Vortex Alley Brewing owners Jim (Jimmy) Allen, Marc Spaulding and David Thomas
hen most think of art, their immediate thoughts are usually about the visual arts, such as painting or sculpture. Merriam-Webster defines art as “something that is created with imagination and skill and that is beautiful or that expresses important ideas or feelings.” By this definition, art is so much more than a painting or a sculpture. So, if this expanded way of thinking about art and what is considered to be art includes a wider range of mediums, types and forms, then who is recognized as an artist? Could a brewer of craft beers be considered an artist? After speaking with the owners of Vortex Alley Brewing, the answer is, “yes.” David Thomas, Marc Spaulding and
Jim (Jimmy) Allen have been friends since their early teens. These childhood friends have always loved drinking beer, talking about beer and brewing beer at home. Since November 2017, they have shared their artwork with Ponca City by the opening of their downtown brewery. Vortex
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