Elsa Mora's guest appearances

Elsa Mora

National Gallery of Art | Talks

National Gallery of Art | Videos

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PAPER

Elsa Mora is an artist and curator born and raised in Cuba. In her culture, mental illness is not a secret and she would know because she grew up surrounded by family members who had bipolar, depression, schizophrenia, autism, and alcoholism.    Elsa moved to Los Angeles to pursue art in 2001 and then to Upstate New York with her husband and two children in 2014. She continues to make art, now focusing on unique paper sculptures while also curating the Art Yard, an alternative contemporary art gallery, theater, and residency program.   Elsa’s art has been exhibited worldwide in art galleries and museums. She’s taught at the Vocational School of Arts in Cuba and has been a visiting artist at the Art Institute of Chicago, San Francisco State University, The Art Institute of Boston, the MoMA Design Store, and the National Gallery of Art, among others. Her work is in the permanent collection of the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, DC and the Long Beach Museum of Art in California. As an illustrator, she’s collaborated with the Museum of Modern Art, The New York Review of Books, Oprah Magazine, Cosmopolitan, and more. Elsa is passionate about forming and strengthening communities through the transformational power of art, creativity, and collaboration.   Elsa’s beloved son Diego was diagnosed as autistic when he was two years old. When her son turned fourteen, he experienced psychosis and was hospitalized. Elsa believes her intuition is serving her family well because she’s been dealing with mentally ill family members her whole life. It’s why she’s so open and willing to share about her family’s struggles so others can get over their discomfort and rid themselves of their own shame and secrets.   Growing up poor in Cuba taught Elsa the most precious possession we have is our mind and that creativity and imagination can solve any problem, whether material or emotional. Elsa’s complex, delicate and fascinating paper sculptures are a metaphor for the mind, and hers is full of creativity, beautiful design, and profound thoughts. I’m so thrilled to welcome Elsa today.   SHOW NOTE LINKS:  Elsa Mora's Website Art Yard Elsa Mora on Instagram Elsa Mora on Facebook Elsa Mora on Twitter   CONNECT WITH US! Dear Family, Podcast Page Write Now Rachel Website Rachel's Blog @Medium Rachel’s Twitter Facebook Instagram   PLEASE JOIN: Dear Family Members, the Private Facebook Group   PLEASE Leave a 5-Star Review and *Listen and Subscribe via iTunes!!!  Listen and Subscribe via Stitcher!!! Listen and Subscribe via Spotify!!!   Thank you! Your support means the world to me. Wishing you love, happiness, and good mental health always.

Elsa Mora is an artist and curator born and raised in Cuba. In her culture, mental illness is not a secret and she would know because she grew up surrounded by family members who had bipolar, depression, schizophrenia, autism, and alcoholism.  Elsa moved to Los Angeles to pursue art in 2001 and then to Upstate New York with her husband and two children in 2014. She continues to make art, now focusing on unique paper sculptures while also curating the Art Yard, an alternative contemporary art gallery, theater, and residency program. Elsa’s art has been exhibited worldwide in art galleries and museums. She’s taught at the Vocational School of Arts in Cuba and has been a visiting artist at the Art Institute of Chicago, San Francisco State University, The Art Institute of Boston, the MoMA Design Store, and the National Gallery of Art, among others. Her work is in the permanent collection of the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, DC and the Long Beach Museum of Art in California. As an illustrator, she’s collaborated with the Museum of Modern Art, The New York Review of Books, Oprah Magazine, Cosmopolitan, and more. Elsa is passionate about forming and strengthening communities through the transformational power of art, creativity, and collaboration. Elsa’s beloved son Diego was diagnosed as autistic when he was two years old. When her son turned fourteen, he experienced psychosis and was hospitalized. Elsa believes her intuition is serving her family well because she’s been dealing with mentally ill family members her whole life. It’s why she’s so open and willing to share about her family’s struggles so others can get over their discomfort and rid themselves of their own shame and secrets. Growing up poor in Cuba taught Elsa the most precious possession we have is our mind and that creativity and imagination can solve any problem, whether material or emotional. Elsa’s complex, delicate and fascinating paper sculptures are a metaphor for the mind, and hers is full of creativity, beautiful design, and profound thoughts. I’m so thrilled to welcome Elsa today. SHOW NOTE LINKS: <a href="https://www.elsamora.net/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Elsa Mora's Website</a> <a href="https://artyard.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Art Yard</a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/elsamorainstant/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Elsa Mora on Instagram</a> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Elsa.Mora.H/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Elsa Mora on Facebook</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ElsitaTweets" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Elsa Mora on Twitter</a> CONNECT WITH US! <a href="https://writenowrachel.com/podcast/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Dear Family, Podcast Page</a> <a href="https://writenowrachel.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Write Now Rachel Website</a> <a href="https://medium.com/@writenowrachel" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Rachel's Blog @Medium</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/writenowrachel" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Rachel’s Twitter</a> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/writenowrachel/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Facebook</a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/writenowrachel/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Instagram</a> PLEASE JOIN: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/DearFamilyMembers/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Dear Family Members, the Private Facebook Group</a> PLEASE Leave a 5-Star Review and *<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1470135743" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Listen and Subscribe via iTunes!!!</a> <a href="https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/rachel-steinman/dear-family" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Listen and Subscribe via Stitcher!!!</a> <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/5ny4K3JFqzm3GZg27RNcj2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Listen and Subscribe via Spotify!!!</a> Thank you! Your support means the world to me. Wishing you love, happiness, and good mental health always.

Elsa Mora-  Cuban-born Artist, Curator, & Paper Sculptor- Our Most Precious Possession is Our Mind & Creativity Can Solve Any Problem

Elsa Mora, artist, and Magda González-Mora, curator of Elsa Mora: Timeline, and in conversation with Michelle Bird, curatorial assistant, department of French paintings, National Gallery of Art. Elsa Mora (b. Holguín, Cuba, 1971) graduated from the Professional School of Visual Arts in Camagüey in 1990. Mora was invited to teach as a visiting artist in residence at the Art Institute of Chicago in 1996. She has since completed several residencies at US universities and the MoMA Design Store. In her Timeline series, Mora examines her surreal personal journey and the surprising lessons she has learned along the way. Works in a variety of media—from photography and drawing to paper cutting—represent a timeline of events that have shaped her life from childhood in Cuba to adulthood in the United States. In her own words, “I’m endlessly curious about human stories, especially those related to survival, inner growth, and connectivity.” In this conversation, held on May 9, 2016, as part of the Works in Progress series at the National Gallery of Art, Mora discusses the National Arts Club exhibition of Timeline in relation to her full body of work with the show’s curator, Magda González-Mora, and National Gallery of Art curatorial assistant Michelle Bird.

Elsa Mora: Timeline