No monsters, pirates or unicorns allowed.

Only unique, creative self-portraits…and lots of them.

Those were the only parameters local artist Shelly Goodmanson gave students as she provided sculpting clay and materials in her quest to complete a largescale community art project in Cashion.

Funded by a grant through Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition in conjunction with the Andy Warhol Foundation, Goodmanson invited all members of the community to participate in the one-year project, culminating in a gallery style exhibition in late April.

Titling her artistic vision “Faces of Our Community,” Goodmanson said, “I’ve always felt communities need to have art and the whole purpose of the project was to bring a big art project to our community that could be on display.”

With the project’s twofold purpose, Goodmanson said her goals were to expose people of all ages to clay as they created a self-portrait, as well as provide an art gallery style experience for the community.

In the fall of 2021, Goodmanson began the process of preparing opportunities for members of the community to be a part of her vision.

She provided the materials needed to complete the individualized clay faces at various times in local businesses, churches, her studio and, for all pre-kindergarten through eighth grade students, at the school.

Once the faces were created, Goodmanson fired them in her studio kilns, storing them until time for the exhibition.

Goodmanson said clay self-portraits are one of her favorite projects and she’s done them many times, but never on this scale.

“This was the first time I’ve dreamed big enough to make this happen,” she said.

A part of the Cashion community for almost five years with her husband of 25 years, Doug, and 12-yearold son Espen, Goodmanson owns and operates an art studio, Serendipity Pottery, near her home.

With a love for art, Good manson said she and a friend took practically every class offered (pottery, weaving, stained glass…) at a community art center years ago because, “why not… it was affordable, fun and didn’t take a lot of our time.”

Holding a bachelor’s in sociology and a master’s in marketing, her career would also follow in that path as she was involved in event planning and fundraising at local community art centers.

Eventually she became a stay-at-home mom and as her family moved to a rural area with limited or no access to community art centers, she decided to open up her studio to the public and offer various classes.

“I already had four pottery wheels and two kilns (now three) when we moved here,” Goodmanson said. “I could just use my studio to be that community place.”

Her goal, she said, is to provide artistic activities that are easy, affordable and family-friendly, much like a community art center, because art is important in the community.

Although her studio is in a rural area, people find her and bring their enthusiasm and ideas with them, she said.

“It’s a community of people being creative and I give them the outlet to do that,” Goodmanson added.

Owning a studio for 24 years, Goodmanson also sells some of the pottery she creates at Paper Pages Bookstore in Crescent and The Olde Store in Piedmont.

She was also recently voted Best Local Artist of the 2022 Mom Approved Awards by OKC Mom.

“My approach to pottery and all art is that it should be easily accessible to all people,” Goodmanson said. “Anyone can create something.

“It should be fun and messy and it should be affordable.”

Accessibility to discover different types of art for youth and adults alike, whether it is pottery, quilting, cooking, gardening or innumerable other things, should be available everywhere, Goodmanson said.

Just as sports are available to the youth in most areas, Goodmanson said,“having art in the community helps kids who thrive in those areas to have an avenue or outlet to explore those kinds of things.”

There are amazing art teachers in the schools, Goodmanson said, but to have art in our community is awesome and the whole purpose of the project.

“That’s the goal: to make art easily accessible, just like little league or other sports,” she said.

Another facet of teaching different arts is so they won’t be forgotten as technology continues to replace many things people used to do with their hands, she said.

Striving to share art and build a connected community of creative individuals, Goodmanson said, the Faces of Our Community project is only the beginning of many ideas and she is very excited with the community support and involvement in the project.

At the two-day gallery event, 675 faces of clay crafted by adults and children in the community were on display and approximately 275 people attended the event.

Also at the exhibition, food was provided by Flour and Fennel, a new restaurant opening soon in Cashion, Goodmanson said.

Near each self-portrait, a name card identified the artist and as participants located “their face,” they could place a mark on their discovery on the accompanying card, Goodmanson said.

“People were actively looking for the faces they created and were engaged in finding them,” she said.

“It was exciting and I was super happy with the turnout and all faces on display.”

With her mind always on new ideas and opportunities, Goodmanson said she already has thoughts about the next project which she would like to be more collaborative and a permanent display.

But for now she’s taking time to rejuvenate, create and consider future endeavors.

As an artist, Goodmanson said she feels it is her responsibility to share creating with others.

“I just think we need art in our communities…so I try to do my part,” she said.

Always encouraging people to discover and create, Goodmanson said, “Just make something…pottery, cakes, legos, t-shirts, weaving…anything.”