Mexican painter dedicates his weekdays helping Nogales kids develop their art

Versión en español

Nogales, Arizona – Three days a week, paintbrushes and smiles shine in a room inside an old building in downtown Nogales, Arizona, near the U.S.-Mexico border. There, children, teenagers and adults spend several days a week immersing themselves in colorful works of art.

Inside the historic Santa Cruz County 1904 Courthouse, about a quarter of a mile from the border, people of all ages learn and develop their skills at the mentorship of a painter from Jalisco, Mexico.

About three-quarters of the students are of Latino descent, instructor Armando Moreno said. In early June, when CALÓ News visited the class, there were 17 people, including students and mothers, and only four spoke English while the rest communicated in Spanish.

But when they weren't speaking, everyone communicated in one language: art.

The Nogales School District allocated resources to offer the classes and provide free materials to students, according to Francisco Ballesteros, senior accountant in the Office of Santa Cruz County Superintendent Alfredo I. Velasquez.

These courses are funded with public funds from Santa Cruz County. Summer programs and courses such as robotics and drones are also offered, Ballesteros said.

Instructor Moreno, a native of Guadalajara, Jalisco, who has lived in the United States for 30 years, leads the arts program.

"The county provides everything — canvas, brushes, paints. You just need to bring a little energy, snacks and inspiration for the art to flourish," Moreno said.

Around the edge of the room are small tables with one or two chairs each. On each table is a base where students can rest their canvases for painting. In the background, to the right, there's a table with many jars of paint and another one with brushes. Next to that are the blank canvases.

On the walls are paintings done by Maestro Moreno. There are some of his own creations depicting his life as a bullfighter, which he was many years ago. While attendees concentrate on their work, soft, low-volume music plays in the background.

Approximately 50 students attend the classes, Moreno said.

"Recently, a girl created a painting here and won first place at a fair in Sonoita (a small community in the same county)," he said.

He also teaches classes in Sahuarita and Green Valley, Arizona, communities located about 50 miles north of Nogales in Pima County.

Lizbeth, a mother of two daughters, ages seven and eight, who did not want to provide her full name for safety reasons, attended the painting classes in early June with her little ones for the first time.

She considered taking her daughters so they could unleash their creativity and relax, but when she learned parents could also participate, she decided to stay.

“We spend quality time together, and as a mom, it helps us relax, having time for ourselves, expressing what we feel and letting our minds flow,” she said while painting a landscape.

Her seven-year-old daughter’s favorite colors are blue, purple and pink. During class, she painted a cemetery with three crosses and a boy whose dog, named “Coby,” had died. She was also going to add clouds, she said.

Moreno shared that throughout his artistic career, he has participated in an exhibition in Phoenix, Arizona, where five Mexican painters were selected from the state. That exhibition was then sent to Washington, followed by New York, Los Angeles and the Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City.

He has participated in competitions in Madrid, Spain, and has exhibited his work in several Mexican border towns, including Tijuana and Mexicali in Baja California, and Hermosillo and Nogales in Sonora.

Painting is a passion, Moreno said.

Inside the large, historic building where the classes are held, there are several spaces that feature paintings by Moreno depicting the region's history, including figures such as Fray Marcos de Niza, wildlife like wild boars and deer and more.

The painting classes are free and require no prior registration. Those interested can simply walk in.

They take place three days a week: Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 2 to 5 p.m., inside the historic 1904 Santa Cruz County Courthouse, located at 21 E. Court Street, Nogales, Arizona.

César Barrón is an independent reporter covering the transnational communities of Ambos Nogales. He has over 20 years of experience covering the Sonoran communities.