A series of new projects are underway in the constantly growing and changing Casa de Cultura on the north side of the Ajijic plaza.
Center Eirector Efren Gonzalez is excited with the progress of the newest project, a mural designed to thank the area residents who are providing the needed funds to complete the theater and to construct simple locking cases to get the museum of pre-Hispanic pottery started in the community building.
“The new gratitude mural depicts a well rooted lakeside mango tree, with a twist,” Gonzalez says. “That pair of open, giving hands is the strong center of the tree, just as the giving community is the heart of the cultural center. We’d still be sitting here in an empty building if it wasn’t for the help of this wonderful giving community.”
Nestled among the fingers, cradled in the hands and attached to the extended branches are big healthy leaves and ripe juicy mangos. For 500 pesos each, a donor can have their name, business, or the names of their children or grandchildren inscribed on the leaves they select. Mangos on the “gratitude tree” can be personalized with the donation of 1,000 pesos each.
Patrons who wish to dig a little deeper to help finish the cultural center’s projects, or to start funding some of the wish list future needs, can add personalized birds to the mural for 5,000 pesos.
“A great way to remember a family is to purchase a nest filled with golden eggs,” Gonzalez says. “We can put the family name on the nest and then the oldest or youngest family members on the eggs. That donation is the largest at 10,000 pesos.”
Area residents are urged to visit the Casa de Cultura, daily (except Tuesdays) between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. to watch Gonzalez as he works on the mural. In addition to selecting a leaf or perhaps a whole branch for the family tree, visitors can check the recent progress on the theater and see some of the pieces in the center’s permanent art collection.