64-foot tall mountain lion mural in Downtown El Paso complete

EL PASO, Texas -- A 64-foot mountain lion mural made of trash collected from around El Paso and located on the side of the One San Jacinto Plaza building downtown has been completed.

Green Hope Project and other partners brought Portuguese artist Bordalo II to El Paso after five years of planning.

The downtown mural is part of Bordalo II's series called 'Big Trash Animals,' which Green Hope Project founder Candace Printz says is what the artist is most known for.

This is Bordalo II's first installation in Texas, with less than fifteen in the United States.

Printz says the mural will be maintained by Green Hope Project for at least three years, and will then gift the mural to the building owner, who she hopes will decide to keep the mural in place.

"The point of this is that this will outlive us, our children, our grandchildren, because plastic has a lifespan of centuries," said Printz.

Green Hope Project was created as an extension of an environmental/art club she supervised as a teacher at El Dorado High School called 'Your World Project,' which included a “Trash to Treasure” recycled material annual art competition that became high-profile and drew attention from Chelsea Clinton and Bordalo II.

A dedication ceremony for the mural will take place across the street in the Coffee Box parking lot on October 8 during 'Chalk the Block.'

Printz estimates the project overall to have cost over $110,000, and Green Hope Project is still asking for donations to help fund the artwork.

Those interested can donate at www.greenhopeproject.org

Photographers and videographers include Apache Barricade and Sign, Patrick Craig, Zulema Macias, Printz, and Darnell Smith.