by Patricia Frischer
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| BJ Lane |
The Art
and Healing: Beyond Cancer/Closing Celebration in Fallbrook at Heritage Hall,* (122 W. Ash Street) was held as the culmination of
weeks of projects, exhibitions and workshops. It was announced as Movies
and Movement because the programs included four short films and
two movement demonstrations as well as an opportunity to dance for joy.
On display on three and a half large walls of Heritage Hall
were some of 26 life size full-length figure portraits called Vision Bodies.
These were on display throughout June at a variety of venues including the
Fallbrook Art Association Gallery, the Fallbrook Library, and several local retail
spaces. The creatives were a mix of artists, cancer survivors, and anyone in
the community because the idea was not to create a likeness. It was an
opportunity to visualize yourself as a happy, healthy, hopeful person.
Panorama view of the room
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| Maria Kostelas |
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| Camille Albritton with her mother Janet |
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Carol Zaleski, former director and
curator of Friends of the Library. |
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| Nancy Heins-Glaser with Tonya Savice and her Vision Body |
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| BJ Lane and Leslie Sommres painting a Vision Bodies for Leslie Sommers |
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Leslie Sommers finished Vision Body
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This is not the first time we have covered projects by Kira Carrillo Corser.
DNA
of Creativity at Oceanside Museum of Art ,2014
DNA
of Creativity , Sea Changes: Act at Museum of Monterey, 2014
Life
Doesn't Frighten Me: Hope Inspired through Art at Fallbrook Library, 2019
Health,
Healing and Hope at Oceanside Museum of Art, 2025
She is a painter, journalist, photographer, videographer,
lyricist with more than 12 books and 150 films in her credits. She has championed
the homeless, women health issues, the blight of the oceans, the mental health
crisis, pro-peace activism and for this community centered event, a personal
burden in her live, cancer.
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| Nancy Heins-Glaser, Kira Carrillo Corser, Lucy Boyd Wilson, BJ Lane |
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Homage Collage by Shelley Mallouf with the help of Marian Seiders
 | | Puppet Project taught BJ Lane and Kira Carrillo Corser |
|
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| gourd painting with Kathy Hesser, (photo Kira Carrillo Corser) |
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| Bead Jewelry class with Toni Funaki (photo Kira Carrillo Corser) |
But she was not alone. Although she headed the charge for
the Vision Bodies, a team headed by Nancy Haines-Glaser, a former oncology nurse and including the talented artist BJ Lane spearheaded collaborations with Vet Arts (now located in Vista) and the Fallbrook Art Association and Gallery.
Starting as simple workshop to get children involved because the frightful
growth of cancer cases in minors, the other projects included homage collage
workshop with Marian Seiders (painter, collage artist/ teacher,) gourd
painting with Kathy Hesser, Bead Jewelry class with Toni Funaki and puppet making with BJ Lane and Kira Carrillo Corser. All classes were free as this was not a
fundraiser, but an awareness campaign.
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| Medical Mask |
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Reggie Green: Radiance Protector, a guardian of strength, light and identity. |
They were delighted when Nahoko Miesen, an UCSD oncology
social worker with a partner who is a vet came to the table. Her Reclaimed Radiance helps veterans
to transform the masks made for a pinpoint radiation treatment for the head.
Once the treatment is completed, these large expensive masks are usually tossed. Miesen originated this idea
from her Japanese sense of frugality. The Veterans have transformed them and then
after they were displayed in Vista, the Fallbrook Art Association put them in a
show. But some of the vets then wanted to make Vision Bodies. One collaborative
work was made to honor a member of their board with cancer.
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| Kira Carrillo Corser, Patricia Frischer (San Diego Visual Arts Network), Nancy Heins-Glaser, Ilsa Garza-Gonzalez (Superintendent Fallbrook High School District, Anna Quigley (Michelle's Place Cancer Resource Center), BJ Lane |
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| Tyde Richards, foreground, with "Reggie" Greene |
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| Renya Beckler from Sage Yoga |
Table top view
A miniature version of the 15-foot mural was on display
before you walked into the space, and on view at the celebration on tables were
samples of many of those projects. After viewing these and some introductions,
Tyde Richards took us back to the invention of Tai Chi and how important it was
to create balance and breathing when wearing heavy armor if you were going to
win a battle. That battle is now for our health. Then Renya Beckler from Sage Yoga
continued with more healing, lovely, gentle graceful movement exercises.
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Root Rising image by Lucy Boyd Wilson
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Kira
Carrillo Corser’s recent and repeated bouts with cancer are
never apparent to any of us. She seems to conquer life at every turn. We know
there is a struggle but she chooses hope time and time again. Her first firm showing
was about a series of painting she created of Angels who were surrounding
by animals to help guide her to health. The second titled America be Beautiful
was a compilation of images to remind us of hope.
Lucy Boyd
Wilson presented two films, Lily Pond and Root
Rise. Both were made to slow us down and reach a sort of meditative state
using natural images combined with color and moving graphic transformations.
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| One of six silk painting by Kira Carrillo Corser suspended over the window. |
These films were projected on a large wood wall and the
stage was flanked by two Posts for Peace and Justice. These 8-foot post are all designed by various
groups along a huge variety of compassionate themes and each has a lead artist.
Three beautiful silk paintings adorned the windows out to a patio where guest enjoyed cool drinks and fresh fruit.
There was time for a little dancing at the end of the
evening with DJ Maddy choosing the songs. It is because of the communal nature
of all these events, that the attendees felt inspired to
be empowered to be even more engaged. This celebration was only one night, but it was a night to remember....a night of light and hope.
*Heritage Hall is a designated historic site built before
1910 that has been moved several times throughout the town's history. It now
hosts community events including regular exercise class. Contact MaryAnn
Collings for more info: 619.244.6126
Vision Body Artists include: Kira Carrillo Corser, B.J.
Lane, Carol Zaleski, Debra Muzikar, Anna Quigley, Jackie Smith, Leslie Sommers,
Lucy Boyd-Wilson, Debra Andersen, Kira Corser collaboration with granddaughter
London Ross, Kelly O'Neill collaboration with granddaughter Maggie, Lila
Hargrove, Trina McLean, Miriam Key, Reginald "Reggie Green, Julie Anne
Moore, Tonya Savice, Nancy Hildebrand, Shelley Mallouf, Robin A Williams, Janet
Ritza Camille Albritton, Maria Kostelas, Jahnise Brown, Dianne Funk, Toni,
Ruth, Diane - collaboration in making a "Get Well" Vision Body for a
newly diagnosed future survivor.
