Our Spotlight on the Arts for January 2026 shines brightly on visual artist and small business owner Adrianna Reloba of Freedom Palette – Art Workshops for All.
Tell us about Freedom Palette!
Well, in short, Freedom Palette is a mobile art workshop business honing in on community building and “art with the earth in mind”. I also create craft kits that are in and coming to more storefronts.
How long have you been a visual artist and what led you on this journey? What were some of your inspirations along the way?
As funny as it sounds, there’s a distinct memory I have from kindergarten where I knew I had to be an artist. As a shy child, I used art as a means of creating safe spaces to discover more of myself and a tool to connect with others.
My mind is very visual, so people and their stories inspired me most. It’s the curiosity I have with the origins of things and witnessing passion and depletion in this world. Since moving from a city to one surrounded more by nature, that has been a big part of my inspiration over the last few years.
Do you have a favorite aspect of your art form and of your business?
It’s definitely having the ability to bring people together and craft with some or all materials, either garden-grown, foraged, or ethically sourced. Since moving to Maryland, my main art form has been crafting dried terrariums and shadow boxes.
It’s such a nice feeling being able to go through the full process of sharing and creating something meaningful. While building these pieces, I’ve been incorporating and learning the traditions and art styles of the many cultural mixes of my ethnicity.
Where did you grow up? How long have you lived in St. Mary’s County?
I was born and raised in San Francisco. I lived in Los Angeles for four years until moving my daughter and me to St. Mary’s County. We are coming up on our fifth year! Most of my family is in the Bay Area of California, but my mother has lived here for 10 years now.
I had visited the area a few times and fell in love with how beautiful it was. I was ready to leave the city, and as a single mother, I wanted to live closer to my mother.
What are your other interests outside of your work as an artist?
That list is infinite, and I’ve learned to discipline myself and focus on only a few things at a time. I love to cook and bake from scratch, hike and forage for wild edibles, do yoga, and lift weights.
I’ve also grown a wonderfully eclectic group of friends who farm, fire spin, DJ for Ecstatic dances, teach contact improv movement, and host drum and song circles. I truly believe art and community create richness in life.
Is there anything else that you would like to share?
Yeah, I’d love to share my long-term goal of investing in land and building a two/three story live-in gallery space. Working mobile and setting up workshops for private parties, facilities, festivals, and retreats has been so nice, and I will continue to find more ways of bringing crafting to communities, but having a homestead for my daughter and me and space to host my own events and bring in facilitators is the ultimate goal. I’d love to incorporate a community garden to source materials for workshops and grow food to provide free or low-cost meals.
Thank you, Adrianna, for sharing your story and being a valued member of our creative community!
Links of Interest
- Website: www.FreedomPalette.com
- Instagram: @freedom.palette.workshops
- TikTok:@Freedom.Palette
- Pax River Village Center Community Mural – worked with artist Rosalia Torres-Weiner for the creation of a beautiful mural honoring the voices of Southern Maryland’s Hispanic community. (www.smcart.org/prvc-mural-cfa)
- Shepherd’s Old Field Market (Leonardtown, MD) – shop from a variety of craft kits at the Freedom Palette shop, including dried terrarium building, painting kits and supplies and more! (www.shepherdsoldfield.com)
- BaltiSpore (Baltimore, MD) – art and craft kits will be available here as of late December!
Visit the Freedom Palette website for news about upcoming classes and workshops! The classes listed on the flyers will be live on the Freedom Palette website by January 1, 2026.