Seasonal crafts, butter boards at October Art Walk

Oct. 14—Normanites are sure to find an opportunity to get into the spirit of Halloween and fall through local business offerings and artist showcases at the October Art Walk Friday evening.

The 2nd Friday Art Walk takes over downtown once again this evening, bringing autumn beverages and halloween-themed crafts and live theater.

Gray Owl Coffee, 223 E. Gray St., will host local ceramic work by Norman-based Corporeal Ceramics, a clay project that focuses on physical connections of storytelling and making.

It was created by Lauren Panichelli, a public librarian, according to the event flier. The shop will provide materials and instruction for a create-and-take Halloween craft. Their seasonal autumnal beverages and baked goods, which were recently released, will be available from 6-9 p.m.

The Sooner Theatre, 101 E. Main St., will have its debut showing of the "Little Shop of Horrors," a Broadway and Hollywood sci-fi smash musical.

Nancy Coggins, development director of the Sooner Theatre, said the musical about a flesh eating plant has devoured the hearts of live theater goers for more than three decades.

Most years, the Sooner Theatre has a show that coincides with the 2nd Friday Art Walk. This season, Coggins said viewers will get to see a fun and "campy" story about a creepy plant.

"I think there's a lot of humor in this show and there's a bit of (horror), but not enough to scare you," Coggins said. "It's really kind of like those B-film movies of the 60s and 70s, and so you really get that campiness with it, which we all love at Halloween. Everybody's going to love it."

Showtime is at 8 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at soonertheatre.org.

Upstream Counseling Services, 317 W. Main St. will have a come-and-go open house event during the Art Walk.

Local photographer Britni Peel will offer professional headshot micro sessions for $40. Counselor Emily Mick said headshots are usually expensive, but the center wanted to partner with Peel to bring cost effective headshots to the Norman community.

Upstream will also feature multiple authors, including poet K. Elizabeth Durocher, who wrote an anthology of poems chronicling her journey with mental health, and Rainie Brooke, an author of multiple journals for mental health tracking.

Both Durocher's and Brooke's books will be available for sale.

"Our public spaces in the office have artworks all encompassing the theme 'Upstream' in one way or another, and we feature several local artists, including Leslie Waugh Dallam, Carla Waugh, and Judith Coker, who will be present some of the evening to discuss their pieces," Mick said in a release.

Local mental health-positive clothing and lifestyle brand Lavender & Whiskey Co. will sell clothing and items supporting mental health awareness there, according to the release.

Upstream is having a book drive for their "Little Free Library," an area converted from an antique fireplace in the waiting room. The library is available to the public during office operating hours.

Debbie Steele, co-owner of J-Byrd Home Boutique, 330 E. Gray St., will have at least 20 pieces of nature scenery art for sale, including butterflies, birds and bees. She said some are photographs, and others are oils or watercolors.

Steele said she is giving away seeds for plants that pollinators like Monarch Butterflies like to plant for next spring's migration from Mexico.

Art Walk goers can try a new TikTok trend at the boutique Friday — Steele said videos featuring wooden planks with softened butter and topped with different spices and flavors are getting millions of views, and Friday, Normanites can try her take on it.

"They make different kinds of butter — there's cinnamon butter, garlic butter and onion butter with herbs and chives. Then you get toast points and dip those in the spread," Steele said. "We've got a whole new batch of boards, and we're going to display the (butter board) on that."

Gallery 123, 123 E. Main St., will host their up and coming artist Dana Masters, who has developed a mastery of the acrylic pour, according to the flier. Her paintings will line the stairs up to the gallery.

Inside the gallery, they will have a selection of paintings by Madeline Dillner inspired by her travels to Costa Rica. Adult beverages and sweet treats will be served.

The Depot Gallery, 200 S. Jones Ave., will host the closing exhibit for Mitsuno Reedy's Now and Then in the North Room and a closing exhibit for John Wolfe's SERIES in the South Room.

Native Spirits will provide complimentary wine, and Celia Monroe and John Elish will provide music.

For a complete list of October Art Walk's offerings, visit 2ndfridaynorman.com

Jeff Elkins covers business, living and community stories for The Transcript. Reach him at jelkins@normantranscript.com or at @JeffElkins12 on Twitter.