April 10 Circuit of Art Draws Norman Studio Artists

NORMAN – They say the third time’s a charm.
 
Local art galleries will find out for sure on Friday, April 10, when the Second Friday Circuit of Art comes to town. The third installment of the Norman Arts Council’s new monthly art gallery route features art exhibitions, live entertainment, guest artists and much more. 
 
The new arts loop is a monthly Cleveland Area Rapid Transit route that connects the Downtown Arts District, outlying galleries, performance halls and Campus Corner to accompany an art walk every second Friday of each month.
 
This month, Norman studio artists are flocking to the scene to join in the fun. For the first time in the series, artists will set up on the Main Street sidewalk between Jones Avenue and Crawford Avenue throughout the evening. Members of the Norman Studio Artists Association also will display artwork in studios above Forward Foods and MAINSITE Contemporary Art.
 
“It is my goal to have Main Street and Campus Corner bustling with art buyers, furniture buyers, jewelry buyers, food buyers and whatever else is available for purchase or appreciation on the second Friday of every month,” said Rick Fry, executive director of the Norman Arts Council. “I want Second Friday to be an experience that people look forward to with great anticipation each month.”
 
Local artists include Deborah Brackenbury, Kiki Hiott, Karyn Gilman, Bill and Juanita Williams, Ruth Borum and more.

For only 50 cents per ride or $2 for the whole evening, visitors can hop on a CART trolley at the Old Town Centre on Main Street in front of the Cellar and Copelin’s, or any other stop on the route, and visit participating art galleries and organizations from 6 to 10 p.m. CART riders can get on or off at any of the multiple stops throughout the evening.
 
New changes to the CART route include stops on Asp Avenue and Jenkins Avenue, allowing better access to local restaurants and other galleries. 
 
Many galleries will be open throughout the evening, with most featuring free admission, live entertainment and other activities.
 
As part of its new Art “à la CART” series, the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art on the University of Oklahoma Norman campus will offer hands-on photography activities, live music and short films by the deadCENTER Film Festival from 6 to 9 p.m. Students and faculty from the OU School of Music will provide music for the evening, with the Rossitza Goza Violin Studio and the Brian Dobbins Tuba & Euphonium Quartet. The OU student-based Oklahoma Contemporary Movement will perform 20th century compositions with dance and theatre elements.
 
Dreamer Concepts Studio and Foundation (DCSF) at 324 E. Main St. will unveil a new exhibition titledDreamer 18: Bicyclette, which focuses on works and activities associated with the bicycle culture. The opening reception will begin with a “critical mass ride” starting at Buchanan Bicycles at 561 Buchanan Ave. on Campus Corner.
 
“I didn’t even know the bicycle culture was out there,” said Amber Clour, executive director of DCSF. “I was amazed at the different kinds of bicycles and the culture of bicycle gangs out there. I want to provide an opportunity to show off what these people are doing with an exhibition that includes artwork, track stand competitions, the critical mass ride and the spokes card competition.”
 
The exhibit will feature a juried spoke card competition, tricked out specialty bicycles and artwork centered around life on the road via bicycle. Throughout the evening, bicycle enthusiasts and art lovers can enjoy a variety of performances by local bike gangs and groups, including Energies, a combination of optic, auditory and kinetic energy that ultimately creates an abstract “song.”
 
MAINSITE Contemporary Art at 122 E. Main St. will present a new exhibition with works by OU masters of fine arts thesis candidates Stephanie Jung, Michael Wilson and Cong Zhang.
 
Dozens of other free activities and openings are scheduled by members of the Norman Gallery Association and its supporting organizations throughout the night. Participating galleries include The Performing Arts Studio, Firehouse Art Center and The Crucible Art Foundry, to name a few. A complete list of each participating member, as well as a CART map for the evening and instructions for riding, is available online atwww.normangalleryassociation.com.