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Spanish 
He Tile Park and the lettering of welcome to puerto vallarta are some of the icontourist s than the city owes it to the talent and heart of Natasha Moraga.
Originally from California, with twenty-seven years of living in Puerto Vallarta, Natasha Moraga feels “one hundred percent salty leg”. Daughter of a Mexican mother and a Chilean father, comes from a restaurant family by vocation. YoRestless from a very young age by art and culture, andno one of his trips to Barcelona and inspired by the beauty of public space, the artist prepared to learn the artiled tee in Philadelphia, USA. That chance showed him that his passion in life would be to dedicate himself to tile art.
Like many artists, he began making pieces for his home: flower pots, tables, etc. Until one day he decided to take the activity to the external sphere. He looked at the wall of the school that was against the corner of his house. A 200 square meter kindergarten wall that was always streaked with graffiti would be the perfect canvas to start. He requested the corresponding permits from the authorities, and the adventure began.
Natahsa Moraga She is an artist who contributes her work, creativity and time to beautify all public spaces that require it. He does not receive a salary from any institution or government. The universe that provides her with what she needs, as well as the altruism of foreigners and Mexicans who have trusted her, have made the dream come true. In this alliance between the artist and the spectator who wants to leave their mark in Vallarta, the virtuous circle of the heart is completed.
Financing from the heart to transform the public space of Vallarta
The tile technique is expensive but fine, especially if bright colors such as reds and oranges are required. In addition, different tools are used, mirror, floor paste, cement, etc. Everything that involves the technique has high costs. So thinking about financing the dream would not be easy.
Once Natasha started designing the kindergarten wall, a lady passed by and said: “Hey, your wall is very cool, I would like to put my name on it, would you let me put my name on your wall? And I'll pay you a wool” Of course! she answered. So he made a little plate with his name and more people began to arrive doing the same. The altruism of the people and Natasha's volunteer work would be the way to finance the projects to fulfill the dream of transforming the public space of Vallarta.
Natasha and her brother gave life to the kindergarten wall that changed the lives of hundreds of children. That was his first job in the Emiliano Zapata neighborhood. After 6 years, that wall is still standing with the names of hundreds of people who passed through it...
Then came the wall of Marina Vallarta, at the invitation of Gabriel Clavel, Director of the Marina. A wall of 500 square meters that took 2 and a half years of work.
In his story he recalled: “When I started the first wall I made a list of the places I wanted to intervene. A list with ten locations among which are: the Lázaro Cárdenas park and the letters of welcome from Puerto Vallarta”.
Welcome to Puerto Vallarta lettering
These letters were a real challenge in Natasha's work as they represented a tourist emblem of the city. The main promoter and sponsor of the work was the businessman Juan Vela. Despite the fact that the process was exhausting due to bureaucratic procedures and permits, the project was finally completed in ten months. “The letters have a different design, each one represents what Puerto Vallarta is for me. Its diversity and multiculturalism. Vallarta is an explosion of moments and figures, sunsets. All compressed into a geometric and colorful wave”.
Those letters represent everything that the tourist wants to take in the souvenir bag and everyone wants to take the photo.
Puerto Vallarta Tile Park
Lázaro Cárdenas square has become an emblem of the city for various reasons. However since Natasha moraga began to give color and life to the place, people began to call it the Tile Park. The work to begin the transformation began in September 2017. After presenting it on several occasions to the Association of Entrepreneurs and Neighbors of the Emiliano Zapata Neighborhood and Tourism authorities of the Puerto Vallarta City Hall, Natasha was approved to carry out the work.
Now the only thing missing was the way to finance it.
Tile art workshops: A participatory community capital project
The tile park required a large investment, since in the absence of maintenance, the benches and small fences of practically the entire park would have to be redone. The creative process would come hand in hand with a participatory project of community capital: workshops to teach the art technique with tiles to tourists and local people.
Until October 2017, 6 workshops had been given, with a total of 160 people, all foreigners, except five Mexicans. “This is a park in Vallarta, so people Integra, I give them the technique, I teach them a bit of theory color, how to cut the tile and glass with electrical machinery, manual, tweezers andsecurity aspects. youI also teach them to use dDifferent glues to stick on wood and cement in different surfaces. Under the question "What does Vallarta mean to you?" inspiration and disposition are present. the workshops they work because "People have a very nice wave when they see something that begins to beautify", Natasha says.
We contribute to reactivate the country's economy, since tAll the material is Mexican. We use ceramic, Talavera, different types of tiles, and cement pmainly from the state of Hidalgo. We understood by observing this that when you live or vacation in a place that gives you great experiences, or leaves you beautiful memories, you create a bond of intimacy with it. This is the way people want to leave their mark, as a gesture of gratitude...
Creative process: the intention is what counts
The magic of tile art depends on what you want to convey, since you work with symbology and abstract issues. Geometric figures or sacred geometry raise the vibration of a place, of people or of lto installation itself. It influences the mood.
That is why the intention is what counts when doing the work. PFor children it is easier than for adults to understand the abstract. They are authentic, innocent and their joy is dispersed before a place full of color. “The tiled walls reflect what you bring inside. There is people who get angry is because they are seeing something of themselves that they don't see, that's why I like to put a mirror in it”.
Tiled art transcends time. The local people who participate freeze their history, freeze time on the tiles.
Tile art workshops: registrations open
If it's about beautiful experiences, don't miss participating in Natasha Moraga's tile art workshops. And don't forget to take your souvenir photo in these wonderful and colorful works that have changed the face of the public space in Puerto Vallarta!
- Open to the general public and tourists
- National or local 50% discount in workshops
- Open invitation to schools or community centers
More information in:
https://www.facebook.com/parqueazulejospv/
https://www.parqueazulejospv.com/
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Congratulations, it is turning out beautiful and striking due to its multiple geometric figures and colors…
A spectacular way to transform Vallarta into a colorful canvas! Is there a specific piece of tile art that has captivated you or that stands out in the Vallarta scene?