BWAC returns with shows for the spring season

The Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition (BWAC) is presenting four new shows during its spring season at its gallery in the historic Beard and Robinson Warehouse Stores at 481 Van Brunt St.in Red Hook, starting on April 26.

“After a long winter, we at BWAC are extremely happy to be having our first spring show,” said Janice Weiss, public relations coordinator. “Artists have been busy creating ,and now is the time to exhibit all our fresh art with a burst of inspiration at BWAC’S first show of 2025. Like the flowers and trees that are blooming, so is the artwork that is presented in this fantastic exhibit.”

First off is “Animalia,” a show that explores people’s obsession with animals as the subject of art.

Carolyn Sheehan, “Two Bunnies with Cool Jackets,” mixed media sculpture (paint, rubber carvings printed on Japanese kozo paper. Cut, stitched and stuffed). Photos courtesy of Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition

“The earliest known examples of abstract thinking and artistic skills by our ancestors are painted depictions of wild pigs found on cave walls in Indonesia,” said the coalition in a statement. “In the intervening 45,000 years since their creation, the enduring fascination with the representation of animals in art has continued and flourished.”

John & Wendy, “Hootenanny,” mixed media collage. Photos courtesy of Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition

In cooperation with this exhibition, NYC Teens for Animals Inc., a nonprofit, will host a cat adoption event at the gallery on May 4.

The next show is called “In the Threaded Visions: Fashion in Art.”

“Throughout history, artists have depicted fashion in their work, capturing trends and styles that tell stories of class, power and innovation,” the statement read. “Simultaneously, fashion designers have drawn inspiration from art, incorporating techniques, textures and narratives from paintings, sculptures and architecture into their creations. Threaded Visions presents a dialogue between these two modes of expression.”

Jay Perez, “The Red Dress,” oil on canvas. Photos courtesy of Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition

The next show is “Order/Chaos,” which is the theme of 2025’s first BWAC member exhibition. 

“Order and chaos are often superficially considered opposites, yet both ideas depend upon the other for definition,” said BWAC. “They often coexist in tension. In this exhibition, BWAC artists explore how they define the two and deal with order and chaos in their work and lives.”

Michael Sylvan “Composing Our Fears,” mixed media. Photos courtesy of Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition



BWAC advised gallery-goers to expect a wide variety of approaches in this show, as diverse as the member artists. 

Finally, the show “Dreamscapes: Reimagining What Was Left Behind” will provide a survey of landscape paintings. It features artworks by BWAC member-artist Sergei Saakian.

Dan Noble, “They Do Matter,” oil & oil pastel on paper. Photos courtesy of Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition

“Saakian’s landscapes transcend traditional boundaries, offering a reimagined world where memory and history intertwine,” said the coalition. “These works explore the shifting terrains shaped by migration, conflict, and the passage of time, inviting viewers to contemplate the hidden stories within the land.”

Sergei Saakian, “Beach,” acrylic on canvas. Photos courtesy of Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition

The four exhibits will remain on display each weekend between 1-6 p.m. until May 18. For more information, visit bwac.org. 

Leave a Reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.