PrintSOUTH BEND
Two local artists have given another boost to the downtown art community by opening a new gallery.
Jake Webster and Kay Westhues opened Artpost at 216 W. Madison St., late last year.
The gallery, housed in an older home, specializes in contemporary art, folk art, photographs, crafts, art books and even performance art.
Westhues and Webster plan to feature the work of local and regional artists as well as their own work.
Webster is a sculptor, mixed media artist and spoken word performer.
He keeps studios in both Elkhart and Niles. In Elkhart, he works with concrete, while in Niles, he works with wood.
Webster uses the tradition of direct carving. He applies a contemporary attitude by creating art with whatever is at hand to tell his story.
"We just want our neighbors to trust in us and invest with us," Webster said. "Come out and support us in what we do and you will walk away with some excellent works.
"... If it's not my best work, it will never make it to the studio."
Westhues is a photographer who takes a keen interest in rural settings.
"For the past four years, I have been visiting small towns, festivals and other events, looking for images that relate to my memories of growing up on a farm in Walkerton," Westhues said.
"These pictures were the mirror of my personal history. Many of my photos contain signs of a previous time in rural life, when locally owned stores and family farms were the norm."
For their part, Webster and Westhues call the studio their new home.
Webster said Artpost will bring cutting-edge exhibits to the community.
It will also serve as a forum for art organizations and artists as well as providing a performance venue and a place for workshops.
The current exhibit, "Low Fidelity," showcases the work of seven regional photographers who make art with plastic, pinhole and Polaroid cameras.
Westhues said the photographers use simple, inexpensive toy and handmade cameras that produce blurred images, over-saturated colors, light leaks and other "happy accidents," resulting in a dreamlike, low-fidelity aesthetic in their work.
The photographers take different approaches and printing processes.
And more good things are on the way.
Artpost will celebrate Black History Month with an evening of jazz with DJ Mr. Bill from 5 to 9 p.m. Friday, Feb. 5, as part of First Friday activities.
"South Bend is a perfect place for artistic production - a great space, amazing people with knowledge about techniques and materials and an open-minded spirit," Webster said.
"To be part of this place is exciting."
Artpost, located next to South Bend Civic Theater, is open Thursdays through Saturdays, noon to 8 p.m., and Sundays, noon to 4 p.m.
Admission is free.
Staff writer May Lee Johnson: mjohnson@sbtinfo.com (574) 235-6326