NEW YEAR, NEW ART!
Opening Reception: Friday, January 3rd, 5:30 PM - 7:30PM
featuring
Laurie Breakwell, Elizabeth Brown, Ethan Brown, Al Bryan, Gloria Coker, Victoria Dreelin, Averelle Dylan, Toy Fowler, Jessica Hedrick, Brenda Sylvia, and Kristina Turner
Join Arts on Main this January for “New Year, New Art”, featuring art never before shown at Arts on Main! Using pottery, mixed media, paint, and more, these eleven artists stretch their creativity in new and exciting ways. Make it a New Year’s Resolution to spend more time with art and don’t miss your chance to view all of the fresh & new art featured for the New Year!
This show will open on Friday, January 3rd from 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM. Live music will be provided by Micah Foxx. Light hors d'oeuvres will be served and beer + wine will be available for purchase. The show will be on display at Arts on Main until Saturday, February 1st.
Many thanks to our January Exhibit Sponsor, Walt Evaniak!
Meet a few of the Exhibiting Artists…
LAURIE BREAKWELL
Laurie Breakwell is a 9 year resident of Kilmarnock, having relocated from the Florida Keys. Though more at home as a performing artist she has become increasingly enamored of the visual arts and the people who create it. A class in glass on glass mosaics in 2018 through RAL Art Center in Kilmarnock, led Laurie, in a round about way, to purchase a small kiln and some glass to try her hand at fusing. It took but one little project in that small kiln to know LOTS more glass and a much larger kiln was needed.
Now an exhibiting fused glass artist at RAL Art Center, she has been honored with numerous ribbons in their monthly themed and Labor Day Art Shows for her glass pieces as well as mixed media and fiber works. Including the People’s Choice award for the “You be the Judge” Exhibit in 2022, an Honorable Mention at the Labor Day Art Show in 2021, a Second Place for her entry in the LDAS 2022, and her mixed media piece took Best in Show in 2023. Throughout the years she has also had numerous fiber pieces featured in Quilting Arts Magazine and the now defunct Cloth, Paper, Scissors Magazine.
ELIZABETH BROWN
Lizzie Brown is a Richmond-based artist and owner of From The Core Art Studio. She received a dual degree in Painting and Printmaking and Art Education, with a minor in Art History from Virginia Commonwealth University. A former art educator in the public- and private-school sectors for over seven years, Lizzie continues to foster a love for art in our youth, while pursuing her creative endeavors. Since becoming a full-time artist in July of 2021, Lizzie has presented two solo exhibits, in addition to displaying her art in various galleries and spaces throughout Richmond, Charlottesville, Williamsburg, D.C. Maryland, and North and South Carolina. She has worked in conjunction with the Mending Walls Project, vends in pop-up markets in surrounding areas, and leads art camps and experiences at different locations in Richmond.
Find Lizzie’s work here: https://www.fromthecoreartstudio.com/
ETHAN BROWN
Ethan Brown is a tribal citizen of the Pamunkey Indian Reservation. He is a filmmaker and visual artist working in multiple mediums including gourd art. Ethan has completed commissions of gourd art for such entities as the Valentine Museum, the Virginia Museum of Fine Art, among others. His gourd art is often inspired by Virginia’s flora and fauna, as well as Pamunkey history and culture. The gourd crafting process involves wood burning a line drawing into the gourd’s hard shell, before applying various paints and stains.
AL BRYAN
Al Bryan is a professional landscape architect (retired) and fine artist with Albert Bryan Fine Art Studio.
Having grown up in rural North Carolina surrounded by forest and farmland, spending summer vacations in the mountains and along the coast, Al enjoys painting nature's awe-inspiring moments, capturing relics of the past and telling family tales in pastel and graphite.
Wildlife (native birds in particular), old boats and rusty trucks are among his favorite subjects to paint. Al also enjoys creating pet portraits on commission.
Find Al’s work here: https://www.facebook.com/AlbertArtStudio/?locale=nn_NO
GLORIA COKER
Artist Gloria Coker was was an illustrator for the Newport News, Virginia Daily Press (a Chicago Tribune newspaper) newsroom for twelve years before pursuing her career as a professional fine artist. Her work there included illustrating newsroom and feature stories as well as courtroom art, which appeared in the newspaper and on TV. The 2021 Netflix documentary, “The Innocence Files” showcases some of her work. Her work for the police departments depicting the perpetrators of crimes has resulted in convictions.
She was a volunteer as the artist at the Virginia Living Museum, painting and drawing for children and guests. Gloria also demonstrates in college classrooms and for fundraising auctions such the New American Theater in Hampton, Virginia. She has been a guest speaker lecturing on her art through the South.
Her loose and vivid acrylics capture her feelings about people of all ages as they engage in their passions and everyday activities. She displays most of her art including musicians and dancers, in the office of Associates in Dermatology in Hampton, Virginia and in her studio by appointment. Her collectors are worldwide. Her awards are numerous.
Find Gloria’s work here: https://gloriacokerfineart.com/about/
AVERELLE DYLAN
“I am Averelle Dylan ~ an artist and photographer focused on capturing the beauty of the natural world. I am based in the Northern Neck end of the Middle Peninsula of Virginia where I was born and raised. I grew up on the water completely surrounded by the wild splendor that is so abundant in this region. It was quite literally, everywhere I looked, so I developed a deep connection with the outdoor world from a very young age. I’m still consumed by the allure of nature, and my camera is merely an extension of my fascination. The magical dance of light and shadow is a constant evolution as light changes through different weather, seasons or even the hours of the day. I very purposefully place myself within this sacred space finding my own rhythm, my own voice through my lens. And so I wander, camera in hand, forever enthralled by the magic of earth’s palette, forever seeking to capture the beauty of this dance, as it reveals the textures, forms and moods of our beautiful, beautiful world.”
Find Averelle’s work here: https://www.averelledylan.net/
TOY FOWLER
Toy is a Virginia artist that began his studies with local tidewater artist Jack Clifton at age 10. He pursued his degree at Virginia Commonwealth University art program where he received a Bachelors Degree in Fine Arts. He later studied at the Torpedo Factory in Alexandria, Virginian where he attended numerous classes and workshops with Robert Liberace, a selected Living Master at the Art Renewal Center and board member of the Portrait Society of America. He also attended workshops with Patricia McMahon Rice and Tina Garrett, a Living Master at the Art Renewal Center. His work has been selected multiple times as finalist in the Portrait Society annual Members Only competition and as a semi-finalist in the Art Renewal Center’s annual salon.
JESSICA HEDRICK
“As a teaching artist, my work is deeply rooted in the belief that art is a transformative experience best shared within a community. Pottery, for me, is more than the creation of functional objects—it’s a dialogue between artist, material, and viewer. Every piece is shaped not just by technique, but by the connections we form through the act of making and sharing.
Art-making is a balance of heartbreak and joy—moments of frustration and failure give way to the satisfaction of success. While we could view unexpected results as “mistakes”, each one is a part of the process that brings us closer to understanding. In the classroom, I encourage my students to embrace both the joy of discovery and the vulnerability of imperfection, knowing that each experience adds depth to their personal growth.
Through the act of creating and teaching, I aim to nurture a space where we can evolve together—transforming not just our craft, but ourselves.”
Find Jessica’s work here: https://www.instagram.com/jecca_pots
BRENDA SYLVIA
Brenda Sylvia is passionate about the beauty of nature. It feeds her soul. The act of painting outside and experiencing nature firsthand is an integral part of Brenda’s artwork. She often begins her paintings on location which strengthens her connection to the place which has inspired her. Brenda interprets the landscape she loves and encourages people to feel a deeper connection to the scenes she paints. In 2008, Brenda moved to the US Virgin Islands where she lived and painted for nine years. Living in the bright light of the tropics influenced her artwork by feeding her obsession with color. In 2017 she returned to Virginia where she is again surrounded by inspiring landscapes. Brenda paints scenes from the shores of the Chesapeake Bay and the nearby rural farming communities. In designing her paintings she often combines subjects and enhances colors to express her vision. Brenda is always pushing to further discover her creative voice and loudly expressing it with paint.
Find Brenda’s work here: https://www.silverravenstudios.com/
KRISTINA TURNER
Kristina (Birdie) Turner is an artist based in Mathews, Virginia and Key West, Florida. A graduate of Marymount Manhattan College with a BFA, Kristina has developed a self-taught approach to her artistic practice. Her current work focuses on gel plate printing,acrylics, watercolor and monotype techniques while creating layered and textural pieces that explore the vibrant interplay of color and form.
Kristina’s art often features iconic buildings and landscapes,with a particular emphasis on the unique architecture and charm of the places she calls home. Her work celebrates the power of color to evoke emotion and capture the essence of these familiar yet extraordinary locations.
Kristina has exhibited at venues such as The Bay School of the Arts in Mathews, VA, The Studios of Key West and The Key West Art Center & Gallery.

Live music will be performed by Micah Foxx during the opening reception.
Thank you to our First Friday Music Sponsor, Mike Ivey!
Live music will be provided by singer-songwriter Micah Foxx, who is known for his work in the folk, jam band, and acoustic pop genres. He has performed solo and with his band in such venues as The Sandler Center, The National, and Union Stage.