About San Angelo Historic Beginnings
Tilly Chandler founded the San Angelo Historic Beginnings project. In 2009, Chandler, a devout Catholic, was asked by a local bishop to organize a yearly celebration of María’s life, bringing together the religious community and the descendants of the Jumanos. The event grew and grew, and in 2015 an anonymous donor pledged half a million dollars toward the installation of a bronze sculpture in a downtown park depicting María ministering to a Jumano brave and a Jumano girl. The committee conducted a national search for sculptors who could depict “The Lady in Blue” and her appearance to the Jumano Indians. Hence, that project is complete; and sits on the banks of the Concho River for all to see and enjoy.
About our Lady in Blue and child, & Jumano Brave Sculptures & their Sculptor
Noted western sculptor and artist, Vic Payne was born in 1960 and has been sculpting for nearly 40 years. Vic's artistic approach to sculpting and his attention to detail has been nationally and internationally recognized as being imaginative and innovative, chronicling the life and era of our nation's history.
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Vic Payne's artistry far surpassed our greatest expectations! What a gift to San Angelo and West Texas for hundreds of years to come. What a testament the statues are to our history and what generosity from our anonymous donor to bring that history to life!
About The Needle and the Thread Documentary
Producer/Director Victor H. Mancilla has had extensive experience as a journalist, researcher, author, publisher, screenwriter, director and associate producer. He is the founder and Executive Director of Eravision, a production and film research organization.
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The Needle and Thread is a documentary film now telling the story of Sister Maria Fernandez Coronel y Aran (1602-1665), who nearly four hundred years ago reportedly appearing in what was once New Spain to the Jumano Indians evangelizing to them in their native language. At the same time, thousands of miles away in Agreda, Spain while in deep prayer she purportedly levitated in an aura of blue light and later claimed to have been transported by the help of angels to the Jumano settlements.
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"This story, much like a great tapestry will emerge stitched together with needle and thread for the Jumanos and other to believe or not believe." Dr. Henry J. Casso