"All Local. All Groovy." That is the tagline of one of the Tulsa area's most exciting new summer events.

Founded by Tulsa artists Amy Addington and Tamra Short, Second Saturday at Riverwalk Crossing is a monthly outdoor market of local art. This unique event was created as a way to unite local artists by providing them with a casual and encouraging venue to show and sell their work.

"The heart of this event was to give local artists and entrepreneurs an ongoing opportunity to connect with their public," Addington said.

Long-time friends and native Tulsans, Addington and Short wanted to pull Jenks into Tulsa's developing art scene by creating an event that would attract artists from across the city and the state. They developed the idea for this summertime monthly art event earlier in the year and are excited at the success it has already generated.

The event began in May and hosted the work of 15 diverse and talented Oklahoma artists and artisans. Both women work in the medium of fused glass and mosaics. Regarding the success of May's Second Saturday, Addington said, "I sold as much work there as any show I have ever done." The line up of artists participating in June's second Saturday has doubled in size, and there is plenty of space for more artists and artisans to sell their work.

As an artist herself, Addington is well aware of the competition that typically exists amongst artists as they struggle to show their work in galleries and make a name for themselves. In addition to providing a fun, summertime event for art lovers, Second Saturday at Riverwalk Crossing also caters tremendously toward artists. "This event is intended to connect with needs of artists," Addington said. "It makes for a fun event, is great for networking and encourages artists to work together instead of competing against each other."

Just what kind of art will visitors find on a second Saturday at Riverwalk Crossing? Anything and everything. Artists show off their varied talents such as: paintings, pottery, hand painted silk, photography and weavings. The event is not limited to the work of visual artists and includes a diverse array of entrepreneurial artisans such as candlemakers and soapmakers as well as gourmet bread and spice makers.

The only qualifications of those participating is that they must be working in Oklahoma and must actually create the work they are selling, meaning that it cannot come from an overseas market or other outside source. These stipulations keep the event true to its purpose of serving local artists and helps keep money for the arts within the state.

In addition to visual arts and crafts, Addington also has a passion for local musicians and consequently added a musical component to this event. Visitors will be able to enjoy live music such as blues, jazz, rock 'n roll and reggae, while browsing and making purchases.

June's Second Saturday event will take place on June 12 from 12 till 8pm at the Jenks Riverwalk on the cobblestone near the Farmers Market, where visitors can enjoy plenty of other shopping and restaurants.

"It really makes for a fun day," Addington said. The event wraps up in time for visitors to enjoy the Riverwalk Crossing's Summer Concert Series, scheduled for 8-10pm.

Second Saturday at Riverwalk will take place every month through September. While it is still in its early stages of evolution, it has already shown strong signs of interest by artists and consumers alike. Addington and Short are making plans for an indoor venue to house this event several times in the months leading up to Christmas. Given this event's tremendous success, it is safe to say it will continue to evolve and become a staple of Jenk's emerging art scene. "We would love to do it each year," Addington said.

More information can be found on Facebook under, "2nd Saturday at Riverwalk Crossing in Jenks," and artists interested in participating should contact Amy Addington at aartamy@gmail.com.

Heart of the Art

As can be expected Living Arts of Tulsa has something unusual taking place under its roof to keep Tulsan's up to date on the latest explorations of contemporary art. Heartbeat by Tulsa artist Geoffrey Hicks is an interactive light sculpture that connects the heartbeat of a performing dancer to an arrangement of 151 individually hung light bulbs hanging overhead.

The dancer moves around the floor to music, while the lights pulsate in speed, intensity and size to the rhythm of the dancer's own heartbeat. A heart monitor is connected to the dancer during the performance the same way a physician might monitor a patient as they jog. The heart rate signal then pulsates through a blue tooth that is connected to a circuit box on the wall that controls the light bulbs.

Hicks also installed a fingertip monitor on the wall for audience members to control the lights with their heartbeat as well.

Hicks's ingenious blending of technology with the organic nature of the human heartbeat began at Living Arts on June 5 and will be on display until July 31.

While the live performance of the event took place on the show's opening night, June 5, visitors will be able to view the installation and use their fingertips to create a personalized light show through the end of July.

More information about Hicks's diverse and intellectually stimulating body of work can be found online at geoph.com.