Fu Bao Hartle is debuting his first solo photography show at the Alaskan Brewery Tasting room during the month of January. His exhibition opens Saturday with a celebration from 1 to 4 p.m. with live music by A Felicidade Duo and onsite food trucks near Costco.
Hartle takes photographs while adventuring with his parents aboard their sailboat. His gallery features photos from Glacier Bay, Port Frederick, Excursion Inlet and Le Conte Bay. It’s the first time the photos will be on display. He said he has been taking pictures since he was young. Hartle said he hopes his exhibition will show others with disabilities that it’s possible to be an artist and have a business.
“I want to tell people we can do art with disabilities,” Hartle said. “We are not unable. I want people to know. We need to show people everywhere in Juneau we can do something with disability. All of this is really important to me because it’s fun, but a lot of work. I have my mom here to help out and be my business manager.”
Fu Bao Hartle hopes to see a “jam-packed” event on Saturday for his solo art show. This 16” x 12” canvas print is titled “Ice Jam” and was taken in Le Conte Bay. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire)
Hartle is an athlete and advocate for Special Olympics Alaska, participates in ORCA with Southeast Alaska Independent Living (SAIL), and is a member of Alaska Peer Power, Peer Power Juneau, Alaska Key Campaign, and Alaska Folk Festival. He is passionate about advocating for himself and others with disabilities, and spends time lobbying the Alaska Legislature about issues related to people with disabilities. In 2023, he went to Washington, D.C., to attend Capitol Hill Day with Special Olympics, Alaska.
“I feel like photography is easy for me because I feel like it’s really easy for me to take pictures as a job, as an artist,” he said. “It’s always been really heartwarming for me to see scenery, mountains, whales and glaciers.”
Hartle’s photo gallery includes his first canvas prints for sale along with 2025 calendars. He said he is excited to sign the calendars on Saturday. His photos can be viewed at https://photosbyfubao.com.
His solo exhibition is possible through Alaskan Brewing’s Artist on Tap showcase.
“Juneau has so many visual artists and all of them are so great,” said Amanda Breslow, Alaskan Brewing’s event coordinator. “Whether you’re discovering an artist for the very first time or seeing somebody whose work you’ve been following for a while, we want to highlight the whole gambit.”
The Artist on Tap kicks off with a meet-and-greet on the first Saturday of the month. The gallery is then available to view for the month during the business hours of 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. The next Artist on Tap will be the first Saturday of February and the program continues through October. Each November, the tasting room hosts a maker’s market with multiple artists.
The brewmaster’s hall is also available to rent for events. Alaskan Brewing Creative Project Manager Cindy Burchfield said collaborating with artists has been integral to the brewery from the beginning.
“The artist who designed our first Alaskan Amber label is still with us, and there’s about four or five other artists who’ve contributed over time, and it’s a large family of artists that we work with,” she said. “We appreciate them, and we appreciate the whole gamut of artists that Juneau has available.”
Fu Bao Hartle stands next to his mom with his artwork behind them on Thursday. He thanked his mom for her help in running his business. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire)
Interested artists can reach out to abreslow@alaskanbeer.com. Flat art is the easiest to display, with a variety of mediums accepted such as macrame, mixed mediums and photography. Hartle and his mom, Clare Pavia, expressed their gratitude to Alaskan Brewing as they do not charge a commission for the sales made through Artist on Tap.
The music that will be performed Saturday is a special event for Hartle’s first solo show. Burchfield said the brewery has a limited number of permits they can use over the course of a year.
“We felt that this event called for it because of the great work Fu Bao does in the community and in the state,” she said. “We wanted to make it a special event.”
Hartle’s friends Luke Weld and Heather Mountcastle volunteered to play jazz classics, bossa nova, and contemporary covers for his first solo show. The brewery will have beers, canned cocktails and non-alcoholic drink options. Hartle’s show is an all-age event as long as someone under 21 comes with a legal guardian.
“I encourage everybody to show up and have a jam-packed brewery,” Hartle said. “This is a big milestone for me.”
• Contact Jasz Garrett at jasz.garrett@juneauempire.com or (907) 723-9356.
