As one of The Alta's inaugural Artists-in-Residence, Felicia Montes, co-founder of Mujeres de Maíz, is bringing her unique artistic practice to The Alta through work that explores the connections between creativity, wellness, and community healing.
During her residency, Felicia and Mujeres de Maíz have created The Wellness Wall, an interactive community installation that invites visitors to share and discover traditional remedies, self-care practices, and ancestral knowledge passed down through generations.
The residency also features La Botánica del Barrio, a temporary installation and workshop centered on wellness “for and by the people.” Through an Alternative Mobile Medicine Cart filled with medicinal herbs and plants, participants explore Mexican traditional medicine while learning about herbal remedies, recipes, and practices that have supported community health for generations.
By bringing together ancestral knowledge, artistic expression, and community participation, Mujeres de Maíz's residency embodies The Alta's mission to explore the powerful connections between art, culture, and health.
Felicia's residency continues through August 30, 2026. Stay tuned for upcoming workshops and public programs at The Alta.
ABOUT FELICIA 'FE' MONTES
Felicia 'Fe' Montes is a Xicana Indigenous artist, activist, community and event organizer, educator, emcee, designer, poet, performer, professor, and wellness practitioner living and working in the Los Angeles area. She is the co-founder and coordinating member of the groundbreaking creative women's collectives Mujeres de Maíz, In Lak Ech, and La Botánica del Barrio, as well as the founder of El Mercado y Más, an online marketplace celebrating culture, art, and community.
Felicia is a published author and poet and creates visual and multimedia art and performances including silkscreen, installation, and performance art. For nearly two decades, she has organized and performed at hundreds of cultural events, conferences, classrooms, and community gatherings in support of artists and social justice causes. Her work has taken her throughout the Southwestern United States as well as to Colombia and Mexico.
Felicia holds a bachelor's degree in World Arts and Cultures from UCLA, a master's degree in Chicana/o/x Studies from Cal State Northridge, and an M.F.A. from Otis College of Art and Design in Public Practice Art. She is currently an Assistant Professor of Chicanx/Latinx arts and social practice in the Chicana/o/x Latina/o/x Studies department at Cal State Long Beach.
