Brooke Wilen Fine Art: Inside the Hidden Manhattan Beach Gallery Turning Phone Photos Into Fine Art
Brooke Wilen Fine Art has quietly become one of Manhattan Beach’s most distinctive art spaces, tucked into an alley behind Izakaya and across from Lot 2 in downtown Manhattan Beach. For four years, the gallery has drawn in collectors looking for something different: limited edition fine art photography, all of it shot on a phone.
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From Darkroom Film to Fine Art on a Phone
Brooke Wilen’s relationship with photography started in college, where she took a course and fell in love with shooting film. There was no digital photography then, so she learned to develop all her own work in a darkroom. Even so, she did not think of herself as an artist yet, and she went on to build a career in the working world instead.
Years later, Wilen worked as a social media manager and content creator, joining the industry back when Instagram was just getting started. Her photography background turned out to be exactly what that work needed. She moved between businesses in different industries, discovering along the way that she had a knack for walking into any situation and finding something beautiful to photograph.
Eventually, people started asking if she sold prints of her images. That question sent her looking into how to turn digital photos, many of them shot on her phone, into fine art prints. She was not sure at first whether phone photography could hold up as fine art. But little by little, she learned what it took to create large scale, museum quality work from images captured on a phone.
Today, Wilen runs her own gallery in downtown Manhattan Beach, where she sells limited edition prints produced on museum quality papers.
What Makes Brooke Wilen Fine Art Different
Every piece at Brooke Wilen Fine Art is truly limited edition. While many photographers produce editions of 100 or even 1,000 prints, Wilen’s editions range from only 3 to 12. Collectors are getting something genuinely rare, never mass produced.
Production stays local at every step. Wilen processes her prints at fine art photo labs in Los Angeles, using the highest quality museum papers so the work is archival and will not fade. The frames are handmade locally in Los Angeles as well. Wilen personally inspects, hand signs, and numbers each print, and every piece comes with a certificate of authenticity.
The gallery itself has a spontaneous, welcoming feel that matches Wilen’s approach to her art. She is open by appointment, and a sign on the door invites visitors in on the spot if she happens to be there on a weekend: if the door is open, come in, and if not, reach out for an appointment.
An Artist Focused on the Present Moment
Wilen never plans a shoot. Instead, she stays present in her everyday life, and when something catches her eye, she captures it. Her work is built around the idea that life happens now, not in some future moment set aside for celebration.
That philosophy grew out of her years in social media management, where she noticed how often people only showcased vacations or weekends, treating other days as less worthy of attention. In her own life, Wilen made a personal commitment that every day, whether Monday or Saturday, deserved fun and celebration. That mindset shows up in her photography, which finds beauty in ordinary, everyday moments rather than staged or planned ones.
Wilen hopes her work helps people slow down and appreciate what is already in front of them, whether that is a palm tree blowing in the breeze or another simple, overlooked scene close to home.
Finding Inspiration in Ansel Adams
Wilen counts Ansel Adams among her biggest influences, not only for his photography but for his role in helping establish photography as a fine art. Adams and his peers changed how photography was perceived, moving it from something considered purely utilitarian into the realm of fine art.
Wilen faced a version of that same challenge with her own work. Because all of her current photography is shot on a phone, she initially worried people would not take her seriously, and she struggled to take herself seriously too, given her background as a film photographer. Reading a biography about Adams and the obstacles he faced changed her perspective. She realized that using a phone made her a pioneer in her own right, finding a new way to create art that no one else was doing quite the same way. Photographers from around the world now reach out to ask how she creates her prints from a phone.
Community and Advice for Other Local Business Owners
Wilen describes the South Bay as a wonderful place to run a business. She appreciates how often locals recommend her gallery to friends, how many community activities exist in the area, and how much pride people take in their neighborhoods. She has also built friendships with other local business owners, all of whom look out for one another.
For anyone starting their own path, Wilen’s advice is to believe in yourself first, since running a business comes with real ups and downs. She encourages finding your own voice rather than seeking advice from people outside your specific industry, writing down goals and focusing on them daily, and taking time to meditate and tune into what matters most. She also emphasizes celebrating every win along the way, no matter how small.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Brooke Wilen Fine Art located?
The gallery is tucked into an alley in downtown Manhattan Beach, right behind Izakaya and across from Lot 2.
Are Brooke Wilen’s photographs shot on a phone?
Yes. Wilen creates all of her current fine art prints from photographs she shoots on her phone, which she then produces as large scale, museum quality limited edition prints.
How many prints are in each edition?
Editions are intentionally small, ranging from only 3 to 12 prints per piece, so each one remains rare.
Can visitors just walk into the gallery?
The gallery is open primarily by appointment. Wilen sometimes is there on weekends as well, and a sign on the door lets visitors know if the space is open for a spontaneous visit.
What comes with each print purchase?
Every print is hand signed and numbered by Wilen and comes with a certificate of authenticity.
Visit Brooke Wilen Fine Art
Brooke Wilen Fine Art
Downtown Manhattan Beach, in the alley behind Izakaya and across from Lot 2
224 Center Pl
Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
Website: brookewilen.com
Instagram: @brookewilen
Facebook: facebook.com/brookewilen
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