Born in England, philosopher, poet, prose-writer and visual artist
Carolyn Mary Kleefeld grew up in Southern California and studied
art and psychology at UCLA. Her innovative artwork and writing have
been used for over twenty-five years in the fields of human consciousness
and creativity. A visionary pioneer, Ms. Kleefeld has the rare
ability to convey through lyrical language, metaphor and symbolic
image, the spiritual potential of human beings.
Fueled by a need for creative expression and a lifelong fascination
with psychological and spiritual transformation, Ms. Kleefeld is
the author of three award-winning poetry books that explore these
archetypal themes. These books have been used as texts in university
courses worldwide and have been translated into Braille by the Library
of Congress. Her book, The Alchemy of Possibility: Reinventing
Your Personal Mythology (Merrill-West Publishing), inspired
by the I Ching, with an introduction by Laura Archera Huxley,
combines her visual art, philosophical prose and poetry, and includes
corresponding quotes from the I Ching and Tarot. Healers
as well as professors of art and psychology have also used Alchemy as
an inspirational text and oracular guidebook.
An interview with Ms. Kleefeld is included in the anthology Mavericks
of the Mind: Conversations for the New Millennium (Crossing
Press), as are interviews with Alan Ginsberg, Terence McKenna, Dr.
Timothy Leary and other cutting-edge thinkers of our time. Her most
recent book, Kissing Darkness: Love Poems and Art, a lovers’ dialogue
in poetry written in collaboration with David Wayne Dunn, was published
in 2003 by Riverwood Books, an imprint of White Cloud Press (publishers
of Kahlil Gibran).
Over the past two decades, Ms. Kleefeld has created an extensive
and diverse body of drawings and paintings, ranging in style from
romantic figurative to abstract. In her language of poetic imagery,
Ms. Kleefeld expresses the passions of the human heart and a pantheistic
reverence for the Big Sur wilderness she inhabits. In
addition to being featured in art magazines and textbooks, her award-winning
art can be found in the personal collections of Ted Turner, Laura
Archera Huxley, and many others, as well as at the United Nations, and in
hospitals, galleries and museums nationwide.
P U B L I S H E D W
R I T I N G S
BOOKS:
Kissing Darkness: Love Poems and Art, co-authored
with David Wayne Dunn
Riverwood Books, Ashland, Oregon 2003
The Alchemy of Possibility: Reinventing Your Personal
Mythology, with Foreword by Laura Archera Huxley, Merrill-West
Publishing, Carmel, California 1998
Mavericks of the Mind: Conversations for the New
Millennium,
David Brown and Rebecca McClen Novick, Crossing Press,Freedom, California,
1993 (includes an interview with Carolyn Mary Kleefeld along with
those of other leading-edge
philosophers)
Songs of Ecstasy (Volumes I and II)
Atoms Mirror Atoms, Inc., Carmel, California 1990
Lovers in Evolution
The Horse & Bird Press, Los Angeles, California 1983
Satan Sleeps with the Holy: Word Paintings
The Horse & Bird Press, Los Angeles, California 1982
Climates of the Mind
The Horse & Bird Press, Los Angeles, California 1979, in 4th
printing
SELECTED CONTRIBUTIONS:
Poetry in Monterey Poet’s Review 2006
Poetry in Robinson Jeffer’sTor House Newsletter 2005
Introduction, Duet for One
Dr. Donald Parker, Random House 2000
Poetry in The Erotic Impulse, edited
by David Steinburg,
Jeremy Tarcher/Perigree 1992
Poetry in Erotic By Nature, edited
by David Steinburg
Shakai Press/Red Alder Books 1988
Poetry in Association for Humanistic Psychology Newsletter,
April 1983
S E L E C T E D B I B L I
O G R A P H Y
“Poetry, Art Bind Couple Together” Monterey
County Herald, February 2003
Book Review: “The Alchemy of Possibility” Bodhi
Tree Book Review, Summer/Fall 2000
“Carolyn Mary Kleefeld” Millennium
Issue, Fine Art Magazine, December 1999
Book Review: “The Alchemy of Possibility” Whole
Life Times, April 1999
Book Review: “The Alchemy of Possibility” The
New Times, March 1999
Book Review: “The Alchemy of Possibility” Emergence
- Magical Blend, December 1998
“Riding the Spiritual Riptide” Santa
Barbara News Press, August 1998
Book Review: “Satan Sleeps with the Holy: Word
Paintings” The Movement Newspaper, March
1984
“Poet Paints Powerful Verse” Salinas
Californian, February 1983
“Poetry from the Edge of the Universe” The
Llewellyn New Times, Jan/Feb 1983
“Poet Travels Through Climates of the Mind” Sacramento
Union, September 1982
S E L E C T E D H O N O R S & A
W A R D S
Maps Bulletin is using 'Dionysian Splendor' as the cover art for the 2008 summer issue and 'Laura Huxley's Departure' as the back inside cover art. Inside the issue Carolyn's poem in tribute to Laura Archera Huxley, 'O eternal flower' & a prose piece titled 'For Beloved Laura Huxley and Friends' are included in this issue.
The Beat Museum 2007
Poetry Contest, San Francisco, CA.
Carolyn won honorable mention
for her poem, 'What Seekers Strive for... '
Carolyn Mary Kleefeld
won honorable mention in the Monterey County Weekly 2006 "101
Words" annual
contest for her short, short story 'Lisa Fleur'.
Interviewed by Monterey Peninsula College student Sarah
Booth for her art and women’s
studies class 2006
Painting: ‘Invisible Landscape’ featured on cover of
Nuclear Policy Research Institute’s Holiday Card. 2005
Short story: ‘Already Alone’ winner of Monterey County
Weekly Short Story Contest 2004
(Carolyn also received an honorable mention for her short story: ‘God
for Company.’)
Art featured on front cover, The Bodhi Tree Semi-Annual Newsletter,
30th Anniversary Issue 2000
Art auctioned at Christie’s, as part of Dr. Timothy Leary
Estate Sale 1998
Guest Eulogist, Allen Ginsberg Memorial Service, Wadsworth Theater,
Los Angeles, California 1997
Guest Speaker, Second Annual Arts Festival, Esalen Institute, Big
Sur, California 1995
Guest Speaker, Albert Hoffman Foundation, Asilomar Conference Center,
Pacific Grove,
California 1995
Interviewed by renowned cinematographer Vilmos Zsigmond for documentary on Big Sur artists, which aired on European TV. Carolyn’s artistic process was also featured in a separate documentary directed by Zsigmond, which aired on Hungarian Television.
Guest Speaker on panels at UCLA & UCSC after publication of Mavericks
of the Mind:
Conversations for the New Millennium with
such speakers as Dr. Timothy Leary, John Lilly,
M.D. and Laura Archera Huxley 1993/1994
Listed in ‘Who’s Who of America’ – ongoing.
One-woman exhibit and poetry reading at Gallerie Illuminati, Los
Angeles, California 1990
Numerous gallery and museum awards and exhibitions between 1990 and
the present in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Santa
Barbara, Santa Monica, Carmel, Seaside, Pacific Grove, Monterey,
Big Sur and other locations nationwide (list of exhibitions available
upon request), as well as a line of fine art cards.
JURIED EXHIBITIONS:
Eclectic Gallery / ‘Small Works’ / Tucson AZ
Painting: “Horse in Anguish”
Planetary Renaissance / ‘International Art Spectacular’ Brooklyn
Park, MN
Painting: “Marine Profiles”
Artemisia Gallery/ Women’s Caucus Association – 25th
Anniversary / ‘Carving the Forces of Change’
Chicago, IL / Painting: “Riding the Quantum Wave”
Louis O. Palmer Gallery / Musky National #3 / “Within and
without, the Intimate Moment” / Muskingum College / New Concord,
OH
Painting: “Seabed of Poseidon”
GALLERY EXHIBITIONS (1991-2006):
Gallerie Illuminati / Santa Monica, CA – one-woman exhibit
and poetry reading, titled: ‘Songs
of Ecstasy’
Calvin Wilkes Gallery / Cambria, CA
Gallery 255 / Lake Tahoe, CA
Bernice Steiner Gallery / Bal Harbour, FL
Leslie Shell / Patrick Harkins Collection / Palm Desert, CA
Altered States / Mind Gym / West Hollywood, CA
Atelier, LA Inc. / Los Angeles, CA
“Woodstock for Peace” / Woodstock, NY
Agoura Gallery, NY (first prize /fine art)
Phillips Gallery for the Healing Arts / Carmel,
CA
Gallery at Ventana / Big Sur, CA (ongoing)
HomeScapes / Carmel, CA
Local Color Gallery / Big Sur, CA
Big Sur Gallery / Carmel, CA (ongoing)
ARS Gallery / Big Sur, CA
Alvarado Gallery / Monterey, CA City of Monterey Art
Exhibit
Works chosen by the Cultural Arts Commission of the City of Monterey
in conjunction with the Colton Hall Museum
PG Art Center, Pacific Grove, CA / 1st Annual Arts Bridge
Show
ART EXHIBITS 2007:
Arts Alive Facility / Santa Barbara, CA
Karpeles Gallery Museum / Santa Barbara, CA
Gold Rush Cultural Center / Gold Beach, OR (Carolyn
has been invited to participate as an artist/ poet/ author in this
event in August, 2007)
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