Curated by Holly Bass, Melissa Burley, Deirdre Darden, Jessica Staford Davis, Phil Davis, Tim Davis, Jeremy Flick, Lisa Gold, Juanita Hardy, Cory Oberndorfer, Anthony Palliparambil, Laura Roulet, Nancy Sausser, Brooke Seidelmann, and Smith Center for Healing and the Arts.

This inspiring initiative will feature the work of 125 artists, hand-selected by 15 curators, to engage in a community dialogue on healing and transformation through the arts. The ceramic bowl was chosen as the fundamental element for the exhibition the past three years, to symbolize a space where healing can take place—an idea at the heart of Smith Center’s work and mission. We are proud to unveil a new vessel for 2016: The Cigar Box.

As a healing organization, Smith Center’s Joan Hisaoka Healing Arts Gallery looks deeply into the core of what can cause illness and finds holistic and creative ways to restore splendor and meaning.

Alchemy is defined as transforming something toxic into an illuminated substance, which why we ask each artist to transform a cigar box by means of his or her own personal aesthetic and medium. The artist takes a box that would be normally filled with a polarizing, carcinogenic object, and creates an original piece of artwork, an alchemical vessel to benefit the Smith Center’s cancer support programs.

All participating 125 artists generously donate their creative expressions to this project and the exhibition honors their thoughtful visions. Plan a visit to marvel the diverse output from our community’s finest artists.

It’s not too late to own your own 2016 Alchemical Vessel! Go to Available Artwork to view and purchase remaining pieces.

2016 Alchemical Vessels - April 30, 2016 - Washington Post