José Ortiz grew up in Mexico, in what he describes as a “box city,” working as a newspaper delivery boy at age four and very aware of the marginalization those of his indigenous culture experienced. His mother had left to work in the U.S. as a migrant farmworker, and he wouldn’t be reunited with her for many years. On a fortuitous day, a nun saw young Ortiz out delivering newspapers and invited him into a church where she introduced him to pencil and paper.
“I had never seen paper without lines on it before,” he recalls. “She asked me to draw what I could see, and I haven’t stopped since. Illustration became my language. I drew what I saw and what I felt and what I imagined. It kept me very aware of my surroundings while I was wishing to be with my mother.”
At age 10, Ortiz joined his mother, working with her in the fields of Salinas, a city she settled in and loved as “a place that gave her hope.” After not attending school in Mexico and without a knowledge of English, Ortiz started school for the first time in Salinas, learning English along the way.
“I can relate to kids here because many of them are in the same kinds of situations I went through,” he shares.
His mother dismissed Ortiz’s desire to create art. “She didn’t think of it as a job, and saw me having too much fun,” he recalls. “She comes from another world, but I couldn’t stop my human need to express myself this way.”
At age 13, Ortiz found “canvases on the walls” and became a “graffiti writer;” eventually he created dozens of publics murals in Monterey County, was resident sculptor for the Western Stage Theater Company, and received a master’s degree in critical race and ethnic studies from UC Santa Cruz. In 1994, inspired by his grandmother’s vision for community, he founded Hijos del Sol, a free art studio in East Salinas open to all youth.
Meaning “children of the sun,” Ortiz explains the name for the nonprofit came from his grandmother’s unifying vision of the universe.
“She was a medicine woman and a midwife and had a bigger view of the planet and of the cosmic order,” he says. “The sun gives life to everything, and everyone is important, even animals. In return, we need to look after Mother Earth. We are her children and just visiting here for a while.”
Ortiz saw a lack of opportunity for children with creative minds who needed a safe space to express themselves.
“We created an experiential studio space with the focus on children who want to draw, illustrate, sing, dance, use their imagination…and we make it our point to help children get some college education. That way they can fly on their own, and if they want, they can come back and assist the community when they grow up.”
Logistical challenges for the program included getting the kids there safely, and Ortiz has frequently driven children to the studio when parents are afraid to let their children walk—even a few blocks—due to potential gang violence.
“We invite parents to the studio as well,” Ortiz says. “They can participate with their children because we want to create a space where they feel, ‘This is for you, too.'”
One eighth grade boy who comes in regularly to build 3-D costumes has a grateful mother who says, “There are so many positive things I could say about Hijos del Sol, but in a short summary, it’s the best thing that has happened to my son. It’s helped him grow emotionally, mentally and grow his artistic skills that I didn’t know he had. I’m so grateful for this program and the friendly, helpful staff.”
Andrea Piñeros, mother of fourth grader Andres, says, “We as a family are grateful to Hijos del Sol Studio for opening their doors so that my son can learn and have his freedom of expression. They have earned our trust, admiration and gratitude for everything they have done and built in my son. They have become family, a second home where he feels protected and loved. As a mother, I feel satisfied and confident knowing that my son is there. I know he has fun and gains knowledge from great teachers. I am totally grateful to the entire work team, led by Maestro José, for everything they have done for the children and for all the people who come to the studio, where there is an atmosphere of harmony and creativity, where we can be transported to another world and leave behind the chaos of daily life. It is there that we become children again, full of creativity. Thank you—endless thanks. God bless you.”
Executive Director Christian Mendelsohn points out that the art studio is more than a creative space. “It’s a launching point for life,” he says. The nonprofit also provides mentorships, arts programs in local schools, an annual art exhibition, and has created 80 community murals.
“Hijos del Sol doesn’t have large, repeat donors—we run on heart, honesty and perfectly transparent finances,” Mendelsohn says. “Every bit of support directly helps give kids a safe space to create, to belong and to grow.”
The largest mural to date is just being completed in the community of Pajaro, which suffered severe flooding in 2023, devastating the area. Former students of Ortiz are working with him to complete the 4,000-square-foot mural that depicts Mother Earth and a family surrounded by beautiful local birds. The nonprofit Community Bridges joined with Hijos del Sol to sponsor the project.
“Happiness and joy and strength are the centerpiece of this mural, “Ortiz says. “Pajaro means bird, and birds have no border and are resilient creatures. When you have wings, you can fly somehow and move forward. You are not defeated.”
Hijos del Sol is located at 443 East Alisal Street, Suite C, in Salinas, and is open Tuesday-Friday from 4:30pm-8pm and on Saturdays from 1pm-4pm. For more information, to donate to the program, or to provide snacks or art supplies, call 831/200-3915 or visit www.hijosdelsol.org.