Dylan Cale Jones
What's been going on in your world and circles lately?
Everyone I know is working on balance. My friends and peers are holding up their own lives, while trying to have a positive impact in their communities. Everyone is doing it differently, at their own pace—from my parents, who are learning to understand gender-neutral pronouns, to my friends who are out at protests every week.
Anything in particular you've been working on?
My partner Isa and I are working on developing classes for our project Practice Practice. We are using a workbook we published in 2024 as a foundation for the class. The classes are based on the workbook, but the in-person element is totally new. We want to create an environment where students support each other with peer-to-peer knowledge exchange. The classroom also allows for emergent conversations, which is really exciting. My hope is that working with people directly will expand what we can offer and make our project stronger.
The work in this show is very much in progress and emerging. It's much more expressive than I’m used to making. It’s figurative. It’s direct. I feel a bit vulnerable putting out this kind of work. I’m getting used to it. The work doesn’t feel resolved yet, and I’m trying to be okay with sharing it anyway.
I’m also working on learning Spanish! Práctico español todos los días!
Tips, Tricks, Techniques?
Get plenty of sleep.
Eat three square meals.
Take lots of baths.
Be silly.
Tell your friends you love them.
Read.
Buy art from your friends.
Favorite bands / albums lately?
Debi Tirar Mas Fotos by Bad Bunny has been on repeat all year long.
Other projects you see happening around that are cool?
“OK artists and makers for Palestine” is doing great work in Oklahoma. They hold online auctions every few months to raise money directly for individuals in Palestine.
I love “Gals, Gays, and Theys”. They’re an LGBTQ+ bike group based in OKC. I haven’t been on many rides with them lately, but I love what they do. Every time I go on a ride with them I have so much fun! It's so important for queer folks to be visible in Oklahoma. We’re outside, having fun, taking up space. It's great.
I also love the Floating Bookshop in OKC. Their selection of books is amazing and they do a lot of positive things for the community, like their Tea n’ Zines night.
I gotta plug Studio School at the Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center. It's such an amazing resource. It's affordable! All of the staff instructors are incredible. I’ve learned so much from taking classes, teaching, and being an artist in residence there.
Poem?
Strawberry!
Strawberry!
Strawberry!
Strawberry!
Visual artists (or whatever people) you've been digging lately?
Janna Añonuevo Langholz. I went to grad school with Janna. She has an amazing art practice that exposes the history of colonial violence against people from the Philippines by the United States, specifically in St. Louis, Missouri.
I’m also very much into the work of Cody Norman. I used to work with Cody in Chicago. He collects plastic directly from people in his neighborhood and reconstitutes it into public sculptures and other objects.
Links to anything you're involved in you want to share?
