ANCIENT POCKET CV

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Curriculum Vitae

Vanessa Ehecatl Santos b. 1978 in Los Angeles, CA

Education, Certifications & Self Study

Yucca Valley Materials Lab: Lost Wax Glass Studio
Casting Intensive + Work-Trade, Joshua Tree, CA
May 2023 & May 2024

Bio-Dynamic Certification in Agricultural Justice & Beekeeping
Rochester, NY & Floyd, VA
2016–2020

Usui + Johrei Reiki Level 2 + Master Certification: College of the Lakes, Emmetsburg IA, Kathy Heng CH, LMT, Reiki Master 2014-2016 

Waldorf Youth Pedagogy Apprenticeship
Village School, Portland, OR
2007–2009

Usui Reiki Certification Level 1: NW Healing Arts; Portland OR, Steve Nunley LMT, Reiki Master 2007                         

Herbalism Intensive Certification
Pokeroot Foundation & Wisewoman University
2004–2011

Nature Guide Apprenticeship
Nuts About Nature, Portland, OR
2006–2009

Fullerton College – Botanical Sciences, Native Plant Landscaping, Screenprinting Intensive
2000-2002

East Los Angeles College – Video Arts Program
1999–2002

Santa Monica College – Photography & Screenprinting
Summer 1999-2001

Pasadena City College – Wet/Dry Film Lab
1999-2000

Academy of Art College, San Francisco – Motion Pictures & Video
1998-2000

California State University, Fullerton – Art History & Photography
1996-1998

Professional Experience

(Most Recent First)

Tierra del Sol Foundation
Studio Art Mentor for Disabled Adults (Ceramics, Painting, Textiles, Drawing)
June 2023–April 2025

Ancient Pocket / Terra Heaven Eco-Arts/ Earthen Futures Studio
Interdisciplinary Eco-Arts Educator, Healing Arts Practitioner, Community Arts Program Coordinator
2009–Present

Nature School LA
Nature-based Arts and Environmental Education
2021–2022

29 Palms & Joshua Tree Region
Community Engagement through Eco-Arts, Teaching, and Installations
2022–Present

Yucca Valley Materials Lab – Lost Wax Glass Studio
BIPOC Programming Support and Work Trade; Yucca Valley, CA
2023 & 2024

Seraphim Dream Outdoor Community Arts
Department Head of Curation; Los Angeles, CA
2019–2022

Kossuth County Art Educator
Community and Youth Arts Instruction and Programming; Algona IA
2010–2019

Arts Educator & Program Coordinator
Public schools across the NW, LA, NM, Iowa; Adult Ed & Community Projects
2000s–Present

Studio Arts Manager/ Technician Photography and Film Department, Visual Art Lab, Photo + Film Lab Aide; Pasadena City College, CA 2000-2001

Exhibitions, Performances, and Publications

(Selected Highlights)

2025
Wizard Duck Chalice, Felix Art Fair Roosevelt Hotel – LA Ayuda Fire Relief Benefit, Hollywood, CA

2024
Rites Performed at LA River, Dark Times Revival Show, L.A., CA.

2023
Desert Chalice Performance, Oracle Tavern, Los Angeles 

The Beatnik Gallery for ‘QueerRated’ in Joshua Tree CA, 

2022
Ancient Ocean Arcade, High Desert Test Sites, Sky Village Swap Meet, Yucca Valley, CA (HDTS Headquarters ‘Parallel Programs for The Seekers)
Square One Mary Temple, Invocation, Performance, Sound Piece, Video and Exhibition Installation, at Flower Head Solo Show (Paintings, Floating Altar, Interactive Space, Time Based Art, Sound)  in El Sereno CA, Los Angeles

2021
Mary Temple Love Altar, Flower Head – Performance and Installation, L.A., CA
Seraphim Dream: Shadow Pines, Mail Order Show – Curated/Exhibited, Los Angeles
LA River Water Emergency – Show and Performance
Solstice Fairies and Dragona, Sound Installation at Marsh Park, Los Angeles
Summer Solstice Gathering, 29 Palms – Rainbow Spider Ritual
Slutstice, House of Pearl Wisdom, Morongo – Performance and Installation, CA
New Myths, SD Online Art Show – Curated and Exhibited
1-800-Heal-Yeah, Show Curation and Performance, Morongo Valley, CA
Green Tara Temple, Curation, Performance, Installation
Winter Solstice Flaming Stars, Activation Ritual, 29 Palms – Community Performance

2020
EarthBound / Companions, the Mayan AI – Anthology Publication (Painwise Press)
House of the Galactic Mirror – Online Performance, Curation, Exhibition
Tarot-thon for COVID Justice, Golden Dome School at Open Eye Crystals, Los Angeles
Tarot-thon for Black Lives, Online Event
Collective Memory, Silent Online Auction – Solar Genius Painting for Black Lives Matter
Seraphim Dream 2, Show Curation and Performance, Los Angeles
Trancing with Tara, Online Show and Performance
A Future Love, Poem Published in Muff Mag Issue 4.5
Dublab: Saturated Response, Group Audio Composition, Radio Broadcast
Eco-Crips, Edited by Olivia Dreisinger – Poem: “Message from Gaia to Sentient Beings”
222 Magic By the River, LA River Performance, Installation + Ritual, LA, CA

2019
Seraphim Dream 1, Pasadena – Curation, Installation, Performances, CA

2018
Nebraska Street Altar, Offering Installation and Attunement Performance, Algona, IA

2017
Native American Days, Reenactment of Algonquin Life and Ceramics Installation, Algona, IA

2016
Sundays Gallery, Melrose, Los Angeles
BFGF Studios, Exhibition and Performance, Chinatown, LA
IABF, “Nadine” Exhibition and Table Piece, NYC

2013
Hammer Museum’s Arts ReSTORE – Selected Works by Vanessa Samp, L.A., CA

2010
Golden Parachutes Mail Art Show, San Francisco, CA

2004–2008
Home Skillette Garden Space Show, Portland, OR

2003–2005
2426 Mission Street Gallery, Open Exhibition Space, San Francisco, CA