Kira Carrillo Corser
(510) 684-4651
e-mail: kiracorser@gmail.com • www.kiracorser.com
Currently working in Monterey County and San Diego County
Vitae Summary: Focusing on Community Projects and Social Action
Masters in Fine Art, with studies in Community Arts, John F. Kennedy University, Arts Annex in Berkeley Ca, 2006 and BS in Journalism from San Diego State University Monterey Bay 1984.
Awards and Grants include: National Endowment for the Arts, California State Senate Award for Artistic Excellence, James Irvine Foundation, San Diego Arts Commission, Monterey County Arts Council, California Wellness Foundation.
20 years experience in Monterey County; including using the arts in healing and promoting wellness with community projects.
Three published books and four nationally traveled social issue traveling exhibitions.
Work exhibited in 15 state capital buildings, the House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate buildings in Washington, D.C., as well as, galleries, museums and universities.
Lectured and worked 8 years as Visual Literacy and Arts Consultant and Part-time Professor at California State University Monterey Bay in 5 departments: the Institute for Service Learning, the Institute for Human Communication, the Visual and Public Art Institute’s Community Outreach program, the Institute for Earth Sciences, and Teledramatic Arts and Technology 1997 – 2003.
Photographer/writer/videographer with 20 years experience, including 10 years in Public Broadcasting.
Collaborative Community Projects/Social Action Works & Lectures include:
Mi Vida: Mi Pueblo – My Life: My Town – countywide collaborative exhibition of farming communities in Monterey County reflecting on immigration, and their life and town experiences with painting, photography, video, puppetry, and hand-made books.
Eco Arts puppetry and installations – designed a collaborative 12-foot mobile at the Monterey Maritime Museum and First Night Monterey “Pacific Pollution Vortex” and “Mami Wata Save the Sea” puppet performances, director, puppet maker, and original script.
Nationally traveled exhibitions and books – Kira Carrillo Corser and CSUMB professor/poet Frances Payne Adler have collaborated for 20 years, with 4 exhibits and 3 books: A Matriot’s Dream: Health Care for All; When the Bough Breaks: Pregnancy and the Legacy of Addiction; Struggle to Be Borne (about lack of prenatal care for poor women); and Home Street Home (about homelessness.) www.kiracorser.com and www.matriot.org.
Making Strides: Journeys Through Breast Cancer – One of 8 artists exhibiting in the Monterey Museum of Art at La Mirada. This included producing a 20 minute video called “Art and Healing: Journeys through Breast Cancer” sponsored by the Monterey Museum of Art, The American Cancer Society and the Monterey County Breast Cancer Action Group.
Education as Emancipation: Witnessing Welfare – A collaboration with students at Monterey Peninsula College and creative writing/social action students at CSUMB. Outcome was a book, a website, a public presentation, and finally an interactive Welfare Quilt Website — Worked as a consultant, paste-up artist, teacher and participating artist. http://hcom.csumb.edu/welfare
Visual Voices: Threat of the Dam – A two-year environmental art project including community exhibit, video traveling photography portfolio for policy makers & website describing the impact of building a new dam on the Carmel River. www.kiracorser.com/ecoart/
Guiding with Courage: Personal Heroes – Designed and organized a Monterey countywide writing contest, traveling art exhibition, book, video, and event, that was designed and organized in collaboration with 18 County Libraries and some schools. Project designed to promote community interaction and encourage leadership of children and teens. 1998 – 2000
Helping Children Heal: “Wellness for Children Project” – This project works with
community services to use creative materials for healing and wellness. This includes a series of children’s rhymes, a wellness video fairytale, titled “Flora and the Laughing River,” 4 books and 3 videos. They are designed to teach young children breathing and visualization for healing illness, reducing anger. pain relief, or coping with family stress and fear. This work is used in Monterey county in hospitals, clinics, doctor’s offices, homeless shelters, homes, & pre-schools. 2000 –2005
Monterey City Library Sesquicentennial Celebration – A community art project with children and adults participating on the history of Monterey and the history of the Library. Oct. 2000 The final outcome of the event was a community quilt made of painted silk, a permanent installation in the Monterey Library.
My Hero art project was part of the Reciprocal University for the Arts, CSUMB Visual and Public Art Institute, Lila Wallace Readers Digest Grant for Outreach to the Monterey County. I worked with teens at the YWCA in writing about a personal hero and taking creative photographs to go with their writing. 2001
Theatre of the Imagination – Santa Catalina School Gallery – Jan – April 2002. This was an interactive exhibition, with painted photographs, storytelling imagery, puppets and corresponding hand-made books for viewers to contribute creative writing. Teens and children were able to share serious life experiences and used art as a catalyst for expression.
Children’s Cultural Puppet Theatre – Hand-made puppets act in folktales from different cultures. First play on May 14th, of a West African Folktale, performed at Manzanita school’s CPY program, co-sponsored by CSUMB Service Learning Institute and the America Reads Program. Second performance at the Carmel Barnyard for Independent Book Sellers Association on May 18th. 2002 – This is an ongoing project, with a video in progress.
Speaking Truth to Justice – Visual Art Consultant to class of advanced writing students at CSUMB – Outcome was a May 2002 student presentation and research papers combined with creative writing/visuals portfolio and PowerPoint presentation.
Art and Healing – Organized and lead two community workshops with speakers, interactive art installations, and video “Art and Healing: Journeys Through Breast Cancer” – March California State University Monterey Bay and in May 2002 at Monterey Hospice.
Formed a Community Outreach & Networking group of professionals using “Creative, Expressive Arts in Healing Community.” This includes monthly meetings with teachers, nurses, therapists, and artists. 2002 – present