
Susan Kelk Cervantes, muralist and dedicated artist for 57 years, a pioneer of the SF community mural art movement, and the founder and director of the Precita Eyes Muralists in the Mission District of San Francisco. Established in 1977, Precita Eyes is one of only a handful of community mural arts centers in the United States.
Influenced by the Mujeres Muralistas, the first collaborative group of women muralists, Cervantes has applied the same process of accessible, community art to any size mural or age group through community mural workshops.
Cervantes is responsible for over 400 murals (including the murals on the Women's Building) considered some of the finest in the country.
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Bio PDF
Influenced by the Mujeres Muralistas, the first collaborative group of women muralists, Cervantes has applied the same process of accessible, community art to any size mural or age group through community mural workshops.
Cervantes is responsible for over 400 murals (including the murals on the Women's Building) considered some of the finest in the country.
Resume PDF
Bio PDF
Professional Objectives:
To develop and pursue my vision designing and painting public community murals, painted tile, mosaic and mixed-media installations with life affirming themes and continue sharing my knowledge and skills in the collaborative process. Education:
San Francisco Art Institute, California B.F.A., 1965 M.F.A., 1968 |
Community Mural Arts Educator:
Founding Artistic Director, Precita Eyes Muralists Assoc., Inc., Precita Eyes Mural Arts Center, San Francisco. a non-profit community arts org., 1977-present. SF. CETA Arts Program/Precita Valley Community Center; SF Arts Commission, 1975-79. Wallenberg Alternative High School, SF, 1990; Buena Vista School, SF, 1991; New College of California Arts and Social Change Program, SF, 1993; Balboa High School, S.F., 1995; Mission High School, S.F., 1996; Cleveland Elementary School, S.F., 1993 -1995; California State University Hayward, 2000, California College of Arts 2004, San Francisco Art Institute, 2010, University of San Francisco, 2013, Northeaster University, Boston 2016 and others.
Founding Artistic Director, Precita Eyes Muralists Assoc., Inc., Precita Eyes Mural Arts Center, San Francisco. a non-profit community arts org., 1977-present. SF. CETA Arts Program/Precita Valley Community Center; SF Arts Commission, 1975-79. Wallenberg Alternative High School, SF, 1990; Buena Vista School, SF, 1991; New College of California Arts and Social Change Program, SF, 1993; Balboa High School, S.F., 1995; Mission High School, S.F., 1996; Cleveland Elementary School, S.F., 1993 -1995; California State University Hayward, 2000, California College of Arts 2004, San Francisco Art Institute, 2010, University of San Francisco, 2013, Northeaster University, Boston 2016 and others.
Grants & Awards: SF Latino Legacy Award 2017; SF Symphony Ellen Magnin Newman Award 2017; Loco Bloco Community Leader Award Mover and Shaker 2012; SF Arts Commission Individual Artists Grant Award, 2003; Local Hero Latino Arts KQED 2002; National Endowment for the Arts, 1999-2000; California Alliance for Arts Education Award, 1999; Artslink Grant for collaboration with Russian artists, Moscow,1997; Creative Work Fund, 1996; WESTAF(Western States Arts Federation Grant), 1994; Lef Foundation, Zellerbach Family Fund, Ronald McDonald Charities, Nu Lambda Trust, 1993-94; Columbia Foundation, Bank of America, PG. &E. Grants, 1990; Mayor's Office of Community Development Award in recognition for outstanding contribution to mural art in San Francisco, 1990; San Francisco Mayor's Community Development Block Grants, 1976, 1981, 1986-1992; Oakland City Council Cultural Development Award, 1982; Visual Artist Fellowship Grant/National Endowment of the Arts, 1980; Artist-In-Residence Grant/California Arts Council, 1979-80;
Mural Arts Lecturer:
S.F. Art Institute 1975, 1988, 1990. University of Southern California 1976. SF Museum of Modern Art, 1979. University of California, Berkeley, 1980. Las Americas Childrens Center, SF, 1982. Urban Skills Center, SF, 1983. George Washington High School, SF and Golden Gate National Park Headquarters, Ft. Mason, SF, 1986. U.S. Postal Service, Main Branch, SF. Mission Branch Public Library, SF, 1988. Raoul Wallenburg High School and World College West, SF, 1989. De Anza College, Cupertino, 1992. Pescadero High School, Pescadero Beach, 1993. Dominican College, San Rafael, 1993. “Utopia Dystopia”, the Third Annual Conference on Feminine Activism and Art, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, SF, panel discussion, April 1995. S.F. State University, 1996. University of San Diego, 1996. S.F. Museum of Modern Art, 1996. College of Notre Dame, Belmont, 1993-2001. Art and Architecture, AIA San Francisco, 2000. “Mayfair Community Mural Conference; Mexican Heritage Plaza, San Jose, mural workshop, April 2001.DeAnza College, 2006. Pecha Kucha, Estriia Foundation, 2011, Revolution Book Store, Berkeley, CA 2012. Pecha Kucha, Artspad SF, 2012, Mural Foorum, Stockholm, Sweden, 2014, Mural Routes, Toronto, Canada 2015.
Exhibitions Invited (66):
SF Art Institute 1971; Capricorn Asunder Gallery, SF Arts Commission 1973; Ringling Museum, Sarasota, Florida, 1974; Civic Arts Gallery, Walnut Creek, 1976; Nanny Goat Hill Gallery, SF, 1977; Galeria De La Raza, SF, 1978 & 1988; Oakland Museum, State Dept. Fourth Triennale India, Asia, Mideast, Japan, 1978-79; Cervantes Family Show, Galeria Museo, Mission Cultural Center, SF, 1980; Balmy Alley Murals, Casa Gallery, SF, 1984; Harvest, The Farm, SF, 1985; La Pena, Berkeley, 1986; Beef Gallery, SF, 1987; All for One Earth, SOMAR Gallery, SF, 1990; Pushkin Skaya Gallery, Leningrad, USSR, 1990; The Fourth R, Euphrates Gallery, Cupertino, 1992;
SF Muralists, "Lumieres de Californie: 20 Artistes Autour de San Francisco; Centre d'animation et de Loisirs Valeyre, Paris,
France, 1993; Galeria Museo, Mission Cultural Center, SF, 1995; Nanny Goat Hill Redux, SOMAR Gallery, SF, 1997, Manos de Diosa Balazo Gallery & Mission Badlands, 1997. Euphrat Gallery, De Anza College, 2000. Femina Potens Gallery, SF, 2010, “Rehistoricizing”, Luggage Store, SF. 2010, Adobe Gallery: Three Generations of Mural Art, 2013
Major Publications Represented:
Toward a Peoples Art: The Contemporary Mural Movement, by Eva Cockcroft, 1977; California Murals, by Clark, Hama, Gorden,
1979; Pacific Magazine by Judy Vasos, 1980; American Women Artists, by Rubenstien, 1982; Community Murals: A Peoples Art, by
Alan Barnett, 1984; And Still It Moves, by Marron and Babelaar, 1984, 1986; Community Murals Magazine, 1985, 1987; Yesterday
and Tomorrow: California Women Artists, 1989; The Fourth R: Arts and the Needs of Children, 1992; San Francisco Murals, by
Tim Dresher, 1991, 1994, 1996; Painting the Towns, by Robin Dunitz and Jim Prigoff., 1998. SF Street Art: Mission Muralismo, 2010.
Mural Arts Lecturer:
S.F. Art Institute 1975, 1988, 1990. University of Southern California 1976. SF Museum of Modern Art, 1979. University of California, Berkeley, 1980. Las Americas Childrens Center, SF, 1982. Urban Skills Center, SF, 1983. George Washington High School, SF and Golden Gate National Park Headquarters, Ft. Mason, SF, 1986. U.S. Postal Service, Main Branch, SF. Mission Branch Public Library, SF, 1988. Raoul Wallenburg High School and World College West, SF, 1989. De Anza College, Cupertino, 1992. Pescadero High School, Pescadero Beach, 1993. Dominican College, San Rafael, 1993. “Utopia Dystopia”, the Third Annual Conference on Feminine Activism and Art, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, SF, panel discussion, April 1995. S.F. State University, 1996. University of San Diego, 1996. S.F. Museum of Modern Art, 1996. College of Notre Dame, Belmont, 1993-2001. Art and Architecture, AIA San Francisco, 2000. “Mayfair Community Mural Conference; Mexican Heritage Plaza, San Jose, mural workshop, April 2001.DeAnza College, 2006. Pecha Kucha, Estriia Foundation, 2011, Revolution Book Store, Berkeley, CA 2012. Pecha Kucha, Artspad SF, 2012, Mural Foorum, Stockholm, Sweden, 2014, Mural Routes, Toronto, Canada 2015.
Exhibitions Invited (66):
SF Art Institute 1971; Capricorn Asunder Gallery, SF Arts Commission 1973; Ringling Museum, Sarasota, Florida, 1974; Civic Arts Gallery, Walnut Creek, 1976; Nanny Goat Hill Gallery, SF, 1977; Galeria De La Raza, SF, 1978 & 1988; Oakland Museum, State Dept. Fourth Triennale India, Asia, Mideast, Japan, 1978-79; Cervantes Family Show, Galeria Museo, Mission Cultural Center, SF, 1980; Balmy Alley Murals, Casa Gallery, SF, 1984; Harvest, The Farm, SF, 1985; La Pena, Berkeley, 1986; Beef Gallery, SF, 1987; All for One Earth, SOMAR Gallery, SF, 1990; Pushkin Skaya Gallery, Leningrad, USSR, 1990; The Fourth R, Euphrates Gallery, Cupertino, 1992;
SF Muralists, "Lumieres de Californie: 20 Artistes Autour de San Francisco; Centre d'animation et de Loisirs Valeyre, Paris,
France, 1993; Galeria Museo, Mission Cultural Center, SF, 1995; Nanny Goat Hill Redux, SOMAR Gallery, SF, 1997, Manos de Diosa Balazo Gallery & Mission Badlands, 1997. Euphrat Gallery, De Anza College, 2000. Femina Potens Gallery, SF, 2010, “Rehistoricizing”, Luggage Store, SF. 2010, Adobe Gallery: Three Generations of Mural Art, 2013
Major Publications Represented:
Toward a Peoples Art: The Contemporary Mural Movement, by Eva Cockcroft, 1977; California Murals, by Clark, Hama, Gorden,
1979; Pacific Magazine by Judy Vasos, 1980; American Women Artists, by Rubenstien, 1982; Community Murals: A Peoples Art, by
Alan Barnett, 1984; And Still It Moves, by Marron and Babelaar, 1984, 1986; Community Murals Magazine, 1985, 1987; Yesterday
and Tomorrow: California Women Artists, 1989; The Fourth R: Arts and the Needs of Children, 1992; San Francisco Murals, by
Tim Dresher, 1991, 1994, 1996; Painting the Towns, by Robin Dunitz and Jim Prigoff., 1998. SF Street Art: Mission Muralismo, 2010.