Local shops turn downtown into one-weekend Alchemia art exhibition

‘Belonging’ is the word in inspiring 30-location art show|

This weekend, all through Petaluma’s downtown area, inspiring and inventive paintings by artists from Petaluma’s Alchemia Studio and Gallery will be on display in more than two dozen storefront windows and tucked inside shops, restaurants and other businesses. Simply titled “Belonging,” it’s all part of a special pop-up art event made possible through a grant from Sonoma County’s Creative Sonoma nonprofit, and will only be on view through Sunday evening.

So don’t dawdle. It’ll be gone by Monday.

Each piece is focused on a different single word, explains Alchemia Artistic Director Liz Jahren, and the artists were given free rein to express themselves using whatever images and media felt right. The exhibit is strategically timed to take place in March, which is Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month. Alchemia - with facilities in Petaluma, Novato and Santa Rosa - is a multifaceted arts and performance program for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and other conditions, none of which prevent the organization’s students from pursuing lives and careers as artists, singers, actors, dancers and other forms of creative expression. The current pop-up project is founded on the idea that every artist has a voice, and is designed to bring awareness to a population that is often not seen in the spotlight.

The exhibit received additional support from the Petaluma Downtown Association and The Petaluma Area Chamber of Commerce. Participating businesses include the following.

Bank of Marin

Bici Sport

Brian’s Comics

Copperfield’s Books

CROWN Hair Salon

Cucina Paradiso

Dukes & Dolls Salon

Ethical Clothing

Fluorish

Flower Child Consignment

I Leoni

J. Fermi

Obsessed

Opera House Collective

Passeggiata Shoes

Petaluma Pet Company

Petaluma Pie Company

Red Umbrella Consignment

Petaluma Seed Bank

Soft Shell

Sonoma Cutlery

Sonoma Coast Surf & Skate

Spiral Jewelry & Artisery

Stitchcraft

Summer Cottage Antiques

The Shop

ToyBVille

Work Petaluma

(For additional information visit Alchemia.org)

UPDATED: Please read and follow our commenting policy:
  • This is a family newspaper, please use a kind and respectful tone.
  • No profanity, hate speech or personal attacks. No off-topic remarks.
  • No disinformation about current events.
  • We will remove any comments — or commenters — that do not follow this commenting policy.