The Alchemy Club
gainesville, florida // september 2023
The Alchemy Club is a coworking space located in the heart of downtown Gainesville, Florida.
Andy Chavez, co-owner of Alchemy Club, and his partner Annie are both of Colombian descent. I aimed to create a piece referencing their heritage. My friend Valentina, who is Colombian herself, shared with me the story of Kambo and its significance in her own family culturally, medicinally, and spiritually.
I painted Valentina as the earth deity Pachamama sharing the sacred frog medicine with all of us.
The video below features audio of Valentina sharing the story of Kambo, as well as visuals of The Alchemy Club.
“I had seen Cristi's small works of art around Gainesville and knew she would be the perfect artist for the next wall mural at my business. I wanted the piece to bring the large public space together, utilizing the wall's height and width, and carry a meaningful message.
Cristi's first draft exceeded my expectations—it was not only visually captivating but also deeply significant. Over the course of a week, she executed the mural with remarkable care, precision, and thoughtfulness. Since its completion, it has consistently left visitors in awe.
Working with Cristi was an exciting and memorable experience, and her talent deserves recognition beyond this project. I hope to see her work on walls and museums on a much larger scale in the near future.”
– Andy Chavez, Alchemy Club Owner
