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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
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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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Community Art:Murals: Have you seen the mural by Restaurante San Miguel de Allende on the bypass road?! Guided by professional muralist, Carla Yannayon, our students, as well as parents and volunteers, were able to participate in what turned out to be a town masterpiece. Be sure to check out their amazing work! Several years ago, our students also helped paint the mural behind the barrels at the town entrance.
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John Gullo Home for Children: Our young artists painted rock markers for the plants in the new garde
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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.
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Curso de Verano: CMP co-sponsors a summer camp where 100 children receive free art classes and materials. Our older students serve as volunteers strengthening their leadership skills.
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
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 & SIGNATHON 2025-26 SEASON
How Can You Help?
Student Artists in Action
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
December, 2025
Creating a Mural: Art, Community, and Vision
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This month, our Crescent Moon Project kids experienced the magic of mural-making with Cabo-based artist Carla Yannayón, thanks to the generous support of Robert and Naomi Muñoz, owners of Restaurante Mexicano San Miguel de Allende on the bypass road, and donor Adam Chamberlin. Go enjoy a delicious meal while taking in the artwork our local children have created!
Carla taught our students to use a doodle grid made from pieces of blue tape (doodles). These “doodles” formed a playful map across the wall. By overlaying the same marks onto a reference image on her tablet, Carla helped the children accurately scale and transfer their design—an approach that’s simple, creative, and perfect for young artists. Our oldest students laid the foundation for the mural and began painting on the first day, learning the drawing techniques and technology application. Over the next several days younger students painted to complete the work of this extraordinary mural.
We are so fortunate to have an artist of Carla’s caliber working with our children! Carla’s paintings are part of private collections across Mexico, the U.S., Canada, Spain, and Colombia. She has been featured on televised news, at the 2024 International Book Fair, and on numerous podcasts. Through her art, she celebrates the richness of Latin American culture, especially the beauty and traditions of Mexico, and shares her belief that nature, art, and human emotion are deeply connected.
Under Carla’s guidance and the support of the Crescent Moon Project teacher (Yasmin Meraz) and volunteers, the children filled the wall with doodles that anchor their mural design, giving them the confidence to think, plan, and paint like professional artists. As the mural grew, so did their understanding that art is more than paint—it’s connection. Carla brought a visión latina, una conexión sin fronteras, reminding our young creators that imagination and culture can open paths and unite communities.
Brushstroke by brushstroke, these artists built something bigger than a mural—and the result is as beautiful as the experience itself.
Crescent Moon Project
November, 2025
Exploring the Genius of Leonardo da Vinci
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We’re thrilled to share that Crescent Moon Project hosted its first-ever family event: Get to Know the CMP Program and Teacher! It was such a success! We had a wonderful group of parents who came to learn more and register their children for classes. The feedback was incredible — one local 5th-grade teacher shared that he can always tell which students in his class attend CMP art sessions. We especially are grateful for the ongoing volunteer support of Robin Neal and Alison Tinger.
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This month in Art classes, our young artists are diving into the world of Leonardo da Vinci. Through observation, experimentation, and imagination, children are discovering how art connects with science, nature, and invention through curiosity and creativity.
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The curriculum explores 4 sides of Da Vinci’s genius:
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The Curious Observer: Students practice close observation, sketching real leaves, flowers, and hands to capture the beauty of nature with pencil and color.
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Da Vinci-style Portraits: Inspired by the Mona Lisa, students explore proportion, balance, and emotion in portrait drawing, experimenting with sfumato — Leonardo’s soft “smoke” technique.
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Inventor and Dreamer: Taking cues from Da Vinci’s notebooks, children imagine and illustrate their own flying machines and fantastic inventions, using sepia tones and creative annotations.
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Nature and Art: To close the month, they observe animals and landscapes, creating watercolor or acrylic paintings that capture movement and light through layered color and shading.
Our Da Vinci month celebrates not just artistic skill but the power of curiosity — to look closer, think deeply, and imagine boldly.
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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.
