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N E W S + 2 N D F R I DAY G U I D EA R T S

+ W R I T I N G WO R K S H O P | P O O L E T R AV E L F U N DNORMAN MUSIC FESTIVAL

S T A F FE R I N N G AVA G H A N E X E C U T I V E D I R E C T O R

J O S H U A B O Y D S T O N A S S O C I A T E D I R E C T O R

C H E R D U N C A N E V E N T S C O O R D I N A T O R & P R O J E C T S A S S I S T A N T

S A R A H E X G A L L E R Y A S S I S T A N T

B O A R D O F D I R E C T O R S

M A R K M O R T O N P R E S I D E N T

L E S H A M A A G V I C E - P R E S I D E N T

S U S A N G R E E R P A S T P R E S I D E N T

B R E E M O N T O YA T R E A S U R E R

L A R R Y W A L K E R G R A N T S O F F I C E R B Y L A W S C H A I R P U B L I C A R T S C H A I R

N O R M A N H A M M O N R O U N D T A B L E C H A I R

A S H L E Y A D A I R - G A R N E R

E R I K B A K E R

C A R O L B E E S L E Y

G A B R I E L B I R D , D D S

J J B R A D F O R D

R O N C O L L E T T

A N N E H A R R I S

S K I P H I L L

M A R I A N N L AW S O N

H A L E Y M U R R AY

N I C O L E P O O L E

T Y S O N S TA N E K

B A R R E T T W I L L I A M S O N

S U P P O R T F R O M

Upwards of 80,000 people will make their way to Downtown Norman for Norman Music Festival 9 later this month (April 21-23, to be exact), and there is plenty to whet your appetite before then, too.

Theres The Writing Workshop featuring Ray Bradburys biographer Sam Weller happening on April 9 at Norman Public Library, a 2nd Friday Norman Art Walk (previewed here) and monks traveling across the globe to share a special ritual with us here in the plains.

Its going to be a beautiful spring, and the arts are looking to be the best part.

ON THE COVER:CLOUD NOTHINGSWWW.NORMANMUSICFESTIVAL.COM

JOSHUA BOYDSTONASSOCIATE DIRECTOR

BEST,

The Norman Arts Council and the Pioneer Library System present the Annual Writers Workshops on Saturday, April 9, 2015 from 9 a.m 6:30 p.m.

Price: $25 per person (includes lunch + wine & cheese reception with presenters)

SCHEDULENorman Public Library | 225 N. Webster, Norman

9 to 9:15 a.m. Check-in9:15 a.m. Welcome

9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Lynette Lobban (Editor | Sooner Magazine)10:30 to 10:45 a.m. Break

10:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Romney Nesbitt (Author & Creativity Coach)12:15 to 1 p.m. Lunch

1 to 2:30 p.m. Merline Lovelace (Historical, Mystery & Romance Author)2:30 to 2:45 p.m. Break

3 to 5 p.m. Sam Weller (Author & Authorized Biographer of Ray Bradbury)

5:00 to 6:30 p.m. Wine & Cheese with Authors + Book Sale & Signing at MAINSITE Contemporary Art | 122 E. Main

Register at NormanArts.org or call Norman Arts Council, 405-360-1162.

FUNDS FOR A WORKSHOP?A FLIGHT ACROSS THE WORLD?

A VOYAGE TO A NEW PLACE?

DISCOVER A NEW PLACE AND NEW WELL OF CREATIVITY WITH THE O. GAIL POOLE MEMORIAL

TRAVEL FUND.

APPLICATIONS ARE AVAILABLE NOW AT NORMANARTS.ORG

APPLY BY FRIDAY, APRIL 15, 2016!

BY DESIGNTIBETIAN MONKS BRING RITUAL TO NORMAN

Tibetan Monks from the Gaden Shartse Phukhang Monastery will visit Norman, Oklahoma, April 10-16, 2016, to share their culture. Plans are being made for a variety of events including a presentation on Tibetan monastic life, a lecture series, and the artistic creation of a sand mandala.

The public presentations begin with an Interfaith Gathering and Welcome Ceremony at 2 p.m. April 10 at the First American United Methodist Church, 1950 Beaumont Drive. A slide show on Tibetan Monastic Life followed by a question and answer session will take place at the Kerr Auditorium in the Sam Noble Museum of Natural History at 7:00 p.m. April 11. This free event is hosted by the OU Religious Studies Program.

From April 12-16 the monks will create the White TaraLong LifeSand Mandala from 10:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. This free event will take place at St. Johns Episcopal Church, 235 West Duffy in Norman. The team of monks may be observed in the process as they continue the ancient ritual of building the sand paintingthe most creative, labor intensive, and concentration intensive of all mandalas. Made of powdered and dyed stone, sand, dust, flowers, and charcoal, the sand mandala will require between 75 and 125 hours of effort, with several monks working at a time. The sand mandala may be viewed daily throughout the creation process from Tuesday evening through the closing ceremony at 3:30 p.m Saturday. This program is made possible, in part, by a grant from the Norman Arts Council Hotel Tax Grant Program and the Oklahoma Humanities Council.

The Oklahoma Humanities Council (OHC) is an independent, nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote meaningful public engagement with the humanitiesdisciplines such as history, literature, film studies, ethics, and philosophy. The humanities offer a deeper understanding of ourselves and others by confronting us with the questions, values, and meanings of the human experience.

As the state partner for the National Endowment for the Humanities, OHC brings people together to explore these ideas through programming and community grants that support book groups, exhibits, film festivals, teacher institutes, and more. OHC engages people in their own communities, providing forums for education, critical thinking, and productive civil discourse.

A series of public lectures will be offered by donation at St. Johns. April 13-15 at 7:00 p.m. beginning with Inner Peace for Uncertain TimesWednesday evening followed by Seeking Perfection in an Imperfect World on Thursday and Tibetan Singing Bowl Meditation on Friday.

Monks from the Gaden Shartse Monastery presented a series of lectures and created a sand mandala during visits to Norman in 2008, 2011, and 2014. Their return to Norman is a part of a national tour to be of service to the world community by nurturing peace, harmony, compassion, and tolerance through cultural exchange. For more information about the Sacred Arts of Tibet Tour 2016, please visit www.sacredartsoftibettour.org

Norman Cultural Connection, Inc. is hosting the visit by the Gaden Shartse Phukhang Monastery Monks. The monks will be available for personal blessings, consultations, business and home blessings. For additional information please visit www.normanculturalconnection.org To schedule an appointment contact Marial Martyn: (405) 201-9991 or marial.martyn@gmail.com

P R E V I E WFREE ON APRIL 21-23, 2016IN DOWNTOWN NORMAN

CLOUD NOTHINGS10 PM SATURDAY (4/23)

MAIN STAGEFOR FANS OF:

WAVVES, JAPANDROIDS

NIKKI LANE9:15 PM SATURDAY (4/23)

DEPOT STAGEFOR FANS OF:

WANDA JACKSON, MARGO PRICE

SMALL BLACK8:30 PM SATURDAY (4/23)

MAIN STAGEFOR FANS OF:

WASHED OUT, TWIN SHADOW

OPEN MIKE EAGLE7:15 PM SATURDAY (4/23)MAIN STAGEFOR FANS OF: EL-P, DANNY BROWN

THE COATHANGERS11:00 PM SATURDAY (4/23)

OPOLIS OUTDOORFOR FANS OF:

THEE OH SEES, TY SEGALL

POWER TRIP11:00 PM FRIDAY (4/22)GRAY STREET STAGEFOR FANS OF: ANTHRAX, LAMB OF GOD

NOBUNNY6:00 PM SATURDAY (4/23)MAIN STAGEFOR FANS OF: KING KHAN & BBQ SHOW, BLACK LIPS

FIND THE FULL LINEUP & SCHEDULE ATNORMANMUSICFESTIVAL.COM!

CATCH THE LATEST NORMAN ARTS NEWS AT

NORMANARTS.ORG

C L I N T W I L L I A M S AT S TA S H

A LO O K AT W H AT S H A P P E N I N G T H I S M O N T H I N D OW N TOW N N O R M A N

2ND FRIDAYS TA R T I N G AT 6 P M F R I DAY, A P R I L 8

PRESENTED BY:

JACKIE MILLER AT THE SOCIAL CLUB

The Social Club (209 E. Main) will host Norman artist, Jackie Miller, a Peter Pan-type drawn to ideas and objects that pass on feelings of childhood and innocent wonder. She practices wood burning because it combines the inclination towards tedious processes and working with wood. She finds that putting ideas into the process results in something enjoyable and special. Treats and beverages will be served!

MATTHEW FRANTZ AT RED BRICK BARRed Brick Bar (311 E. Main) will have Matthew Frantz, a maverick in the music world. Not easily pigeonholed, his music is soulful, honest, gritty, and relevant to whats going on in the world now. Music starts at 7 p.m. Karaoke will follow starting at 10 p.m.

THERESA, ANNIE & JULIE BRAGG AT D.M. WEALTH MANAGEMENTD.M. Wealth Management (201 E. Main) will host the Bragg family: Theresa, Annie and Julie Bragg. Like Mother . . . Like Daughters has been exhibiting across the Midwest over the past five years. Theresa Bragg and daughters Julie and Annie Bragg share a passion for photography. Theresa is a photography professor at Oklahoma City Community College and St. Gregorys University. She is a documentary photojournalist focusing upon Oklahoma small towns and rural life. Julie holds two degrees in photography and is a portrait photographer in Oklahoma City. She focuses upon travel photography, portraiture and photojournalism. Annie, a sophomore at Norman North High School, has developed her own style of photography after following around mom and sister. She enjoys photographing chairs, subjects from unusual angles and abstract subjects. Frank Lawrence is their musical guest.

BRENDON WILLIAMS AT STUDIO INKStudio Ink (220 E. Main) presents artist Brendon Williams. He will be doing

portraits for guests for under $20, too! They will also enjoy A Couple of Guys serving samples of their own brew and snacks!

OU MFA THESIS EXHIBITION AT MAINSITE CONTEMPORARY ARTMAINSITE Contemporary Art: Home of the Norman Arts Council (122 E. Main) presents the annual OU MFA Thesis Exhibition, featuring the work of Chris Cotton, Kyle Duncan, Brian Dunn, Bryan Rapp, Erin Raux, David Stevens and Micah Wesley, celebrating it with an opening reception during the 2nd Friday Norman Art Walk.

MILES DAVIS TRIBUTE AT OU FINE ARTS LIBRARYOU Fine Arts Library (500 W. Boyd) will be ending their first season of participating in the 2nd Friday Art Walks with an evening of Miles Davis music. Please join them for a celebration of the 90th Anniversary of Miles Davis birth with a performance of his controversial music of the late 1960s. The band will include Beau Mansfield, Charles Ciorba, Casey Gerber, Zoe Sherinian, Jonathan Nichol and Christina Giaona.

STACEY D. MILLER // RACHEL BRASHEAR AT THE DEPOTThe Depot Gallery (200 S. Jones) continues to feature the work of Oklahoma City artist Stacey D. Miller. Jazz duo Rachel Brashear and Aaron Tomasko will provide live music beginning at 7:30 p.m.

FLOWER POWER LOCAL MARKET // CLINT WILLIAMS AT STASHSTASH (412 E. Main St.) is super excited to bring their local farmers and makers back to East Downtown. Enjoy a farmers market party with food trucks, live music, art and bedding plants ready for purchase. The Loaded Bowl and The Midway Deli will serve up their signature healthy comfort foods! STASHs featured artist is Clint Williams, who brings the outer space into our space. His show is primarily paintings on puzzles (acrylics and spray paint). Also included, are a few block prints on paper, fabric, and wood, as well as original illustrations and paintings on other surfaces. He likes to maintain an almost childish element, but also enjoys the filthy and grotesque.

DRESSY BESSY // LABRYS AT OPOLIS Norman Arts Council and Norman Music Festival team up each month to

present the 2nd Friday Concert Series. This edition features longtime indie pop workhorses Dressy Bessy out of Denver, along with Labrys. The free

show takes place at Opolis (113 N. Crawford). Doors open at 8 p.m. with the show scheduled to start at 10 p.m.

KYLE REID & THE LOW SWINGIN CHARIOTS AT THE BLUEBONNETThe Bluebonnet (321 E. Main) will have Audra Yenny playing from 7 to 8:30 p.m. and Kyle Reid and the Low Swingin Chariots to follow.

PARTICIPATING NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS:

MAINSITE Contemporary Art: Home of the Norman Arts Council (122 E. Main) presents the annual OU MFA Thesis Exhibition, featuring the work of Chris Cotton, Kyle Duncan, Brian Dunn, Bryan Rapp, Erin Raux, David Stevens and Micah Wesley, celebrating it with an opening reception during the 2nd Friday Norman Art Walk.

The Firehouse Art Center (444 S. Flood) will be hosting its annual FAC Faculty Exhibition, which showcases recent faculty artwork. The multi-disciplinary exhibition highlights the artistry and skill of the Firehouses educational instructors and provides an opportunity for community members and students to connect with these individuals and their personal artwork.

The Depot Gallery (200 S. Jones) continues to feature the work of Oklahoma City artist Stacey D. Miller. Jazz duo Rachel Brashear and Aaron Tomasko will provide live music beginning at 7:30 p.m.

The Norman Public Library (225 N. Webster) will again host Adult Story Time beginning at 6:30 in the Gallery Room. On your way to the 2nd Friday Norman Art Walk, let them kick off your evening with a selection of readings performed by the staff of Norman Central and other special guests! This months theme will be poetry. Reading selections may contain mature content. Snacks will be provided.

OU Fine Arts Library (500 W. Boyd) will be ending their first season of participating in the 2nd Friday Art Walks with an evening of Miles Davis music. Please join them for a celebration of the 90th Anniversary of Miles Davis birth with a performance of his controversial music of the late 1960s. The band will include Beau Mansfield, Charles Ciorba, Casey Gerber, Zoe Sherinian, Jonathan Nichol and Christina Giaona.

Loveworks (127 W. Main) hosts The City of Normans Environmental Control Advisory Board-sponsored Waters Worth It Poster contest for elementary students, featuring approximately 120 different works of art!

F U L L L I S T I N G :

FOOD TRUCKS:

The 2nd Friday Food Truck Park (Peters between Main and Gray) will feature a variety of Oklahoma food trucks, depending on weather conditions.

GALLERIES, SHOPS & STUDIOS:

The Gallery at Providence Road (220 E. Main) will host a variety of artists: Brad Price with oil paintings, Don Schooler with oil paintings, Virginia Sitzes will have acrylic paintings, prints, monotypes, & hand-dyed, hand-printed shirts, Raleigh Tillman with pottery, poetry & postcards and Jenny Wilson with pottery. Live music provided by Trevor Pettway and Quinton Nolan.

First Fidelity Bank (131 E. Main) is hosting a childrens event for the 2nd Friday Norman Art Walk featuring Simply Art by Brittany Harris. Theyll start the session around 6:30. Get there early to nab a spot!

STASH (412 E. Main St.) is super excited to bring their local farmers and makers back to East Downtown. Enjoy a farmers market party with food trucks, live music, art and bedding plants ready for purchase. The Loaded Bowl and The Midway Deli will serve up their signature healthy comfort foods! STASHs featured artist is Clint Williams, who brings the outer space into our space. His show is primarily paintings on puzzles (acrylics and spray paint). Also included, are a few block prints on paper, fabric, and wood, as well as original illustrations and paintings on other surfaces. He likes to maintain an almost childish element, but also enjoys the filthy and grotesque.

Robinsons Repurposed (325 E. Main) is showcasing work from a variety of local artists.

The Social Club (209 E. Main) will host Norman artist, Jackie Miller, a Peter Pan-type drawn to ideas and objects that pass on feelings of childhood and innocent wonder. She practices wood burning because it combines the inclination towards tedious processes and working with wood. She finds that putting ideas into the process results in something enjoyable and special. Treats and beverages will be served!

The Crucible (110 Tonhawa) will showcase their Bronze Sculpture gallery with traditional and contemporary works by local and nationally known artists. Their skilled metal workers have produced many bronze sculptures around the state including The Guardian on the Capitol Dome. Technician/artists with 25 years experience will be on hand to talk about our process and answer your questions.

Bigfoot Creative (315 E. Main) will be hosting a Scholarship Fundraiser and Silent Auction with the show Portraits of a Bigfoot. There are multiple artists with pieces up for grabs, so stop by and make a bid. The scholarship will be awarded to a 2017 Cleveland County senior during the Fall.

Sandalwood & Sage (322 E. Main) is hosting Fusion a kaleidoscope of color and sound featuring art works that fuse 20th century modern styles with the 21st century feminine in mixed media by Ashley Primm. She experiments with all kinds of mediums, and is drawn to working in a fusion of semi-cubist, semi-abstract styles. They will have talented students from the McMichael Music Strings Program performing pop music hits

by Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, The Beatles, and more at a special evening of music from 7-9. Faculty members Allison Naifeh and Rebecca Panayiotou will perform with the students.

The Loop (225 E. Gray St.) will highlight the otherworldly photography of Richard Jazzar and Paige Cornelius, along with art by Brittany Harper. Also, bring donations of old blue-jeans and join them for a shoe-making event by Sole Hope to provide protection against a painful problem faced by African children.

D.M. Wealth Management (201 E. Main) will host the Bragg family: Theresa, Annie and Julie Bragg. Like Mother . . . Like Daughters has been exhibiting across the Midwest over the past five years. Theresa Bragg and daughters Julie and Annie Bragg share a passion for photography. Theresa is a photography professor at Oklahoma City Community College and St. Gregorys University. She is a documentary photojournalist focusing upon Oklahoma small towns and rural life. Julie holds two degrees in photography and is a portrait photographer in Oklahoma City. She focuses upon travel photography, portraiture and photojournalism. Annie, a sophomore at Norman North High School, has developed her own style of photography after following around mom and sister. She enjoys photographing chairs, subjects from unusual angles and abstract subjects. Frank Lawrence is their musical guest.

Artifactory (313 E. Main) will be open! Come check out all of their new vintage goodies they have in store as well as checking out all of the exciting classes they have coming up!

Studio Ink (220 E. Main) presents artist Brendon Williams. He will be doing portraits for guests for under $20, too! They will also enjoy A Couple of Guys serving samples of their own brew and snacks!

The Artist Studios above MAINSITE (122 E. Main) will showcase new works by Bill and Juanita Williams. Each will have new items.

Gallery 123 (123 E. Main) is celebrating its 6th anniversary. Come up and see the wonderful works of talented local artists. Cecelia Yoder has joined the gallery and is displaying her beautiful handmade jewelry. These are one-of-a-kind jewelry creations. Hand-sewn brooches fashioned from Victorian-era buttons are among the jewelry items crafted by Cecelia. Craftsmanship and originality are hallmarks of her necklaces and other jewelry. Whether youre looking for unique jewelry, textile art, sculptures, paintings, or glass art, theres something for everyone!

Gray Owl Coffee (223 E. Gray) will have photographs by two Norman-based artists: Becky Rice and Amy Sanders. Both artists exhibit work that conveys the out of doors as it is seen through the viewfinder of self. Sanders work is influenced by travel and conversations with both strangers and loved ones while Rice, in this body of work, focuses on the details of the whole, referencing motherhood and the desire to capture her own feelings in a tangible way.

BOLD Multimedia (215 W. Main) will celebrate artwork by browsing Mitsuno Reedys amazing paintings as you snack on delicious hor doeuvres. Spend the evening enjoying live entertainment from The Melodic Monks.

2ND FRIDAY CONCERTS & PERFORMANCES:

Norman Arts Council and Norman Music Festival team up each month to present the 2nd Friday Concert Series. This edition features longtime indie pop workhorses Dressy Bessy out of Denver, along with Labrys. The free show takes place at Opolis (113 N. Crawford). Doors open at 8 p.m. with the show scheduled to start at 10 p.m.

Michelangelos Coffee & Wine Bar (207 E. Main) will have Norman singer/ songwriter Chris Tubbs. He has a love affair with cinema, and its reflected in the compositions he writes. Many of them could be the soundtrack for films with the lyrical themes you might see played out on the silver screen.

The Bluebonnet (321 E. Main) will have Audra Yenny playing from 7 to 8:30 p.m. and Kyle Reid and the Low Swingin Chariots to follow.

Red Brick Bar (311 E. Main) will have Matthew Frantz, a maverick in the music world. Not easily pigeonholed, his music is soulful, honest, gritty, and relevant to whats going on in the world now. Music starts at 7 p.m. Karaoke will follow starting at 10 p.m.

Puebla After Art Walk (305 E. Main) will feature local band, WeatherPeople from Oklahoma City and have two host DJs, Sick Nick and DJ Sethalosha, both from Norman.