Las Aves: Between Earth and Sky
Birds are an essential part of healthy ecosystems. They pollinate plants, disperse seeds, control insects and other small animals, and help maintain the complex relationships that sustain the natural world. Their presence—and their absence—can also tell us a great deal about the health of the places we share with them.
Yet birds are disappearing at an alarming rate. Habitat loss and degradation are among the greatest threats they face as natural areas are cleared, fragmented, polluted, or altered. In cities, the remaining green spaces, waterways, trees, and patches of native vegetation become especially important, providing places for birds to feed, rest, nest, and find shelter.
Las Cachinches Arroyo is part of this urban habitat. Its trees, vegetation, water, and open spaces create a natural corridor through San Miguel de Allende, supporting birds that live here year-round as well as migratory species passing through. Raptors such as the Barn Owl and Crested Caracara depicted in this mural are part of that story, but so are hummingbirds, flycatchers, warblers, sparrows, herons, and many other birds that depend on connected habitat.
Protecting Las Cachinches means protecting more than a stream. By preserving mature trees, planting native vegetation, improving water quality, reducing pollution, and creating connected green spaces, we can strengthen this corridor for birds and other wildlife. Even in the heart of a city, nature can thrive when we make room for it.
ARTIST: Rufino Balderas Rojas
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Rufino is a muralist and painter from San Miguel de Allende. His work combines spray paint and regular paint to create visually striking compositions, where color, geometric shapes, and characters inspired by popular culture transform public spaces into places of encounter and identity.
As a member of the Yo Amo Mi Barrio collective, he has promoted various community art projects and shares painting workshops with young people, convinced that muralism is a tool to strengthen the bond between people and the territory.
Facebook: Rojas Balderas Rufino
Instagram: monostres
WhatsApp: +52 415 177 8765
ARTIST APPRENTICE
ARTIST APPRENTICE
At 16, Sandra Leilani is already beginning to make her mark in the art world with dedication, sensitivity, and a deep passion for creating. For the past three years, she has trained as a muralist apprentice, contributing to a variety of projects that have allowed her to develop her technique, strengthen her creativity, and discover her own artistic voice.
Each mural she has worked on represents another step in her growth as an artist, demonstrating how talent can flourish when nurtured by discipline, perseverance, and a love for the creative process.
Sandra is also beginning to explore the art of tattooing, discovering new ways to bring drawing and artistic expression to the skin. Her curiosity, eagerness to learn, and commitment to art mark the beginning of a path filled with possibilities, where each new line is an opportunity to leave a lasting impression and inspire others through her creativity.
ARTIST STATEMENT
This mural was born from the inspiration I find in nature and the richness of our Mexican roots. The owl and the caracara represent wisdom, freedom, and strength; while the prickly pear cacti and flowers evoke the beauty and life of our land. Each brushstroke seeks to convey respect for the fauna, flora, and identity that surrounds us. A mural created with passion, color, and a lot of heart.
MURAL SPONSORS
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The 11:59:59 Project was born from our understanding that the viability of life in the future can only be guaranteed if we learn to think long-term and recognize that nature is not an inexhaustible source of resources. At Edumundo 360, we are paving the way toward global sustainability by creating the only educational model for sustainable development.
Our interactive platforms recognize the role that community values play in caring for the planet, and we place special emphasis on developing socio-emotional, interpersonal, and behavioral skills that enable children and adolescents to connect successfully and work effectively for the common good.
You can participate in our photo-mosaic project: a global celebration of hope that illuminates and reaffirms our collective strength in every corner of the planet, because every smile that appears in the 11:59:59 Earth Album gives us a reason to believe that a better world is possible.
Website: https://planeta2030.mx/
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Cuban-American José Pascual Hijuelos was born and raised on the Upper West Side of New York City. After serving four years of military service in England. He returned home and went on to complete an MFA in Painting.
Mr. Hijuelos was nurtured on Postwar American Abstract Painting, influenced by such notables as Mark Rothko, Clyfford Still, Ben Nicholson and Al Held. He has studied with Philip Pearlstein, Lucas Samaras, Jimmy Ernst, Lee Bontecou and Alan D'Arcangelo, and was the assistant to Al Held for several years an abstract painter.
He has traveled extensively and for many years, he worked as an archaeological site supervisor and illustrator in Bulgaria, Greece and Cyprus.
He now divides his time between San Miguel de Allende, Mexico and New York.
Website: https://www.pascualhijuelos.com
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