Escultor, Mascarero, Músico & Teatrista “Vamos explorar el poder que tiene la máscara para transformar la persona y utilizar este poder como una manera efectiva de auto descobrimiento.”
Zarco Guerrero ha sido una fuerza artística en Arizona desde los años 70, como artista multi disciplinario y tambien como abogado de las artes comunitarias. El ha enseñado el arte en todos los niveles educativos desde la primaria hasta las universidades en los Estados Unidos. Zarco calcula que ha ayudado a estudantes crear mas de 50,000 mascaras.
Ha pintado ams que 30 murales en la area metropolitana de Phoenix para enbellezar nuestros vecindários y ayudar a los jóvenes desarrollar sus conceptos básicos sobre la pintura, el dibujo y el muralismo.
“El Arte de las máscaras es para mi la manera mas efective y apropriada para enseñar a los estudiantes y maestros una forma artistica muy unica y dinamica.” dijo el Artista que utiliza varios materiales modernos para fabricar máscaras para usos en decoraciones, teatros, bailes y exhibitiones.
“El Arte es un proceso de auto desarrollo y disciplina. Como artista activo en el systema educativo, yo pienso que despues de dar instrucciones familiares para los materiales, es importante hacer algunas sugestiones y dejar los estudiantes con el tiempo para desarrollar su propia arte. Este processo le da chance a la persona desarrollar su imaginacion, su habilidad de hacer decisiones, con
dexteridad y coltrol. La espontaneidad y la experimentacion con forma y colores es la manera de llegar a resultados sorpreendentes, excitantes y vibrantes, como elementos esseciales para una experiencia educativa positiva y creativa.”
Zarco Guerrero began his career teaching art in 1974 as a community artist for the CETA program through the Arizona Commission on the Arts. Over a period of 2 years, the artist painted murals with the input of inner city and reservation youth. Zarco’s job was to mobilize local community members
and students to beautify their neighborhood while training them in the basic skills of concept, design, development, research, drawing and painting.
In 1976 the artist became part of the Arizona Commission in the Arts Artist in Education program where he conducted mask making and mural painting workshops in over 100 elementary, junior and high schools during a 15 years period until 1991.
Zarco estimates that during this period he helped students create over 50,000 masks here in Arizona alone. Since then, Zarco has taught and conducted workshops at many community events and educational institutions. He was Visiting Professor at Arizona State University Chicano Studies Programs and had conducted lectures and exhibitions at other institutions such as Stanford University (2003), University of Illinois in Champagne (1999), ASU Public Events teachers work shop
(2002) ,San Diego State University, San Francisco State College, Luther College, Sacramento State, UC Berkeley, Sacramento State and most recently at Notre Dame University.
“Masks making for me is an effective and appropriate way to introduce students and teachers alike to a very unique and dynamic art form,” says Zarco. Modeled in Paris craft plaster bandage directly on the persons face, the mask is then painted and decorated. It can be designed for use in theater, dance or for exhibition.
He has developed a mask making curriculum which includes social studies and geography by relating it to mask producing cultures in Africa, Indonesia, Mexico, etc… As a creative writing project, students can express their feelings about the artistic experience or can describe the mythical beings, monsters, spirits and clowns that they have created. “We will explore the power of the mask to transform and its use as a tool for self discovery.”