Waterloo & City Displays Local Artist's Images

Carolos Tomazos and Brendan Collins, the owners of Mar Vista's British gastropub , are featuring the work of local artist George Marlowe in their establishment. It's the first exhibit at the popular bar and eatery since it opened about a year ago. 

Marlowe, who will turn 7o on April 4, decided to bring some of his photographs into the restaurant a few weeks ago, thinking it would be the perfect venue for his work. Tomazos and Collins were instantly drawn to the pieces and said they felt a connection between Marlowe’s art and some of the themes the restaurant was built around.

“George lives and works in the local community. It was always part of our concept to embrace the neighborhood, build relationships and support the area as much as we can,” says Tomazos.

The series of works on display are photographs of molds and highlight what Tomazos describes as "workman's elements. Concrete and metal molds give the feel of hands-on, hard work, and a life of hardships."

These are the components that are found throughout Waterloo & City, says Tomazos. "We ourselves have worked hard with those elements and have been very hands-on during the building of this restaurant,” he explains.

The series came about after Marlowe, first and foremost a ceramic artist who has recently been focusing on photography and pen and ink, visited the man who fires his ceramics.

“I just walked around his yard and his mold shop and started shooting pictures of the molds that were sitting there and that’s pretty much the industrial look that the guys wanted at Waterloo,” Marlowe says.

Tomazos and Collins couldn't be happier with the five pieces of Marlowe's work displayed on the wall above the bar near the main dining room. They say as soon as a few renovations are completed, they'll feature selections of his pen and ink and acrylic art in the restaurant's private room.

“We are excited with our recent renovation of our lounge/private room and have chosen art pieces from George's collection that are bright, colorful and happy," says Tomazos. "As one year has almost gone by since we opened, we are grateful and excited at how things turned out for us and we want to convey that."

Tomazos says that the pieces have been well received by the public and his staff has heard many comments about how well the art complements the space.

Marlowe, who lives in Marina del Rey, was born into an artistic family. His mother was a dance and music teacher and his father and brother were both band leaders.

Despite his love for art, Marlowe took a series of jobs outside the art world to support his family. He worked for Mattel before taking a position with Ceramichrome. During his stint at Ceramichrome, Marlowe was given the opportunity to develop a line of ceramic craft products for the marketplace, a job that allowed him to jump back into his beloved world of ceramics. He then took a job at Craftmaster, before transitioning into a plastic model kit company where he continued to explore art on the side. On what the artist considers to be a fateful day, Marlowe was sent out on a work delivery and stumbled into a ceramics class where he was invited by the instructor to create several masks. After receiving rave reviews for his colorful Picasso and Fu Manchu mask renditions, Marlowe was inspired to jump back into the art word on a full-time basis.

He works out of his bedroom studio where he dabbles in ceramics, photography, pen and ink and acrylic works.

Waterloo & City has decided to keep Marlowe’s work on display indefinitely but swap out different pieces from his collection. Tomazos is also open to accepting the work of other local artists down the line. 

To see Marlowe’s work for yourself, pop into Waterloo & City.

12517 West Washington Blvd., CA 90066 (310) 391-4222

Happy Hour: Daily 5-7 p.m.

Dinner: Mon.-Sat. 6-10 p.m., Sun. 5-9 p.m.

Late Night: Thurs.-Sun. 10–11 p.m., Fri. and Sat. 10 a.m.-midnight

Bar: Sun.-Thurs. 5 p.m.-midnight, Fri. and Sat., 5 p.m.–1 a.m.