Acercamiento (Spiritual Migration)

Completed in 2003 as a collaborative work between sister cities Colorado Springs and Nuevo Casas Grandes, Mexico, this ceramic mural is located at the entrance to El Paso County’s Centennial Hall.

The primary artists were Steve Wood of Concrete Couch and Francisco Jaimes Acuna of Nuevo Casas Grandes. Julian Hernandez form Nuevo Casas Grandes also assisted.

A small town in northern Mexico, Nuevo Casas Grande is in the state of Chihuahua. Much like sister city Colorado Springs, the town was founded in the 1870’s, and got its start as a railroad hub.

This project was sponsored by El Paso County, Colorado Springs Sister City International Program, the Hillsdale Fund, Jaye Wells, Mile High Ceramics and the City of Colorado Springs. Three tiles in the mural contain the phrases: “man & nature,” “migration,” and “spirit of exploration”.