The Tour Itinerary 2013

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 Jewel & Jill's 2013 Amazing Art Adventure is on!!! 
The Regreening of Your Mind -
An Art & Journaling Tour in Oaxaca Mexico
Fri. March 8th to Sun. March 17th 2013
10 days, 9 nights
$1,795  + $ 75 material fee
We're doing things a little differently than last year.  For one thing we've added an extra day and we're going to tighten our focus on art  and the amazing artisans of Oaxaca even more than last year.  We're also going to alternate touring days with art making days instead of trying to do both everyday.  For those of you who went last year, we thank  you for all your input which we hope will make this year even more amazing than last year.  (As if that were possible).  And rest assured, if you're going again, there will be lots of new things to see and do.
 Here's how the itinerary stands for now, as always subject to change based on opportunities that present themselves, peculiar whims, and daily inclinations......

Friday March 8th:  We'll get settled at the casa, our home away from home and gather for a simple welcome meal about 8 p.m.  Enjoy the rustic luxury of this second generation bed and breakfast just a short walk from the hustle and bustle of downtown Oaxaca City.   For those of you coming in later in the evening, a small snack will be available.  Let us know if you need transportation from the airport.

Saturday March 9th:  After a delicious  breakfast of fresh juice, strong coffee and tea,  huevos mexicana, & fruit,  we'll settle  into our private  studio behind the dining room and dive right into a morning of art class.  Lunch and siesta at the Casa followed by visits to the Basilica of Soledad and  the Rufino Tamayo Museum, a jewel box of a collection of pre hispanic art.  We'll do some field sketching at the museum and inaugurate our Oaxaca journals.  On your own for dinner in the evening.  You may return to the Casa and take dinner there ,  join us out on the town, or go off on a private adventure.

Sunday March 10th : Off by 9 with our knowledgable and beloved local guide Pablo to visit the colorful Tlacolula Sunday Market, some say the longest running farmer's market in Mesoamerica.  People from outlying villages come every Sunday to buy, sell, trade, and socialize. We'll dive right into the sights and sounds of this crazy colorful market, have our fortunes read by a canary, sample string cheese &real agave syrup,  and taste grasshoppers and goat barbacoa.  We'll also visit the beautiful newly restored chapel at Tlacolula,  which is considered a Baroque masterpiece.  Time permitting we'll leave Tlacolula and visit the ruins of Mitla - a Zapotec ceremonial site which has spectacular mosaic and fretwork found nowhere else in the Americas.  Hopefully we'll have a chance to do a little field sketching and catch some of the impressions of the day.  Return for group dinner at the Casa.

Monday March 11th :  A more relaxed day that will allow us to focus on art making and making sense of all the sights and sounds we have seen.  We'll have class time in the morning  followed by lunch and siesta at the Casa.  Later in the afternoon we'll go down to the Centro and tour the Cathedral of Santa Domingo which sits in a lovely plaza surrounded by great contemporary art galleries and shops.  If we are lucky we'll meet with some gallery owners who will talk to us about the contemporary art scene in Oaxaca.  On your own for dinner (again you may elect to have dinner at the Casa, join us downtown, or go off on your own)

Tuesday March 12th :  Another leisurely morning to work in the studio or explore downtown.  At 1 we leave on our tour to the weaving village of Teotitlan.  We will be hosted by the lovely folks from En Via who run a microfinance lending and educational NGO in Oaxaca.  They'll take us to visit the homes of their borrowers. We'll have an authentic glimpse of what it's like to live and work as an artist/weaver  in a traditional village. Your chance to talk politics, art, relationships & more with some local women.   Last year this was one of the highlights of our trip.  And we expect the same will hold true this year. Group dinner upon our return to the Casa.

Wednesday March 13th :  Off  with Pablo to the nearby village of San Augstin Etla home to an architecturally spectacular contemporary art museum on the site of a former textile mill.  But our real reason to come to San Augustin is to visit an artisan papermaking studio and see firsthand how paper is made from plants and other natural materials.  This is lo-tek, artisan papermaking at its finest.  We'll have an opportunity to purchase papers on site and then will return to the Casa for lunch and an afternoon of bookmaking using our papers.  On your own for dinner.

Thursday March 14th:  We'll have class time in the morning and continue working on our books, journals, and loose pages.  Lunch at the Casa followed by an open afternoon.  You can stay and continue with open studio time or join in a group activity.  At this time we are hoping to visit some locals, notably,  the studio of a local artist and antiquities collector or have a tour of a local folk art collection.  Still waiting to confirm.  Or you might choose to spend the afternoon shopping or visiting the textile museum.  On your own for dinner.

Friday March 15th:  Our last full day of touring.   We'll call this folk art day since we'll start with a visit to the Folk Art Musuem and visit master potters and woodcarvers.    Plus a visit to the fabulously funky church at  Santa Ana Zegache - which I always referred to as the marzipan church until Jill dubbed it the sculpey church.  If we're lucky, we'll have a chance to see some of the restoration work being carried out here and learn about gold leafing and other old techniques.  Lots of chances for field sketching.  Group lunch at a delightful, open air restaurant. On your own for dinner.

Saturday March 16th:  Final day of class where we'll bring together our weeks work.   Opportunities in the afternoon for last minute shopping and finishing up art projects.  Group sharing of our work.  Our hosts at the Casa pull out all stops and deliver a fabulous farewell dinner for us. Good time had by all.

Sunday March 17th - We leave renewed,refreshed, & inspired and make our way to our next destination.  Tour includes transportation to the airport as needed.  Additional nights at the Casa can be arranged.

Details: Tour price includes just about everything  (including a private room)  except the following:  your transportation to and from Oaxaca City (for most folks that means airfare), any alchohol you want to consume, any goods you want to purchase (and there will be temptation at every corner), four dinners on your own ( these can easily be arranged at the casa at the cost of $15 per meal but we wanted to give those of you who might like to, the opportunity to sample some of the great restaurants in Oaxaca), and tips for our guides and hosts (totally at your discretion).  Please email me at jewel.murphy@gmail.com  for more information or with any queries you might have.  We are looking forward to another amazing adventure and would love to have you join us.