I.

Coming up next on Gallery America, we step into the studio of multi-talente Edmond artist Zonly Looman, who stays busy working on painting, tattooing, music, and more.

And we dip into the archives to meet baseball bat maker Matt Floyd.

All that coming up now.

Hello, Oklahoma.

Welcome to Gallery America.

We're here deep in the heart of downtown Edmond.

Something that's great about Edmond is that they really support their local art.

Like this mural by our next artist, Zonly Looman.

Zonly is a very dynamic individual.

And in addition to murals like this, he does music.

He does tattoos.

He even does life painting demonstrations to raise money for charity.

Take a look.

Art is my passion.

It's my life.

Into my core and into my soul.

And this is who I am.

Yeah.

Clap for that Cause that's a good thing.

In every form of art there is.

I pretty much do it.

*singing*.

Okay, when I paint.

I am a unique person, and I put that into my art.

And I put that into my walk into my daily life.

I would say that I do art and I create art, because it's inside of me.

This is good medicine.

And that's what we're here to do, is great.

If I wasn't able to put that on the canvas into the world, I'll go crazy.

Rewind that song.

*singing* Rewind the song.

My name is on Zonly Looman.

30 years old.

Been painting and doing art for the majority of my life.

This is.

You know, this is the Mecca.

Anybody that's ever came in here and created, you know, created artwork o created music, they'll tell you, man, there's something special about the ground here and about the wall here, and special stuff happens.

Yeah.

Good.

Some of the earliest paintings I ever did was with my mom watching, Bob Ross.

But now.

Okay, but didn't that one super way to make some happy little foothills?

It's on PBS.

We don't make mistakes.

We have happy accidents.

Oklahoma City.

We moved out here when I was 16 from Rocklin, California.

So, yeah, 16 years old having a complete culture shock.

Just way different than California.

It was, it was a good culture shock.

But at the same time, there was definitely some struggles.

Wasn't till about a year in, that I ended up making friends.

I'm not mad about it.

I'm not sad about it.

I think it was all part of character building.

And, you know, being uncomfortable makes you comfortable in other situations.

And so it's all good.

I would say I'm very intense when I paint.

Don't always like to have an exact image in my mind.

Sometimes it's a whole one 80 minute.

Kind of crazy.

It almost looks like a globe right there with, like, the continents on it.

It's like a half.

So I see.

I might set out to paint one thing, and then it comes out completely opposite.

But, you know, that's what wa supposed to come out that day.

Just got like, a meadow with some trees.

And now we find in buffalo shape.

Kind of looks buffalo right when it's done.

Each piece really inspires me to create the next one.

And I know for a fact that I wouldn't be able to create that next one until I create this one.

They looked at the buffalo lik that was like, that was human, this rare man.

And it it's supposed to be the most sacred.

The white buffalo out of all the buffalo, baby.

This mor than seven and you get to know when you're finished.

I would say is probably like the most important trait of being an artist.

You and I feel like onc you know, when you're finished, I could say that you're a professional.

Okay.

The buffalo, one of the most sacred animals here across the plains, for sure, you know, represented of, peace, abundance and new life to come.

But it's also supposed to be a warning.

And the warning is to reflect on our prayer life, give thanks for what we have, because what we have is a blessing.

“The program will begin in five minutes.

Thank you, Im batman” Good evening.

I would like to welcome you all to the eighth annual oica Heroes ball.

Right now, I'm 30 years old, and I've been doing the live painting now for probably eight years.

Locally renowned Oklahoma artists.

It's all a little bit of teaching.

Arts.

Every kind of like, personal blessing.

You know, I get down on my knees and I pray on the canvas, and I'm barefoot.

You know, I like to be closer to the earth.

“ you'll have the pleasure of watching hi create a one ofa kind painting which weill auction off the road tonigh for the lice auction.” I think sometimes I kind of have t tone it back when I'm at these, at these events, and we got all these people in suits and gowns and I got my little three foot by five foot space by man that they gave me a 20 by 20. i”d mess it up.

I'm going to bring Zonly to the stage, and he's going to talk about this one of a kind, gorgeous piece of art.

You saw him make tonighy.

it's probably very awkward.

And tonigh you see I painted the buffalo.

I try to put him through what I call the buffalo blessing.

Now, when I say buffalo I want you all to say blessing.

You think we can do that?

Buffalo?

Buffalo.

It's fun, and it's a fun activity.

It's kind of an icebreaker.

Every single one of u in this room, we have a buffalo.

We have a blessing.

We have a gift.

And every single day that we wake up, we have an opportunity to use that gift.

Yes.

Laughter.

Good, because that's a good thing to have.

*auctioneer* And now there's other what do you get a gift for?

Here, give me five, five, five of the five, 600, 700, 800, $800, thousand dollar bill.

17, 2000 24, Do i have 25?.

5.. 5... 5... Sold!

Say to you.

Thank you for your time.

I'll never even know how many people we've helped through the art.

ready for the TV debut ?

I call him Z.. How are you doing?

I'm good to see you.

I got some buffalo for you.

You're.

Oh, great.

This is word of mouth.

More people like, hey we want you to paint a buffalo.

I was at a, live painting.

Oh, gee whiz, she was pretty emotional.

It had really touched her about the buffalo and about what it means and what I was doing there.

And it was a cool little interaction.

And she said, hey, I've got this foundation, that works with the UN, and, I'd really like you to be a part of it.

Of course, I'm just like, yes, I'm here today to pick up a painting from Z that he is so kind and gracious, to allow global housing to be able to use it and auction it.

I like a both.

So I, I was just trying to give you a I did give you some range.

My head immediately.

It just kind of blew my mind.

So I'm like un United Nations.

What are you talking about?

We're in Oklahoma City and I'm going to choose this guy.

He.

And it's hard right to pick but hte eyes, really we are a conduit to what is meant to be to produce something way beyond that.

Perhaps a little more subtle, but then you star seeing so many things about it.

Global Housing Foundation will always be very grateful for zonly.

Known him for probably about 13-14 years.

Now.

Frank.

Sure.

I think I'm going to draw it up here.

So right now I'm drawing a, candlestick that's got a flame on both sides.

And that kind of like a dark red like that to.

I couldn't even tell you how many tattoos I have at this point.

I haven't counted them in you know, probably 3 or 4 years.

I think that each piece is unique.

I don't think anyone can just go pick up a tattoo gun and and do what he does.

Is that a tropical teal?

Yeah.

Let's try it.

You know, we started I think it was the, you know the second tattoo we ever did.

Probably the first one with color.

You see any vibration on the skin?

You know what I'm saying?

And I knew that within that first tattoo, that first hour of m putting the needle in the skin, that I could do something with that it was.

It was a calling this new tattoo artist, in my experience, that can take an image or an idea that I have in my head and really translat that to the tattoo that I want.

I've change people's lives in the sense of helping them with tattoos on their body, giving them something that, you know, a memorial pieces for their family members or something that builds their confidence or even getting rid of an old bad tattoo.

Yeah.

Rocking with it on time.

So I got a candle burning at both ends.

And, you know, it's kind of kind of a reminder for myself and my personal life not to stretch myself too thin trying to do everything, you know, kind of take my time and just enjoy things.

Good times.

It's it's.

It's been awesome to see you and along the way.

And, you know, the stuff he does for the community is amazing.

And, he's really, really perfecting his craft.

This has put more money now I've got to see him progress in his career and, you know, do everything from canvases to tattoos to music.

So give me my head on the page.

The second half of the story.

I know you have a story, and I'm thankful because that wasn't always the case.

Music was probably one of the last things I got into is something that my older sister, Kelsey, always tried to get me.

Give me to get int because she was a singer, right?

*singing* and we've been working for the last five, six, seven years at least on the projects and curating a sound and creating what we want.

Ready when you are, jack!

ready.

Here we go.

Yeah, it was just something I neve really believed in for myself.

It became a natural thing hanging out with my buddies and then over freestyling in the car.

I do what you do is how you do one of my buddies is like, dude, you're good at this.

You know, you need to start doing this.

You need a, you need a record.

I scheduled three sessions, canceled all three of them because I got so nervous and, it took me took me a whil to finally find my confidence.

*singing* the original goal was to do ten weeks in a row, ten singles every single Friday, and we're going to end up with eight videos and nine singles that are released.

I think personally the music is probabl the most fulfilling to for sure.

*singing*, doing art is one of the most judgy things in the world.

You know what I'm saying?

Yeah and everybody's got an opinion.

And, you know I've seen what I've seen.

And I felt what I felt, and nobody can take that away from me.

You know I think mentally I stay afloat because I do the different types of artwork and it just keeps me rejuvenated.

And, you know I've had a long day tattoo in.

I need to go throw some paint because I've been locked in right here, and I need to just you know, get after like that.

You know, we're all unique people, experienc and unique things in this world.

And that's what makes it great.

When it goes on, it looks wet.

And then it stays looking like that, you know?

And you've been busy.

Yeah, we've been busy.

We've been working.

We busy with a lot of cool stuff.

So, like I say now, if that's still available.

Yeah, that's gone.

Okay.

The good dancer that's gone.

Okay.

The yellow hawk/ gone that's already guaranteed.

Yeah.

I'm telling you,.

Okay.

boom boom boom.

Right out of the tube.

You, me on this one specifically, I started out with the paintbrush and I started getting frustrated because I just couldn' get it as vibrant as I wanted.

Proudest moment so far.

Any time that I can create and inspire and just give back to the world, man, that that's a proud moment.

So I hope that one day that when people refer to my art, they just say it's is only.

There we go.

Tattoo to painting, t sculptures, to performance art.

Maybe want a piece of that performing in the booth to make music.

Now to go perform on stage in front of people.

I do art and I create art, because it's inside and.

And, you know, you going to be on camera today, Jack?

I've got this home here in Oklahoma, and the people are good to me.

And, I feel like I do have calling in a purpose to be here.

But at the same time my purpose is definitely bigger.

And that looks like a Z piece.

Hey, man, we're doing okay.

*laughs* You can keep up with us only by following him on Instagram at ZonlyLooman.

Fun fact about Zonly- he actually got a scholarship to play baseball in college.

Looks like I'm up.

Now, I'm not as good as on zonly, but I actually play on a sandlot team called the OKC Honkers.

Yeah!

All this baseball reminds me of back in 2019, when we went to Chocta to meet a guy named Matt Floyd.

Using YouTube, he taught himself how to make bats, and now he ships them all over the country.

Check it out.

When winter winds up another season and spring hits the field, that's when Matt Floyd gets to work.

You can find him in his shed before sunrise on most mornings, making baseball bat.

And I didn' set out to start a bat business.

It was more like a side job at first.

It just kind of alway felt like the right thing to do.

So I wanted somethin that could supplement my income and have a little bit more flexibility.

I hand cut about 10 to 12 bats a day.

And then I'll d the finishing on on those bats, start the painting or stainin or whatever process they want, and then I'll start cutting ten more the next day.

You might say baseball is in his blood.

I played grown up and in Washington State, and then I played at Santa Barbara City College in California, and I played in colleg at Southern Nazarene University, and I helped coach a Mid-America Christian University and I started training people for a long time, for about 12 years here in Oklahoma.

But as happens to all of us, time does take a toll.

I was getting pinched nerves in my neck from throwing so much, and so I was thinking of a different thing that I could do, to work from home.

And I've always wanted to do woodworkin and and finishing out the stuff.

That I did was I just watched the video on the internet and then, learned how to, use the chisels by watching videos.

And that was like a day out from Home Depot and tried to figure out how the chisels work.

And then once I did that, then I kind of got confident that I could do it.

And then I just talked to really all the kids that was training and their parents and just tell them, you know, if you if you want I would that buy the materials?

I'll make it for free.

And either you're going to end up with something that's not very good, or you'll end up with a good quality bat for really cheap.

That was five years ago when Floyd had to wait a month to get an order for one bat.

Today, he can't churn them out fast enough, and now it seems lik I'll have ten ordered one day.

And then right when I almost get them finished, then I have 20 more ordered.

And so now I'm trying to keep up, you know.

Matt Floyd ma not be one for flowery speeches, but he knows baseball an he knows how to make wood bats.

So well, then he has clients all over America.

So the beginning stage is really just choosing the right wood.

Like all this wood that I have here are called splits.

So they're not sand.

So when they take the, the tree down and they, they cut it up instead of taking a saw and, and cutting across the grains, they take a wedge and, and drive it into that, that tree, that log and split it.

And so at that does is it splits along the natural slope of the grai and makes it a lot more durable.

So all this wood, that I have are splits.

So if somebody wanted to drop three 34 inch, 271 model or, or these models are, I know that that starts with a 5 pound, nine ounce, starting weight piece of wood.

And so this right here, this is our soft maple.

This is what we use for fungos, and we use it for, T-ball.

Players that want wood bat an first year coach pitch players.

It's a lighter piece of wood so they can handle it.

But, older kids don't want to swing this because they'll break it.

But it's perfect for younger kids.

These stocks here, these are maple, 31 inch, maple stock.

This is our youth stock.

Maple is a very hard piece of wood.

It's really durable.

And it finishes really well with paint, so it looks real, real clean with paint.

People in high school, they want, they have to use a drop three which is the length of the bat.

Minus three would be the ounces.

So a 33 inch bat would be 30oz.

And that's the regulations they have to use.

Whereas, a 13 year old might have to use a drop five for their league.

So at 25 or let's say a 30 inch bat had to be a 25 ounce bat or youth players use a drop ten you know, a lighter weight bat.

This is our our pro grade maple stock.

This is what we use for college, professional players, high school players.

And then over here we have we have ash and ash, has a lot more flexibility than maple.

So it has it can have a little bit more pop to it.

And pop is, you know, people can hit a little bit harder with it.

The ball jumps off the bat while Floyd started the business.

He calls mats Bat to help support his family.

He has another objective to support kids.

I said, I get a lot of people that want to be that are wanting to order bats for me because they're kind o get to be part of the process, you know?

So the custom options are not just you can change the color of a handle or change the color of a barrel.

There's pretty much limitless on what they can do, on their designs.

And so they really ge to fully design their own bat.

And then I just get to walk them through how it can work and, and the process.

And then I just pay attention to what they want and follow their direction and yeah, we have a team here the other night that came out, and they get to come for three hours and, and then what I'll do is I'll cut a bat and then watch and then they get to help cut on the bat.

So I let him use the tools and show them how to do it.

Remember, a kid came over to our house to make a bat and he was 12 and didn't know how to use a tape measure, and I thought that was weird, you know?

And so as far as, education and and taking out, skilled trades, not not as much.

Kids are learning skilled trades.

So I want I want people to feel confident that they can use tools.

That's one thing that they can, they can figure things out.

They can work on things.

They know how tools work.

And so here they can use a lathe, they can use a drill, they can use a saw.

And, and hopefully just even that one time can give them a confidence to know how tools work when the days start to warm and somewhere an umpire calls play ball, players everywher can rest easy in the knowledge that at the crack of dawn, Oklahoma's very own Batman is hard at work making the bat.

They need to hit it out of the park in style.

I'm enjoying it.

I'm enjoying the rhythm, and I'm enjoying having, work that is seasonal.

So there's lots of wor during certain times of the year and there's certain times that are slower, where we can press as a family and get to spend, you know, really quality time together.

So I'm enjoying that.

You.

Well, that's all the time we have.

Thank you so much for joining us.

As always, you can see past episodes by visiting our archives at a OETA.

tv slash gallery.

America.

And don't forget to follow us on Instagram at oetaGallery.

We'll see you next time.

And till then, stay arty.

Oklahoma!