About

Kerstin Firmin

Kerstin (she/her) documents life where city and nature meet. Her photography, illustration, and installation art inspire curiosity and exploration—seeds that grow into action. Her most recent work captures the natural beauty and abundance of Lake Merritt in Oakland and the shoreline parks of the East Bay. Over the past two years, Kerstin has documented more than 200 species of local wildlife. Through her lens, she captures impressions at dawn, when the day is full of potential and the rising sun creates a spectacle of light and reflection—the golden hour. 

With a background in nonprofit publication and website design, Kerstin’s focus has shifted to food justice. She studies urban agroecology and her art practice supports community gardening projects. She is a member of Women Eco Artists Dialog, a network of feminist eco­artists, educators, curators, and writers working in ecological and social justice art. Kerstin also serves on the board of Crowded Fire Theater, a small and mighty organization working to expand representation and lift artists’ voices.