Sophie’s Gallery in downtown El Cajon on Main Street is holding its Wings and Snow art show on Dec. 9, featuring artwork created by clients at St. Madeleine Sophie’s Center.
The Wings & Snow piece will be on display from through Jan. 9, 2023. Sophie’s Gallery and Gift Shop is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Sophie’s Gallery is the art program of St. Madeleine with a mission to educate and empower individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities to realize their full potential, said Sophie’s Gallery Art Program Manager Erin Perschbacher.
“Here we support artists through innovative and empowering art classes where the artists get a chance to explore different art materials, and their finished pieces we sell here at Sophie’s so that each artist can earn a paycheck from their sold artwork,” she said. “Our annual Wings and Snow art show is a great opportunity for the community, our customers, and supporters to come and support the artists here at Sophie’s.”
Perschbacher said this year’s art show theme is “Dreams Take Flight.”
“This year we have a wonderful show of handmade sewn angel wing pillows,” she said. “It is going to be a great installation where the angel wing pillows will be installed on the walls. They are a great handmade item that customers can purchase to decorate their home, or as a wonderful gift for someone, and support our artists.”
Perschbacher said there is also a selection of handmade jewelry, items made at Sophie’s in the weaving classes, mosaics, paintings, printmaking, ceramics, with purchases supporting the artists and the programs it offers. Perschbacher said there will also be a wonderful selection of plants from its organic garden.
“Sophie’s is a great place to get holiday decorations and ornaments, unique gifts for yourself or family and friends that you just cannot find anywhere else,” she said. “We encourage people to come out and support our artists, our program, and do your holiday shopping.”
Perschbacher said things are going well since it reopened the gallery last year, having been closed because of the pandemic and it has held a few art shows, which it depends on to continue to serve its clients.
“Over the past year we have had a few wonderfully attended shows where the artwork has been superb. Our artists get to come enjoy the show, see their pieces on the wall. Our long-time customers come. We have new people that we really enjoy seeing at the events,” she said. “It definitely has been a challenge over the past couple of years, but we are really happy to be having in person shows again. It is really important to see them thrive again over the past year and continue to do so.”
For more information, please visit https://stmsc.org/programs/specializations/sophies-gallery/.
