“Public art is an early sign of democracy. Art speaks a universal language”

Meet Kay Brown, from Eugene, Oregon. She received scholarships from Cornish School of Art and Music in Seattle, Chouinard Art Institute, and attended Art Center School in Los Angeles. 

Her career in graphic design in Los Angeles specialized in corporate image programs and industrial design.

As a member of the Mexican American Education Commission she served as Textbook Taskforce chair, raising the issue of the lack of compliance of publisher inclusion of the role and contributions of Mexican Americans, African Americans, Native Americans, Asians and Pacific Islanders, Women and Labor in state adopted textbooks for K-12 and continues to be active in their evaluations. Her committee research culminated in organizing and obtaining a temporary (8 year) restraining order against the California State Board of Education for not complying with the state education code requirement to include their role and contributions in Social Science, Math and History textbooks for grades K through 12. She also served as Administrative Assistant to the Director of the Hispanic Urban Center.

As a fine art printmaker, she has been a member of Los Angeles Printmaking Society, Santa Barbara Printmaking Association, Arroyo Arts Collective of Northeast Los Angeles, Los de Abajo Printmaking Collective, and currently MONO GRAFICO COLECTIVO. She has exhibited in juried shows in Washington, Oregon, California, New York, Texas and Guadalajara, Mexico galleries.  

She recently exhibited with Los de Abajo Printmaking Collective at El Camino College Gallery, Santa Monica Airport Gallery, and Occidental College Library in Los Angeles, and has participated in Self Help Graphics & Art print seminars and print sales since 2002. She is also a tireless volunteer with the Center for the Study of Political Graphics, Los Angeles City Attorney Dispute Resolution Program, Venice Arts Council, California Lawyers for the Arts and is currently participating in an artist residency at Social Public Art Resource Center (SPARC) in Venice, California.

Recently she was lead teaching artist for SPARC/LAUSD programs introducing traditional and non-traditional printmaking techniques to K-8 students. She maintains an open studio and accepts private students by appointment.