Maxine & Jack Zarrow Collection - Edmon Low Library

About the Collection

The Maxine and Jack Zarrow Collection features more than 500 works of art from around the world, with a strong emphasis on paintings, mixed media pieces, and sculptures by prominent Native American artists including Fred Beaver, Harrison Begay, Woody Crumbo, Brummett Echohawk, Gina Gray, Benjamin Harjo Jr., Allan Houser, Mopope, Bill Rabbit, Ben Adair Shoemaker, Kugee Supernaw, Jerome Tiger, Dick West, and Charles Banks Wilson. This portal presents curated metadata developed over several years to document the collection.

The original catalog inventory was created by Ginger E. Kingman of Native American Arts Research in Tulsa. It was shared with the OSU Library by Gail Richards and art advisor Holbrook Lawson. The complete catalog is displayed online to illustrate the breadth of the Zarrows' collecting activity, although not all artworks shown are physically held by Oklahoma State University. Thumbnail images are intentionally low resolution to discourage unauthorized reproduction.

Jack Zarrow, a Tulsa native, and Maxine Foreman, originally from Texas, were both graduates of the University of Texas at Austin. Jack pursued a long career in the family's business, Sooner Pipe & Supply Corporation, while both he and Maxine dedicated themselves to extensive civic and philanthropic work. They founded the Maxine & Jack Zarrow Family Foundation, which focuses on improving the lives of individuals facing mental illness, medical challenges, or homelessness and reflects their commitment to community well-being and the Jewish tradition of tzedakah. Jack passed away in 2012 and Maxine in 2021, leaving a legacy of generosity and support for the arts.