Idea Lounge

ART - Tracy Ferron - “From Walls to Wings - The Power of Commuity Art to Address our Mental Health Crisis”

Tracy Ferron is a community artist focused on art as a platform for healing and social change. Her large-scale works have been exhibited at the Museum of Sonoma County, 2018-2021.

In 2021, she launched the award-winning Unbound project in Petaluma, galvanizing over 1500 people to co-create an 80-foot sculpture of hundreds of winged hearts flying free from a cage, in an innovative year-long collaboration with Napa State Hospital.

Tracy is the Founder and Board Chair of Life On Earth Art, a Petaluma-based non-profit.

LIFE - Elece Hempel - "It's All About Community"

Elece "sits at the head of an organization with its fingerprints on nearly every aspirational community service initiative in Petaluma," according to the Petaluma-Argus Courier. Petaluma People Services Center provides support to seniors, those with food insecurity or in need of housing, and offers the largest network of counseling services in the County.

Elece was voted as one of the "24 to Watch in 2024" by The Press Democrat, which devoted a special section to highlighting influential people in Sonoma County who significantly impact their community.

The Idea Lounge

The purpose of the Idea Lounge is to share stories and build connections that inspire and motivate, generate reflection, promote empathy, and celebrate community.

The Idea Lounge pairs two speakers who may have never met. One speaker is from the arts and the other is not.

For twenty minutes each, the speakers present an aspect of their lives which may include how they chose their professions, how people or circumstances inspired them, or decisions they made that changed the direction of their lives or careers.

The audience has equal time to uncover the commonalities between two seemingly disparate topicsand career paths. Idea Lounge lasts one hour.

The monthly event, on the fourth Wednesday of the month, is held at the Petaluma Arts Center. It is scheduled from 6:30-8pm with the event starting at 7pm. Refreshments are available.

PAC members $12 | Non-members $15

Host or Publisher Petaluma Arts Center