Over the first weekend of June, 2017, 14 Tulsa-area photographers participated in a masterclass with David Halpern, whose own work is presented in the current Gilcrease exhibition The Essence of Place: Celebrating the Photography of David Halpern.

The ultimate objective of the class was to help these already skilled photographers reduce the distractions and chaos that 21st century digital technology often presents, and to focus on making stronger, more compelling images. This exhibition, Hidden in Plain Sight: Unexpected Views of Gilcrease Museum, is the result of those two days of classroom discussions, extensive fieldwork on the grounds of Gilcrease Museum, and of lessons learned.

Despite challenging weather and light conditions, the participants found new and unanticipated ways to utilize their cameras to express their creativity more effectively. The works presented in Hidden in Plain Sight make obvious that photography, regardless of technology, is about bringing light to thoughtful compositions to create moving and inspirational art. With their unexpected views of what might otherwise have gone unnoticed, these photographers did exactly that.