CANOPY ART CENTER

Welcome to 1717 NW 16th St. in Oklahoma City’s vibrant Plaza District. Canopy is a working art studio, gallery, and hub for creativity. It houses 5 independent commercial artists specializing in; mural painting, graphic design, portraiture, hand lettering, and textile craft.

Resident Artists

Co-Founder
Carlos Barboza is an Oklahoma City-based artist originally from San Jose, Costa Rica. Raised in a family of creatives—designers, architects, painters, and cartoonists—art has been a part of his life from the very beginning. His work focuses on people, using bold portraiture and dynamic compositions to explore identity, emotions, and the contradictions that make us human.
In 2019, Carlos painted his first mural, a moment that solidified his passion for public art. He believes art should be accessible to everyone, not just those who can afford to visit galleries. Since then, he has painted over 50 murals across the country, earned multiple awards, and been featured in Oklahoma Magazine and the Oklahoma Hall of Fame Magazine. In addition to his mural work, he is a co-founder of Canopy Art Center in Oklahoma City’s Plaza District, providing a creative space for artists to connect and collaborate. He currently lives in Yukon, Oklahoma with his wife, Leslie, and their daughter, Maxine, who continues to inspire his artistic journey.
Resident Artist
Dylan Bradway is an artist, muralist and graphic designer from Oklahoma City who enjoys building unity with his local art community and continually works to connect with other people from all artistic walks through collaboration and volunteer work. With an increasing focus on public art and arts advocacy, Dylan has worked on multiple mural projects in Oklahoma City and around the state over the past 10+ years, including being co-creator of the Plaza Walls project and Vice-President of Oklahoma Mural Syndicate which was created in 2015. With an urban contemporary style, Dylan’s art holds illustrative qualities when rendering subject matter which is dreamlike and representational in nature. His work has been featured in various local publications and shown in multiple galleries/exhibitions in Oklahoma as well as New York City, Portland, Oregon, and Hannover, Germany. You can learn more about his work on Instagram @mydylanb.
Co-Founder
Dusty Anderson Gilpin is a third generation commercial artist in Oklahoma City. A multi-faceted artist specializing in graphic design, hand lettering, murals, and automotive realism. His work is vibrant and detailed with elements of mid-century graphic design, cartoons, and optical patterns.
He has worked in Oklahoma City’s Plaza District for 10 years cultivating creativity through organizing art shows, mural festivals, auto events, and concerts. Gilpin is continuing to foster his love for community, culture, and facilitating artists through his new endeavor at Canopy Art Center.
You can follow Dusty’s animated life on Instagram at @OkieDust or contact though his website.
Resident Artist
..a versatile and bold ‘pop’ artist hailing from the suburbs outside of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Tony was raised on a healthy diet of Cartoon Network, WWF, Nintendo, Skateboarding and Mtv. Inspired by the unapologetic graphics and attitude of the late 90's/early 2000’s era of skateboarding. Thunder is a self-taught visual and graphic artist that specializes in illustration and character creating.

His paintings can be described as a polite upper-cut of complex, bright and colorful layered backgrounds topped with dark, puzzlingly clean hand-drawn lines; a style that is recognizable to anyone who has ever crossed its path.
@TonyThunder_Art
Maeve Wise is a graphic designer, muralist and visual artist working in OKC and joyfully traveling wherever paint cans take her. Her work celebrates femme + fluid expression set in technicolor dreamscapes influenced by funky psychedelia and art nouveau.
She is highly skilled in brand design, hand painted signage, murals and custom installation works.
@Maeve_Makes_Magic

We’ve got you covered!

1717 NW 16th St was built in 1930 as a service station just off the path of Route 66 in Oklahoma City’s beautiful little Plaza District. The old gas station canopy in front of our building provides shade and protection from the elements. Just like the awning, when it comes to art - we’ve got you covered! Our team has decades of experience in visual art; graphic design, murals, signs, and commission fine art. Our gallery regularly showcases work for sale by our resident artists and other independent regional artists. While we don’t keep regular hours, our shop buzzes with activity throughout the week as we work in shop and on site. You can always find us open during LIVE on the PLAZA, the second Friday art walk in the Plaza District. You can also follow along with us on instagram for information about upcoming shows and artist calls: @CanopyOKC