COMMUNITY WORK

"Once upon a time"

Myrtle alley project 2021

The Heavy connected with Local home owners, the Inez Lopez family to help resolve conflict with Park Town apartments. This project was developed to help beautify the Myrtle neighborhood in efforts to create a safe, clean, friendly environment for the Pacific Park neighbors. Through the beautification of the wall spaces artist hoped to create a sense of unity and pride in neighborhood to help increase the communities dignity. Hoping to increase cleanliness and create a safe space for both home owners and apartment residents. Feel free to check it out! Located off Myrtle and Hickory st. in Santa Ana

"INNER SELF"

COMMUNITY GIVING BACK

SANTA ANA, CA

2020

Artist collaborate with Local Developer to resolve an issue with ongoing Vandalism. The Mural was created to inspire a sense of inner hope & peace through the 2020 Lockdown. The artist decided to gift this piece to the community of Santa Ana to commuters off Grand and 4th street. This desire birthed the mural "Inner Self," a colorful mother earth figure meditation in a garden full of natural elements. Mexican elders say Huitzilopochtli guided the Aztec’s long migration through the valley of Mexico and thus the hummingbird is the symbol of strength in life's struggle to elevate consciousness - to follow your dreams. This mural was developed by The Heavy Collective, Bud Herrera and Kimberly Duran. It is location off of Grand & Calle Cuatro in Santa Ana California. Photography by: Mathew Martinez

"FUN IN THE SUN"

"FUN IN THE SUN"

TURTLE ISLAND

NEIGHBORHOOD CLEAN UP

KOREATOWN, LOS ANGELES CA

2020

Artist collaborate with K-town neighbors in Los Angeles neighborhood. Mural "turtle island" is created to create a safe, fun environment for the alley way. Image depicts a floating turtle with "lady luck" traveling and guiding the way.  

K-TOWN NEIGHBORHOOD

CLEAN UP

2018-2019

The Heavy collective collaborate with Good Neighbors art space in Koreatown Los Angeles. They work along side local artist in K-town and neighbors to use art to clean up the alley ways used to commute on a daily basis. These spaces create and outdoor art gallery setting for the local neighborhood.

"REINCARNATION"

INVESTING IN ARTIST GRANT PROJECT

SANTA ANA, CA 2018

The Heavy Collective received a grant from the Arts and Culture office to create Public art projects with the community. They utilized these funds to collaborate with the youth in Santa Ana to create open dialogue on what should be created on the mural. The students from OCHSA High school joined the artist in the dialogue and birthed the image "Reincarnaction." A celebration of life highlighting the Dia de los muertos in Santa Ana.

COMMUNITY ART WALL

FUNDED IN PART BY THE INVESTING IN ARTIST GRANT 

2017-2019

Artist are awarded multiples grants by the City of Santa Ana's Art & Culture office to develop more art and culture in the community. They utilize these funds to build a wall that is accessible to the public and create rotating murals. This project helped to create an art alley space in Downtown Santa Ana to invite the community, visitors and creators to interact with the wall and use to create content or take a family pictures.

ORANGE COUNTY THERAPEUTIC ARTS

2016 - 2017

Artist Kimberly Duran working alongside OCCTAC and SAUSD  to provide innovative, artistic, educational and therapeutic programs that inspire and transform children, at-promise youth, adults and their families to fulfill their highest potential.

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OCCTAC arts center is the first and only organization in Orange County offering unique programming that combines the arts, academics, and creative therapies to help children, youth and adults realize their highest capabilities.

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Through teaching art at several Elementary schools in Santa Ana ages K-6th grade, Artist Kimberly Duran walked students through planning ideas,  mural masters, art history, philosophy and developing quarterly exhibitions at each campus.

"SECRET GARDEN"

PIO PICO ELEMENTARY 2015

SANTA ANA, CA

Artist collaborate with The Love Initiative in their annual neighborhood clean up project. They work alongside community volunteers and students at Pio Pico Elementary in Santa Ana to create a safe and inviting environment for the nurses office. 

"FUN IN THE SUN"

EVERGREEN NEIGHBORHOOD CLEAN UP

2015

Artist collaborate with The Love Initiative neighborhood clean up project. This effort was to help the Evergreen neighborhood in Santa Ana have a friendly and uplifting mural for the community. Image depicts children playing soccer, jump rope and reading books. Community volunteers and children participated in developing this piece.

"LA CULTURA CURA"

COMMUNITY GIVING BACK

MINTER ST. SANTA ANA, CA

2014

Artist collaborate with local unhoused Santa Ana resident "Angel" to create a mural on his van located off 4th street & Minter St. He wanted to create a cultural image that reflected his roots. Angel is a well known unhoused resident that religiously parks his van on the corner of this neighborhood near downtown Santa Ana. The artist each created and image on each side of the van that was inspired by Angel's vision. This effort was to help him with the vandalism issue he was facing on his vehicle. 

"KNOWLEDGE IS POWER"

PADRES UNIDOS COMMUNITY MURAL

SANTA ANA, CA

2014

Artist collaborate with Padres Unidos non - profit to develop a community mural for the Garden off Santa ana Blvd and Lacy st. in Santa Ana. The garden is a center where at risk youth come to work off community service hours in the garden. Artist created a 90ft x 10ft mural that reflects nature, children playing  and reading books. Promoting knowledge is power.

"MADRE NATURALEZA"

COMMUNITY MURAL

SANTA ANA, CA

2013

Macre's community mural, Lead by Artist Kimberly Duran and Elizabeth Cardenas. Over a period of 12 weeks that began in September of 2013, artist facilitated the creation of a community mural located in Downtown Santa Ana in the rear wall of Macre's flower shop of Santa Ana, which engaged local artists, youth, business, and residents in the art-making process.  The mural itself was inspired by the community interview process, with the final piece representing the dreams and aspirations of Santa Ana residents. The design was developed by Lead artist Kimberly Duran and Elizabeth Cardenas, whom lead the project, painted it along with a large contribution from Stacey Patino. In addition to these organizational partners, the Coalition involved many community leaders, arts administrators, students, educators, local artists and non-artists alike. Over 300 participants, Santa Ana community members from many different backgrounds, all worked together to make art and transform the space. 

Who Was Involved:

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• Workshop for Community Arts (WCA) is a community-based, artist-run organization located in Santa Ana, CA that facilitates creative workshops and events.  WCA artists have expertise in multiple disciplines, including creative writing, visual art, music, and community organizing.  

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• The Grain Project (TGP) promotes unified, healthy, sustainable communities through urban agriculture and public art. TGP offers collaborative and holistic programming, urban beautification, partnerships, and community building for self-sufficiency and empowerment.

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• MC Gallery is committed to the research, production, presentation and interpretation of contemporary Latin American art.