exhibITion: Evolutions in Blue

amshot’s art opening, exhibITion: Evolutions in Blue, took place at amshot, 1300 N Broadway Dr. in Oklahoma City, on Thursday, October 23rd, 2025. It featured new artwork by OKC-based artist Laurel Payne.

Laurel works primarily in watercolor, pen, and ink. She’s fascinated with the environment, human connections, and how experiences shape perception. She earned a double major in Studio Art and Art History from Oklahoma State University.

Wristband donations for food and drink and 10% of art sales at exhibITion: Evolutions in Blue benefited the Oklahoma Monarch Society. The Oklahoma Monarch Society is dedicated to supporting statewide efforts to create and protect habitat for monarch butterflies and other pollinators in Oklahoma. Guests enjoyed beer from our local brewery sponsor, Wells.

Laurel says of exhibITion: Evolutions in Blue, “The beauty of landscapes, flowers, and the human body inspire me. These subjects speak to me and often cause a feeling of restlessness—a compulsion to offer a visual interpretation of emotions towards a scene or object. Pen and ink application provides saturation, precision, and value through line work while watercolor builds layers, depth, and organic movement within each painting.”

“I do not endeavor to replicate an exact visual copy, instead I strive to offer an interpretation of emotions toward a scene or object with focus on elements of color, line, shape, and value creating a conversation between control and chaos. I am captivated by the paradox of life, which is a mixture of purpose and unpredictability that I try to embrace with my process of combining planned and spontaneous layers,” says Laurel.

Also, a special thank you to our sponsor, Kaseya. Kaseya is the leading global provider of AI-powered cybersecurity and IT management software.