In 1981, Art moved to photo editor position at Windsurf Magazine where he worked for four years while honing his underwater dive photography on the side (with over 2500 dives). He continued to work as photo editor for various projects and as a staff photographer for Islands Magazine, all while tirelessly freelancing and educating himself through experience. Already a master of location shoots, he became a master in the studio where he expanded his portfolio to include portraiture, fine art photography, and commercial work. Art’s unique style and vision quickly allowed him to branch out from the surf industry, leading to collaborations with esteemed publications and clients such as Esquire, Islands Magazine, Rolling Stone, Nike, Sony, Gatorade, Quiksilver, Vans, Speedo, Yamaha, and Sea Doo.(full list below) Art was also represented by both Kodak and Canon.

Largely self-taught, Art was always educating himself simply by doing, and by immersing himself in the art form. His natural affinity for people resulted in life-long relationships with his subjects, from family friends to Haitian kids, celebrities, and a list of Hall of Fame athletes. Art’s portraits brought out the personality and liveliness of every character that stepped in front of his lens.

Drew Kampion, author and magazine editor, aptly described Art Brewer's work as speaking with penetrating truth and an edgy wit, possessing a unique colloquial voice capable of restrained grandeur. Art's photographs had a subjective experience, captivating viewers with their presence and drawing them into moments of relevance, meaning, credibility, honesty, and intimacy.

Earning his first published photo in Surfer Magazine at the age of fifteen, Art secured his first magazine cover at age sixteen, marking the beginning of a career that would cement him as a pioneering legend of surf photography. Two years later, Art was hired by Surfer as a staff photographer, then promoted him to photo editor in 1975. During this time, he chased waves and surfers across the world, creating some of the most iconic images of the sport and culture’s history.

Art Brewer’s photographs have graced galleries worldwide, from the Earl McGrath Gallery in New York to Los Angeles Airport, the San Jose Museum of Art, the Laguna Art Museum in California, the Melbourne Beach Contemporary Museum of Art in Florida, and the Museum of Contemporary Art in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

With his passing in 2022, Art Brewer left behind a legacy that reflects the growth of surfing and surf culture globally as well as its influence on pop culture. His career boasted nearly fifty magazine covers, hundreds of global ad campaigns and editorials, and many honors for his work. His influence extended beyond the images he captured, with an impact felt through his teaching workshops for the School of Visual Arts in New York, and his books, including "Masters of Surf Photography: Art Brewer" (The Surfers Journal, 2002) and "Bunker Spreckels: Surfing Divine Prince of Decadence (1949-1977)" (Taschen Books, 2007). Always one to give back to the profession that gave him so much, Art also taught photography at Orange Coast College and lectured at the Annenberg Space for Photography in Los Angeles.