Hector Duarte- Teaching Murals

"What do people learn when they work on a mural? They learn to work collectively, to consider others’ opinions. They begin to appreciate the walls in their community. When they add color to the wall—a lot of color, on a grand scale—they experience something unique, something emotional, something very personal. Something psychological takes place, and it almost always produces deep introspection."

"I teach because I want others to have the chance to express themselves."

—Hector Duarte

Hector Duarte has taught mural painting and printmaking in the Chicago area since 1990. He is a roster artist for the Illinois Arts Council’s Arts-In-Education Residency Program and has worked with Gallery 37, Urban Gateways, the Chicago Public Schools, and others.

Selected Duarte Teaching Murals:

Ray Elementary School and Herzl Elementary School, as part of the arts component to the Chicago Public Schools’ World Languages Program, 2001. Eight visits at each school. Ray: led a diverse group of third and sixth graders in a mural project. five classes of students produced five small murals, learned about color theory, symbols, and how to synthesize many ideas into a single theme. Herzl: led African-American first and second graders in low-budget printmaking projects and created a collective crayon mural. made Styrofoam prints, learned about "mirror image," color theory, how a community work is made up of individual ideas. At both schools, students learned new vocabulary in Spanish as part of the project.

Our Lady of the Gardens Catholic School, Chicago. Directed classes of second and third graders in five-week mural project in this parochial school in the Altgeld Gardens public housing development, 2001. Students produced four small murals and a large mural entitled "I Have a Dream."

Sheridan Correctional Center, Sheridan, IL, for the Illinois Arts Council’s Arts in Education Residency program, 2000. Led a diverse group of 60 adult prisoners (age range: 19-55) in the design and painting of a 200-foot mural. Inmates integrated concepts from history and biology into the mural and dealt with issues of physical, emotional, and mental imprisonment.

Steinmetz High School, Chicago, for Chicago Public Schools and Cuentos Foundation, 2000. Guided 25 high school students from diverse backgrounds in the creation of a 125-foot mural. Students painted masks and dealt with issues of identity—who we are and where we come from—and explored the intersection of poetry and visual art.

Ruiz Elementary School, Chicago, for Gallery 37 and the Chicago Botanic Garden, 1999. Directed several groups of 5th-8th graders in semester-long mural projects that explored plants and botany.

Curie Fine Arts Academy High School, Chicago, for Gallery 37, 1997. Led 25 students in a five-week summer mural project. The student mural deals symbolically with diversity and harmony and is installed at the Pulaski stop of the Midway Orange Line, CTA.

Inter-American Magnet School, Chicago, as part of a three-month teaching residency, 1992. Five hundred students assisted in development of themes and symbols in a mural entitled "Dreams and Realities of the Americas." Students assisted the artist in painting.



	teaching murals


"What do people learn when they work on a mural? They learn to work collectively, to consider others’ opinions. They begin to appreciate the walls in their community. When they add color to the wall—a lot of color, on a grand scale—they experience something unique, something emotional, something very personal. Something psychological takes place, and it almost always produces deep introspection." "I teach because I want others to have the chance to express themselves." —Hector Duarte Hector Duarte has taught mural painting and printmaking in the Chicago area since 1990. He is a roster artist for the Illinois Arts Council’s Arts-In-Education Residency Program and has worked with Gallery 37, Urban Gateways, the Chicago Public Schools, and others. Selected Duarte Teaching Murals: Ray Elementary School and Herzl Elementary School, as part of the arts component to the Chicago Public Schools’ World Languages Program, 2001. Eight visits at each school. Ray: led a diverse group of third and sixth graders in a mural project. five classes of students produced five small murals, learned about color theory, symbols, and how to synthesize many ideas into a single theme. Herzl: led African-American first and second graders in low-budget printmaking projects and created a collective crayon mural. made Styrofoam prints, learned about "mirror image," color theory, how a community work is made up of individual ideas. At both schools, students learned new vocabulary in Spanish as part of the project. Our Lady of the Gardens Catholic School, Chicago. Directed classes of second and third graders in five-week mural project in this parochial school in the Altgeld Gardens public housing development, 2001. Students produced four small murals and a large mural entitled "I Have a Dream." Sheridan Correctional Center, Sheridan, IL, for the Illinois Arts Council’s Arts in Education Residency program, 2000. Led a diverse group of 60 adult prisoners (age range: 19-55) in the design and painting of a 200-foot mural. Inmates integrated concepts from history and biology into the mural and dealt with issues of physical, emotional, and mental imprisonment. Steinmetz High School, Chicago, for Chicago Public Schools and Cuentos Foundation, 2000. Guided 25 high school students from diverse backgrounds in the creation of a 125-foot mural. Students painted masks and dealt with issues of identity—who we are and where we come from—and explored the intersection of poetry and visual art. Ruiz Elementary School, Chicago, for Gallery 37 and the Chicago Botanic Garden, 1999. Directed several groups of 5th-8th graders in semester-long mural projects that explored plants and botany. Curie Fine Arts Academy High School, Chicago, for Gallery 37, 1997. Led 25 students in a five-week summer mural project. The student mural deals symbolically with diversity and harmony and is installed at the Pulaski stop of the Midway Orange Line, CTA. Inter-American Magnet School, Chicago, as part of a three-month teaching residency, 1992. Five hundred students assisted in development of themes and symbols in a mural entitled "Dreams and Realities of the Americas." Students assisted the artist in painting.









		hector@hectorduarte.com