Join cultural curator, Jewel Murphy and mixed media artist, Mija Matriz, for ten glorious days (9 nights) exploring the magical city of Oaxaca and making art with a group of like minded creatives. We'll immerse ourselves in the contemporary arts and culture of the city and the indigenous wisdom of the villages. We’ll visit museums, galleries, studios and homes of culture keepers and bring this inspiration to creation in our light-filled studio.

Our focus in the studio this trip will be creating papier-mâché figures, tapping into the folk inspiration of Mexican santos, Catrina skeletons, cultural dancers, tonales (animal guardians) and indigenous legends. And we’ll explore the many ways of adorning the figure including visits with world class jewelers, potters and other local artisans. We’ll also have a very special evening with a private performance of handmade puppets.

Mija will coax our creativity with sweet and playful exercises as we embark on our art journey. She creates a safe space for us to explore this artistic process and connect with ourselves and each other. This art instruction is for all skill levels from total beginners to artists with advanced practices. Let loose your muse! (Please note there is also the option for a friend or partner to come without taking the art instruction.)

We’ll be staying at the wonderful Casa Colonial, a classic hacienda near the center of town with lovely gardens, a fantastic art collection, serene library, beautiful dining room, amazing staff and our own private art studio. It’s a pretty special place.

Our itinerary is carefully crafted to have both structured and free time. In addition this trip offers the rare opportunity to visit two expats in their homes.  You’ll have some evenings on your own to shop and explore the amazing Oaxacan food and cultural scene. Of course we are happy to suggest our favorite places.  We also take many meals together and taste it all from home cooking to high end dining. 

We come as curious travelers and leave as beloved friends savoring our many beautiful experiences together. Our goals - more joy, more connections, more inner artistic explorations. 

To learn more about Mija Matriz and view her artwork, visit www.mijamatriz.com.

DEPOSITS & PAYMENTS

Your $600 deposit is non-refundable and holds your place. Final non-refundable payment is due 30 days before the start of the trip. Please be committed to this trip when you sign up as I have a strict no refund policy. Failure to make your final payment in 30 days before the trip may forfeit your deposit and your place.  If you have concerns, trip insurance is your friend. We only offer refunds if the tour is cancelled because of government imposed restrictions and or lockdowns in which case there there will be a full refund. This is the rare exception to our no refund policy. 

INSURANCE -

We highly recommend trip insurance for both our peace of minds because things come up that you can’t even imagine. Between ice storms, last minute surgeries, lost passports and crazy flight delays, people have missed tours. We have had good experiences with www.travelinsure.com and also like squaremouth.com which will let you compare prices. 

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Today is a travel day - time for you to settle in, get your bearings and explore a bit. We’ll have a light meal in the evening should you desire. It’s always a special time to meet your fellow creatives. 

We head out bright and early to the Rodolfo Morales Museum in Ocotlán. We loved this place so much last year, we are going back. Explore the maestros many oevres and also a new section dedicated the wide variety of crafts found in the local community. And because we always like a little of the unexpected a visit to the knife maker. Prepare to be wowed, Lunch at a family home and then a visit to the world class studios of Manos que Ven. Dinner together back at the Casa.

 

Today we head out to the lesser known village of Zaachila, one of the last strongholds of the ancient Mixtec kingdom. It’s their charming market day and we’ll explore the market and also have time to visit the famous Mixtec tombs with our ever erudite guide Pablo. Lunch with an AMAZING local cocinera and then afterwards a visit to a multigenerational family specializing in filigree jewelry using techniques not so different from those found in the Treasure of Tomb 7 in Mt Alban. Group dinner at the Casa.

Our first glorious morning in the studio as we begin to craft our figures. Mija will guide us in developing ideas and images for our figures. We'll then begin building the structure and armature with papier mâché. After lunch and a siesta we head to the Casa de La Cultura for a look at the Treasures of Tomb 7 considered one of the major archeological finds of the 20th century.Dinner on your own.

Another joy filled morning with Mija making art in the studio. We'll continue to create then paint our papier mâché figures, followed by a nourishing lunch at the Casa. Free time or continue working in the study until 5:30 when we leave for a private performance with puppetmaker Alejandro at his home in Xochimilco that he shares with filmmaker and textile artist Carolyn Kallenborn. Afterwards we’ll enjoy a catered meal in their beautiful home.

This is a special day as we head out to visit local artists and friends Chucho Lopez and Jean Foss in their colorful home,studio and dog sanctuary in Huayapam. It’s also Palm Sunday and their village celebrates with a big festival dedicated to their only in Oaxaca local drink tejate. Hopefully the church will be open and we’ll be able to see their amazing collection of ex voto paintings thanking saints and gods for miracles performed. Also figures woven from palm leaves figuring prominently. Dinner together at the Casa.

This is a day to really dive into our work as we continue to hone our figures. We’ll focus on embellishments with cloth, metal, feathers and more. After lunch at the Casa, free time to continue working in the studio or explore town. Dinner on your own. 

Today is our final day in the studio - we’ll add final touches and share our work with each other. Then a celebratory lunch at the Casa. Use the afternoon for final studio time or spend it exploring on your own in town. Dinner on your own.

Today we’ll have free time to do last minute shopping, visit archeological sites, continue making art or experience a traditional healing (limpia) or temazcal. In the evening we put on our festive finery and celebrate with an all out fiesta with a delicious meal in our honor, live music and fireworks (for real). We come as tourists, we leave as a community of joy filled friends.

We‘ll help you to arrange transport to the airport for your flight home or you can stay on and keep the adventure going. We hope you leave with a renewed  creative spark, deeper faith in humanity and a sense of joy filled connection. We love sharing Mexico with you!