Samantha Jezek | Tulsa Artist

On the Tulsa Is Home Podcast, host Chelsea Smith interviews Tulsa artist Samantha Jezek, known for bold, cheerful paintings and the message that viewers are “not alone.” Samantha describes discovering art later, studying interior design at OSU, late-night oil painting studio work and critiques, and a formative landscape-painting study abroad in Tuscany, plus a professor who pushed her. She recommends Philbrook for inspiration and Tulsa’s art community for connection, and Ziglar’s for quality supplies. Jess explains her shift from moody, dramatic work to brighter, joyful pieces influenced by God, her healing, and her husband’s encouragement. She shares her Not Alone series, created after addiction and 16 months of recovery, portraying ten colorful women to represent private pain and shared struggle. She discusses her studio process, layered work across many pieces, commissions, and keeping collections intact.00:00 Healing Through Joyful Art00:31 Feeling Alone in Recovery01:24 Tulsa Is Home Intro02:01 Meet Samantha Jess02:53 Finding Art Later04:09 OSU Studio Nights06:28 Critiques and Confidence08:03 Italy Study Abroad10:35 Tulsa Inspiration Spots11:40 From Moody to Bright12:45 Faith as the Muse13:26 Not Alone Series Origin17:10 Painting Shared Stories18:05 Painting Setup Rituals18:53 Music or Silence19:28 Focus Mode and Studio Space20:36 Planning the First Marks20:58 Working in Layers and Batches22:49 Commissions and Letting Go24:16 Advice for Struggling Artists24:57 Saving Kids Artwork27:08 Tulsa Rapid Fire Picks29:44 Wrap Up and Where to Follow