THE EVENTUAL TRIUMPH OVER OUR STRUGGLES AS KIDS

This mural was executed by 55 five through nine-year-old students and art teacher Jackson Neimeth Dickstein at El Rito Elementary in November of 2022. The paintings of local landmarks seen at the top of each panel were painted by me, and the figures and interactions painted below were done by students. Every figure represents a self-portrait of each student engaged in something they struggle with, and in many cases how they strive to overcome that struggle. Examples range from “struggling to help my grandpa gather wood” to “remembering to give my goats water”. The project began as part of a study of the work of Mexican muralist David Alfaro Siqueiros. Students were introduced to his work and then instructed in elements of his painting technique.

PROCESS:

To begin, each student was posed the question: "What is something you struggle with, and how do you overcome that?" Students then posed for photographs acting out their struggle. These photographs were then used as references for drawings. These drawings were then painted in. Once the mural panels were built and primed, students sketched their designs onto the panels using chalk. These chalk drawings were then painted in.

Meaning of each Panel (Numbered from left to right):

Panel #1: A depiction of the old Loma Country Store. A former stop for food and goods. Meant to represent the exchange of goods and services.

Panel #2: A depiction of the "E" located on the mountain that can be seen from El Rito. Meant to represent community and collective work.

Panel #3: A depiction of the Northern New Mexico College's El Rito campus and former Spanish American Normal School main building. Meant to represent education in Rio Arriba County.

Panel #4: A depiction of the remains of the Sapawe settlement. Meant to represent the struggles of people who lived here long before us.

Panel #5: A depiction of grain fields and mountains in the distance. Meant to represent the agricultural community of El Rito. 

The mural currently hangs proudly on the west wall of El Rito Elementary, El Rito NM, USA.