Art and Healing: Beyond Cancer/Closing Celebration in Fallbrook at Heritage Hall

 by Patricia Frischer

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

Maria Kostelas

Camille Albritton with her mother Janet

Carol Zaleski, former director and curator of Friends of the Library. 

Nancy Heins-Glaser with Tonya Savice and her Vision Body

BJ Lane and Leslie Sommres painting a Vision Bodies for Leslie Sommers

Leslie Sommers finished Vision Body

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.

Nancy Heins-Glaser, Kira Carrillo Corser, Lucy Boyd Wilson, BJ Lane

Homage Collage by Shelley Mallouf with the help of Marian Seiders

Puppet Project taught BJ Lane and Kira Carrillo Corser

 

gourd painting with Kathy Hesser, (photo Kira Carrillo Corser)

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.

Medical Mask 

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.

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

Tyde Richards, foreground, with "Reggie" Greene

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.

Angels, painting myself back to life clip by Kira Carrillo Corser

America Be Beautiful film clip by Kira Carrillo Corser

Lily Pond film clip by Lucy Boyd Wilson

Root Rising film clip by Lucy Boyd Wilson

Root Rising image by Lucy Boyd Wilson

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.

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.