Watch: 'Goff Fest' Honors Life, Work Of Architect Bruce Goff

A first-of-its-kind festival kicks off on Thursday and it honors the life and work of architect Bruce Goff.

His work includes the Tulsa Club Hotel, Boston Avenue United Methodist Church, and the Spotlight Theater. One of the features of GOFF Fest is a chalk mural of Bruce Goff by artist Alexander Tahmahn. It’s on the side of the Ahha Tulsa building.

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“This is definitely one of those pieces that you just kind of have to see to experience for yourself and you have a very short time to do it. A lot of colors and energy, and I just want people to have a great time,” Tamahn said.

Events and activities are happening across town this weekend, including at Goff's famous buildings.

Goff grew up in Tulsa and at just 12 years old, he apprenticed for the architectural firm, Rush, Endacott, and Rush.

The firm was at a building on Archer and Boston, and the mural is across the street. Goff died in 1982, but organizers Britni Harris and Karl Jones say he isn't well-known in Tulsa.

“I think that for so long, Bruce Goff has been unknown in our own community and in a place where he started his own career. And so, I think this festival is meant to inspire our community to embrace him as our own and continue the spirit that he had,” Harris said.

“I think people have sort of forgotten about him. There’s a lot of people of course who have been preserving his legacy. But I wanted to bring a lot more joy into it and work with people to celebrate and think about what’s already here in Tulsa, and what he left to us,” Jones said.

That's why they wanted to share his work through GOFF Fest. Throughout the next few days, there's an architect mixer, film screenings, a tour of homes he designed, a rooftop GOFF Ball, and a family festival at one of his buildings, the Spotlight Theater. A panel discussion Thursday night will cover the controversy of who designed the Boston Avenue United Methodist Church, Goff or art teacher Adah Robinson.

Harris directed a documentary about him called “Goff” that will air at Circle Cinema on Saturday.

"Goff Fest is really about the spirit of creativity that Goff inspired in his students. He was all about celebrating the individual and not really adhering to the rules and constraints of architecture and art. He wanted people to feel like they could be free within their own creative selves,” Harris said.

“We’re hoping to kind of inspire that creative spirit in the city of Tulsa,” Jones said.

GOFF Fest is going on until Sunday.

Some events require tickets, but most are open to the public and free to attend.