Healing Arts Gallery will be celebrating its grand opening on Saturday, July 24 from 10:00 a.m. to 2 p.m. and from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at 31 Main Street. Owner, artist, and caring healer, Ramona Allen believes in the restorative powers of art. She believes that color, light and pleasing composition can help bring joy to the viewer.

Allen envisions her gallery as a quiet place, a respite where people can take time to pause and reflect while viewing beautiful art. The gallery will be hosting walk-in hours throughout the summer. Follow Facebook page Ramona Allen Healing Arts for updates.

Allen has had some formal training in photography and drawing which has helped her develop an eye for composition and color, but she readily admits that she is mostly self-taught. She added, “I’ve been painting pictures in my mind’s eye forever.”

When her Reflexology practice in Gorham shut down at the beginning of Covid, Allen, like many others during the crisis, had plenty of time for some serious soul searching. She decided to view Covid as an opportunity to do something new and bold.

As a natural healer, she is a firm believer in the power of Art to promote well-being and health. “I realized that I always wanted to be an artist and to paint beautiful things that might bring joy to others.” She describes her art as having an eclectic sense of style and color.

Allen’s artwork and her personal journey were recently featured on a WGME TV 8 segment of Made in Maine with Steve Minich. The gallery will also be part of an upcoming episode of Kristan Vermulean’s podcast called Makers of Maine, which will air on July 22 (www.makersofme.com). This podcast is in the process of morphing to a national platform called, Makers of the U.S.

Three pieces of Allen’s art will also be part of a multimedia digital art gallery called M.A.D.S. based in Milan, Italy. The show is called Paraiso – What is your Paradise and begins on July 23. The work can be viewed here.

As an entrepreneur, Allen believes in the philosophy of “growing slow and strong.” When asked about her plans for the future of the gallery, she said that she would eventually like to broaden its scope to include original prints, note cards, scarves and bags.

A member of the Gorham Business Exchange, Allen has been a business owner in Gorham since 2018 when she first opened her reflexology practice. She consciously chose Gorham for her business because she felt a great sense of community and support here.

Allen has studied both psychology and health and wellness coaching, receiving her B.S. in Psychology from Liberty University in 2019.

Her private practice has grown and is now called RAHA Integrative Health and is located in another suite at 31 Main Street. Services are expanding to include several other providers of Massage Therapy, Bio-Magnetic Pairing, and Life Coaching. Allen will continue to be involved in a managerial role at the practice.

To find out more or to book an appointment, visit www.rahamaine.com.