About Us:

There is nothing like ArtWorks On The Square in all of South Metro Atlanta! Within its 5,000 sq. ft, there is a co-op comprised of nineteen independent studios, a MAIN GALLERY, a dedicated STUDENT GALLERY, a café and a large sky lighted atelier for classes. It is now the spot for art and photography education, purchasing art minus high gallery commissions, and gift buying for every budget and taste. It is also a most unique destination for visitors.

Cooperative thinking in the economic recession is what really led to the formation of ArtWorks On The Square.  First there was this wonderful downtown office space in a historic district that sat empty. Then along came a creative thinker and relentless art advocate, Kathaleen Brewer, who had the vision of turning office cubicles into independent art studios. Next came all the artists and art related businesses that needed affordable space with low overhead. Thus a symbiotic relationship was born in June of 2009.  The building became occupied, the ambience of Fayetteville's downtown district took a turn for the better, and artists, photographers, framers, graphic designers, potters and wood turners all began supporting each other. The residents soon discovered collective advertising allowed everyone to market themselves without spending hundreds of dollars.  In other words, in an economy where everyone is struggling and barely making it, having kindred spirits pitching in and supporting common goals makes all the difference in the world. And the fact that everyone pitches in on the building lease, the gallery commissions are kept as low as possible in an effort to keep the work affordable. The prices definitely beat anything on the Northside, yet the quality of work is very high and comparable.  In addition, there are monthly solo shows by professional artists from throughout the Southeast states.

Fayette Art Center.  In November of 2009, Fayette Art Center, a 501c3 non-profit forced to close its doors due to the recession, joined the co-op and resumed classes and workshops led by former instructors.  In addition, new instructors were recruited, some being residents of ArtWorks. The curriculumn was also expanded to include newer computer related classes such as Photo Shop, graphic arts, and digital drawing. And best of all, the Fayette Art Center now sponsors a Student Gallery where up and coming young artist can experience what it takes to get into a juried show.  These exhibits are open to any youth aged 12-18 throughout the Southern Arc/South Metro Atlanta.  The Mission of the Fayette Art Center is to provide citizens with access to continued education in the culutral arts, including fine art, craftsmanship, photography, culinary arts, traditional home crafts, demonstrations, lectures and exhibits. In order to accomplish all this, and not to have to rely on grants, memberships and support is needed from the community, so please become a member.

About the Director:  

Kathaleen Brewer received a Brownie camera at age seven and thus began a whirlwind of creative endeavors.  She mastered basic photography before entering high school and was the only girl in the senior architectural class. Her rendering was chosen for a special project in which the school shop class built the house and then the school sold it. While attending junior college with a pre-med and chemistry major, she continued to teach herself everything and anything that had to do with the arts.  She did not care for “institutional” fine art classes, as she felt them too restrictive.  She graduated from USC (University of Southern California) in 1978 with a degree in Dental Hygiene.  During her years at USC she taught herself screen writing, then after graduating took a not-for-credit class on the subject at UCSB.  Her first complete script won the 1988 Writer’s Guild of America Award for screenplays. Afterwards she did a two year apprenticeship with a TV writer/producer.  During this period she also won awards for her manipulated Polaroids and Polaroid transfers.  She was invited to hold solo shows in the main Bank of America building and in Wells Fargo Bank, plus the prestigious Buenaventura Art Gallery in Ventura, California.  In 1999, she turned to tackling pastels.  She studied with several renowned pastel artists in Southern California before exhibiting her new endeavor.  All this led to Kathaleen being elected an art commissioner for the City of Ojai, a universally known center for the arts in the mountains between Santa Barbara and Ventura, California. 

In 2005 Ms. Brewer retired from dental hygiene due to an eye injury and moved to Fayetteville, Georgia to be closer to her elderly parents. She was looking forward to spending full time on her newest passion, oil painting. However, when she discovered Fayette County did not have one art gallery or an art center, she put her oil painting on hold and founded the Fayette Art Center. In just two years she  recruited over 14 instructors and offered classes in sculpture, photography, pottery, painting, drawing, jewelry design, fused glass and mosaics.  She also provided the county with its first art gallery. However, due to the economic recession and lack of funding, the Art Center closed in May of 2008.

Not one to give up easily, she grabbed the opportunity to start all over in a large historic building on the courthouse square in downtown Fayetteville. She quickly formed a co-op of artists within the site, which resulted in 18 independent art studios, one large central sky-lit classroom, a formal gallery and a small café.

She now resides in Fayetteville, Georgia, with her eleven-year-old granddaughter, little dog Emma, and infamous gallery cat “Buddy”. She can be contacted at kathaleenbrewer@comcast.net or visit the website www.ArtWorksontheSquare.com.