Layered Language:

Building personal imagery through print, paint, and collage

with Susan Stover and Lisa Pressman

Guanajuato, Mexico
January 16-23, 2027

Join us for a week of inspiration and creating in Guanajuato, Mexico!

Treat yourself to an exciting art adventure in the Spanish Colonial hill town of Guanajuato, considered to be the jewel of the Colonial cities of Mexico. A UNESCO world heritage site and old mining town,  this European inspired city full of winding narrow streets and leafy garden plazas below which a labyrinth of tunnels and passageways serve as the thoroughfares of the city. By day, immerse yourself in an intensive art making workshop and take the evenings to enjoy the cantinas and cafes, strolling troubadours and string quartets in intimate settings. The numerous museums of art, history, churches and even the famous mummies all serve to make Guanajuato, still one of Mexico’s best-kept secrets, a fascinating destination for an art making getaway.

Colorful hillside houses in Guanajuato, Mexico

So many sources of inspirations in our location!

  • Color

    This university town is bright, saturated and bathed in warm light. Everywhere you walk are opportunities to document and expand your experience of color combinations.

  • Texture

    Peeling paint and worn surfaces are juxtaposed with organic plant life. All the senses are engaged with the smell and tastes of the local cuisine.

  • Pattern

    Ceramic tiles, bricks, painted walls, cobblestones, textiles, all play to the sense of history and place. The gardens with flowers and stone walls are abundant for inspiration.

  • Shape

    Obviously, the grid is apparent in windows and doors and surrounding architecture. Interesting vignettes of shapes can be found in alleys and on walks.

  • Light

    Mexico enjoys 11 hours of sunlight even on the shortest day of the year. Guanajuato is a festive city with celebrations going on day and night with mariachis playing in the streets. At night, churches are lit up and shadows dance in the squares.

  • Composition

    Guanajuato, Mexico is built on a hill with stacked housing, interesting architecture, churches and music everywhere. Weavings, ceramics and architectual details are filled with patterns, texture and compositional ideas to bring back in to the studio.

Both instructors bring their experience with a variety of materials, processes, and conceptual ideas to share with the group and individually.

In the Studio:

  • We’ll be using acrylic paint, Akua inks, block printing, monoprinting, painting, and gel plate techniques, participants will generate a rich range of marks, symbols, patterns, and textures. Printed elements and painted surfaces will become source material for collage, allowing images to evolve through layering, repetition, and transformation.

  • Color will play an important role as we explore how palette, transparency, and contrast can activate surfaces and unify complex compositions. Throughout the workshop, participants will build a collection of printed and painted papers that can be recombined into dynamic layered works.

  • Through demonstrations, guided explorations, and group dialogue, artists will be encouraged to experiment, take risks, and discover new ways to develop personal visual language through the interplay of print, paint, and collage.

  • One whole day we will work with a master printer, providing the opportunity to work on a traditional printing press and experience Mexico’s rich graphic printmaking tradition.

  • This workshop is open to artists working in any medium who are interested in expanding their mark-making and discovering new ways to build imagery through layered processes.

Important Information:

What is included:

  • Welcome reception

  • 5 days of instruction with both instructors + 1 day with master printer

  • 1 free day to explore or work in the studio

  • An awesome studio

  • 7 breakfasts (if you stay at Alma del Sol or Hotel del Color)

  • 6 home cooked lunches

  • Daily coffee, tea, and agua fresca (light fruit-flavored water)

  • Daily hora feliz (happy hour) on the beautiful Alma del Sol rooftop

What is NOT included:

  • Lodging

  • Airfare and taxis to/from the airport

  • Travel Insurance (recommended)

  • Dinners, alcohol, and personal expenses

  • Optional free day excursion costs to San Miguel to Allende or another pre-planned day trip.

How much does it cost?

Accommodations:

  • We suggest that you stay at Hugo Anaya's venues:

  • Alma del Sol or Hotel del Color.

  • Hugo Anaya runs Alma del Sol, www.almadelsol.com as well as Hotel de Color, a small hotel near the Jardin. These accommodations range from $70-$100 per night/ room, including breakfast. They are available on a first come basis. Once your workshop participation is confirmed, contact Hugo directly at info@almadelsol.com to make your arrangements. As another option, Hugo recommends Hotel Casa del Agua. You are also free to make your own arrangements for lodging. 

  • All lodging accommodations are a short cab ride or an invigorating walk to and from the studio.

Travel:

Participants are responsible for their own travel arrangements to and from Guanajuato. You will likely fly to Leon (BJX). Participants will be given instructions for transport to and from the airport to Guanajuato City.

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