Upcoming Community Art Events
Icons In Transformation: Opening Night
Icons in Transformation: Opening Night
🗓 Fri Jan 30th | 7:30pm - 9:00pm
📍All Saints Episcopal Church
555 Waverley Street, Palo Alto, CA 34301
This will be the grand opening for the Icons in Transformation Event that runs through April 5, 2026. The opening night will include the artist, Ludmila Pawlowska, a choral concert to celebrate the art, and a reception where you will meet the artist and see the exhibit.
See the church transformed by her Icons, works of Abstract Expressionism.
Witness her icons sounded through Persian melody and cantatas from Buxtehude’s Membra Jesu nostri” with improvised reflections on Kurdish maqām and Iranian dastgāh
Reception and time to contemplate the exhibit.
Musicians
Amy Spencer, soprano
Emily Schuck, soprano
Nathan Stroud, countertenor
Luis Tuyub, tenor
Daniel Koplitz, baritone
Christopher Pluntke, organist
Ashkan Nazari, master of shourangiz, tār, setār
Icons in Transformation by Ludmila Pawlowska
Icons in Transformation by Ludmila Pawlowska
🗓 Fri Jan 30th | 7:30pm - 9:00pm
📍All Saints Episcopal Church
555 Waverley Street, Palo Alto, CA 34301
Born in Kazakhstan and now based in Sweden, Ludmila Pawlowska has been shaped by profound experiences that continue to inspire her art. Icons in Transformation is a museum-quality exhibit, shown in cathedrals and museums around the world, now at All Saints’ Episcopal Church, Palo Alto.Featuring more than 150 expressive mixed-media works, the exhibit reinterprets Christian icons in ways that invite reflection, hope, and transformation.
Icons in Transformation is more than an art show—it is a spiritual experience. Walking among the icons, visitors will encounter beauty that transcends words and discover new ways of experiencing God’s presence. It is especially meaningful to host this exhibit during the season of Lent to use it as contemplative pieces when the Church in a violent world wrestle with the message of God’s love and hope in the person and work of Jesus Christ. All Saints' is honored to share this exhibit with the community, opening our doors to seekers, artists, and all who wish to explore the transforming power of sacred art.
Seema Kohli’s First Solo Exhibition in the United States: Samsara & Metamorphosis: The Mystical World of Seema Kohli
Exhibition Hours
February 27th - March 1 (11am-7pm)
📍Pacific Art League
668 Ramona St, Palo Alto, CA 94301
Opening Reception
🗓 Tues Jan 27th | 5:30pm - 8:30pm
Artist Walkthrough
Saturday, February 28th: 11 AM & 4 PM
Sunday, March 1st: 11 AM & 4 PM
About the artist:
Seema Kohli is one of India’s most distinguished contemporary artists, with a practice that spans painting, drawing, sculpture, installation, and performance. For more than four decades, her work has brought together memory, mythology, spirituality, and lived experience, creating immersive environments that invite reflection and contemplation.
Kohli’s work has been featured in major international exhibitions and museums, including a solo exhibition at the Museum of Sacred Art in Belgium in 2019 and the Kochi-Muziris Biennale in 2016. Her work is held in institutional collections such as the British Museum (UK), Rubin Museum (USA), and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (US), among others.
Kohli is also a sought-after speaker and has been invited to present at organizations and institutions including TEDx, Harvard University, the University of Chicago, and the University of California at Davis, among others.
A collection of recent paintings by the artist will be on display and available for sale.
About the exhibition:
For over four decades, Kohli has developed a distinctive body of work rooted in India’s ancient spiritual and mythological traditions, while remaining deeply connected to the concerns of the present. Rather than treating myth as a relic of the past, Kohli approaches it as a living, evolving language—one that brings together personal memory and lived experience to explore ideas of time, identity, and transformation. Her immersive visual worlds invite reflection and inner inquiry, offering viewers a space where ancient wisdom and contemporary life meet.
Kohli’s work is inspired by the generative forces of nature—its cycles of growth, dissolution, and renewal. In Indian philosophy, this creative energy is closely associated with the feminine principle, the source of life and regeneration celebrated across mythic and spiritual traditions. Kohli draws from this lineage, using the womb as a potent symbol of creation and possibility as she explores the eternal cycles of birth and death. Her artworks give form to invisible energies, presenting the sacred feminine as a powerful force that moves through imagination, consciousness, and being.
Central to Kohli’s visual language is Shakti, the transformative power of the divine feminine, often expressed through Yogini iconography. These figures emerge not as passive symbols but as empowered, multifaceted presences—embodying agency, resilience, and becoming. Her layered compositions chart inward journeys from chaos to clarity, fragmentation to wholeness, rendering psychic and spiritual transformation tangible.
Kohli’s practice weaves together diverse philosophical traditions, from Tantric symbolism and Samkhya dualism, to the introspective wisdom of Sufism and the emotive devotion of Bhakti poetry. These influences inform her exploration of the body as a sacred vessel and a site of inner knowledge. Her use of 24-karat gold and silver leaf, textiles, metal, and recycled yarn evoke ritual, care, and reverence within material form.
Through what she describes as a process of “re-mythologizing” modern life, Kohli offers a powerful counterpoint to a fragmented world—reanimating the sacred feminine as a source of imagination, healing, and freedom, where the ancient and contemporary exist in luminous harmony.
For more information about these events, to schedule a private viewing, or to inquire about available works, please contact Sonia Patwardhan, director and founder of Laasya Art at info@laasyaart.com or call +1 650-770-9088.
Free Holiday Card Washi Tape Workshop
Free Holiday Card Washi Tape Workshop
🗓 SUN DEC 14th | 12-2:00pm
📍The Huddle @ Google Visitor Experience
2000 N Shoreline Blvd, Mountain View, CA 94043
Get into the festive spirit with our Washi Tape Holiday Card Workshop, where participants will use colorful washi tape and recycled paper to create unique, handmade holiday cards. Inspired by the minimalist, layered designs seen in the image, this workshop teaches simple techniques like layering, tearing, and arranging washi tape to form trees, gifts, or abstract patterns. Washi tape—originally developed in Japan in 2006 as a decorative, low-tack tape made from traditional Japanese paper (washi)—offers a beautiful textured and easily repositionable material for creative expression. Paired with the timeless tradition of holiday card giving, which began in 19th-century England, this workshop is a joyful blend of craft, history, and heartfelt connection—perfect for all ages and skill levels.
Free Holiday Book Page Ornament Workshop
Free Holiday Book Page Ornament Workshop
🗓 SUN DEC 7th | 12-2:00pm
📍The Huddle @ Google Visitor Experience
2000 N Shoreline Blvd, Mountain View, CA 94043
Step back in time and create timeless holiday charm in our Book Page Ornament Workshop! Using upcycled pages from old books, participants will learn to craft elegant, vintage-style ornaments like looped stars and layered paper baubles that echo classic Victorian-era decorations. This technique involves folding, cutting, and shaping paper strips into sculptural forms, then securing them to create intricate hanging designs. Originating from 19th-century traditions of handmade Christmas décor, book page ornaments bring literary beauty and nostalgic warmth to any space. Perfect for all ages and skill levels, this workshop blends sustainability with old-world elegance.
Halloween Black & White Pumpkin Decoration Workshop @ Stanford Research Park
Halloween Black & White Pumpkin Decoration Workshop
Get into the Halloween spirit with a fun and festive pumpkin decorating workshop hosted by Pacific Art League! 🎃🖤🤍
📅 Thursday, October 30 | 12–1 PM
📍 The HUB @ Stanford Research Park
3215 Porter Dr, Palo Alto, CA 94304
In this free community art event, you’ll create stylish black-and-white pumpkin decorations—perfect for your desk, home, or spooky seasonal display. All materials are provided, and no experience is needed.
Take a creative lunch break, connect with the community, and leave with your very own Halloween pumpkin masterpiece!
Community Art Workshop by @pacificartleague
Sponsored by @stanfordresearchpark
Recylced Fabric Pumpkins @ 3rd Thursday on California Ave.
Community Art Workshop: Recycled Fabric Pumpkins
Join us for a free hands-on art activity at 3rd Thursday on California Avenue! 🎨✨
📅 Thursday, October 16 | 6–9 PM
📍 414 California Avenue (at the Stanford Research Park booth)
🌐 www.3rdthursday.fun
In celebration of this month’s Recycling theme, Pacific Art League invites you to create your own Recycled Fabric Pumpkin—a fun, sustainable craft that’s perfect for fall. Using upcycled materials, you’ll transform fabric scraps into festive pumpkins you can take home and enjoy.
This community art workshop is open to all ages and skill levels. Bring your friends, family, and creative spirit, and join us in celebrating art, sustainability, and local community connection.
Brought to you by @3rdthursday.fun
Community Art Workshop by @pacificartleague
Sponsored by @stanfordresearchpark
Fall Into Color Transfer Prints @ Google Visitor Experience
Fall into Color Transfer Prints Workshop
🗓 SUN OCT 12th | 12-2:00pm
📍The Huddle @ Google Visitor Experience
2000 N Shoreline Blvd, Mountain View, CA 94043
Celebrate the beauty of autumn at Pacific Art League with this hands-on fall printmaking workshop! In this fun and creative session, you’ll learn color transferring techniques to transform your artwork into one-of-a-kind seasonal prints.
Participants will start by drawing bold black-line images of fall favorites—pumpkins, leaves, acorns, and more. Then, using markers, foil, and water, you’ll transfer and blend colors to create magical, watercolor-like backdrops. The process combines elements of drawing and printmaking, offering a unique way to explore color mixing and design techniques while celebrating the season.
Perfect for all ages and skill levels, this family-friendly art class in Palo Alto is an inspiring way to connect with creativity and enjoy the rich colors of fall. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced artist, you’ll leave with vibrant autumn prints that capture the spirit of the season.
Opening Reception: Abstraction & Simeon Dumas
Opening Reception
Friday, October 3 | 5:30–8:00 PM
Pacific Art League | 668 Ramona St., Palo Alto
Join us for an evening of creativity and community as we celebrate the opening of two dynamic exhibitions at Pacific Art League.
Simeon James Dumas: Decade² – In an Instant
October 3 – 28 | Forest Gallery
With Decade² – In an Instant, artist Simeon James reflects on over twenty years of growth, exploration, and discovery. The title carries dual meaning: both a span of two decades and the multiplying effect of time. Returning home after nearly that same stretch, this exhibition is a full-circle moment bridging past and present.
In an Instant captures the paradox of the artistic journey—how every sudden breakthrough is built on years of persistence, transformation, and quiet evolution.
Abstraction
October 3 – 28 | Ramona Gallery
Step into a world where imagination takes center stage. Abstraction celebrates the limitless possibilities of non-representational art—bold colors, sweeping gestures, and intricate details that invite us to feel deeply and think differently.
This exhibition brings together diverse artistic voices, each pushing beyond the everyday to reveal emotions and ideas that words alone cannot capture.
✨ Complimentary refreshments will be served.
✨ Meet the artists and connect with fellow art lovers.
✨ Free and open to the public.
We can’t wait to welcome you for this special night at PAL!
Endless Summer Festival @ Google Visitor Experience
Endless Summer Festival @ Google Visitor Experience
🗓 September 20th | 11:00am-4:00pm
📍The Huddle @ Google Visitor Experience
2000 N Shoreline Blvd, Mountain View, CA 94043
For more information and to RSVP, please CLICK HERE.
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We’re beyond excited to join Google Visitor Experience’s biggest event of the year—the Endless Summer Festival—on Saturday, September 20, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Come celebrate with us at this free indoor–outdoor festival in the heart of Mountain View.
At the Pacific Art League booths, you’ll dive into hands-on creativity: design your own folded fans, paint mandala affirmation rocks, and join the magic of chalk art with the incredible Joel Yau (@studioyau). Famous for transforming sidewalks into breathtaking masterpieces, Joel will bring his signature style to the 2nd Anniversary Celebration of Google Visitor Experience.
Inspired by his work, you can create your own slice of summer—whether it’s sunshine, sunsets, or your favorite sweet treats—right on the pavement. This is your chance to make art, make memories, and make summer last just a little bit longer.
Free Community Art Event: PAL @ 3rd Thursday on Cal Ave
Free Community Art Event: PAL @ 3rd Thursday on Cal Ave
🗓 THURSDAY September 18 | 6-9 pm
📍414 California Avenue by Stanford Research Park booth
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Join us at the PAL art table and decorate your own Folded Fans, celebrating the Dancing on the Street theme.
Brought to you by @3rdthursday.fun
Community Art Workshop by @pacificartleague
Sponsored by @stanfordresearchpark
Opening Reception: California Dreaming & Judy Gaulke: Delights of Life
Join us at Pacific Art League for the opening reception of California Dreaming & Judy Gaulke: Delights of Life.
Free Community Art Workshop @Google Visitor Center: Mexican Tissue Paper Flowers
Flores de Papel: Mexican Paper Flowers
K-Pop Demon Hunter Sing-Along Fundraiser
Do you have a K-Pop Demon Hunters–obsessed child?
La Entrada’s (Menlo Park) 8th Grade Girl Scout Troop (#62696) is hosting a special school holiday fundraiser on Monday, Sept 1st—featuring a movie watch party + singalong, along with fun crafts and snacks!
All proceeds go directly toward funding the troop’s San Diego adventure this September. Join the fun and support these amazing girls!
Ages 7-14
Tickets are limited—buy yours today for $20. CLICK HERE to register
Free Community Art Event: PAL @ 3rd Thursday on Cal Ave
Free Community Art Event: PAL @ 3rd Thursday on Cal Ave
🗓 THURSDAY August 21 | 6-9 pm
📍414 California Avenue by Stanford Research Park booth
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Join us at the PAL art table and make your ownVegetable Block Print onto Canvas Bags, celebrating TheTaste of Cal Ave, a 3rd Thursday fundraiser which showcases the restaurants and bars on Cal Ave.
Brought to you by @3rdthursday.fun
Community Art Workshop by @pacificartleague
Sponsored by @stanfordresearchpark
Art in the Garden
This year, PAL is thrilled to collaborate with Gamble Garden on their annual Art in the Garden event—happening Tuesday, August 19th from 5:00–7:00 PM in Palo Alto.
About the Event:
Art in the Garden is a cherished community celebration that invites visitors to stroll through the gardens while watching artists bring their work to life in real time.
Location: Gamble Garden, 1431 Waverley St, Palo Alto, CA 94301
Admissions: $10
Free Event: Burst of Summer Paper Flower Workshop @ Google Visitor Center
Pacific Art League Free Community Event: Burst of Summer Paper Flower Workshop @ Google Visitor Center
3rd Thursday with PAL
3rd Thursday with PAL
Thursday, June 19th (6-9pm)
www.3rdthursday.fun
414 California Avenue by Stanford Research Park booth
Join the PAL team and paint a drink coaster celebrating LoCal Libations Wine Walk
Kente Bookmark Weaving with PAL
Kente Bookmark Weaving with PAL
Thursday, June 19th (12-2pm)
The Huddle @ Google Visitor Experience
2000 N Shoreline Blvd, Mountain View, CA 94043
RSVP HERE
Weave your own Kente paper bookmark to celebrate Juneteenth with the Pacific Art League. Connect with a profound symbol of African heritage and resilience, echoing the spirit of freedom and community inherent in Juneteenth.
Palo Alto First Friday Art Walk
First Friday Art Walk Returns – Kicks Off June 6!
We’re thrilled to be part of the revival of a beloved Palo Alto tradition—the First Friday Art Walk, launching Friday, June 6 from 5–7 PM in downtown Palo Alto.
Stop by the Pacific Art League and visit fellow galleries including Bryant Street Gallery, Masterworks Fine Art, Pamela Walsh Gallery, and Qualia Contemporary Art as we extend our hours and invite the community to explore local art in the warm glow of a summer evening.
Mark your calendar and bring a friend—art, conversation, and creativity await!