“Inbound,” an installation designed by artists at Petaluma’s Life on Earth Art, greets visitors to the Sonoma County Museum's Dia de Los Muertos exhibit. (Kent Porter / The Press Democrat)

The striking work of art will be on display in Petaluma on Saturday, Sept. 23, as part of the inaugural Sonoma County Veterans Art Day exhibition sponsored by Life on Earth Art, a Petaluma-based nonprofit that uses art as a platform for social action and healing.

For its upcoming 2023 Dia de los Muertos exhibit, Santa Rosa’s Museum of Sonoma County is partnering with Petaluma’s Life on Earth Art to create a large community-made sculpture as part of the museum’s annual display of altars and art by local groups, students, collectors and artists. The exhibit runs Sept. 9 through Nov. 26.

While exploring her family history of trauma was the initial creative inspiration for Sonoma County-based artist Tracy Ferron, the life-long journey she has found herself on has led to a profound large-scale public artwork–Unbound, several smaller-scale pieces and an ongoing therapeutic community art program that offers transformative healing and connection through her non-profit, Life on Earth Art (LOEA).

The 2023 CODA Awards (Collaboration of Design + Art) are now taking place across the globe, with 100 mind-blowing international art installations currently in contention for prizes in numerous categories. Among the nominees is a massive, multi-dimensional art piece titled “Unbound,” featuring hundreds of winged hearts escaping from a cage, flying overhead across an enormous multi-purpose room at the Napa State Hospital.

Gay pride came to Sonoma County this week more vocal than ever, with the largest Pride parade and festival on the North Coast held Saturday in Santa Rosa — even as celebrations in many parts of the country were held against a backdrop of growing anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment.

The National Organization of Arts in Health (NOAH) has presented a Cam Busch NOAH award to “Unbound,” a massive art installation that Petaluma’s Life on Earth Art studio created and put in place earlier this year at Napa State Hospital.

Led by a Life On Earth Art student volunteer, we provided hearts for students to paint for a protest in response to several violent incidents at Sonoma County high schools.

An art installation of 769 winged hearts floating over 80 feet has taken flight inside a Napa hall.

Unbound features 769 papier maché winged hearts. The project is led by 70 therapists for 1,200 patients and is supported by hundreds of community members. (PHOTO BY KELSEY FLOYD)

A total of 10 winged hearts, some with actual moving wings, were part of Life on Earth Art’s contribution to the Petaluma Veterans Parade on Friday, Nov. 11.

The Press Democrat features Life on Earth Art in SonomaLife

We filmed nine vignettes of modern injustice against the striking symbolism and emotional impact of our caged hearts.