Alchemy Within: a virtual exhibition about internal transmutation

A virtual exhibition sharing the work of internal transmutation. Personal histories, experiences, the navigation of life and spaces both physical and spiritual, all transformed into the visual. Art as not only a process, but a way to navigate.

I brought these artists together for this virtual exhibition because of the overlapping ways in which we tap into ourselves and our place in the cosmos, and the air of mysticism that surrounds all our work. From works referencing the divine as a way to heal from religious trauma or assert existence of oneself in a dominant canon that often excludes, to representations of abstract space and time, this work navigates identity through the metaphysical. Through exploration of identity, spirit, dreams, and the body, we all participate in a form of alchemy, transmuting part of our existence and experience into work that hints at the universal through the personal.

– Alexander Martin (She / Her), Curator and Artist

“God’s Favorite (He/Him)” by Dylan Barry
(2024) (Acrylic & oil on canvas)

My recent work explores the intricacies of growing up queer within the boundaries of the Catholic Church in the Midwest. I embrace the journey of moving beyond the constraints of onlookers' judgment while holding space for the guilt and internal battles that accompany blossoming.

“Emergence” by Charles Hill
(2019) (Fomapan 400 film scan)

As a neurodivergent artist, I use photo impressionism to transform visually mundane subjects into ethereal ones. As I view a subject through the lens and push the limits of exposure and focus, I see an alternate story develop. Creating this shift in reality is my ultimate goal.

“Priestess of the Gate, guardian of barriers and boundaries”
by Ms. Alexander Martin (2024) (Acrylic & bead on wood)

The deities represented in my work come from a mythos I am developing that takes the oral traditions, culture, aesthetics, and personal stories from my intersecting communities/identities and, through sacred iconography, celebrates and brings them into the dominant canon.

“Invocation” by Eli Brown
(2023) (Mixed media collage on canvas)

My work draws upon a deep love of animals, nature and magic, fused with folklore and mythology. In these pieces, I seek a balance between my inner world and my existence as a human and its impact on earth. Creating these pieces helps me to find some sense of harmony within the paradoxes of science and magic, nature and humanity, my finite existence and the connection to the deeper universe.

“Easter Sunday” by Alexa Cary
(2023) (Digital photo)

These pieces are meant to represent core memories of my childhood. Much of my work usually surrounds parts of my identity as a black and queer person. The artwork depicted here came from a nostalgia of color, sound, nature and cultural artifacts. The first two pieces deal with the whimsy of childhood, while the last piece is a broad take on the duality of gender and my relation to it. 

“Universe Is In Balance” by Allison Walsh
(2017) (Oil on canvas)

These paintings were inspired by the sensation of the body. In my experience, the body can feel incredibly isolating (when sick, injured, or in a daze) or the body can feel unifying, euphoric, and powerful. We all have bodies, but each of them has its own experience. These paintings reflect when the feelings in my body reach beyond my fingertips, when I feel part of the energy and space around me. The light and colors I see are not separate. They seep into my skin, and I breathe them in.

“Duality” by Dylan Barry 
(2024) (Acrylic & oil on found fabric)

“Twilight Illusion” by Ms. Alexander Martin
(2024) (Acrylic, pleather, chain, rhinestones & fabric on canvas)

“Taste of the Garden” by Alexa Cary
(2024) (Digital photo)

“Interdimensional Bass Fan” by Charles Hill
(2019) (Digital photo)

“Coyote with Tesseracts” by Eli Brown
(2023) (Mixed media & paper on canvas)

“Mooning” by Dylan Barry
(2024) (Acrylic & oil pastel on found fabric)

“The Futility of Grasping” by Charles Hill
(2019) (Digital photo)

“Bloom” by Allison Walsh
(2017) (Oil on canvas)

“Song of the Little Black Girl” by Alexa Carey
(2013) (Digital photo)

Untitled by Allison Walsh
(2022) (Oil on canvas)

“Origin Story” by Eli Brown
(2021) (Acrylic on canvas)