Fabulous book covers!

Jane LaFazio's first ever polymer tiles! 

We four teachers have been meeting and making our project for our upcoming mixed media art retreat this year in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. And we are loving this project! Here are some of the results from when we met at Laurie Mika's last month, and she taught us how to make these tiles.

Jane's work in progress

Laura Mika's

Jane LaFazio's

Leslie Harris' (our retreat coordinator)

Jane's tiles

I'll photo Helen Shafer Garcia's and Lynn Leahy's and show you those too!

Mini workshop at Helen Shafer Garcia's

Helen Shafer Garcia demonstrating book binding, in her studio.

We love our 2012 Dia de los Muertos Libre de Ofrenda retreat project so much, we're meeting at each other's houses for mini workshops to create the project ourselves!

This time, Helen Shafer Garcia hosted us in her backyard, for paste papers and book binding.

Laurie Mika painting papers

paste papers

Our book papers drying in the sun

Our San Miguel de Allende workshop for 2012 is full, and we're planning our next art retreat for  Santa Fe, New Mexico,  April 21-28, 2013.

mini workshop with Jane LaFazio

Laurie Mika's watercolors

Helen Shafer Garcia's watercolors

We are continuing to host mini- workshops for each other, doing our fabulous project for Libro de Ofrenda's workshop. Jane LaFazio hosted the artists are her house, and they spend a lovely afternoon painting watercolors.

Mini workshop with Laurie Mika

Helen Shafer Garcia, Leslie Harris, Jane LaFazio and Laurie Mika
(Lynn Leahy couldn't attend) 

We met yesterday at Laurie Mika's for a mini workshop. Laurie taught us how she makes her gorgeous polymer mixed media mosaics. She is the master of this technique and you can tell we had fun!

Laurie Mika, about to bake our polymer tiles

Our October 2012 San Miguel art retreat is full! Wait list only. We're thrilled at the response for this retreat. Thank you!


Our plans are shaping up for a mixed media art retreat in Santa Fe, New Mexico in late April/early June of 2013 (email to be put on the interest list) and another retreat to beautiful San Miguel de Allende, Mexico in 2014.

Planning sessions!

 (l ro r) Helen Shafer Garcia, Leslie Harris, Lynn Leahy and Laurie Mika.
Not pictured Jane LaFazio, who was taking the photo.

Lots of planning goes into an art retreat, especially a destination retreat like our upcoming Libro de Ofrendas in San Miguel de Allende. True, it's not until October 27, but we are hard at work on the details! By the way, it's nearly sold out! Only about 3 spots left.

La Calavera Catrina

by Helen Shafer Garcia

by Lynn Leahy

It's never too early or too late to create Day of the Dead themed artwork... Only a few spots left for our art retreat to San Miguel de Allende

Beautiful and Safe

San Miguel de Allende (photo from Gadling)

San Miguel de Allende was again, named one of Mexico's 10 safest destinations. But we knew that...The retreat is nearly filled..

skeletons and corazon

Jane LaFazio here. We won't be working with cloth on our mixed media art retreat to San Miguel de Allende, but I thought this might get you in the mood for Dia de los Muertos! By the way, I think there are only 10 spaces left!

Feliz Navidad!

artwork by Jane LaFazio

Tesoro del  Corazon! Treasures of the heart. 

Feliz Navidad from us to you!

Book of offerings

We are soo excited about our art project for our 2012 retreat! Details and more photos here.

2012 Retreat Project ~ sneak peak!

Here it is!! A sneak peak at our 2012 project for our Libro de Ofrendas Retreat! . Email for the registration form. Limited to 30 people.

Helen Shafer Garcia's dad is making the hinges for the project.

color!

Yummy paste paper and bookbinding. Just one of the 4 fabulous workshops at our Libro de Ofrendas mixed media art retreat in October 2012. Details here.

Mexican tiles

Registration is open for our 2012 retreat to San Miguel de Allende. Details here.

Registration is Open for our 2012 Art Retreat!

Registration is now open for:

Libro de Ofrendas
The Offering Book  
October 27-November 4, 2012

 San Miguel de Allende, Mexico  ~ Dia de los Muertos 

four days of workshops with 4 teachers

click here for details and how to register

Peek at what we're planning for our next retreat!

Laurie Mika will teach this at our 2012 retreat!

Lynn Leahy will teach this at our Libro de Ofrendas 2012

A city full of color and life!

San Miguel de Allende is a colorful city everyday of the year, but during Dia de los Muertos, it's especially vibrant! (Our art retreat is planned for 2012 during Dia de los Muertos.)
 

Make your own Papier Mache Skull

Next year, we'll be celebrating Dia de los Muertos in San Miguel de Allende! Meanwhile, get in the spirit this year by making your own papier mache skulls with this tutorial.
We'll we posting information for our 2012 retreat here.

Powerful images everywhere

San Miguel is full of color and unexpected beauty.

Catholicism is everywhere, and fills the town with ritual, icons, and sculpture.

(photos by Laurie Mika)

We usually fly to San Miguel from the United States to Leon. Then take private transport to San Miguel. 

day of the dead traditions...

artwork by Jane LaFazio

Do you know about the traditions and symbolism of Dia de los Muertos? Click here to find a nice info sheet on Day of the Dead, and here for info on the ofrenda's or altars. Both documents from from this great website MexicanSugarSkulls.com

Planning Planning!



Jane LaFazio, Helen Shafer Garcia, Laurie Mika and Lynn Leahy at our September 1 meeting

 We four artists met this week to discuss, create and plan our progressive art project for our Dia de los Muertos retreat in October 2012. We'll be finalizing the price within the next month and then be ready to open the art retreat for registration.