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| That's me in 2015! |
A long time ago, in a country far, far away… I started a new project in order to continue creating community murals in Guatemala and beyond. It was April 2015, nearly a year after I had left Honduras following 17 years of living, teaching, and creating in Copán Ruinas. I was determined to leave education and community work behind, to focus on my own artwork instead. But after a few months, I got the itch again…
There is
nothing more wonderful than creating something big, something public, together
with other people. So I started MuralArte Guate, a project through which
I create public community murals with the help of sponsors.
And it took
off!
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| 65 meter long community mural in Chimachoy, Guatemala (2016) |
How it
works
Finding a
wall to paint is hardly ever a problem. Actually, walls tend to find me! I
regularly receive requests from schools and NGOs, mostly in Guatemala, for
murals. After an initial conversation about the theme, design, technical
details, participants and time frame, I start looking for sponsors interested
in covering the expenses, such as paint, educational materials, travel costs,
and sometimes room and board. Depending on the design, size, and location of a
mural, the cost usually falls somewhere between US$500–1,000.
The level of community involvement varies each time. Sometimes, I arrive
with a pre-made design—always approved by the community beforehand—and paint
the mural myself. Other times, we begin entirely from scratch, involving as
many people as possible in the creative process.
I find it fascinating to explore the issues a community
faces, the solutions people propose, and how these ideas can be translated into
a collective artwork. Over time, I have developed several techniques that
enable people of all ages and experience levels to participate in the painting
process.
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| Mural on Children's Right, Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic (2017) |
The
results
I have been
so busy that I can barely keep track. Thankfully, my website is fairly up to
date, but I just realized my last newsletter dates back to 2017. Ouch!
The other
day, someone asked me how many murals I had painted, so I started counting.
Since starting this project, I have painted 76 community murals in four
different countries! Most were sponsored, while a few were commissioned by
NGOs. This does not include my “commercial” work — murals painted in private
homes.
Here an impression of all these murals. For a full list, scroll to the bottom of this post!
Thank
you!
There are
many people to thank here — all of you who sponsored (part of) a mural: I truly
cannot thank you enough! (Sorry, there
are far too many of you to mention individually!) Of course, a huge thank you
also goes to all the volunteers who helped me paint, as well as the community
members who assisted with logistics. It really takes a village to create a
community mural!
There are
three sponsors I would especially like to put in the spotlight.
The first
is the Dutch foundation Uno Más, founded and directed by my friend Ana Maria
Ackermans. Uno Más mainly provides scholarships for adolescents in Guatemala,
but I am delighted and honoured that some of my murals have also been funded by
the foundation. Thank you Ana Maria for all your support!
 |
| Mural in San Martín Jilotepeque, Guatemala, sponsored by Uno Más (2026) |
The
runner-up comes from a somewhat unexpected corner: sponsor of no fewer than 16
murals (2017–2026) is Dr. Jim Bader! Jim is a veterinarian and owner of the
Jimbabwe Acres Veterinary Clinic in Michigan, USA. Jim has visited Guatemala
dozens of times — never for vacation! He comes to spay and neuter cats and dogs
with Unidos Para los Animales, while also performing complicated surgeries in
Guatemalan clinics. He is always available for consultations and has brought
tons of medical supplies over the years. But besides being an enormous asset to
Guatemalan cats and dogs, he is also a lover of the arts and has generously
sponsored so many of my murals. Thank you so much, Jim!
 |
| 2018: Milagros, Carin, Jim |
And in first place, with 20 murals sponsored, stands the Dutch foundation Colour4Kids Foundation. The number is actually 21 murals, but I did not count the mural we painted at a children’s home in Honduras in 2013, since it predates the start of the MuralArte Guate project.
The Colour4Kids Foundation was established in the summer of 2000 to support disadvantaged children in developing countries by building, renovating, and furnishing children’s homes, shelters, and schools. In Colour4Kids projects, colour plays an important role. To literally brighten children’s environments, the organisation likes to leave behind inspirational and colourful wall paintings, while also engaging children in educational and creative activities during the renovation process. In other words: the perfect partner in crime for me and my murals! Many thanks to Jos, Erik, Hassan, and Sijmon for all your support.
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| Pro Niño Children's Home, El Progreso, Honduras. With Hassan and Erik of Colour4Kids (2015) |
What a life!
Each year,
I spend about five months in Guatemala, arriving just as the days begin to
shorten in Europe and the rain stops falling in Central America — the perfect
time for mural painting!
During my
stay, I also teach an art course for adults about women in the arts. It
combines hands-on art activities with lectures, allowing me to dive deep into
art history — another great passion of mine.
And speaking of passions, there are the dogs, of course! In 2023, I wrote and illustrated a book for Unidos Para los Animales about dog welfare. I am currently guiding an educational project based on the same book for hundreds of fifth graders, sponsored by People for Guatemala. A free digital version of the book (in Spanish) is available online, here, along with an additional Facebook page full of extra resources.
The rest of
the year, I live in Asturias, on the north coast of Spain — a gorgeous region:
lush and green, rugged and natural. So very different from Guatemala, and such
a wonderful place to recharge. True, it rains a lot, and I do not yet have as
many painting commissions as I would like, but that gives me time to work on
proposals for upcoming projects and to catch up on long-overdue newsletters. And
on another project altogether: I’m putting the finishing touches on the cutest
guesthouse here, right next to my studio, that is now ready to be rented out to
visitors! So if you’re planning a trip to Asturias, Llanes, in particular, let
me know!
I have been visiting Amsterdam regularly and recently painted my first community murals there, at Mundus College. It was a wonderful experience, and I would love to create more murals in the Netherlands. So if you know of a wall that could use some colour, let me know!
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| Mundus College, Amsterdam (2025) |
What’s next?
Between long
hikes, days ay the beach, and the art therapy sessions I conduct at my studio
in Spain, I continue to prepare future projects in Guatemala. I
currently have three animal welfare murals in the planning, as well as two
projects that are a little different from the usual.
One project involves painting a school building in the small
village of Vuelta Grande, high up in the mountains near Antigua Guatemala. The
thing is, this school is only a temporary solution and is expected to be in use
for just two to three years. Although — this being Guatemala — I would not be
surprised if it ends up being four or five! The wooden structure is very plain
and could really use a mural. I would love to create a “proper” community mural
about the history of the village, with its complicated background of forced
migration, involving people of all ages in a collective work of art. However,
that would be more suitable for a permanent building. For the current school, I
am thinking of a simpler design: something that involves the children without
requiring too much time or money.
Another project I have in mind is helping my friend Cristy
Velasco in San Martín Jilotepeque. Cristy is an extraordinary woman who
single-handedly fights for the many — often abandoned — dogs in her community.
She organises spay/neuter campaigns, feeds and vaccinates dogs, and runs a
shelter with around 80 dogs.
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| Cristy velasco helping out with a mural in San Martín Jilotepeque, Guatemala (2025) |
To support herself and the many dogs in her care, Cristy runs a small restaurant and provides catering for mission groups. A few years ago, I painted the façade of her Full Moon Café. Unfortunately, she recently had to leave the property, effectively leaving her business without a home. She is now working hard to transform her own house into a new restaurant space, and I promised to help her paint it. So, not technically a community mural project — but what this woman gives to her community is priceless, and it feels only right to give something back.
So that’s where I’m at!
If you would like to know more about any of my mural
projects, please visit my website. Or drop me a line! Donations are always
welcome and will help make this world a little more colourful.
Thank you for all your support,
Carin Steen
carinsteen@yahoo.com
www.carinsteen.com
Llanes, Asturias, Spain
May 2026
|
|
Year: |
Theme/Title: |
Counterpart: |
Place: |
Country: |
Sponsor: |
|
1 |
2015 |
Heroes |
ProNiño Boys’ Home |
El Progreso |
Honduras |
Colour4Kids |
|
2 |
2015 |
Welcome |
Entrance elementary
school Bendición de Dios |
Alotenango |
Guatemala |
Baars family |
|
3 |
2015 |
Matisse Interactive |
Elementary school
Bendición de Dios |
Alotenango |
Guatemala |
Baars family |
|
4 |
2015 |
Carnaval I |
Construyendo Sueños Kindergarten |
Alotenango |
Guatemala |
Private Sponsors |
|
5 |
2015 |
Carnaval 2 |
Construyendo Sueños Kindergarten |
Alotenango |
Guatemala |
Private Sponsors |
|
6 |
2015 |
Carnaval 3 |
Construyendo Sueños Kindergarten |
Alotenango |
Guatemala |
Private Sponsors |
|
7 |
2015 |
Carnaval 4 |
Construyendo Sueños Kindergarten |
Alotenango |
Guatemala |
Private Sponsors |
|
8 |
2015 |
Entrance |
Construyendo Sueños Kindergarten |
Alotenango |
Guatemala |
Private Sponsors |
|
9 |
2015 |
Cultural identity |
Middle School |
Arrugas, San Cristóbal Verapaz |
Guatemala |
CasaSito |
|
10 |
2015 |
Cultural identity |
Elementary School |
Ostua, Cobán |
Guatemala |
CasaSito |
|
11 |
2015 |
ABC |
Sendero Maya Kindergarten |
Copán Ruinas |
Honduras |
Ann van Weesenbeek |
|
12 |
2015 |
Folk dance |
Elementary school |
El Bonete, Copñan |
Honduras |
Ann van Weesenbeek |
|
13 |
2015 |
Kids’ restaurant |
Tess Unlimited |
San Gaspar Vivar, Antigua |
Guatemala |
Tess Unlimited |
|
14 |
2015 |
Cultural identity |
Community centre |
Chimachoy |
Guatemala |
Private Sponsors |
|
15 |
2015 |
Folk Art Critters |
Elementary School |
Berlín, Mixco |
Guatemala |
Los Niños |
|
16 |
2016 |
Cultural Identity |
Elementary School |
Chimachoy |
Guatemala |
COLOUR4KIDS, Uno Más Pollination Project |
|
17 |
2016 |
Kids & Dogs (Luna) |
Special Needs School Brillo de Sol |
San Gaspar Vivar, Antigua |
Guatemala |
Ilene Kradin |
|
18 |
2016 |
Kittens |
Special Needs School Brillo de Sol |
San Gaspar Vivar, Antigua |
Guatemala |
Suzanne & Cita van
der Linden |
|
19 |
2016 |
Starry Night |
Special Needs School Brillo de Sol |
San Gaspar Vivar, Antigua |
Guatemala |
Ilene Kradin |
|
20 |
2016 |
Garden |
Fray Rodrigo Nursing Home for the Elderly |
Antigua |
Guatemala |
Lies Joosten |
|
21 |
2016 |
San Andrés Xetul church |
Fray Rodrigo de la Cruz Nursing Home for the Elderly |
Antigua |
Guatemala |
Dr. Jim Bader Private Sponsors |
|
22 |
2017 |
Doña Trina |
Fray Rodrigo Nursing Home for the Elderly |
Antigua |
Guatemala |
Dr. Jim Bader Private Sponsors |
|
23 |
2017 |
Hazel |
Unidos Para los
Animales Dog Shelter |
El Hato, Antigua |
Guatemala |
Dr. Jim Bader
|
|
24 |
2017 |
Masks |
Fray Rodrigo Nursing Home for the Elderly |
Antigua |
Guatemala |
Private Sponsors |
|
25 |
2017 |
Universe, Little Prince |
Special Needs School Brillo de Sol |
San Gaspar Vivar, Antigua |
Guatemala |
Private Sponsors |
|
26 |
2017 |
Small Talk |
Community Centre |
San Bartolomé Becerra, Antigua |
Guatemala |
Dr. Jim Bader Private Sponsors |
|
27 |
2017 |
A Dog and his Boy |
Community Centre |
San Bartolomé Becerra, Antigua |
Guatemala |
Dr. Jim Bader
|
|
28 |
2017 |
Children’s Rights |
Elementary school |
Puerto Plata |
Dominican Republic |
Colour4Kids |
|
29 |
2017 |
Children’s Rights |
Elementary school |
La Unión |
Dominican Republic |
Colour4Kids |
|
30 |
2017 |
Mirabal Sisters |
Elementary school |
La Unión |
Dominican Republic |
Colour4Kids |
|
31 |
2017 |
3 Cats |
PAAWS Shelter |
Panorama, Antigua |
Guatemala |
PAAWS |
|
32 |
2017 |
Wall of Fame |
Unidos Para los
Animales Dog Shelter |
El Hato, Antigua |
Guatemala |
Noah |
|
33 |
2017 |
Ocean |
Eelementary school |
San Bartolomé Becerra, Antigua |
Guatemala |
Private Sponsors |
|
34 |
2017 |
Matisse |
Las Nubes Day Care |
Acatenango |
Guatemala |
Colour4Kids |
|
35 |
2018 |
Cosas Típicas |
Day Care |
San Bartolomé Becerra, Antigua |
Guatemala |
Private sponsors
|
|
36 |
2018 |
Circus |
Physiotherapy Clinic |
Antigua |
Guatemala |
Uno Más |
|
37 |
2018 |
Folk art |
After School Program |
San Antonio Aguas Calientes |
Guatemala |
Creating Opportunities |
|
38 |
2018 |
Angel’s Garden |
Unidos Para los
Animales Cat Shelter |
El Hato, Antigua |
Guatemala |
Dr. Jim Bader |
|
39 |
2018 |
No Violence |
Middle School La Esperanza |
Chimaltenango |
Guatemala |
Colour4Kids |
|
40 |
2018 |
Marimba |
Town Hall |
Alotenango |
Guatemala |
Dr. Jim Bader Private Sponsors |
|
41 |
2019 |
Residents |
Fray Rodrigo Nursing Home for the Elderly |
Antigua |
Guatemala |
Dr. Jim Bader
|
|
42 |
2019 |
Opportunities |
CasaSito Headquarters |
Panorama, Antigua |
Guatemala |
Uno Más, John Eby |
|
43 |
2019 |
Volcano Eruption Memorial |
Shelter (Pura Vida) |
Alotenango |
Guatemala |
Dr. Jim Bader Carpentry Project Alotenango |
|
44 |
2019 |
Busy Bees |
Honey producer |
San Cristobal El Alto |
Guatemala |
Miki Iwatsuki (JICA) |
|
45 |
2019 |
Hole in a wall |
CasaSito headquarters |
Panorama, Antigua |
Guatemala |
Dr. Jim Bader |
|
46 |
2019 |
Education |
Elementary School |
San Bartolomé Becerra, Antigua |
Guatemala |
Dr. Jim Bader
|
|
47 |
2020 |
Animals with Cleft |
Tess Unlimited Hospital |
San Gaspar Vivar |
Guatemala |
Colour4Kids |
|
48 |
2020 |
Cat Forest |
Unidos Para los
Animales Cat Shelter |
El Hato, Antigua |
Guatemala |
|
|
49 |
2020 |
Connections |
Elementary School |
Ciudad Vieja |
Guatemala |
Eben Haezer Church |
|
50 |
2021 |
Sport, values |
Elementary school |
San Miguel Escobar |
Guatemala |
Colour4Kids |
|
51 |
2020 |
Spot on |
Chucho Feliz |
San Pedro las Huertas,
Antigua |
Guatemala |
Chilli |
|
52 |
2020 |
Cristy’s Dogs |
Full Moon Café |
San Martín Jilotepque |
Guatemala |
Dr. Jim Bader |
|
33 |
2021 |
Folk Art |
Elementary School /
Compartiendo Nuestras Bendiciones |
San Andrés Itzapá |
Guatemala |
Dr. Jim Bader |
|
54 |
2021 |
Dog Welfare |
Dirección de la Mujer |
Jocotenango |
Guatemala |
Dr. Jim Bader |
|
55 |
2021 |
Dog Welfare |
AYUDA |
Panajachel |
Guatemala |
Dr. Jim Bader |
|
56 |
2021 |
Water I |
Public wash basis Urban Heart |
Jocotenango |
Guatemala |
Colour4Kids |
|
57 |
2021 |
Cultural identity |
Casita Copán Children’s Home |
Copán Ruinas |
Honduras |
Colour4Kids |
|
58 |
2022 |
Map of Guatemala |
Tess Unlimited Hospital |
San Gaspar Vivar, Antigua |
Guatemala |
Colour4Kids |
|
59 |
2022 |
Cultural identity |
Elementary school |
El Hato, Antigua |
Guatemala |
Colour4Kids |
|
60 |
2022 |
Jungle |
Elementary School for Special Education |
San Martín Jilotepeque |
Guatemala |
Various Sponsors |
|
61 |
2023 |
Water II |
Public wash basis Urban Heart |
Jocotenango |
Guatemala |
Colour4Kids |
|
62 |
2023 |
Decorative |
Urban Heart |
Jocotenango |
Guatemala |
Colour4Kids |
|
63 |
2023 |
Fun stuff |
After school program ALAS / FFF |
San Lorenzo el Cubo |
Guatemala |
ALAS |
|
64 |
2023 |
16 rooms with various ecosystems |
AFAS House, Patients Home Tess Unlimited |
San Gaspar Vivar, Antigua |
Guatemala |
Colour4Kids Private Sponsors |
|
65 |
2024 |
Social Inclusion |
Elementary School for Special Education |
San Martín Jilotepeque |
Guatemala |
Colour4Kids |
|
66 |
2024 |
Street Dogs |
Kindergarten |
Parramos |
Guatemala |
Colour4Kids |
|
67 |
2024 |
Cultural identity |
Elementary school |
El Hato, Antigua |
Guatemala |
Colour4Kids |
|
68 |
2025 |
Water |
Barrion San Nicolás Fuente de Agua |
San Martín Jilotepeque |
Guatemala |
Uno Más |
|
69 |
2025 |
My Pet’s Life |
Unidos Para los
Animales Panorama Vet Clinic |
Panorama, Antigua |
Guatemala |
MuralArte Guate |
|
70 |
2025 |
Mental health |
CasaSito Headquarters |
Antigua |
Guatemala |
CasaSito |
|
71 |
2025 |
Cultural Diversity |
Mundus College Zuid |
Amsterdam |
The Netherlands |
MuralArte Guate |
|
72 |
2025 |
Nutrition |
Elementary School for Special Education |
San Martín Jilotepeque |
Guatemala |
Colour4Kids |
|
73 |
2026 |
Jungle |
Kindergarten |
San Martín Jilotepeque |
Guatemala |
Uno Más |
|
74 |
2026 |
For the Love of Dogs |
After School Program People for
Guatemala/ USEG |
San Pedro las Huertas,
Antigua |
Guatemala |
Dr. Jim Bader |
|
75 |
2026 |
Our surroundings |
CasaSito headquarters |
San Cristóbal Verapaz |
Guatemala |
CasaSito |
|
76 |
2026 |
Cultural Diversity |
Mundus College Centrum |
Amsterdam |
The Netherlands |
Mundus |
