Art Center Opens In Growing Downtown Tulsa District

Art has a new home in the Brady District. It's part of a growing presence of artists - in what was already called the "arts district." The Henry Zarrow Center opened there Tuesday.

John Bryant is both an artist in residence and a student perfecting his printmaking skills. He can do both in a new, first class studio at the Henry Zarrow Center for Art and Education.

"Having the light, the sunlight and the incandescent, with that warm light, all of that makes a huge difference," Zarrow said.

Bryant is just one of the artists with studio space on the third floor of the Center. He's gaining experience both working alone and around other artists from many creative disciplines.

For the public, a first floor gallery is the main attraction. A Thomas Moran exhibition is there now through the end of the year.

Admission is free. But the Center is more about education than exhibition, which is why the entire second floor is classrooms.

Today children from Zarrow School were busy learning about art by making it themselves. Summer camps are planned, along with regular classes for all ages.

"Art is for all of us, and it's hard pressed in the schools right now and art isn't doing well with the budget cuts and so on," TU Arts & Sciences Dean Tom Benediktson said. "This allows TU to contribute to the art community and we want to be part of it."

The Zarrow Center is one piece of the growing arts presence in the Brady district. In the next year, more museum space, educational areas and offices for arts groups will open in the same block.