Melton Gallery(62)
- Jonathan Elmore
- Nov 24, 2025
- 3 min read
Updated: Dec 19, 2025
EDMOND
I had a pretty good time in college. Even though I was in school about three hundred years ago, when I went to the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond, those feelings of being a young man on campus came flooding back. It was inspiring to see young people at the beginning of their adult lives walking from class to class. Even if they looked a little exhausted or perhaps a bit hung over, they still had a glimmer of hope in their eyes as they backpacked it to the next lecture. There have been times I miss the power of first time discovery; learning new things, seeing new things, meeting new people. Since I've been on this museum journey, all that has come back, the newness of the world. It can be exhilarating. A prime example of seeing something new and wonderful happened at The Melton Gallery on the UCO campus.
I was in Edmond for another matter and decided to stop by the Melton since it was on my list of places to go. I didn't bother to check what time they opened so I ended up waiting forty minutes for the doors to swing open. Not a big deal. It was a beautiful day so I found a bench in the shade and tried not to look like an elder weirdo sitting on a bench in the shade on a college campus. Not sure I was successful! Anyway, I added more time to my parking permit when the doors opened and I made my way over to the gallery to see what I could see. They were hosting a fantastic show called "Wild Shadows" with works by Jessica Teckemeyer and Barbara Weidell. I loved all of it. Even though I very much enjoy traditional art like a painting of a person that's glossy and in a frame, these works were frameless and were able to combine all kinds of mixed media to evoke an otherworldly aesthetic. Whether it was intended or not, these two managed to meld traditional sculpture techniques and classic forms with the whimsy of fantasy and folk art. Seeing these 3D peices on stands, hanging on the walls, and even one dangling from the ceiling made for a great trip to an outstanding gallery. Many thanks to the curator for a great exhibit and to the cool guy working at the desk when I got there. (Edit: I found out his name is Hutton Coker. He's the gallery assistant, but he's still "the cool guy".) I say this over and over, being nice doesn't cost a thing and he certainly was. He even pointed out other exhibits around campus that I had read about, but didn't know where they were. That's a whole other post which I'll share about too. But for now, The Melton is a must see gallery. In addition to non-student shows, they also have senior exhibits toward the end of each semester. This gives these students a chance to show off what they've been doing in their classes. And if they're like I was in art school, they're also working in their dorm room, the common areas, the studio, the hallways, the cafeteria, outside, and at the diner at 3 a.m. HA!
Make a special trip to UCO in Edmond and see this gallery. You'll get to experience the feeling of being around young hopefuls and you'll get to see some great art too. Win!!
100 N. University Dr., Edmond, OK
405-974-2000
Entry Fee: Free
Mon-Thu 12:00-5:00, Fri 12:00-3:00
Jonathan Elmore ©2025
