Mural Art Bootcamp
with Jamar Duvol Pierre
presented by Smokebrush Foundation for the Arts
Wednesdays, July 9 – August 13, 2025
Red Crags Arts and Agriculture House | Manitou Springs, CO
MANITOU SPRINGS, CO — The Smokebrush Foundation for the Arts presents Mural Art Bootcamp, a six-week intensive designed for emerging and established artists ready to advance their public art careers. Led by New Orleans muralist and cultural storyteller Jamar Duvol Pierre, this immersive training combines hands-on learning, professional development, and real-world mural installation experience.
Hosted at Red Crags Arts & Agriculture House, part of Smokebrush Farm in Manitou Springs, participants will develop both personal and collaborative public art projects while gaining professional knowledge to launch or expand their mural careers.
By the end of the bootcamp, students will leave with:
• A fully developed mural proposal
• Real-world installation experience
• Professional portfolio pieces
• Expanded public art networks
• The confidence and tools to pursue paid mural commissions.
Mural Art Bootcamp
📆 Six weeks — July 9 to August 13, 2025
Wednesdays 1:00–4:00 pm
Artists ages 17+
Enrollment Limit: 12 participants
Tuition: $180 +tax/fees per student
Tickets: www.humanitix.com/mural-art-boot-camp
Location:
Red Crags Arts & Agriculture House
302 El Paso Boulevard, Manitou Springs, CO
Each week follows THREE parallel tracks:
Professional Skills — Build Your Public Art Toolbox
Each session delivers practical training on the technical, business, and professional aspects of being a working muralist. Gain insider knowledge in materials, surface prep, scaling, installation, contracts, client and community relationships, and how to build a sustainable public art career.
Personal Project — Develop Your Mural Vision
Through guided mentorship, peer support, and studio practice, you’ll create your own original mural concept — from early sketches to a fully realized design. This track emphasizes your unique artistic voice and professional presentation skills, preparing you for public art calls, commissions, and career advancement.
Community Mural — Real-World Installation Experience
Work alongside fellow participants to co-design and install a large-scale public mural in a triptych format. This hands-on project offers real-world experience in collaborative design development, community storytelling, project planning, and mural execution.
Professional Skills — Build Your Public Art Toolbox
Each session delivers practical training on the technical, business, and professional aspects of being a working muralist. Gain insider knowledge in materials, surface prep, scaling, installation, contracts, client and community relationships, and how to build a sustainable public art career.
Personal Project — Develop Your Mural Vision
Through guided mentorship, peer support, and studio practice, you’ll create your own original mural concept — from early sketches to a fully realized design. This track emphasizes your unique artistic voice and professional presentation skills, preparing you for public art calls, commissions, and career advancement.
Community Mural — Real-World Installation Experience
Work alongside fellow participants to co-design and install a large-scale public mural in a triptych format. This hands-on project offers real-world experience in collaborative design development, community storytelling, project planning, and mural execution.
About Jamar Duvol Pierre
Born and raised in New Orleans, Jamar Duvol Pierre is a self-taught artist, chef, educator, and cultural storyteller with over 25 years of experience. Known for his vibrant palette and community-centered work, his large-scale murals include the Tchoupitoulas Street Floodwall Mural and Resilience, the official artwork for New Orleans’ Tricentennial. His art is internationally recognized, with works held in collections including the United States Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.
Funded in part by the Manitou Arts, Culture and Heritage Initiative with funding from City of Manitou Springs Sales and Use Tax approved by the voters in 2019.
Schedule & Curriculum Overview
Week 1: Storytelling Foundations: Drawing Inspiration from Nature
Wednesday, July 9th, 2025 | 1:00–4:00 PM
Professional Skills — Murals as Cultural Expression
• Group discussion: The role of murals in storytelling, cultural memory, nature-based symbolism, and honoring sacred spaces
• Discover nature as a source of design inspiration
Personal Project — Seeds of Inspiration
• Guided nature walk at Smokebrush Farm to gather visual references from animals, plants, insects, flowers, and the surrounding landscape
• Begin thumbnail sketches to spark your mural concept
Community Mural — Laying the Foundation
• Group discussion to share ideas, explore shared themes, and identify core elements for the collaborative triptych mural
Week 2: Design Translation: Scale, Color & Composition
Wednesday, July 16th, 2025 | 1:00–4:00 PM
Professional Skills — Design Translation & Color Systems
• Grid transfer techniques for accurate scaling
• Understanding value scales and hue shifts in mural design
Personal Project — Building Scale & Color Depth
• Use grid transfer technique to scale up your design to 18″ x 24″
• Develop personal color studies through blending, transitions, and tonal work
Community Mural — Harmonizing the Palette
• Group discussion exploring how color choices unify narrative, emotion, and composition
Week 3: Design Development: Composition, Critique & Refinement
Wednesday, July 23rd, 2025 | 1:00–4:00 PM
Professional Skills — Interactive Q&A with Jamar Duvol Pierre
• Gain direct professional insights and creative guidance through an interactive Q&A with master muralist Jamar Duvol Pierre.
Personal Project — Refining the Proposal
• Focused studio session to refine design details
• Group critique to strengthen visual storytelling, symbolism, and composition
Community Mural — Storyboard Development
• Begin integrating individual design elements into the collective mural composition
Week 4: Building Your Mural Career: Business, Branding & Surface Techniques
Wednesday, July 30th, 2025 | 1:00–4:00 PM
Professional Skills — The Business of Mural Art
• Business setup and personal branding essentials
• Contracts, budgeting, insurance, and legal considerations
• Installation methods and long-term mural preservation strategies
Personal Project — Adding Depth & Dimension
• Studio session: Apply lighting, texture, shadows, highlights, and narrative depth to your design
Community Mural — Finalizing the Design
• Complete design adjustments, finalize layout, and assign mural sections for painting
Week 5: Installation Prep: Community Partnerships & Painting Launch
Wednesday, August 6th, 2025 | 1:00–4:00 PM
Professional Skills — Community & Client Relations
• Strategies for engaging public stakeholders while honoring artistic vision
• Navigating partnerships, sponsorships, and long-term collaborations
Personal Project — Polishing the Proposal
• Complete your full-color mural proposal for next week’s instructor and peer presentations
Community Mural — Installation Begins
• Launch collaborative mural painting, applying your newly developed techniques directly to the wall.
Week 6: Portfolio Launch & Program Celebration
Wednesday, August 13th, 2025 | 1:00–4:00 PM
Professional Skills — Career Building & Next Steps
• How to apply for public art commissions, build your portfolio, expand professional networks, and pursue future opportunities
Personal Project — Proposal Presentations
• Present your completed mural proposal to instructors and fellow participants
Community Mural — Completion & Celebration
• Apply final details to the collaborative mural
• Closing ceremony recognizing the accomplishments and growth of all participants
Note: Curriculum subject to minor adjustments as needed to best serve participant progress and project timelines.
