Time is running out to see Seattle-based installation artist Julie Alpert’s Strange Magic in the San Luis Obispo Museum of Art (SLOMA, 1010 Broad St.). It’s like walking into a brightly colored, whimsical cartoon world.
“As we step into Strange Magic, artist Julie Alpert‘s first solo show in California, we know one thing for certain: life is being lived,” SLOMA wrote.”There are potted flowers, tables, windows, shelves, bottles of hand soap and laundry detergent, a slightly oversized mug and box fan—all necessary functional and decorative elements of a routine living space. Amidst this delightful chaos we also see the youthful exuberance of life: the colors, shapes, and patterns invite us to experience feelings of playfulness and delight—a slightly imperfect handmade beauty.”
The exhibit also includes the smaller drawings, collages, and mockups Alpert creates in a stream-of-consciousness process to create her final large-scale design.
“Coloring, cutting, and gluing,” Alpert says, “is my favorite way to connect with the world and to myself.” Δ
This article appears in Weddings 2025.