Our 2020 Art Retreat

I am delighted to announce that my friend in all things Oaxaca and an all around creative, loving soul Mija Andrade will be joining me next year in Oaxaca for another amazing art making adventure March 20 to 29.  Mija will be teaching and her focus will be on mixed media and printmaking.

Celebrating & Creating Art in Oaxaca, Mexico

March 20 - 29, 2020

10 days/9 nights
$2,195 

 Please join us as we explore the colonial city of Oaxaca and the surrounding areas, thoroughly enjoying the dance, music, art, food, and history of this very special place that mixes the deep wisdom of ancient ways with the best of what modern Mexico has to offer.  We'll use our cultural explorations and the people we meet to inspire our art making.  Each day we'll go out and add to our journals using prompts and inspiration from our surroundings. We'll also be in the studio exploring different yet complimentary mixed media and printmaking techniques. We'll share our prints with each other and add them to our journals in remembrance of our time together. You'll go home with a journal brimming with Oaxacan inspiration, a treasured momento of your time in this extraordinary place. All skill levels are welcome and no previous
printmaking experience is needed.

What Makes this tour special  -

-We'll be staying at an amazing place that is not your normal bed and breakfast, think of it more as summer camp for adults

-Art making and exploring with a like minded group of creatives

-Visits to a carefully curated selection of world class artists and artisans in their homes and studios

-Great local guides born and raised in Oaxaca

-Lots of personal instruction with Mija Andrade to create your own one-of-a-kind art journal and prints using mixed media and printmaking techniques

-Small group (10 maximum)

Itinerary-

Friday- Gather at our home away from home the lovely Casa Colonial, home to folk art, home cooked food, and a lush garden not to mention the kindest, most tender staff maybe anywhere ever. We'll have a light meal for everyone in the evening and get to know each other.

Saturday - We're off, maps in hand, to get our bearings and explore the city's world class museums, dominican churches, and lively zocalo. Plus our favorite off the beaten track boutiques and 
quirkly little galleries. Welcome Dinner at El Criollo

Sunday - Off bright and early with our beloved local guide Pablo Gonzales to visit the bustling Tlacolula Market, one of the oldest farmers' markets in the America's and home to all manner of homegrown food and craft. Then we'll journey further back in time and visit the archaeological ruins of Mitla, one of the last indigenous strongholds when the Spaniards arrived.  It has some of the most unusual architecture in all of Mesoamerica and has inspired artists like Joseph and Ani Albers, DH Lawrence and more. We'll have time to sketch, shop, and try the local sherbets. Dinner at the Casa.

Monday -Today we explore natural dyes and weaving in the town of Teotitlan De Valle with a visit to a master Dyer. This evening you are free to explore on your own or take dinner at the Casa.

Tuesday - Folk art is our focus as we head south of town and visit two places where the whole family is engaged in art making.  We’ll visit the talented Navarro family of backstrap loom weavers, painters, and poets and the delightful folk art church in Santa Ana Zegache. Lunch at one of my favorite restaurants and a visit with the famous makers of hand carved mythical animals known as alebrijes. Dinner is  on your own or enjoy a meal at the Casa. 

Wednesday - Back at the Casa, art making begins in earnest today. Artmaking in our private studio in the morning.  Late afternoon stroll into town where we’ll  pop into a few printmaking studios and meet some of these young street artists working collectively. Prepare to be amazed by their output. Dinner in town at our favorite hipster restaurant where we can dine on wood fired pizza and swill homemade kombucha.

linoleum carved print by Mija

Thursday -Inspired by the vibrant culture around us, today we begin carving and printing as well as embellishing our art journals.  Lunch will be at the Casa.  Late afternoon we'll stroll into town for a private tour of the Rufino Tamayo Museum and have time for sketching in this colorful space. Dinner will be in town. 

Friday - Today is devoted to art making.  We’ll continue to print and share our work with each other as well as finishing our art journals. You'll have created a beautiful, commemorative art book to take home with contributions from your fellow travelers. Late afternoon we visit the world class Textile Museum and dinner in town. 

Saturday - Today is a free day to be on your own in town, take a cooking class, go horseback riding, finish last minute shopping or whatever your heart desires. In the evening, put on your party clothes and celebrate with a final farewell fiesta and art show at the Casa. 

Sunday - Head off to your next destination... recharged, renewed
and inspired.

Trip Details - $2,195 based on double occupancy.  $395 single supplement. We will make every effort to find you a roommate but if unable, single supplement charges apply.  Partners who want to come without taking the art instruction are welcome. (inquire about discount)  Pretty much everything is included once you get yourself to Oaxaca.  The tour fee covers lodging, most meals, ground transportation guides, entrance fees and some art materials are covered by the tour. Airfare, alcohol, tips, laundry and any personal shopping are not covered and will be additional expenses. In addition, we'll send you a small list of art materials to bring and an inspirational reading list upon registration. A $500 non-refundable deposit holds your space. Any questions or inquiries can be sent to jewel.murphy@gmail.com.

About Us - 

Mija Andrade

I'm an artist, mama, collaborator, and creative instigator who loves to dance, sing and dress up. On my first visit to Oaxaca in 2009, I connected in a deep way with my Mexican roots and  fell in love with the rich, colorful culture. Since then, I've made many trips to southern Mexico and love to share all that I find inspiring about this region of Mexico. I knew I was an artist at a very young age and enjoy sharing in the creative process with others. I've been teaching for 12 years and work in many mediums, having developed my own personal style of building layers upon layers, representing the depth and complexity of the world and ourselves. I've been working in the non-profit art world for over a decade and bringing people together through art is my passion. On this trip, our journals will become vessels, holding our stories of exploration and art making in this amazing place called Oaxaca.


Jewel Murphy

I first traveled to Mexico & Guatemala in 1979 on a wanderlust/walkabout during my college years. Since then I've concentrated my journeys on the Yucatan Peninsula, Chiapas & Oaxaca and have been organizing tours to Oaxaca since 2011. I like gathering together and traveling with packs of inquisitive and engaged, creative people. I like putting our tourist dollars directly into the hands of local people. I like taking it slow. I like going deep and wide. Good food is important. Cross cultural encounters keep me going. My areas of special interest are early Dominican Churches (the older the better), contemporary art, traditional artisans with an emphasis on textiles, natural history and food and sustainability.  I have recently retired from my 25 year career as a florist and owner of an award winning retail store and can now be found watering plants, birdwatching, swimming and making art in Eugene, Oregon when I am not obsessing about all things Mexico. 

Trip Details - $2,195 based on double occupancy.  $395 single supplement. We will

make every effort to find you a roommate but if unable, single supplement charges apply.  Partners who want to come without taking the art instruction are welcome. (inquire about discount)  Pretty much everything is included once you get yourself to Oaxaca.  The tour fee covers lodging, most meals, ground transportation guides, entrance fees and some art materials are covered by the tour. Airfare, alcohol, tips, laundry and any personal shopping are not covered and will be additional expenses. In addition, we'll send you a small list of art materials to bring and an inspirational reading list upon registration. A $500 non-refundable deposit holds your space. Any questions or inquiries can be sent to jewel.murphy@gmail.com.

Handmade paper in Oaxaca

A lovely day trip is a visit to San Agustin Etla, a short 30 minute ride from town, it supplies most of the water to the city and is usually lush and green with great view from its hilltop location.  I like to take a picnic lunch (currently taking nominations for your favorite restaurant in Etla as I haven’t found one) There is a  community project in San Agustin Etla where they have a sustainable, green papermaking factory that makes all manner of papers and we’ll be visiting them on the March 2020 retreat. 

They really produce 

                                         Talented artisans use paper and glue to make beads

that eventually become 

                                        all manner of really wearable art for stylish tourists.

The jewelry is a the brainchild of Francisco Toledo and American artistKiff Slemmons. Click here to read an interview with her about this project in Oaxaca.

Kiff Slemmons

The Weaver at Work

Add captionThe Weaver 

In Teotitlan de Valle - creating with thread and light

The Mixteca Baja & San Pedro Amuzgos - A Backroads Cross Cultural Encounter

Please join me  for an eleven day exploration of a small, magical area of the northwestern edge of Oaxaca, just a few hours inland from the surfer, resort town of Puerto Escondido. It's  where we'll encounter people speaking a variety of indigenous languages, both Mixteco and Amuzgos and wearing their local dress. We'll visit bustling markets and farmers and skilled folk artisans in six different pueblas allowing us to go both deep and wide.The traditions are old, the coconuts fresh, the tortillas delicious, and the people are sometimes shy, but mostly charming and fun.  Plus it's green and lush and there are flowers everywhere.  This was a trip of a lifetime for myself and my pal Alison Albrecht last November and we can't wait to do it again this year and bring you with us. Accomodations are surprisingly good for as remote as we sometimes are - only two days with cold water showers amigas!!! But most days with a swimming pool at the end. It's not a trip for the faint of heart - it's hot as heck and the food is of the local variety but you will meet many wonderful people, experience things you never knew existed, and feel your faith in humanity restored (seriously).  Full disclosure, this is our first tour we have done here and we're pretty sure several places have never hosted foreigners before and we're not sure exactly what to expect. We are all travelers here.  Makes it more fun, don't you think?  But we made friends on our scouting trip who happily enlisted as our helpers in putting the tour together. They want to meet you and share their culture with you and Alison and I want to go back and visit them. We are hoping for cross cultural encounters of the best kind. The itinerary is as follows -

The Mixteca Baja & San Pedro Amuzgos - A Backroads Cross Cultural Encounter

Wednesday November 13 -Arrive Puerto Escondido for two nights at our classic four start colonial hotel The Hotel Santa Fe.We'll enjoy a welcome dinner and then  local criollo popcorn and a movie plus we'll learn a few words of Mixteca

Thursday November 14 - We'll start the tour with a visit to the mercado and learn about local food and drink and a little bit of Mixteco history.  Plus the first of many fresh coconuts. Afternoon lunch at the lovely Santa Fe dining room, an afternoon to relax. Later we'll meet for a get together and go over our itinerary, have a little study group, fashion show and  crash course in  Amuzgo and Mixteca textiles.  Cocktails and dinner ensue.

Friday November 15 -
We'll leave Puerto by 9 on our way to the town of Pinotepa Nacional. En route we'll stop in Tututepec, a puebla that has been inhabited for the last couple of thousand years. Their charming community museum houses many important artifacts of this ancient culture. And visit with a young weaver working to bring back the traditions of his community.  Wood fired cooking for lunch at a local truck stop. Evening in Pinotepa.

The home of a busy weaving family in Pinotepa Don Luis

Saturday November 16-
Off bright and early to Pinotepa de Don Luis where we'll meet with the local muralist who will describe for us the town history and culture as depicted in his paintings.One of these murals depicts a sacred rock.  I really want to hear that story.  This  young man also does quality control for the local collective that has a contract handpainting Converse tennis shoes for their Mexico City store.  We'll visit this talented team who have  taken the traditional skill of gourd carving practiced by many in this community and translated it to not only painting but printmaking as well.  We'll have a demonstration of the gourd carving and hopefully they'll pull a print or two. On our way back to Pinotepa a very special stop at the home of a local potter in the neighboring village of Jicayan. We popped in on her unexpectedly last year but this year she'll be expecting us and I'm hoping for a demonstration.  Her work, mostly utilitarian comals and water vessels, is classic and timeless and she is a master. Evening at Pinotepa, time for a swim and off to a fun dinner.

These pots are made to hold water keeping it cool and fresh.

Sunday November 17 -
 This morning we'll take the windy road for a short(ish) hour and a half drive to San Pedro Amuzgos where we'll spend the next two nights at the quaint and charming Mother Earth Cultural Center which we'll have all to ourselves.  We'll meet the first of many backstrap loom weavers who will also demonstrate cleaning, carding and handspinning cotton, a nearly forgotten art in the Americas.  Learn more about symbolism and technique.Be humbled by this ancient wisdom. Dinner at a local fonda where we'll see how fresh corn tortillas are made and drink homemade tepache, a fermented pineapple beverage. Maybe a stop at the church just before Mass to learn about their famous sundial.

Handspinning the native cotton.

Monday November 18
This is the double whammy of good shopping days. For those on the textile hunt, we have it on good authority that the Amuzgos weavers come down from the mountains from 5 to 8 AM to sell their wares. Quality varies and prices are unbelievably good. Plus it's fun to shop on the streets and watch this town wake up. Breakfast from our friend Gaby and her mom at their streetside fonda. Then we're off to the tiny puebla of Guadeloupe where we'll visit a master weaver. She's invited her friends to come down to her lovely home where we'll have a weaving demonstration, have a chance to shop some fantastic goods, maybe a fashion show, look at embroidery, talk with local women and have lunch together. Also this is a rare chance to custom design a piece for yourself. Amuzgos weavers are considered some of the finest in Mexico and you'll see why. A relaxing last evening in San Pedro Amuzgos - time to journal and gather for our study group where we'll share insights.


Tuesday November 19 -This morning we head back towards Pinotepa and stop in the Mixtec community of  San Juan Colorado and visit a weaving co-operative and learn about natural dyes, the revival of local cotton, and fair trade. See more fine backstrap loom and handspinning in action. Another chance to buy weaver direct. Then a visit to the first of several mask making families we will visit. Evening back in Pinotepa. Yes to the swimming pool.

Who made your clothes? The joy of buying maker direct.

Wednesday November 20 -We'll head back to Pinotepa de Don Luis and start with a visit to the church and their local market which I adore. The town  moonshiner with her bespoke label also has a lovely dress and handicraft shop in the back corner of the market. It's fun to poke around and shop here and have fun with the salespeople.Maybe try some fresh cheese or local sweets. After our town visit we'll head to the local Perez Hernandez family where the young women of the family entertain us with all manner of  weaving magic and bright colors at their homestead. Also another gourd carving demo and,seriously luck us, a dance performance. Evening in Pinotepa

We're hoping he gets his neighbors together for a dance performance!

Thursday November 21 - A quick stop at the bustling market in Pinotepa Nacional full of cured tobacco, fresh fish, local cheeses and chiles, plus all manner of wedding wear, cowboy hats, leather belts, local clothing and more. This is life without Amazon or a big box stores.  And on our way back to Puerto Escondido, we'll have our last village stop in Huazatotitlan where we'll visist woodcarvers and hear stories of how the tiger came to have mirrors in its' eyes and other local lore. Lunch in the village. Evening back at the Santa Fe.

Friday November 22 -Time back in civilization to process and unwind.  Schedule your massage, swim in the ocean and we'll meet for a mid afternoon/early dinner/farewell fiesta/show and tell of all our goods before heading off for a magical swim in the bioluminescent waters of Manialtepec Lagoon.

Natural coyuchi and indigo dyed backstrap piece

Saturday Nov 23 - Head home from Puerto Escondido or Huatulco,extend your stay at the coast, or travel inland to Oaxaca City. Thanksgiving is the following Thursday the 28th.

Details of our Most Excellent Adventure

 Total cost is $2,795 11 days/10 nights beginning and ending in Puerto Escondido. Price is for double occupancy. Single supplements are available for most of this trip by request .You are responsible for getting yourself to our hotel in Puerto (we're happy to help with details) but after that it's all on us.  Everything else, all meals, transportation, tours, guide services and even a complimentary massage are included. Please note however we recommend budgeting in personal spending money for textiles, masks and other goods. More than you think. Supporting local artisans is the best way to support their cultures. Tour price does not include alcohol, tips, or laundry or personal shopping. Puerto Escondido has a daily flight from Mexico or Oaxaca City and the Huatulco airport (about ninety minutes south) has several daily flights.

Please email me directly at jewel.murphy@gmail.com for further details or use our contact form on the right. A $500 non refundable deposit will hold your place. Please be committed to the trip when registering. We do recommend trip insurance. Space is limited. Price is double occupancy although single supplement may be available for parts of this trip by special request.

Garden Art

One of the first things I ever bought in Oaxaca - about a 3 foot piece made my the Vasquez Family in Atzompa - I think Angelica's parents made this one.   Also when I learned that sometimes it is much more efficient to pay the extra baggage fee rather than ship something home with DHL.  All that trouble many years behind me and this ceramic wonder has graced many places in my home finally making it out to a part of my garden this year.  I think she, like me, is happy to be spending more time outside.
This year, for the October tour (which is full), we'll be visiting Angelica's hilltop studio and family home in Atzompa.  Her parents still make ceramics as does her son. We'll have a fascinating snapshot of three generations of artists and how they both maintain tradition and practice innovation. Plus her daughter is making us lunch!

(please note this low fire terra cotta needs to be protected from freezing temperatures)

Visiting Local Artists in Oaxaca

A big high point of the tour for lots of people was visiting with expat artist Jean Foss and her husband Chucho at their bright and beautiful home in the village of Huayapam. 

Any tour that starts with a beautiful garden and snacks and mezcal at 11 in the morning promises to be a good visit.

Jean's devotion to her work is inspiring and her love for all things Oaxacan shines through in her style which I might describe as a painterly, folk art version of magical realism.

She has a great website which gives you some of idea of the sheer output of her work. I was even more surprised to learn that she describes herself as someone who works very slowly. 

See more of her work by clicking here 

Visiting the Alebrije Carver Martin Melchor

I first saw Martin Melchor's work at the Laura Barata show on stiltwalkers at the Museo de Textil in Oaxaca.  He had this whole table in one room with about thirty carvings of animal stiltwalkers dressed in fanciful costumes. Not really my style, but the little girl in me was enchanted. I spent some time marveling at them.

Senor Melchor comes from a town San Martin Tilcajete where many people in the town have devoted themselves to woodcarving. But his style is distinctive and probably the most folksy and primitive of them all. I was delighted to be able to visit his home studio with our tour.

Unfortunately for us, but very good for him, he didn't have too much work for sale because much of his time was being taken up by filling internet orders.  Now that's some globalization I like. He's able to find an audience that appreciates his art. He was a very tender and sweet man.  Click here if you'd like to see more of his work.

Visiting the Early Rodolfo Morales Mural in Ocotlan

 There is something to be said for kicking around a village on a quiet, sunny, Tuesday morning when everything is sleepy and not much is going on. Sometimes it is just that, a sleepy village with not much happening, but ,in my experience these are the times you are more likely to find someone who says, "Fine, OK, you can check out that organ, or I'll take you to the roof of the church, or the backroom of the sacristy."  Or in the case of the photo above, we were lucky enough to get into the municipal building in Ocotlan home to some early Rodolfo Morales murals.  Huge sections of the mural which covers, as near as I can tell, all four wall of the room, have been damaged by rain. It's unclear if they are being restored or merely kept from further damage.  At any rate, the space has been closed to the public for a while (don't get me started about how this major early work of a prominent Mexican artist is languishing in a state of disrepair because of village finances and politics - really let's not go down that road). But there was a guy in there cleaning the floors and we were allowed to go in while he was working.  Felt very lucky to be able to spend some time with these big murals.  I am getting more of a feeling for Morales's work. Click here to read what Wikipedia has to say about Morales. 

 Photo above is a section of the wall with a group of female musicians.  Click here to see aother image from the Morales mural.

Chapulines anyone

Lithograph someone was working on at the San Pablo Cultural Center.

The grasshopper - Oaxaca's totem animal!

Humberto Bautista's Studio

 

We were lucky enough to have the opportunity to visit with the ever talented Humberto Bautista in his humble studio at the back of an apartment complex on Porfirio Diaz

I LOVE his found object assemblages.

Always love his wall of masks.

 Plus this year we went to the upstairs studio and I was so mesmerized just looking at shelves of cigar boxes neatly labeled with their contents, and all manner of crucifixes and armadillo shells that I forgot about the camera....

It was really just lovely to spend the cocktail hour drinking mezcal and pondering Mexico and masks.