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Artist Mark Danker of Chandler draws inspiration from the materials and machinery of the local agriculture industry, transforming found objects into welded assemblages with Western themes. Danker has long worked as a small business owner in the creative sector designing visual communications and building corporate identities. Danker holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in graphic design from the University of Central Oklahoma. While trained as a designer, he has a passion for metal sculpture and has grown what began as a welding hobby into a thriving artistic practice. He states, “I am a graphic designer by trade and a metal sculptor by heart.” Danker’s work celebrates items that others might cast off, including old farm equipment, vintage tools, and antique metal objects.

For Danker, the objects often inform the concepts behind his work, allowing him to draw inspiration from the materials. Danker’s creative process starts with a chalk-drawn design sketched directly on the worktable in his studio. He then selects various objects to build out the composition, welding items together and refining the metal in the process. Often, his artwork is left to patina, creating a rusted aesthetic that accentuates the design with varying earth-tone hues. Danker finds inspiration in the forgotten materials and suggests that it is exciting for him to find new ways to captivate viewers with the merging of these items into compositions.
This exhibition showcases Danker’s unique process, featuring works demonstrating Oklahoma themes and iconography. One such work, Okie 46, draws inspiration directly from the Oklahoma state flag, enshrining in metal the iconic central emblem. Other works include imagery of bison, horses, and the scissor-tailed flycatcher—Oklahoma’s state bird. By integrating antique objects with his unique sense of design, Danker gives new life to these materials and creates artwork that reflects on his experience as an Oklahoman.

About the Oklahoma State Capitol Galleries

The Oklahoma Arts Council supports the work of professional Oklahoma artists by showcasing their work in three galleries in the Oklahoma State Capitol. Exhibitions exemplify the outstanding and diverse artistic talent of the people of Oklahoma while enriching lives and promoting public interest and understanding of the arts. Exhibitions in the North, East and Governor’s galleries rotate every 60 days and are viewed by thousands of people from around the world who work in and tour the historic building.

Portfolio Submission

Artists interested in having their artwork considered for exhibition in the Oklahoma State Capitol galleries may submit their portfolios using the link below. Submission of a portfolio does not guarantee an exhibition.

Submit your portfolio here.