Digging deep into the works of a Tulsa artist and longtime educator this summer, three University of Tulsa students discovered a treasure trove of curiosity, joy and wonder. Now, they are working on a way to share it.
The art of Patricia Hollingsworth, the founder of University School on the UTulsa campus, will be the subject of a March 2027 show at the Oklahoma Center for the Humanities.
The students are curating the 101 Archer retrospective as part of the Tulsa Undergraduate Research Challenge (TURC).
“I hope that the exhibit honors her legacy by introducing new audiences to her art and the impact she had on her community, especially through the University School at TU,” said Hannah Harris, an art and art history junior from Oklahoma City.
Hollingsworth founded University School in 1982 with a single class of five students. She taught art, kindergarten and served as director for four decades as the private school grew. Its current enrollment is 231 students, ages 3 through eighth grade.
Her body of work perfectly suits the Oklahoma Center for Humanities’ theme next year of “Wonder,” said Jason Rafferty, an applied assistant professor of art who is co-directing the research project with Leslie Gore, USchool’s lead art instructor.
TURC offered the three undergraduate art students a unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience in curation and exhibition management, Rafferty said, along with the opportunity “to engage with an exemplar of a rich creative life.”
A prolific artist, Hollingsworth’s paintings involve a wide range of visual styles and color palettes. Her work grew out of a lifelong love of museums and the natural world, which were central to her family’s travels.
“She keeps you on your toes as a viewer,” Rafferty explained. “You never know quite what trick her paintings will pull off to convey their emotional impact. Her work is joyous and resists a single interpretation.”
The UTulsa students examined 30 Hollingsworth paintings and 20 works on paper. The research also included three dozen artworks created by her students when they were seventh and eighth graders.
Sophia Zoellner, a fine arts senior from Tulsa, helped photograph and repair some of the artwork. Along with sophomore Ella Percifield, Zoellner will curate the show and decide where each piece hangs in the 101 Archer gallery.
“The pieces by Pat Hollingsworth are truly incredible, and I cannot wait for the Tulsa community to get to enjoy them this coming spring,” Zoellner said.
Harris was drawn to the project by the chance to combine research, curatorial work and design. She interviewed Hollingsworth’s family, friends and former co-workers to learn about the artist’s life, artistic practices and impact.
Harris also is designing an exhibition catalog. “Hearing these personal stories about her,” she said, “has provided valuable context for understanding her paintings and has helped me think more deeply about how to communicate her legacy and personality through the catalog design.
“Ultimately, I want visitors to leave inspired to look at the world with the same sense of wonder that Dr. Hollingsworth brought to her artwork.”