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artandcakela
Apr 20, 20183 min read

A Staple Biannual Art Event, The Brewery Artwalk Never Disappoints

Alex Schaefer. Brewery Artwalk. Spring 2018. Photo Credit Genie Davis


A Staple Biannual Art Event, The Brewery Artwalk Never Disappoints

April 7 & 8, 2018

by Genie Davis

As reliable as the seasons themselves, The Brewery Artwalk makes a fall and spring appearance annually. The April edition, held this past weekend, gave visitors access to a wide variety of open studios and gallery exhibits.

Viewers looked at, learned about, bought – and reveled in – art. Here are some, but by no means all, the highlights.

At the Jesus Wall Gallery, a bevy of artists shared space with the titular wall including the lush abstracts and delightful representational “girls” by Kristine Augustine; the literally and figuratively often fiery plein-air works of Alex Schaeffer and the voluptuous watercolors of Lena Moross, which included both human and feline images that were whimsical and passionate. Kate Carvellas offered a collection of fascinating, carefully detailed mixed media works, some using found objects; Stephen Levy’s wide-ranging LA-based photographic art included a noir look at the late Hop Louie Restaurant in Chinatown. The latter two artists co-mingled their work, making a surprisingly exciting and well-paired display in the gallery’s busy hallway.

Caley O’Dwyer’s process paintings offered a bright palette and spare, minimal, modern style.

Caley O’Dwyer. Brewery Artwalk. Spring 2018. Photo Credit Genie Davis


Glenn Waggner’s clean, trenchantly amusing, and very-much SoCal figurative work offered vast landscapes and miniature figurative elements in seascapes and urban settings. In the same studio space, Winnie Brewer and Bill Leigh Brewer also exhibited in their gallery: the latter’s Cadiz Road photography was sweeping and evocative; Winnie Brewer’s mixed media offered layered, nature-rich images that resonate.

The group show at Wallspace Gallery included the clever, memorable street signs of Scott Froschauer – and the perfect advice for a busy art walk “Breathe.”

Scott Froschauer. Brewery Artwalk. Spring 2018. Photo Credit Genie Davis


Skyler Bolton’s remarkable, light-filled ceramics glowed from bowl to vase. William Sandell’s kinetic assemblages amuse and astonish, the dark wit of a circus side show. Jorin Bossen’s figurative oil paintings included sun-washed, iconic Western scenes inspired by a childhood love of movie westerns. Todd Westover’s vibrant, blossoming abstract flowers were a jolt of joyous energy.

Rikki Niehaus’ figurative paintings were startlingly real, perfectly detailed, and wonderful to discover; sculptor Chuck Overcash offered light-filled clear works including a series of knobs. Richard Wilks “participatory sculpture” hovered between Steampunk and Bond-lair fantasy, including a faux-fur lined silver acorn, a kaleidoscope of a bike, and a cupcake on wheels.

Kristine Schomaker offered an exhibition of luminous nudes from her Plus series along with rich, layered mixed media work with colors and patterns evoking comparison to a psychedelic quilt. Debby and Larry Kline showed an enormous metal figure along with precise, minute drawings that demand repeated viewing. Anna Stump’s beautiful, graceful paintings always charm.

Randi Hokett’s self-described “Crystalworks” are just that, formed crystals, wax, a remarkable combination that gives viewers works that appear to be the end-result of slices from an underground treasure cake.

Randi Hokett. Brewery Artwalk. Spring 2018. Photo Credit Genie Davis


Teale Hathaway showed her astonishing mixed media images that are both beautifully detailed and fragmented depictions from lamps to bridges; also on display, a terrific new collection of patterned wallpaper, pillows, and fabric purses.

Teale Hatheway. Brewery Artwalk. Spring 2018. Photo Credit Genie Davis


Marshall Vanderhoof’s compelling photographic oceanscapes are dreamy and textured.

Marshall Vanderhoof. Brewery Artwalk. Spring 2018. Photo Credit Genie Davis


Jane Szabo offers a far different photographic mix, from the exploration of self through images of mixed media dresses to deeply poignant still life’s that pop out and glow from dark backgrounds.

Jane Szabo. Brewery Artwalk. Spring 2018. Photo Credit Genie Davis


At Ashira Siegel Fox’s Factory, a diverse group of moms-who-are-artists exhibited, including the lovely prints and delicate, flower-like ceramics of Jacqueline Bell Johnson. A wall of masks curated by Dulce Stein was also on display. In her studio, Emily Halpern’s often large-scale paintings were paired with her haunting mixed media sculptural works.

Ando Pndlian’s custom laser-inspired art included sky-line clocks and ghostly renderings of the Mona Lisa.

Ando Pndlian. Brewery Artwalk. Spring 2018. Photo Credit Genie Davis


The astonishing jewelry and sculpture of Greg Orloff was both futuristic and a throw-back to medieval castles and queens. Acrylic and watercolor work dazzled at THEOHUXX LE GARAGE. Dave Lefner’s Reduction Linocuts were clever and sharp.

From velvet jackets with perfectly rendered glittering images of panthers to encaustic and crystal wall sculptures; from craft beer in a pleasant outdoor beer garden to views from the cat walk of this former Pabst Blue Ribbon plant, the Brewery Art Walk served up edgy, delightful, and exuberant work – the perfect blossoming collection for spring.

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