Guide to the Laura Molina papers CEMA 199
Finding aid prepared by Calli Force, 2021
UC Santa Barbara Library, Department of Special Research Collections
University of California, Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara 93106-9010
special@library.ucsb.edu
2021 November 20
Title: Laura Molina papers
Identifier/Call Number: CEMA 199
Language of Material:
English .
Contributing Institution:
UC Santa Barbara Library, Department of Special Research Collections
Physical Description:
2.2 Linear Feet
Creator:
Molina, Laura
Date (inclusive): 1982-2004
Abstract: This collection contains materials
related mostly to Laura Molina's band Tiger Lily including photographic prints and
negatives, flyers, promotional items, slides, handwritten notes, and audio recordings in
various formats. Also included is Molina's original production artwork, comic book sketches,
and prints.
Physical Location: Special Research Collections, UC Santa
Barbara Library.
Physical Location: shelf
coordinates
Access Restrictions
The collection is open for research.
Use Restrictions
Copyright has not been assigned to the Department of Special Research Collections, UCSB.
All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in
writing to the Head of Special Research Collections. Permission for publication is given on
behalf of the Department of Special Research Collections as the owner of the physical items
and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which also must
be obtained.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of Item], Laura Molina papers, CEMA 199. Department of Special Research
Collections, UC Santa Barbara Library, University of California, Santa Barbara.
Acquisition Information
Library purchase, 2019.
Biographical Note
Laura Molina, a Chicana artist and musician, was born in 1957 in Los Angeles, California.
She graduated in 1976 from Arroyo High School in El Monte, California. Molina studied acting
at the Inner-City Cultural Center in Los Angeles before she studied character animation at
the California Institute of the Arts in Valencia, California, from 1979-1981. She later
worked as an Imagineer at the Walt Disney Company for several years.
Early in her career, Molina supported herself as a painter, writer, artist, and a musician.
She was the founding member of the 80s new-wave rock band Tiger Lily. "Die Laughing" (1984)
and "Black Cats" (1987) are two of the band's greatest hits.
Laura Molina is also the creator of the comic book characters Naked Dave and
Cihualyaomiquiz the Jaguar, both published under Molina's own Insurgent Comix imprint. She
was once an artist-in-residence with Self Help Graphics & Art from 1993-1996. In 2006,
Molina founded Chicano Art Magazine and was editor-in-chief.
The Laura Molina papers were established in 2019.
Scope and Content
This collection contains published and unpublished illustrations and storyboards, a poster,
photographic prints and negatives, personal letters, newspaper clippings, handwritten notes,
and performance flyers and ephemera. There are VHS tapes, audiocassettes, open reel tapes,
and CDs containing radio broadcasts, live band performances, and studio album recordings.
There are photographic prints, negatives, and slides of Molina's professional head shots,
band performances, and other promotional activities. Records span from the late 1970s to
early 2000s.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged into 3 series:
Series 1: Personal - arranged chronologically by subject matter then format; Series 2:
Oversize - arranged by format size; Series 3: Audiovisual - arranged by A or V number
Related Material
Self Help Graphics and Art archives, CEMA 3, Department of Special Research Collections, UC
Santa Barbara Library, University of California, Santa Barbara.
Chicano Graphic Novels collection, CEMA 164, Department of Special Research Collections, UC
Santa Barbara Library, University of California, Santa Barbara.
Galería De La Raza archives, CEMA 4, Department of Special Research Collections, UC Santa
Barbara Library, University of California, Santa Barbara.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Mexican American artists
Mexican American musicians
Women rock musicians
Audiocassettes
Clippings (information artifacts)
Compact discs
Ephemera (general object genre)
Fliers (printed matter)
Negative prints
Notes (documents)
Open reel
audiotapes
Personal correspondence
Photographic prints
Posters
Sketches
Slides (photographs)
Storyboards
VHS
Works of art
Molina, Laura -- Archives
Tiger Lily (Musical group) -- Archives
Personal
Scope and Content
This series contains Molina's personal papers that include newspaper clippings,
photographic prints and negatives, slides, and original sketches. Also included are
various performance flyers and other ephemera for Tiger Lily and Black Cats.
box 1, folder 1
Newspaper clippings, resume, color photograph, Cesar Chavez
stamps
circa 1976, 1988-1989, 2003
box 1, folder 2
Signed copy of
Cihualyamiquiz comic, storyboard sketches,
correspondence from Ernie Colon (DC Comics)
1982, undated
box 1, folder 3
Tiger Lily: flyers, tickets, clippings, ads, programs; Rhino Records
catalog
circa 1983-1989
box 1, folder 4
Tiger Lily promos: photographic negatives and poster design
transparencies
box 1, folder 5
Tiger Lily: photographic negatives from first professional photo shoot at Cal
Arts
1982
box 1, folder 6
Tiger Lily: photographs by Kent Smith (proof sheets)
1983
box 1, folder 7
Tiger Lily: photographs for press kit by Suzanne Titus
1985
box 1, folder 8
Professional head shots for Black Cats album by Anibelle Bond
1987
box 1, folder 9
Slides: Madam Wong's Restaurant Club, Westside
15 February 1989
box 1, folder 10
Slides: Performance at the Palomino Club
15 February 1989
box 1, folder 11
Slides: photo session for Black Cats album cover
1989
Oversize
Scope and Content
The oversize container houses Molina's original comic book sketches, storyboards,
handwritten notes, and large-format prints.
box 2, folder 1
Tiger Lily posters and artwork
1987, 1988
box 2, folder 2
Cihualyaomiquiz the Jaguar illustration
undated
box 2, folder 3
Tiger Lily posters and transparencies
1984
box 2, folder 4
Cihualyaomiquiz the Jaguar comic book sketches
circa 1996
box 2, folder 5
Cihualyaomiquiz the Jaguar story sketches for
Razateca
Magazine
circa 1996
box 2, folder 6
Signed print of
Amor Alien
2004
Audiovisual
Scope and Content
scope note
item V11827/VHS
Tiger Lily- All Girl Band- Live at Goodies
1984
item V11828/VHS
Director's Reel Music Video Montage 10/31/91
1991
item V11829/VHS
Tiger Lily Cars Concert
Undated
item V11830/VHS
Frida People's Party performance on VHS
Undated
item A38742/CS
Tiger Lily at Cal Arts
1983
item A38743/CS
KROQ Station ID 1989
1989
item A38744/CS
KROQ Station ID '89- Rodney & Roq- Laura's Show
1985
item A38745/R10
Professional Sound Audio Reel of "Die Laughing." Artist - Laura Molina,
Produced by John Nelson. 3/27/85
27 March 1985
item A38746/R10
"Black Cats" "Mystery Man" Audio Recording Reel, Cal Arts "Tails Out"
12/8/83
8 December 2003
item A38747/R10
Professional Sound Audio Reel of "Die Laughing". Artist- Laura Molina,
Produced by; John Nelson. 4/8/85
8 April 1985
item A38748/R10
Audio Reel Recording of "What Would it Take" by Laura Molina.
Tones
undated
item A38749/CS
"One LA" cassette with insert
1988
item A38750/CD
"One LA" CD with inserts
1988
item A38751/R7
Tiger Lily Original Demo "Die Laughing"
Undated
item A38752/R7
"Mystery Man" Open reel audio recording
Undated
item A38753/R7
Tiger Lily "Black Cats" "That Boy" audio recording
Undated
