A Transformative New Mural by Ignacio Garcia Comes to Tohono Chul’s Garden Pavilion
January 22, 2026A New Chapter for the Garden Pavilion: From Blank Wall to Desert Night
As the Pavilion wall transitions from white to the blue color palette of Ignacio Garcia’s newest mural, Twilight Sonoran, let’s look back at how this exciting addition to Tohono Chul’s art collection came to be.
This transformative public art project was envisioned following our 40th anniversary last April. We wanted to continue the celebration by commissioning a new mural aimed at transforming the Garden Pavilion into a vibrant, daily destination for residents and visitors alike, a premier event space, and an extension of our mission, vision, and values as a nonprofit organization.
Inviting Artists to Reimagine the Pavilion
The project, made possible through the generous support of the Town of Oro Valley, officially kicked off in August with a ‘Call for Proposals’. The call was open for one month, and qualified artists were asked to submit examples of completed murals, concepts, or other large-scale works along with an artist statement, CV, and biography. Word spread far and wide! In September, we reviewed 41 qualification packages submitted by 42 artists from 13 states (Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Washington, and Wyoming), four countries (Canada, Greece, Mexico, and the United States), and across Southern Arizona (Ajo, Mesa, Nogales, Oracle, Phoenix, Tucson, and Yuma)!
After reviewing the 41 proposals submitted, three talented regional artists were selected to advance to stage 2 of the submission process, where they were asked to create a conceptual mural design specifically for Tohono Chul, along with a detailed budget and installation schedule.
In late October, a panel of eight members representing Tohono Chul, the Town of Oro Valley, and the arts community convened to review the top three candidates’ mural concepts. Ultimately, Ignacio Garcia’s Twilight Sonoran was selected. Ignacio considers himself a Muralist, Cultural Storyteller, and Sonoran Visionary, and his concept beautifully captures how the Sonoran Desert comes alive at night.
Ignacio Garcia on His Vision for the Mural
“Twilight Sonoran is a digital concept mural that captures the breathtaking magic of the Sonoran Desert after dark—through the eyes of its creatures. This mural invites viewers to step into an animal’s perspective of the desert night, where late-summer monsoons roll across the horizon, stars shimmer in silence, and life glows softly beneath a moonlit sky. The mural explores the rarely seen beauty of the desert’s nocturnal ecosystem. The design will emphasize depth, motion, and emotion – allowing the viewer to feel the desert rather than simply see it.
This mural is more than decoration—it’s an invitation into the Sonoran night. A visual poem in blue, glowing with quiet desert life, meant to calm, inspire, and connect. When visitors leave Tohono Chul, they’ll carry with them the memory of twilight in the desert—a feeling that lingers like starlight.”
Refining the Details, Honoring the Desert
Throughout November and December, we worked with Ignacio to refine the design – a patch of Peniocereus greggii here, a bat there – until it was perfect for Tohono Chul. Twilight Sonoran honors our 40-year history, reinforces our mission, and celebrates the unique beauty of the Sonoran Desert region.
In early January, Ignacio began working on the mural. This versatile, timeless, and mood-driven mural will transform the indoor Garden Pavilion into a daily destination for guests and a premier event venue, while also raising awareness of Tohono Chul’s mission and attracting visitors from near and far.
We can’t wait to see Twilight Sonoran come to life!
Written by Karen Hayes, Associate Curator & Collections Manager
