Heaven on Earth in Todos Santos:

The initial call for volunteers to help bring the mural to life

Todos Artes Work-shop

Todos Artes, is a compound for creative activity, established in 2005, at the southern tip of Baja California, Mexico, in the small town of Todos Santos. Todos Santos , designated Pueblo Magico, hosts a vibrant community with a music festival, arts festival, galleries, restaurants, film festival and surfing culture. Developed by Donna Billick , envisioned as a cross-culture, cross- generation, multi-media space for creative activity. The destination workshop, Heaven on Earth, grew out of the Todos Artes compound, designed with multiple studios, living quarters, kitchens, a large palapa, situated in a town with the capacity to accommodate many people in casitas and world class restaurants.   Every year a Dream Team of three professional artist, and twenty students, assemble for an experiential based, hands-on workshop called Heaven on Earth. This, one week, total emersion, of educational sharing, in the community build style of teaching and learning, producing a large scale public artwork, in the compound or out on the walls of the town of Todos Santos. The Todos Artes compound offers artists from many disciplines and media, musicians, ceramicists, painters, photographers, writers, glass artists, the opportunity to harvest our relationships, in a supportive environment.  Todos Artes, is a passionate vision for a retreat, a place where our heads, hands and hearts can join to navigate our imaginations and recognize our creative life force.

Calendario Azteca Community Build

In January 2012, with the hands and support of the local Todos Santos community, Heaven on Earth artists constructed a cement, ceramic, and tile mosaic mural of the Aztec Calendar, the sun stone. Installed in the Theatre Plaza Manuel Márquez de León, the mural is a permanent example of a community build.

Robert Nicholson, Director of Photography for Heaven on Earth, described that “in a two week period the calendar mural was constructed by a team of artists and then installed in the plaza with the tireless hands of the local community.”  He explained that he had his lens “focused on the collaboration between youth and elders, (gringos and latinos), working together to represent this historic symbol and install the mural permanently for all to learn from, and celebrate in the culture.”

The community effort stands in Todos Santos now as a symbol of unity, culture, and spirit.  Nicholson ended his comments at the Festival de Cortos in January–celebrating the unveiling of the mural–with sentiments that he hopes that the exhibit will help continue “the dialogue of communicating across boarders and cultures, the true meaning of community build.”  Nicholson also directed a video which explains the mural-designing and executing process in more detail.

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