KRISTENA WEST RECEIVED HER MASTERS IN TRANSFORMATIONAL ARTS & CONSCIOUSNESS, A PROGRAM WHOSE FOCUS IS ON HOW ARTISTS CAN CHANGE THE WORLD. HER THESIS IS ON CROSS-CULTURAL SACRED ICONOGRAPHY. HER BA IS IN ACADEMIC & PROFESSIONAL WRITING AND PSYCHOLOGY. HER UNDERGRADUATE IS IN FINE & COMMERCIAL ARTS & FASHION DESIGN.
One Month Practicum Barnum & Baily Clown Physcial Theatre Intensive
SHE HAS WORKED IN ART GALLERIES FROM RODEO DRIVE TO NEW ORLEANS, BEEN AN ARTS ORGANIZER, COMMUNITY ARTS ACTIVIST, CURATOR, AND TEACHER FOR OVER 30 YEARS.
SHE HAS WRITTEN A BOOK, "ALCHEMY THE MAGICAL ARTS OF THE UNION OF SOUL," BASED ON HER YEARS TEACHING MEN & WOMEN'S INNER-SOUL WORK GROUPS.
SHE IS A SCULPTOR, PAINTER, DOLL-MAKER, MIXED-MEDIA AND FOUND OBJECT ARTIST, AS WELL AS FASHION DESIGNER SUNHEARTBOHOCLOTHING.COM.
AS A DREAM TEACHER, KRISTENA WAS LED TO STUDY SHAMANISM. WHEN SHE WAS WORKING ON A CHIEFTAN'S FEATHERED HEADPICE FOR LOS ANGELES MUSEUM EXHIBITION.
HER FOCUS THROUGHOUT HER LIFE IS LIVING IN THE QUESTION, "WHAT IS SACRED ART?" HAS LED HER TO STUDY CROSS-CULTURAL SPIRITUAL TRADITIONS INCLUDING WESTERN MYSTERY TRADITIONS AND TRAINING WITH INDIGENOUS SHAMANS.
SHE IS TEACHER, COUNSELOR AND GIFTED SPEAKER, AND SHE LOVES TEACHING AND INSPIRING OTHERS.
THIS WORK CONSOLDATED HER LIFE PATH AND SHE USES CLOWN WORK AS PERFORMANCE ART TO ENGAGE HER STUDENTS TO TRANSFORM PATTERNS CREATIVELY.
Kristena West M.A. CV - partial
ASD Member: Association for the Study of Dreams
Education & Training
Goethean Studies Rudolf Steiner College. Fair Oaks, California
MA• JFK University: Transformative Arts and Consciousness. Berkeley, California
Diversity Grant Recipientient: Kids in Need of a Cuddle Project Children's Hospital, Oakland.
BA Antioch University Santa Barbara, California: Major in Communications and Minor in Psychology
Council Circle & Right-Livelihood Teacher Training Santa Barbara, California
AS Ventura College Ventura, California
Art Scholarship recipient and Alpha Gamma Sigma. Major in Fine Art, Commercial Art and Fashion Design.
Foundation of Shamanic Studies: Shamanism, Death and Beyond. San Francisco, California
Boxtales International Clown Institute: Summer Intensive, Santa Barbara California
Foundation of Shamanic Studies: Three Year Advanced Shamanic Healing and Training, Soul Retrieval and Shamanic Counseling. Mill Valley, California
Fashion Design
2016-2004 www.SunHeartBohoClothing.com Fashion Design, Batik, Silk Evening Wear
Art & Soul
1990-2018 www.AnArtistsLife.com Online Art Classes: Blog, Private Practice in Shamanic-Art Counseling & Personal Ritual Ceremonies.
2018 Anniversary Celebration Arts & Healing Online Exhibition:
2016-2019 Working with Deities; Making Sacred Art as a Healing Meditation. Facebook Group
Lectures & Teaching
2007 Waking Up Over the Threshold: Transformational Arts and Preconitive Vision Faust Branch, Fair Oaks, California
1994-2008 WomanSpirit Art & Soul Programs: Santa Barbara, California
2003 Dreaming Over the Threshold. Rudolf Steiner College, Fair Oaks, California
2001-2002 Women's Art Doll Program. Berkeley, California
2001 Dreaming Workshop Westebek, California
2001 Art Dolls Studio Class Berkeley, California
2001 6 Month JourneyWork Training San Francisco, California
2001 Council Circle Teacher Training & Creative Arts Program. Santa Barbara, California
1997-98 Men's Group: Santa Barbara, California
Awards
1999 ASD Conference Most Outstanding Telepathic Dreamer Award
Association for the Study of Dreams. See contest and photos click above. Santa Cruz, California
Solo Exhibitions
1995 One Woman Show: Legends, Lovers & Other Archetypes
The De La Guerra Gallery, Santa Barbara, California
Group Exhibitions
2016 North American School for Spiritual Science Art Section, Ottawa, Canada at the College of Applied Arts
2006 Buddha Abides, Frameworks Gallery, Santa Barbara, California.
2003 Sophia Installation & Devotional Icons. Rudolf Steiner College, Fair oaks, California.
2002 Deities, Dialogues & Dreams: Extraordinary Conversations with Ordinary People. JFK University Gallery, Berkeley, California
2001 The Awakening: September 11, 2001. JFK University Gallery, Berkeley, California
2001 - 9/11 Nicho, The Black Box Oakland: Day of the Dead Community Altars: Oakland, California
1995 The Enchanted Room Gallery Art Dolls: New York, New York
1995 The Beverly Hills Doll Show. Beverly Hills, California.
1991 Dolls For the 21st Century: Springfield Museum. Springfield, Oregon
1989 Group Show: Outsiders Gallery. Santa Barbara, California
1985 The Carillon Beach Show Santa Barbara, California
Community Events
2011 "Queen of the Sun: Movie Screening, Santa Barbara, California
2008-09 "Sophia in Arts" Dennis Klocek, Santa Barbara, California
Community Arts Events
2002-2003 "Kids in Need of a Cuddle, Children's Hospital, Oakland. Oakland, California
2001 "Dolls for Peace," Children of September 11, 2001, Walnut Creek, California
1993 "Moon Queen & Peacock Ensemble", Summer Solstice Parade, Santa Barbara, California
1993-96 Kristena West Halloween Creative Costume Workshops. Santa Barbara, California
Radio Interviews
2001"How Art & Personal Development Transforms Our Life," Women and the Arts", KALX 90.7, Berkeley, California
1997 "Gender Reconciliation, the Work for Men & Women," Body, Mind, & Spirit, KGLW 1340, Information Press Hour, San Luis Obispo, California
1996 "Spiritual Techniques for Daily Living," Body, Mind, & Spirit, KGLW 1340, Information Press Hour, San Luis Obispo, California
Solo Exhibitions & Performance
2000 "Mae West," Art Auction for Foundation of Shamanic Studies Benefit, Mill Valley, California
1995 "Flora Spring Goddess", Guest Costume Artist, Santa Barbara Contemporary Arts Forum, Santa Barbara, California 1995 "Mae West; I Was Just A Girl A Head of Her Time." Evening Performance for Sex, Love & Relationships Addicts Retreat, White Lotus, Santa Barbara, California
1994 " Sisters Act," Evening Performance for Co-Dependents Recovery Retreat, White Lotus, Santa Barbara, California
1994 "Sun King & Queen Ensemble", Summer Solstice Parade, Santa Barbara, California
1992 - 96 "Costume Artist", Santa Barbara Contemporary Arts Forum, Santa Barbara, California
1993 "Moon Queen & Peacock Ensemble", Summer Solstice Parade, Santa Barbara, California
1993 "The Great Guru, " Evening Performance for the Sacred Psychology Retreat, Ojai Foundation, Ojai, California
1993 "Mae West; Dig Deeper Into Those Pockets Boys." for Heath House AIDs Benefit, Montecito Estate, California
Costume Design and Theater
1993-1996 Santa Barbara Contemporary Arts Forum: Guest Costume Artist. Santa Barbara, California
1975-94 Costume Designer and Make-up Consultant Santa Barbara, California
1985-1994 Santa Barbara Youth Dance Theater Guest artist and consultant for costume, set and make-up design. Santa Barbara, California
1992 "Wild Women, Spirit Women" Costumer, Santa Barbara, California
1987 Mardi Gras Costume Consultant: New Orleans, Louisiana
1992 Santa Barbara Summer Solstice Parade: Staff Costume and Fabricator. Santa Barbara, California
1992 Santa Barbara Summer Stock: Myth of Perseus: Costumer. Santa Barbara, California
1993-96 Kristena West Halloween Creative Costume Workshops. Santa Barbara, California
Curator
2002 Deities: Dialogue's & Dreams. Extraordinary Conversations with Ordinary People. JFKU Arts Annex Gallery, Berkeley, California
2002 Dolls for Peace Project. Children's Hospital, Oakland & JFKU Arts Annex Gallery, Berkeley, California
1999-2001 Kristena West Studios Online Fine Arts Gallery
1979 Salon de Refuse', Ventura College Gallery. Ventura, California
Art Gallery Experience
1993-1995 The De La Guerra Gallery: Santa Barbara, California
1988 Isis Gallery: Corte Madera, California
1987 Hanson Gallery: New Orleans , Louisiana
1988 Hanson Gallery: Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills, California
1986 North Wind Studios Gallery:Ventura, California
Publications
2002 "Dolls as Transformative Art, " Common Ground Magazine Spring Issue
2001 "Shamanic Dolls, " Open Exchange Magazine December Issue
1999 "The Gifts of Shamanic Dreaming, " Circle Magazine Winter Issue
1995 "Fox as the Fool," Contemporary Doll Magazine Gallery Section Summer Issue
1992 "Kristena West Presents MythMakers©", Doll Reader Magazine October Issue
1992 " The Many Faces of Santa", Doll Reader Magazine December Issue
Writing
2002 The Spirit God in Art: Inner Work, Contemplation, Applied Dreamwork and the Creative Arts. Masters Thesis. JFK University, Berkeley, California.
1998-1999 Alchemy: The Magical Arts of the Union of Soul by Kristena West
1996-1998 Information Press Monthly Column: San Luis Obispo, California