s top resorts, Atlantis the Royal in Dubai, with Samsung’s premium technology installed across the property.

▲ (Up) An awe-inspiring sight greets resort guests, made possible by Samsung LED signage installed behind the lobby fish tanks. (Down) Samsung’s innovative modular Micro LED display, The Wall enhances the hotel’s most luxurious guest suite, the Royal Mansion, measuring 146 inches with 4K (3,840 x 2,160) resolution.
Every moment of a guest’s stay is filled with awe-inspiring imagery and impressive displays for a one-of-a-kind experience — whether on their journey to the spa or in the hotel’s lobby where guests are met with the largest indoor LED displays installed on three large water tanks, projecting breath-taking scenes including a rainbow of fish swimming in the sea.
These displays also create an overwhelming atmosphere when bold content is paired with advanced technology. In Minute Maid Park — home of the Houston Astros, part of the US baseball league — Samsung upgraded impressive 6,875-square-foot primary scoreboard, left-field scoreboard and ribbon boards. Similarly, in Switzerland’s Swiss Life Arena, Samsung deployed display solutions including the largest indoor LED cube in Europe. As the most modern ice hockey arena in Switzerland, Swiss Life provides a drastically improved fan experience and enhanced operational efficiency thanks to Samsung.
▲ Minute Maid Park displays the impressive 6,875 square-foot scoreboard, giving fans a crystal-clear view from every seat in the house. It’s part of the larger videoboard that spans an impressive eight stories, featuring 5.3 million stunning LEDs designed to digitally enhance the fan experience.
▲ The central LED Cube display at Swiss Life Arena — measuring 12(w)x12(d)x8(h) meters — is the principal element of the fan experience with 416m² of the LED signage. Any one of the 12,000 seats within the area have a stunning view of the display.
Digital signage is powerful and has the ability to draw in a viewer, captivate them, and bring them to another world — it provides a truly transformative experience. This impact is felt across industries and when we look at the education space in particular, signage has made immeasurable improvements.
Samsung partnered with the University of Wales Trinity Saint David to launch an unparalleled learning environment. The Immersive Room, equipped with 18 meters of Samsung LED screens across three walls provides incredible picture quality, detail, contrast, and color reproduction. Most importantly, its 12K image resolution empowers the University to push the boundaries of learning as the LED screens create virtual and augmented reality experiences and present a futuristic learning environment utilizing digital signage.
The University of Wales’ immersive space was an “Education Project of the Year” Finalist at the AV Awards 2023, recognized for the innovation it brings to education.

▲ University of Wales Trinity Saint David transforms education with a state-of-the-art immersive room and impressive learning spaces. The three LED walls that make up the immersive space are equipped with 18 meters of Samsung LED signages across three walls.
Similarly, Syracuse University in the US deployed The Wall in its S.I Newhouse School of Public Communications, drawing in prospective students by highlighting students’ accomplishments and the school’s world-class learning environment. The Wall creates a ‘wow factor,’ leaving a lasting impression during campus tours.
▲ The Wall showcases inspiring stories of Syracuse student achievements and accomplishments, helping prospective students envision their successful future at the University.
Now, teachers can begin their lessons sooner, and spend more time creating immersive, connected learning experience for students. This impact isn’t going unnoticed, and in fact, Samsung announced the new Interactive Display (Model name: WAC) designed for simplicity and students at British Educational Training and Technology (Bett), the world’s largest education technology exhibition and International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) this year.
When we think back on the impact Samsung has had on education, it’s apparent that it comes in all forms. Samsung’s interactive display, Flip Pro, provides an extended learning experience for teachers and students at the Hogg New Tech Center in Dallas, Texas.
With its comprehensive range of display solutions from The Wall and LED signage, to Interactive displays, Samsung was also recognized as the Best Overall IT Solution Provider for the Education Market by the 2023 EdTech Breakthrough Awards.
▲ Hogg New Tech Center uses Samsung Flip Pro interactive display (Model name: WMB) to facilitate interactive learning and collaboration through multi-touch features and various connectivity options
Whether with a global audience or at a local school, Samsung’s immersive environments power learning, celebrations, content consumption and much more. But digital signage is an art too, and as Samsung continues to embrace its role as a media art platform, it’s enabling creatives to truly bring their vision to life.
The Wall for Virtual Production (Model name: IVC), which launched earlier this year, is an example of how companies, producers and creatives alike are creating and displaying their art with unparalleled quality. This addition to The Wall product line up enables creatives to use ultra-large LED walls to create virtual content, integrating them with real-time visual effects technology to reduce the time and cost of content production. The latest addition to The Wall series makes production faster and easier in TV, film and other industries, and was highlighted during industry events including InfoComm 2023 and IBC (International Broadcasting Convention) 2023.
▲ The Wall for Virtual Production makes production faster and easier in TV, film, and other creative industries
Samsung is bringing other art forms to life too. Recently, it displayed a masterpiece by contemporary Korean art leader, the late Park Seo-Bo, on The Wall All-in-One (IAB model) at New York’s Rockefeller Center. The first digital rendition of Park Seo-Bo’s iconic “Écriture” series (Video art title: [1 OF 0], directed by Jifan Park) is on The Wall’s immersive 146-inch 4K screen. The Wall All-in-One provides an awe-inspiring visual experience that replicates the intense colors and intricate textures of Park’s painting, allowing visitors to be fully immersed in the artwork. Dutch-American audiovisual artist, 0010×0010, also held an exhibition in Bangkok, Thailand that redefined the boundaries of modern art and explores the convergence of the digital and physical worlds — all by utilizing The Wall All-in-One.
▲ The first digital rendition of the late Park Seo-Bo’s iconic “Écriture” series (Video art title: [1 OF 0], directed by Jifan Park) is on The Wall’s immersive 146-inch 4K screen.
Samsung’s Smart Signage is revolutionizing various sectors by creating immersive, interactive environments in every corner of the world. Whether it’s an ultra-luxury resort in Dubai, an immersive and futuristic classroom at the University of Wales, or a video art exhibition by a renowned artist, Samsung’s Smart Signage is making profound impacts globally, and our lives more colorful and enriching. This journey, spanning over the last 14 years, has continuously redefined the very experience of digital communication, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. We can’t wait to see what the future holds for Samsung’s Smart Signage, which has been ranked No. 1 in the industry for 14 consecutive years.
1 Fortune Business Insights; The global digital signage market size stood at USD 19.78 billion in 2018 and is projected to reach USD 35.94 billion by 2026, exhibiting a CAGR of 7.8% during the forecast period (2019-2026)
2 Samsung has maintained its No. 1 position as the leading LCD signage brand in market share for 14 consecutive years, as reported in the Omdia Q2 2023 Public Display Report. Samsung has also been the number one in combined sales for LCD and LED signage (The LED Video Display History Report provides sales data for LED signage from 2017 onwards; comprehensive data for LED signage sales is not available prior to 2017). Note. Consumer TVs, along with Commercial Lite and Hospitality TVs used for signage are excluded.
3 Gartner; The Total Experience Strategy for Better Retail Digital Interactions
By Admin in Photography
A green pit viper coiled around a drainpipe, three blue-banded bees sleeping on a grass blade, and a gecko climbing a tree against the backdrop of a bustling city. They’re all part of Hong Kong-British wildlife photographer Lawrence Hylton’s extensive portfolio.
Despite being one of the most densely populated places in the world, Hong Kong is a diverse home to over 1,000 animal species, and boasts one third of all bird species in China. Many of these creatures only emerge at night, but that doesn’t stop 30-year-old Hylton from seeking them out.
Embarking on nocturnal safaris multiple times a week, Hylton says his mission is to promote conservation through his artistic approach to nature photography.
“I’m hoping people view [my photographs] as an opportunity to understand that nature isn’t as scary as we might deem them to be,” he said. “The key is to show that animals have a right to live here. Just because we fear them doesn’t mean that they don’t deserve to live.”
Reptiles and amphibians are among Hylton’s favorite animals to look for – particularly snakes, because of how misunderstood they are. Despite being important predators and ecological indicators, he says many snakes face persecution.
For Hylton, finding wildlife is the easiest part, but photographing them takes a lot of patience. “You’re working with a subject that doesn’t want to be disturbed, so it’s important to try and respect wildlife where we can,” he says. “The best thing we can do if we’re documenting is to capture what we need to capture and leave it be.”
Hylton started wildlife photography when he got his first camera at the age of 17, capturing “the odd bird dancing on the branch here and the cute ladybird trampling around on a leaf there,” but it wasn’t until he moved from the UK to Hong Kong and photographed a peregrine falcon swooping past that it became a passion.
In terms of nocturnal wildlife, apart from “blood-thirsty insects” and some feral dogs, Hong Kong is relatively safe to explore in the dark. With no large predators willing to harm humans, Hylton says all someone needs to get started as a night-time wildlife spotter is a torch, some common sense and to be mindful of the subjects they encounter.
Bosco Chan, director of conservation at WWF Hong Kong, says one reason why wildlife can survive and thrive in Hong Kong is that around 40% of its land is designated as “country parks,” one of the highest ratios of protected area in the world. Coupled with the city’s hilly terrain, animals can avoid human disturbances and hunting pressure.
But despite being home to hundreds of species, biodiversity loss is also a problem in Hong Kong. “A century or two ago, we had tigers, a leopard, and a civet called the large Indian civet, which was last found in the 1940s,” says Chan. “In recent years, we have lost a lowland frog species called the floating frog. It thrives in paddy fields but as we abandon rice farming, the frog is gone in Hong Kong.”
While organizations like the WWF are helping to conserve endangered populations such as the Eurasian otter, which according to Chan is “one of the last remaining kinds of urban otters in China,” Hylton thinks more can be done for Hong Kong’s natural habitats through education.
“We have lots of [hikers] who visit this area and fear snakes and fear the unknown. [It] makes people do silly things,” Hylton says. “Hopefully someday in the future, everyone can just enjoy nature as they came out to do.”
By Admin in Photography

By Admin in Printmaking
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