Oklahoma City has consistently been nationally recognized for its public art, and muralist Tiffany McKnight has been a major contributor in that space. Her first mural project came in 2020 when McKnight, along with six other artists, was commissioned by the With Love Project to create the now iconic wall of the Market at Eastpoint on NE 23rd Street. Since then, she has steadily been creating large-scale murals and has participated in both the Plaza Walls and Sunny Dayz Mural festivals. She has an eye-catching design under the Wanda Jackson bridge in Bricktown, and most recently the walls in the new natatorium of the Adult Wellness and Education Center in Norman. However, McKnight is more than an artist — she is an entire brand, with a goal of improving the future of the Oklahoma City art community.
Tiffany McKnight has been involved in the arts since an early age and graduated from OU with a bachelor’s in fine arts with a focus on printmaking. While she is primarily a muralist, her practice also includes surface design, which includes patternmaking for textiles. McKnight defines herself as an abstract artist, and her work is instantly recognizable featuring bold shapes and bright colors. “I am drawn to things like color and sunshine — those things just bring me a lot of joy,” she said. “Colors have an effect on people, as we gravitate toward what makes us happy and feel powerful. I want to create art that will energize a space.”
Last year, McKnight was a recipient of the Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition Artist Entrepreneur Program, where she spent 10 weeks learning skills to become a better artist. The program also taught financial literacy, allowing her to grow her business: People By People, or PXPOKC, is a creative network designed to provide resources as well as connect artists and business owners with opportunities to collaborate.
“I want to empower myself and other artists to know their worth and negotiate for their value,” McKnight said. She is sharing the skills she learned through the entrepreneur program to educate other artists on understanding contracts and advocating for themselves when taking on projects. With outdoor murals, there is a level of ongoing maintenance that is expected and typically written into the initial contract. “Understanding your value is much more important when you have a five to 10-year contractual agreement,” she explained.
“To me, being an artist is a life-long commitment, and has impacted how I move through life,” McKnight said. “I have never wanted to limit myself. I learn so much from every project, both as an artist and as the project manager for each mural. I want to continue sharing what I have learned with other artists in this community. The legacy I would like to leave behind, beyond just my physical artwork, is the effect I had on people. Did I empower others to live and create authentically?”
McKnight also noted that she has a new personal mantra: “I want to create an environment that feels inspiring and encourages community over competition. There is room for all of us to pursue our passions.”
