A new painting by John Newsom is the latest in NBC Oklahoma’s Artist Series and features images that are familiar to Oklahomans.

The oil-on-canvas painting entitled “Homecoming” is 84 inches tall by 60 inches wide and is currently on display at the Kingfisher branch.

“I wanted to create an iconic image using timeless motifs from the Oklahoma landscape,” Newsom said about his work.

“The bison is a strong, yet contemplative animal from the plains. The scissor-tailed flycatcher is the state bird of Oklahoma and the Indian Blanket is the state wildflower. Combined together these images become the perfect chorus. It is with great sincerity and reverence for the natural landscape of Oklahoma and its inhabitants, that this very meaningful and special painting has come into being.”

The public can see the original painting as it travels to NBC’s various locations between now and the end of the year.

It will be at the Kingfisher location (801 S. Main St.) through Friday, Dec. 3.

Those who stop by for a viewing can also receive a poster of the work.

Other viewings will be held in Altus (Dec. 6-10), Oklahoma City (13401 N. Penn location from Dec. 13-17) and in Enid (Dec. 27-31).

There will be a reception from 1-3 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 28, with Newsom at the Enid location.

There will also be viewings at the 6301 N. Western location in Oklahoma City sometime in January before the Oklahoma Contemporary show in March.

Newsom grew up in Enid, but now lives in Brooklyn, N.Y., with his wife and their two children.

“Homecoming” represents a visual return to his experiences in Oklahoma. After receiving a bachelor’s degree in fine arts from the Rhode Island School of Design and a master’s degree in fine arts from New York University, he had his first New York exhibition in 1995 when he was only 25.

Since that first show, his work has been exhibited in the United States, across Europe and in Japan.

His paintings are includ ed in the permanent collections of numerous public institutions including the Museum of Modern Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Brooklyn Museum, the Hammer Museum, Los Angeles; the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art; the Neuberger Museum of Art, Purchase, N.Y.; Yale University Art Gallery, New Haven, Conn.; and the Rhode Island School of Design Museum, Providence, R.I.

Articles and reviews of his work have appeared in Artforum, Art in America, Flash Art, The New Yorker and The New York Times, among others.

“Homecoming” is the 17th commissioned work of the NBC Oklahoma Artist Series, started by Ken Fergeson and NBC Oklahoma.

Each year, NBC selects an Oklahoma artist to create an original work of art, which is then exhibited at each of the NBC bank locations.

The bank also reproduces the artwork on a limited number of prints, posters and postcards available to customers at NBC locations. Learn more about the series, its artists and how NBC supports the arts at nbcwigwam.art.