Alchemy Art Center is a non-profit community art space on
San Juan Island specializing in ceramics, printmaking,
and darkroom photography.

We offer classes, memberships, seasonal residencies, and public events at our magically rustic woodland location.

Visiting? Please go to our Contact page for information about getting here!

“We Are Alchemy” Video by 2024 Artist-In-Residence Andy Thomas (Nosferatune)

Alchemy Art Center is Growing!

Alchemy Art Farm: Join us on this exciting new journey!

The Dream:
We are excited to introduce you to Alchemy Art Farm, our new campus just a ¼ mile down the road from our existing home base. This vision is taking shape within the old Pelindaba Lavender Farm production building, a 14,000 sq ft facility that is ready for new life. We envision building a vibrant, multi-use art community that weaves together creativity, community, and connection. Our space will include artist studios and classrooms, residencies, a gallery and performance venue, a community kitchen and apothecary, and more, all working together to nurture a rich and inclusive arts environment. Visitors to the Art Farm will be invited into an immersive experience where art is not only displayed but created in real time—where the process is as celebrated as the final product. By offering shared studios for printmaking, textiles, painting, and more, and welcoming up to 20 diverse artists into private and juried studios, we aim to support both long-term creative practice and short-term residencies that bring fresh energy to our island. A monthly Open House and regular open hours will invite the public to interact with artists, view in-progress work, and engage in hands-on activities, making the Art Farm a living, breathing part of the cultural fabric of San Juan Island.

Our central theater/gallery will serve as the beating heart of the campus, hosting exhibitions, performances, and immersive experiences that reflect both local voices and global perspectives. The community kitchen and herbal apothecary will offer classes and programming, while supporting the on-site picnic area with locally made to-go foods and coffee. With residential accommodations for artists-in-residence, including an ADA-accessible unit, we’re building an arts ecosystem that is welcoming, accessible, and deeply collaborative. From poetry publishing and queer advocacy to ceramics, glasswork, and dye-based practices, the Alchemy Art Farm will be a haven for experimentation, education, and joyful public engagement. We invite you to help us build this dream!

The Alchemy Farm Store (the roadside gift shop) will be a hub for both agricultural and lavender products and eventually artwork made by artists here at Alchemy. We envision a place where people can get a coffee and a to-go snack, enjoy the garden, and interact with artists in the process of making work. It will be a cozy spot to curl up with a cappuccino in the winter, and the perfect location for a family picnic in the summertime. The shop space and open houses will create broad sales opportunities to local artists, and provide inspiration for visitors.

Our Opening Day Celebration is Sunday July 13, 3pm-9pm!

• Learn about what’s in store for Alchemy Art Center’s newest creative venture. Small tours will be going throughout the afternoon, and a special welcome announcement will happen at 6pm!

• Explore a treasure trove of farm, office and production equipment left behind on the farm at our Rummage Sale!

• Food and drinks will be available for purchase!

• Live music starting at 6pm by local drum band Sabu, Seattle-based soul boogie band Breaks and Swells, and others!

• Be the first to peruse the new Alchemy Farm Store, which will be open on weekends throughout the summer, featuring ethically raised local meats, seasonal produce, and the remaining lavender products. Inside, we will showcase work by local Alchemy artists—come take in the latest creations in a gallery-style setting while you shop.

• Admission is FREE, but donations are gratefully welcome to fund this enormous and exciting leap forward!

We can’t do this without you!

In order to actualize our vision, we need to raise 1 million dollars to bring the property into the ownership of Alchemy, as well as necessary and immediate infrastructure improvements that must be completed in order for this dream to become a reality. Help us build something that will benefit San Juan Island forever! We are collecting donations through our Friends of Alchemy Fund, which is hosted through the San Juan Island Community Foundation.

Volunteer at the Alchemy Farm Store!

Alchemy is opening our new Farm Store on weekends starting mid-July! While we continue working through permitting, the store will offer local produce, ethically raised meats, and the remaining lavender products from the farm.

The space will also be beautifully adorned with artwork by Alchemy artists—paintings, ceramics, and prints displayed in a gallery-style setting to create an inspiring environment for visitors and volunteers alike.

We’re looking for volunteers to help staff the store—greeting visitors, sharing a bit about Alchemy, and assisting with simple sales. Each shift is three hours, with two volunteers per shift, on Friday afternoons, Saturdays, and Sundays throughout the summer.

It’s a great way to support Alchemy, give back to the community, and enjoy the peaceful farm surroundings. Bring a friend—or come solo and make a new one while you’re there!