Atlas Obscura Presents Toyota Joyrides in Tulsa with Tyler Thrasher Atlas Obscura Presents Toyota Joyrides in Tulsa with Tyler Thrasher

in Tulsa

Artist & Scientist Tyler Thrasher's Joyride

A sense of energy and wonder infuses just about every aspect of Tyler Thrasher’s life and work, from teaching himself to grow crystals and synthesize opals to hybridizing rare plants and sharing his creations with an ever-growing number of social media followers. A day spent tooling around his hometown of Tulsa, Oklahoma in a Toyota Venza is a true joyride, where discovery could be waiting around every bend.

My art is a dance with nature.

Tyler grew up interested in art, but he didn’t pursue it in earnest until his teens. “My dad was an artist. He used to draw flowers, and I always doodled as a child,” he said, modest about his innate aptitude. The art teacher at his high school noticed him sketching, said he had to enroll in one of her art classes and signed him up herself. “She saw something in me. That little bit of encouragement was enough to propel me toward where I am now,” he said.

Joyride Map

Fulton Street Books & Coffee

210 W Latimer St, Tulsa, OK 74106

The century-old building that houses Fulton Street Books & Coffee in north Tulsa has lived many lives, including as a laundromat and food market. Recently, it’s been reincarnated yet again by teacher and booklover Onikah Asamoa-Caesar, who aims to increase intergenerational literacy and build community through books that highlight the stories of people of color. The shop features cozy nooks to read, literary-themed merchandise and, of course, plenty of books. The coffee shop offers locally roasted brews, small-batch syrups by pink House Alchemy (think flavors such as sarsaparilla, Mexican chile and cardamom) and savory pastries, all served in an atmosphere of inclusivity.

Butler Cave

47757 US-59, Jay, OK 74346

There’s much more than meets the eye at Lake Euchae (pronounced "oochee"). The glittering body of water bordered by caves is just begging for exploration. The entrance to Butler Cave is 100 yards or so from the parking area but with the surrounding oak and evergreen trees, limestone bluffs and spotty cell service, it feels a million miles away. Walk right into a 15-foot-tall cavern to get a taste of caving. From there, two caves branch off, but trekking through those does require caving equipment. Didn’t pack head lamps and helmets? There’s still plenty to do. The lake’s 49 miles of shoreline are surrounded by scenic nature trails, picnic areas, playgrounds and campsites. While swimming and water sports aren’t permitted, fishing for native bass and catfish is welcomed.

Antoinette Baking Co

207 N Main St, Tulsa, OK 74103

For an afternoon pick-me-up, stop at Antoinette Baking Co. in the Tulsa Arts District. Founded by co-owners and childhood friends Andrea Mohn and Molly Martin, the cafe offers daily house-made pastries, breads and cakes. Macaron fans will find joy discovering an array of creative, rainbow-hued flavors from birthday cake and yuzu blackberry to orange blossom and salted caramel ganache. Find a spot in the small, elegant dining room or outside on one of the Parisian cafe chairs.

Stemcell Science Shop

Whether you’re on the hunt for supplies to conduct your own nature experiments or a gift for a science-loving friend, STEMcell Science Shop is the place. It’s stocked with all manner of curiosities sure to spark joy for any science enthusiast. Prehistoric fossils, test tubes, nature specimen collection boxes, observation journals, rare earth magnets and much more are artfully displayed. The store even offers a subscription box curated with cool items like radioactive honey, pieces of the Golden Gate Bridge, lunar rocks and other off-the-wall finds, with new selections mailed monthly around the world. Tyler’s lab is located in an area that’s not open to the public, but you’ll find his art and plant journal, Grow a Damn, for sale here.

Southwood Landscape & Garden Center

9025 S Lewis Ave, Tulsa, OK 74137

Looking to grow your collection of plants? Southwood Landscape & Garden Center is Tulsa’s largest independently owned spot for trees, flowers and shrubs. The rambling indoor-outdoor greenhouse’s knowledgeable staff is on hand to help select the perfect plant for any gardening skillset, from easy-to-grow succulents to rare specimens like Monstera albo variegata and pink princess philodendrons. If you have a less-than-green thumb, there’s still plenty to enjoy, including porch decor, fragrant candles, tea towels with hilarious sayings, ceramic planters and more. For a more science-themed approach to planting, check out their plant cutting chandeliers made from test tubes.

It was fitting then, that the first stop on his Tulsa joyride was Fulton Street Books & Coffee, founded by a local teacher who wanted her students from diverse backgrounds to see more of themselves in the books they read. As he browsed books, Tyler made sure to mention that his greatest sources of joy are his wife Molly and his three-year-old son Nova which is why the two of them joined him to kick off the joyride. The family began the day with a story book and coffee for the adults, hot cocoa for Nova. “Molly and Nova are the epitome of joy for me,” he said.

Fulton Street Books & Coffee

Jennings House Cafe

1018 Rosecrans St, San Diego, CA 92106

The next stop, Butler Cave on Lake Euchae outside of Tulsa, was a poignant one for the family of three. Tyler discovered a passion for exploring caves in college. And it’s caving that initially sparked his curiosity for minerals and crystals, which now heavily influence his work. “My art is a dance with nature,” he said, adding, “It all started with caves.” The world traveler, who has explored caves in Iceland, Mexico and Bermuda, even proposed to his wife in a cave. Suffice it to say that caves are woven into the family’s fabric, and on this special day, Nova got to don a kid-sized helmet and headlamp and shimmy underground for the first time with his mom and dad. Rather than feeling fearful, Nova met the challenge with unbridled excitement, asking questions about the calcite glittering along one cave wall. His parents swelled with pride as they watched him experience the joy of discovery for the first time. “To him, everything is awesome and exciting,” Tyler said. “That mentality is affecting my art. Watching him stop and look at things has taught me to slow down.” Case in point: on the walk back along a path bordering the lake and covered with a canopy of trees, Tyler spotted a huge piece of smooth driftwood on a limestone outcropping. He clambered down to the rocks below to retrieve it, already brainstorming a creative use for it at home before tossing it in the back of the Venza along with the caving gear. On the hour-long ride back to the city, Tyler explained why he’s chosen to put down roots in Tulsa, rather than decamp for a more traditionally known arts destination. He loves the size of the city where he was born and raised. “It’s just small enough to know a lot of people, but not so small that everyone knows your business,” he said. But more than that, he sees where Tulsa is headed. “I see a lot of potential here. It’s a hidden gem. I want to give back to my community, rather than uproot and go somewhere else,” he said. “Why not contribute to a city that’s growing?”

Butler Cave

Needing to refuel from the morning of adventure, Tyler made a beeline to Antoinette Baking Co. in the Tulsa Arts District, where pastries like their picture-perfect macarons are neighborhood favorites. Warmly greeted by staffers he knew by name and recognizing a few other patrons who happened to be inside, his mission to be a contributing member of the community is certainly bearing fruit.

Antoinette Baking Co.

Point Loma Seafoods

2805 Emerson St, San Diego, CA 92106

This part of California produces some of the best large-game fish you can get your hands on. They’re big, beautiful fish that require some know-how to take apart and cook them. I learned how to do all of that on the sportfishing docks here,” he said, pointing to the slips at Sun Harbor Marina. “I remember once seeing someone weigh an 800-pound marlin.”

Since Tyler’s work fuels his creativity as much as his creativity fuels his work, a trip to his laboratory was a must. The private lab is located in the back of The STEMcell Science Shop, a thoughtfully curated, curiosity-filled world of wonder for science enthusiasts of all ages. Tyler heads past the shop’s displays of test tubes, fossils and magnets to his lab which is a treasure trove of experiments, crammed bookshelves and in-progress artwork like cicadas and oversized taxidermy moths covered in Tyler’s signature lab-grown crystals. The magical chaos of the scene lends credence to his self-proclaimed title of “mad scientist.” There’s even a handwritten note from Molly pinned to the wall that reads, “You’re mad, but like in a good way.” Tyler spent a few minutes sorting through the bleached plants he uses for his glow-in-the-dark Moonbeam Flora before striking out for the next stop.

STEMcell Science Shop

Shoreline Park

2200 Shelter Island Dr, San Diego, CA 92106

While the scientist has become adept at hybridizing and propagating plants in his home workshop, when he needs to shop for new varieties, he heads to Southwood Landscape & Garden Center, the largest independent plant nursery in the area. For Tyler, growing things goes beyond what than meets the eye. “I get a lot of joy from growing plants. There’s a mutual respect,” he said. “I take care of them and in turn they’re definitely taking care of me.” That deep-seated care led him to release his Grow a Damn plant journal, complete with his original photography, to inspire others to try their hand at growing something special. After a full day of discovery the Venza rolled to a stop in front of Buck’s Cosmic Crash Pad, a souvenir shop on historic Route 66, part of America’s National Scenic Byways, just as the full arc of a rainbow dominated the sky. It was as though nature itself applauded Tyler’s joyful approach to science, commitment to building something special in his hometown and perspective of viewing the world with a sense of curiosity.

Southwood Landscape & Garden Center

Sunset Cliffs Natural Park

Ladera St, San Diego, CA 92107

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I want to give back to my community, rather than uproot and go somewhere else.

I get a lot of joy from growing plants.

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415 E Admiral Blvd, Tulsa, OK 74110

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Route 66

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