Waniyetu Wowapi Institute at CRYP hosts guest instructor Hector Curriel

Guest instructor Hector gave the kids a list of the most important vegetables in CRYP’s 2.5-acre, naturally grown Winyan Toka Win (Leading Lady) Garden and invited them to each select a vegetable and create a still life on a large panel, using acrylic paints. CRYP will prominently display these panels in the Čhokáta Wičhóni lobby during the growing season.

Waniyetu Wowapi Institute at CRYP hosts guest instructor Hector Curriel through South Dakota Arts Council Residency Program

EAGLE BUTTE — This month, the Cheyenne River Youth Project is hosting an artist in residence through the South Dakota Arts Council’s “Artists in Schools and Communities” residency program. Artist Hector Curriel is serving as a guest instructor at CRYP’s Waniyetu Wowapi (Winter Count) Institute & Art Park through Friday, June 23.

“We’re honored to have Hector here with us, working with the kids on drawing, sketching and painting techniques,” said Julie Garreau, CRYP’s executive director. “His teaching methods are really great, and I’m in awe as I watch what our kids create. He’s taking kids who know nothing about art but are interested, kids who have natural artistic gifts, and kids who have already been working hard on their art and finds ways for them to learn, grow and excel alongside one another.”

This is Curriel’s second visit to the grassroots, nonprofit youth organization. He first came to Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation in fall 2019; during that residency, he taught young people basic drawing, basic sketching, watercolors, color theory, and portraiture. He encouraged them to explore subjects connected to Lakota culture and life ways, and the projects they created still hang in the Čhokáta Wičhóni (Center of Life) Internet cafe four years later.

During his current residency, Curriel has added a couple of new projects. In the first, he invited the youth to each select a significant Native American figure from resources in the Čhokáta Wičhóni library, research their background, and create a portrait. 

In the second, he gave the kids a list of the most important vegetables in CRYP’s 2.5-acre, naturally grown Winyan Toka Win (Leading Lady) Garden and invited them to each select a vegetable and create a still life on a large panel, using acrylic paints. CRYP will prominently display these panels in the Čhokáta Wičhóni lobby during the growing season.

“The children are proud of what they have done,” Curriel said. “They’re excited and focused, and they’re working hard to improve their art.”

“It’s been very beneficial to all of us to have Hector here, sharing his art knowledge and experience,” said Wakinyan Chief, CRYP’s art manager. “I’m really happy that our teens get to learn from him; the work they’ve done so far is impressive. It’s also been beneficial for me to be able to learn from a more experienced artist and teacher. I’m constantly trying to improve and learn new ways of teaching and engaging our students.”

Born in Lima, Peru, Curriel discovered his passion for the arts at a young age. He studied architecture in Lima, and in 2001, he joined his brother in the United States. After studying art in Minneapolis, he moved to Sioux Falls, a city he still calls home today.

A professional artist since 2008, Curriel initially worked as a political cartoonist for newspapers across the country. He has held several positions as a book illustrator, and one of the books he illustrated, “Saving Up Smiles for a Rainy Day,” was the winner of the 2013 Midwest Book Award.

Curriel works as a fine artist as well. In 2010, he joined the South Dakota Arts Council’s AISC residency program, which gave him opportunities to visit diverse communities around the state.

“One of the most important things about bringing in these different artists is that it serves as a form of cultural exchange,” Garreau said. “Hector is from Peru. Our kids are introduced to his culture through their interaction, and he is introduced to theirs, as well.” 

“I’m very interested in the culture here,” Curriel noted. “The kids are natural artists, and I love to learn from them — about their realities, their perspectives. I really try to encourage them, using my own life story and experiences. This is a country with opportunities. Work hard, be consistent, and the world is waiting for you.”

As he works with the fledgling art students, Curriel said he is always discovering new ways to connect with them.

“Some days I have to slow down and find new ways to teach,” he explained. “For example, I’ve learned it’s a good idea to do the work with them, so they can copy what I’m doing, and I can give them tips. They understand the concepts better, and as they feel more freedom, they enjoy it even more.” 

“Guest art instructors like Hector are such an important part of our work here, because they give our youth more equitable access to the opportunities and resources they need to build a strong foundation as they pursue their art and their creative lives,” Garreau said. “We’re grateful to the South Dakota Arts Council, and to Hector, for what they bring to our rural reservation.” 

Curriel’s art classes are open to all young people ages 13-18, even if they have not participated in CRYP’s teen internship program to date. For information about the final two weeks of classes, call Programs Manager Jerica Widow or Art Manager Wakinyan Chief at (605) 964-8200. 

To learn more about the Cheyenne River Youth Project and its programs, and for information about making donations and volunteering, call (605) 964-8200 or visit www.lakotayouth.org. And, to stay up to date on the latest CRYP news and events, follow the youth project on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

The Cheyenne River Youth Project, founded in 1988, is a grassroots, not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing the youth of the Cheyenne River reservation with access to a vibrant and secure future through a wide variety of culturally sensitive and enduring programs, projects and facilities that ensure strong, self-sufficient families and communities.

 

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