Painting Dedication

Artist to Dedicate Latest Painting at State Capitol


OKLAHOMA CITY – Artist in residence and Oklahoma City University School of Visual Arts Chairman Mike Wimmer will dedicate his 39th painting at the state Capitol Building at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday.

The painting, titled “The Abernathy Boys,” depicts the culmination of the famous ride of the young Abernathy boys. On April 5, 1910, with Louis “Bud,” age 10, and Temple Abernathy, 6, on their horses Sam Bass and Geronimo, the boys headed to New York City from Oklahoma. They were on the trail for two months, riding to meet their friend, former President Theodore Roosevelt, as he returned to New York from an African safari. The painting shows the two boys astride their horses following behind Roosevelt and leading a delegation of the former president’s Rough Riders.

The piece is part of the Oklahoma Historical Paintings, a project of the Oklahoma State Senate Historical Preservation Fund. It is being sponsored by Representative Don Armes and Senator Don Barrington.

Wimmer painted many of the works in the state Capitol Building. He started working on a national scale primarily as a children’s book illustrator. Some of his other projects include creating a more kind and gentle Mr. Clean illustration for the popular cleaning products company, the cover art for Disney’s “Lion King” soundtrack, commemorative can designs for Planters Peanuts and an ornament featuring Will Rogers to hang on the White House Christmas tree as Oklahoma’s representative decoration.

Artist Mike Wimmer of Edmond, OK, center, is shown with state Sen. Don Barrington, left, and state Rep. Don Armes during a ceremony last week at the Oklahoma Capitol during which Wimmer’s painting depicting the Abernathy Boys was dedicated. The painting is based on Bud and Temple Abernathy’s horse ride during a parade in New York City in 1910

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