On The Edge Of The Pearl

Wednesday, February 21st 2007, 10:18 am

By: News On 6

Downtown Tulsa is beginning to show signs of life as work at the BOK Center moves forward. On the other side of downtown at 1201 East 3rd Street, several people are doing their part to upgrade older neighborhoods one building at a time.

As News On 6â€™s Rick Wells reports another showcase for local artists has opened.

An old downtown Tulsa building may have been a milk processing plant in its early days. Most recently it was home to Lisa Regan's Garden Diva Gallery. Last summer Doug and Janet Edwards opened the Pearl Gallery.

"We've always been interested in this part of the neighborhood. We wanted to be downtown, we think downtown is gonna come back," said Janet Edwards.

The name Pearl Gallery and the slogan â€˜on the edge of the pearl,â€™ refer to its location on the edge of Tulsa's Pearl District. The neighborhood is roughly bounded by Peoria and Utica and from 3rd Street south to 8th Street. It's an older area the neighborhood association hopes to revitalize.

In just a few months that the gallery's been open they've tried to put together a wide variety of art and artists. "I'm real proud of this artist her name is Shawn Wilson. She studied for many years with a Sumier teacher, finally the teacher gave her own chop which is pretty significant," says Janet Edwards.

The gallery features paintings, sculptures, jewelry, art glass and some very unique masks. Janet's husband Doug used to create prosthetic makeup for movies and television. That led him to the creation of several masks, like the one Rick Wells is wearing. Some are pretty and some are pretty grotesque. And they are designed to be worn over the eyes or on top of the head.

The Pearl Gallery is located on 3rd Street just west of Peoria. It is open Wednesday through Friday, or as they say anytime the lights are on.