Severe Weather Art Exhibit In Downtown Tulsa Displays Statewide Weather Photos

Dozens of photos covered the walls of the Oklahoma Center for the Humanities "Storm Chasing" exhibit, giving people a glimpse into severe weather in the state.

"To capture Oklahoma storms correctly, you really need to show the nuance of it," said exhibit curator Dr. Dayne Riley. 

More than 50 different Oklahoma Photographers contributed their work to the exhibit. Dr. Riley said the snapshots came from people with all kinds of experience.

"There are also a lot of photos that were just snagged on phones as somebody saw something cool, so I think it's a very exciting exhibit that way," Dr. Riley said. 

Many of the photos included rainbows, lightning strikes and sunsets, but some had a much deeper meaning.

"So, this was the 1999 Moore tornado," Dr. Riley said, pointing to a photo. 

The photo captured a woman and her child taking cover under an overpass from a tornado in the distance. For many photographers, the images tell the state's history.

"We only see these things for just a few minutes at a time, these things are going to be around for the rest of our lives," said photographer Andrew Nichols. 

Nichols had three different pieces in the exhibit.

"You see a giant wall cloud, or a giant storm cloud, you see a sunset or anything like that, it's mesmerizing, and that's what I love about it; it's just the beauty of all of it," he said. 

Nichols hoped the photos inspired others to find a new perspective for weather.

"This is what we experience, but this is also what we, as weather photographers, love to do. We love to document, and if it inspires somebody else, then we have done our job," he said. 

The photos are on display at the Oklahoma Center for the Humanities until October 26th, 2024.