Paseo Update! Arts, eats, and an always creative community

Last Updated on May 6, 2023, 9:37 PM | Published: May 6, 2023

OKLAHOMA CITY — Of all of the defined community districts across the full sprawl of Oklahoma City, it’s hard to think of one more aesthetically singular or recognizable than The Paseo Arts District.

For nearly 100 years, the artistic history of The Paseo has flowed into everything from its lauded restaurant scene to its uniquely independent shops and retail spaces to its beloved, decades-spanning festival.

But more than anything – perhaps even more than the instantly recognizable Spanish-style architecture that marks the neighborhood – The Paseo is known to this day for its artists and galleries, each upholding a century-long tradition that traces to the earliest outset of Oklahoma’s arts scene.

With the summer rolling in, bringing the kind of long, sunny days perfect for patios and art walks, there’s no better time to take a look at some of the recent additions and revamped legends keeping The Paseo moving forward.

Artistic Identity

Above all else, The Paseo is defined by its long history of art galleries and visual arts showcases, and that’s seemingly never changed in all these years.

The shops and restaurants all function as gallery spaces of their own, but the dedicated spaces designed purely to spotlight the city’s remarkable visual arts are still the lifeblood and soul of the district.

One the neighborhood’s newest, Wildfire Gallery, opened in 2021 with a focus on works of the “New West” style, featuring traditional western themes presented often with more stylized, contemporary techniques.

Local artistic powerhouse Denise Duong, whose work graces 21c, Science Museum Oklahoma, and the mammoth West Village murals on Film Row, opened Little D Gallery in 2017 and has been showcasing artists from all over the country, with an eye toward subversive, often activist works. 

But even the oldest and most well-established galleries are still keeping things fresh and creative.

JRB Art at the Elms, once the home of Paseo pioneer Nan Sheets, is launching its May/June exhibitions with “Fruit of Fire,” curated by musician Christian Pearson and focusing on works of wood, metal, and glass, and “Origins,” a show of new, humanistic works from OKC painter Beth Hammack.

“I personally believe good art is not just about pretty pictures or people,” Hammack told me. “It’s about the emotions of our common humanity and experiences.”

All You Can Eat

As OKC’s restaurant community has been enjoying a long overdue explosion onto the national scene, some of the biggest names in local food have been smack in the middle of The Paseo.

Chef Zach Hutton, owner of Scratch Kitchen & Cocktails in The Paseo, found himself named as a 2022 semifinalist for “Best Chef: Southwest” from the nationally competitive James Beard Foundation Awards. His delectable takes on southern classics like shrimp and grits, smoked chicken, and black-eyed peas continue to bring visitors to the district from across the state.

Burger Punk recently put down roots in The Paseo when they transitioned from one of the city’s best food trucks to a static location. Their stark, black-box aesthetic and bold, sometimes wild burgers and cocktail concoctions drop a bit of modern edge among the hundred-year-old Spanish roofs and stucco buildings.

But for many patrons of yesteryear, The Paseo scene was characterized perfectly by the DIY attitude and consistently chaotic energy of Sauced, right off the corner of Paseo and Walker.

After what ended up being years shut down for extensive renovations following an early-2021 fire, the district’s favorite spot for pizza and a drink finally reopened in February of this year with an admittedly more stable, and perhaps even family-friendly character.

Shop Small

While the art galleries and eateries tend to snatch up most of the attention paid to The Paseo, the shops and retail spaces dotting the neighborhood are just as unique and just as perfectly suited to the creative community of the district.

Clothing designers MENT Apparel, the rapidly rising, go-to printers of shirts and merch for all the most hip city businesses (especially all the coolest breweries,) just recently set up shop in The Paseo.

JW Jewelry & Home has lately made a solid name for themselves, specializing in owner Jennifer Woods’ jewelry and other locally handmade decor and comforting home goods.

But if there’s one entrepreneurial outlet that’s putting The Paseo on the map, it’s surely Literati Press.

Much more than just a locally minded independent bookstore and comic shop, Literati hosts creative writing workshops, art contests, and community events, as well as housing a successful, nationally distributed indie publishing company for books and comics from Oklahoman writers.

Literati owner Charles Martin says that the company’s success likely wouldn’t have been possible without the community support they’ve found in The Paseo.

“As a retailer of any kind, it’s rare to find an opportunity to step into a neighborhood where the clientele are bound by something larger than proximity,” Martin said. “When we opened, we only had an idea of the kind of bookstore we believed the neighborhood needed. The people of The Paseo agreed and have consistently rallied to keep us afloat through all the challenges we’ve faced in the past seven years and we are thrilled to see how our relationship with the community deepens in the years to come.”

Festival Season

Of course, if you really want to see the creativity and community of The Paseo in full swing, there’s no better time than The Paseo Arts Festival.

First launched in 1975, the Memorial Day Weekend festival remains one of the largest and most anticipated annual events in the city, with a three-day slate of musicians, performers, participating restaurants and businesses, and of course, art.

This year’s edition of The Paseo Arts Festival runs May 27th through the 29th, a perfect chance to check out any newcomers to the district that you’ve missed, or to catch up with all your old favorites.

For more info on the history, community, and businesses of The Paseo, including The Paseo Arts Festival, visit thepaseo.org.

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