The low lighting of Izzy’s Coffee Den on Lexington Avenue might not present an ideal environment for viewing art, but thankfully Armbruster’s illustrative work is bright enough to illuminate the dimness. Here, Armbruster fills the walls with original paintings and prints of her colorful cast of characters and quirky narratives. There’s a purple mutated eel, a cat named Professer Wunderbar, cloud “stylists” that dress up in costume and perform aerial dances, and a flying manatee head, among others. How they all relate is unclear unless you were to purchase any of Armbruster’s zines (also on display), which tie the characters together in an inventive story.
The show is up until Jan. 31. Izzy’s downtown is located at 74 N. Lexington Ave. 258-2004.
— Ursula Gullow writes about art for Mountain Xpress and her blog, artseenasheville.blogspot.com.
