Incorporating the June Art Crawl into our date night, the spouse and I chose Brady District restaurant, Hey Mambo, for a brick oven feast. We sipped a Marshall Atlas and chewed a few slices of pizza with what I consider to be the best dough in Tulsa. Hopped up carbs and ale, we were ready to take on the artsy side of Tulsa.  

A short 200-foot stroll to Brady Street landed at the Brady Artist Studio. We were welcomed by the artfully messy world of ceramics when we opened the aged, heavy studio door. Clay blobs, pottery wheels, water filled containers, various supplies and ceramics for sale claimed most open real estate in the studio.

Next door, the Tulsa Glassblowing Studio provided us a visual show. I was surprised that among the arranged rows of metal folding chairs facing the work area where visitors could sit and watch the process, the front row was open. We sat down, and I realized why. It was around 120 degrees where we sat.  

We watch the young glass blower and his assistants grab the long metal pipe with the glowing red glass hanging at the end like a Willy Wonka sized lollipop. He removed the soft glass and brought it to his metal table where he began methodically rolling the bulb, reshaping it to his desire. As he was doing this, his assistant blew with puffy cheeks into the metal pipe making the bulb grow rounder. At this point, my body was begin to protest with dizziness. We then sought the cooler outside air, (100 degrees still), but 120 degrees was worth a short show.

With limited time, we did not stop at every participating establishment, but I noticed the Chrysalis Salon displayed art work, but couldn’t see if it was for sale. We then wandered into Polypress to find that they actually were not open after we had already begun our snooping; it was only slightly awkward. But, I did discover they sell local art work from the shop as well as letter-pressed invitations and cards. We trotted on passed Glacier Confections, our local chocolatiers, which smelled of chocolate heaven; and the new bar, Valkyrie, smelled of a good time.

At the Tulsa Artist Coalition Gallery the paintings of Ryan Pack produced impressive Wonderland-like works. Her art references modern day heroines with a fairytale twist. Then on to around the corner, next to The Tavern restaurant, we noticed people walking into an establishment. We followed with our curiosity being met by Pantoja’s gallery. I had read about the Cuban artist Jose, Antonio Pantoja Hernandez, visiting Tulsa on political asylum but thought he was no longer showing. His works are sadly beautiful filled with the brutal realities of Cuban political dictatorship.

Leaving Pantoja’s, it was closing in on 9 p.m. as the sun was dipping below Tulsa’s horizon; this is when the studios typically close. With the remaining minutes, we piddled around the new Henry Zarrow Center, hoping not to become the annoying visitors who just don’t seem to leave after hours. The space was a great gallery space, still crisp with newness and flaunting the works of TU art professors as well as the Gilcrease collection of Thomas Moran’s watercolors and sketches.

After 9, and after my pouting over not having enough time to see the Living Arts exhibit, we walked to Club 209, The Art Bar for additional art and a possible cocktail. It was opening night for artist Autumn Strutton, who was actually the floor R.A. at my college dormitory, which reminded me of how largely small this planet is.  

At the end of our date, we walked to our car parked a block north of The Brady. “Look,” I urged my husband to join in my awe. We pivoted our heels in the middle of Boulder Avenue. It was a beautiful sight—the view of Tulsa’s skyline I had seen before in passing but never stopped and looked. I then looked around at the antiqued red bricks of the Brady Districts buildings. These buildings were once warehouses; a stale and predictable service of storage. Now, the buildings enclose a creative industry, redefining Tulsa.

Britt Greenwood
www.tulsaartspot.com
www.facebook.com/tulsaartspot
Twitter: @tulsaartspot

I will be at the next First FridayArt Crawl on August 3rd at a booth on Brady Street promoting Oklahoma’s only arts advocacy organization, Oklahomans for the Arts, in which I am the Advocacy Captain for the Tulsa area.