CHICAGO (June 30, 2003)

Our Lady of the Snows School, 4810 S. Leamington Ave., is a little prettier thanks to local artist Ernesto Rodriguez, who recently painted colorful murals on windows in five of the school’s classrooms.

Rodriguez met with Paul Rauseo, the school’s business manager, and offered to paint the school’s windows. “He came up to me and said he wanted to help, so I took him up on his offer,” Rauseo said. “The murals make the students, parishioners and community proud of our school.”

“It was a wonderful opportunity to donate my services to the community, especially something that benefits children,” said Rodriguez, an artist at Avant-Garde Studios Creative Art and Design, 1579 N. Milwaukee.

Working with the school’s supplies, Rodriguez donated three weeks’ of his time to paint the murals. He painted the main entrance with a cross and the words, “Jesus Says Let the Children Come to Me.” The rest of the windows are whimsical, children-friendly designs that were chosen by the teachers. The first-grade classroom’s windows are filled with geometric shapes that look like a train; the kindergarten windows are filled with large colorful crayons; and the preschool windows are filled with colorful block letters that form the alphabet, as well as trees depicting the four seasons.

“The murals not only added some color to the school, they also serve as educational tools by stimulating conversation among the students,” Principal Demetria Castro said. “We are grateful for Ernesto’s generosity.”

Rodriguez, who lives in Chicago, said he loves children and enjoys donating his time to anything that benefits them. “I enjoyed painting a mural in Benito Juarez Community Academy in the 1990s. It was such a great experience that I was looking for another opportunity to do it again at another school,” he said.

Rodriguez recently donated more of his artistry to Our Lady of the Snows by completing a mural of a stained-glass window in the rear of the school and a mural of computers in the school’s computer room. The school is considering adding an educational component into next year’s curriculum that teaches students about stained glass, Rauseo said.

Rodriguez, a native of Mexico, has been a professional artist for approximately 10 years and specializes in creating custom-made artwork on furniture, floors and walls.

“I love painting murals because when people look at them, it’s like they are transported to another place. I love that my art generates emotions in others,” Rodriguez said. “I have an interesting job and I love sharing my skills. I like to believe that the secret to happiness is giving to others.”

Archdiocese of Chicago Catholic Schools
The Catholic schools of the Archdiocese of Chicago play a critical role in the life of the community by providing academic excellence and faith formation for 117,229 students of many races, faiths and backgrounds in the 290 elementary and secondary schools in Cook and Lake counties. There are more than 6,400 teachers in the Catholic school system who instill values, teach discipline and achieve strong, consistent academic results in the Archdiocese of Chicago's 248 elementary and 42 secondary schools. Visit the Archdiocese of Chicago Website at http://schools.archchicago.org