The Tías City Council inaugurated this Monday a bust in Mácher in homage to the teacher José María Espino. Espino was a teacher at the Mácher school from 1961 to 1968 and his bust, based on books, welcomes visitors from yesterday to the town square. His former students, supported by the Tías City Council through the Department of Culture managed by Pepa González, promoted an act of recognition full of emotion to highlight his "professionalism and humanity".
With the presence of family, friends and former students, the act of tribute and inauguration of the bust was presided over by his son, Pepe Espino, a representative of the former students, Sergio Saavedra, the author of the artistic work, Cintia Machín, and the mayor of Tías, José Juan Cruz. In addition, Ciro Corujo, Domingo El Colorao, Adrián Niz and José Vicente Pérez performed.
The mayor of Tías, José Juan Cruz, declared that the tribute was born from the "initiative of a group of former students" pushed by José Antonio Cedrés to organize, in August of last year, a meeting with José María Espino. Both in that meeting and in the act of this Monday, Sergio Saavedra intervened, representing these students, who described with verses the "teacher of teachers" and the "forger of illusions".
Pepe Espino son, also a teacher, recalled his father's "millimetric aim" with the chalks and, referring to the last years of his father, he highlighted the dedication of his mother, Asunción Hernández, and the friendship of Dr. Carmen Santolaria, in addition to the subsequent connection with the sculptor Cintia Machín.
Cintia Machín explained that "working in close collaboration with the family and friends of Don José María Espino not only helped me to better understand his impact on the community, but also enriched the creative process by contributing their own stories and memories. It was an honor to have their participation and contribution in the creation of this sculpture, which now stands as a lasting tribute to his memory".
