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Our Mission
Crescent Moon Project provides free classes in the arts to children. Through these expressive and creative experiences, we teach children about the challenges facing our communities and aim to teach, empower and inspire in them the ability to care for others and the environment, to be responsible, to work cooperatively and inclusively, and to celebrate the strength of diversity in our communities. Through this hands-on work, we aspire to create the next generation of compassionate and empathetic leaders.​
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Our History
The Crescent Moon Project (CMP) was born from a dream that founder Priscilla Duran had for her daughter and the other children in Los Barriles. Growing up in the small town, Duran recognized the limited extracurricular opportunities available to local youth. Driven by a desire to expose them to the arts, she initiated free, easily accessible art programs with the help of volunteers.
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In early 2021, Melissa McDonald and her family arrived in Los Barriles, bringing a wealth of energy and creative ideas to the project. Eager to contribute, Melissa joined Priscilla in expanding CMP's reach. However, funding shortages and the surge of COVID-19 cases forced a temporary halt to in-person classes.
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Undeterred, in June 2021, Priscilla and Melissa organized "Margaritas and Watercolors," CMP's first successful fundraiser. The event generated funds to distribute 100 art kits to children throughout the community. When in-person classes resumed, they quickly became a vital outlet for children, providing both fun and creative expression.
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By October, young artists had created works that were successfully auctioned at a Día de los Muertos event, leading to the establishment of weekly painting classes at Café Maria. In December, the inaugural "Margaritas and Ornaments" night brought together 35 participants to craft festive decorations using donated supplies.
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Weekly classes continued to flourish in local spaces, utilizing donated materials and culminating in the creation of a vibrant community mural. However, challenges related to language, cultural differences, and the intense summer heat underscored the need for more suitable facilities and qualified instructors.
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In October 2022, a significant milestone was reached with the opening of a dedicated art space at Palmas de Cortez Resort. The following year, a generous donation enabled CMP to hire a full-time art teacher, significantly expanding class offerings for children. Concurrently, CMP embarked on the journey of becoming an official Mexican non-profit organization, establishing its first-ever Board of Directors (Priscilla Duran, Betsy Fox, Melissa Fujimoto Kilkenny, Melissa McDonald, and Priscilla Watts).
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CMP actively collaborates with other local organizations, playing a key role in organizing the inaugural Los Barriles Día de los Muertos parade, which has since become an annual community tradition. In 2024, CMP co-sponsored the Curso de Verano summer camp, providing art classes, materials, and invaluable support. That year, over 125 children participated in CMP art projects, accumulating a remarkable 700 hours of creative engagement.
Art helps children develop creativity, emotional expression, thinking, and fine motor skills, while also boosting confidence and mental well-being. Engaging in art from a young age supports overall growth in a fun and meaningful way.
Crescent Moon Project Offerings and Annual Events
Art Studio Classes
Weekly free art classes for children, ages 5 through high school, exploring painting, printmaking, sculpture, and more, often tied to Mexican culture. Classes are led by a passionate local teacher, Yasmin Meraz.
Artist Collective
Local artists donate their time to collaborate with small groups of students, sharing their creative processes over a series of sessions. Student collaborative works and artist donated pieces will be featured in CMP’s Spring Auction.
Community Collaborations
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Curso de Verano: CMP co-sponsors a summer camp where 100 children receive free art classes and materials
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Community Art:
Murals: Several years ago, our students helped paint the mural behind the barrels at the town entrance. Guided by professional muralists, they’ll also be painting murals behind the new Joe’s Market and at San Miguel de Allende Restaurant on the bypass road. Be sure to check out their amazing work!
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Intercam Bank Tree: The children were able to add colorful paper Easter eggs to the tree in the bank.
Want art? If you would like student art in your business, please let us know!
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John Gullo Home for Children: Our young artists painted rock markers for the plants in the new garden
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Día del Niño and Dia de Los Muertos: Crescent Moon Project, along with the local Rotary Club, sponsors these traditional Mexican celebrations.
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Special Needs Therapy Center: Weekly sessions are held in Crescent Moon Art Center. While the sessions are fee-based, CMP provides the Art Center free of charge for the community’s benefit .
Easy ways to support free art classes for the children of Los Barriles:
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Sponsor our ART CENTER rent for a month. As a thank you, you will receive a student painting.
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Donate Art Materials: Choose from this Wish List, select Priscilla Duran’s address, and the gift will be delivered directly to CMP. Click here.
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Donate Funds: Make a US tax-deductible donation: Through L2G at this link.
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Volunteer: Assist with one group in the Artist Collective. No need to be an artist—just an engaged and supportive adult supporting the Artist Teacher. Py volunteer at one of our fun art or fundraising events.​​​
Meet our Board
How Can You Help?
Student Artists in Action
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Easy ways to support free art classes for the children of Los Barriles:
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Sponsor a month of the Art Center rent at $300.
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Donate Supplies: Choose from this Wish List, select Priscilla Duran’s address, and the gift will be delivered directly to CMP. https://www.amazon.com.mx/hz/wishlist/ls/1NCS3GXHFZ1FH...
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Donate Funds: Through L2G at think link.
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Volunteer: Assist with one group in the Artist Collective. No need to be an artist—just an engaged and supportive adult supporting the Artist Teacher
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FUNDRAISING 2024-25 SEASON
Volunteer Board.
Priscilla Duran
Co-Chair, Founder, Treasurer
A lifelong resident of Los Barriles, Priscilla is the founder and heart of Crescent Moon. She’s also a member of the Rotary Club, a real estate agent with Homes and Land of Baja, and the owner of LosBarriles.Life, a vacation rental and property management company. Priscilla lives in Los Barriles with her husband and daughter, Luna, and is driven by a passion for community, creativity, and giving back.
Betsy Fox
Co-Chair, Secretary
Betsy Fox brings extensive experience to her role as Board Co-Chair and Secretary, with a background as both a school administrator and educational consultant. She has played a key role in developing the organizational structure and art curriculum of Crescent Moon. Betsy spends her winters in Los Barriles and resides in Northern California the rest of the year with her husband and two cats.
Melissa Fujimoto
Social Media Coordinator
Melissa was an executive in the food and beverage industry, with decades of leadership in customer relations, brand development, and operations. She now enjoys retirement and traveling with her husband. Over the past ten years she has been part of multiple charitable organizations, including Nueva Creation Children’s Shelter, Friends Supporting Families, Cortez Rescue, and Crescent Moon Project where she uses her passion as an artist helping the children and serving on the Board of Directors.
Sonia Lunceford
Artist Collective Coordinator
Sonia Lunceford is an educational consultant with a multicultural, multilingual background and a passion for leadership education. A lifelong traveler, she is dedicated to fostering creativity, compassion, and connection across cultures. Now living in Los Barriles, Sonia serves on the Crescent Moon Project Board and volunteers with the East Cape Guild and Cortez Rescue. She is deeply devoted to serving her community and brings compassion, creativity and a global perspective to her work supporting children through the arts.
Alison Shepherd
Volunteer Coordinator
Alison is a former school teacher from Alberta, Canada. After visiting Baja for the past 15 years, she and her husband are now part-time residents of Los Barriles. Alison has a keen interest in developing deeper ties within the community. As a new board member, she is looking forward to helping the children of Los Barriles realize their creative and artistic potential. She is excited to be working alongside the many volunteers who generously donate their time, energy and talents to the Crescent Moon Project.
Melissa McDonald
Co-Chair, Fundraising Chair
Melissa McDonald is a wife and mother to Bauer and Isla. Her family spent nearly 5 years in Los Barriles, where she formed a deep connection to the community. Melissa values artistic expression as a meaningful way to connect with others. She believes art allows everyone to explore creativity, build connections, and find joy in the process. Melissa proudly serves on the Crescent Moon Project board, supporting its mission to inspire creativity and connection through the arts.
Priscilla Watts
Board Member Emeritus
Priscilla Watts has been part of the Los Barriles community for over 40 years and has long supported expanding arts opportunities for local youth. She taught some of the first Crescent Moon Project art classes and continues to volunteer wherever there’s a need for arts education. Today, she serves on the Crescent Moon board, where she enjoys supporting new creative initiatives through fundraising and community involvement. Her lovely home has been the site of the organization’s annual fundraisers.
Monthly Blog
Crescent Moon Project
June, 2025
It's All About Moms!
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Our student artists poured their creativity and love into making special Mother’s Day gifts. In honor of the occasion, they designed and painted custom tote bags for their mothers. In Mexico, Mother’s Day—Día de las Madres—is celebrated each year on May 10th, regardless of the day of the week. This differs from the U.S., where the holiday falls on the second Sunday of May. The May 10th tradition in Mexico began in 1922, thanks to a journalist's campaign to dedicate a day to honoring mothers, and it quickly gained national popularity.
Our youngest artists in the preschool class created colorful beaded bracelets. While fun to make, this activity also supported their development in fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, pattern recognition, patience, and a sense of accomplishment.
Another project involved creating decorative mirrors and picture frames. Building on a recent sculpture unit, students sculpted small Mexican-themed figures using moldable foam—chili peppers, tomatoes, flip-flops, cacti, sombreros, mustaches, flowers, and more. Each child crafted 10 to 15 mini sculptures, which they then arranged and glued onto their frames. The results? Frames that look like they belong in a vibrant Mexican art gallery!
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Older students continued their tote bag projects by hand-sewing beads into their designs, adding intricate textures, color patterns, and a touch of sparkle to make each bag truly one-of-a-kind.
To wrap up—literally!—students created their own wrapping paper using techniques from our printmaking unit. Seeing how their skills from throughout the year came together in these heartfelt tributes has been an absolute joy.​​
Crescent Moon Project
May, 2025
A Blooming Success!
We’re thrilled to share the success of our Art in Bloom: See Them Shine fundraiser! This magical evening was the result of months of preparation, beginning last fall when professional artists began collaborating with small groups of students. Together, they explored different artistic mediums and cultures, fostering creativity, connection, and community. Each collaboration culminated in a unique piece of art, which was showcased and auctioned at the Art in Bloom event. Proceeds from these works go directly toward continuing this program which offers free art experiences to the children of Los Barriles. Adding even more magic, each participating artist generously donated one of their own original pieces—what an incredible gift from the rich pool of talent right here in Los Barriles!
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Several community members have asked how they can support the Crescent Moon Project, especially if they weren’t able to attend the recent event. If you're interested in getting involved or helping sustain this meaningful work, we’d love to hear from you! Please reach out to us at: crescentmoonlosbarriles@gmail.com. We are currently accepting direct donations and hope to “fill the moon” with your generosity!
Community Collaborators
Special thanks to Club Rotario Los Barriles Cabo de Este, Asociación de Artes, and Leaders to Give who support us in various ongoing ways.
