photo by: Bremen Keasey/Journal-World

Art on display at the Phoenix Gallery, 825 Massachusetts St., for its "Donut Mind If I Do!" exhibition. The event will have its official opening Friday, with the gallery director saying it's a "feast for the senses."

As Thanksgiving feasts are shared Thursday across Lawrence, artists for Lawrence’s Phoenix Gallery have been whipping up a different sort of feast for Friday.

“A feast for your eyes,” Rochelle Marsh, the director of the gallery, said.

After the plates of turkey and trimmings are finished off with rich pies on Thanksgiving, Phoenix Gallery’s Final Friday event will feature a celebration of another iconic American food — doughnuts. The gallery is holding a themed exhibition with local artists called “Donut Mind if I Do!” that pays tribute to the breakfast treat.

Marsh said the gallery invited local artists to create whatever they wanted centered around the main theme of doughnuts. For some of the artists, Marsh said the often colorful confections would not normally feature in their normal style, but many of them were excited at the challenge.

“Sometimes a departure is fun and exciting,” Marsh said.

The free event is a part of Lawrence’s Final Fridays that aims to showcase local art and performances, but it also is a big day for small businesses with Black Friday and the start of the holiday sales season. Kim Anspach, the executive director for Explore Lawrence, said Friday is a “typically bit lighter” for art specific events as small businesses turn their focus to the holiday sales.

But Marsh said she thinks it can be the perfect time to help bring more people in to explore downtown Lawrence and see the art. She said if you have family in town, this is “something fun to do” and a way to get out of the house and explore, and it’s great for all ages. Marsh said sometimes it can be harder for many younger kids to really find interest in some of the paintings, but the “cute, colorful doughnuts” are great attention grabbers. Plus, as part of the opening of the exhibition, Marsh said there will be dozens of doughnuts from Taylor’s Donuts on hand for guests to grab.

“It’s not a hard sell with the doughnuts,” Marsh said.

The official opening event for the exhibit at Phoenix Gallery, 825 Massachusetts St., will start at 6 p.m. and go until 9 p.m. — that’s also when the doughnuts will be available. The exhibition will have live music from 6 to 8 p.m. from local musician Alonzo Beardshear.

photo by: Bremen Keasey/Journal-World

Art on display at the Phoenix Gallery, 825 Massachusetts St., for its “Donut Mind If I Do!” exhibition. The event will have its official opening Friday, with the gallery director saying it’s a “feast for the senses.”

photo by: Bremen Keasey/Journal-World

Art on display at the Phoenix Gallery, 825 Massachusetts St., for its “Donut Mind If I Do!” exhibition. The event will have its official opening Friday, with the gallery director saying it’s a “feast for the senses.”