Basically it’s a diary of your experiences, but with a few drawings and other visual elements to enrich it. A travel journal is more than just a diary though, it’s a record of the in-the-moment impressions which occur so vividly when we travel. Think you can’t draw or paint? This is a lie that was told to you, probably while in school at some point. ALL of us are born creative beings but the world seems keen to tell us otherwise. In my workshops we breakdown these barriers to our in-born creativity. With a number of exercises you too can learn to make one of a kind travelogues of the world as you meet it. Whether you are traveling abroad, or simply noticing the beauty in your own back yard.

You love the American Southwest and want to capture it all in the way the artists of the early modernist age did. Finding your own visual voice, even if it’s only been a whisper to you thus far. You are curious and want to explore this iconic destination as more than “just a tourist”. You are “art curious” and want to find a way to live more creatively.

You can send me an email at abeefrnd@gmail.com and I will send you my mailing address to send a non-refundable deposit  (or payment in full if you prefer) via check.  I can accept PayPal or Venmo but will add a service fee of 3%. 

A deposit of $300 is non-refundable.  Once you pay in full, the balance is refundable up until end of April.

Your registration covers:

Workshop instruction and guided exercises.  Lodging at Mabel Dodge Luhan House.  Most meals (see more information on food below).  Access to beautiful indoor and outdoor workspaces

Travel expenses (airfare, transportation to Taos,  Personal art supplies (a suggested packing list will be sent in advance).

Welcome to the club!!! Our days are structured so as to strike a balance between a lovely sense of community we build with each other throughout the week and the very real need for reflection and time alone in which to integrate this wonderful week. In this course, you can opt to have dinner on your own or with a small group. Also, if you want time alone during the day, this is your week! Just let us know. We make space for space.

A detailed packing list will be provided but you will need a sketchbook, small watercolor kit and drawing supplies, a bag or satchel in which to comfortably carry your supplies, comfortable clothing and footwear.

The week is comprised of five, very full workshop days.  We meet for breakfast between the hours of 8 and 9 (there is often coffee on well before this available for early risers!).  Then we convene for morning class time at about 930 in the lovely Juniper classroom, our home for the week.  Lunch is served to our group at noon and we convene again from 2-5 pm for more instruction/demonstrations, etc.  We break for the day at around 5 and it is your choice for what to do for dinner. 

We eat VERY well at Mabel’s!  Breakfasts and Lunches are served in the historic dining room of Mabel’s main building.  We give any allergy/dietary restriction information for our group to the kitchen staff who are diligent about contaminants and labeling.  At the end of the week the workshop culminates in a group dinner at Mabel’s which is a fun celebration of our week of work.  For the other dinners you can wander down the lane into town to sample the restaurants of Taos.  There are also local groceries where you can pick up a small salad or snack if you’d rather.  There is a lot of “together” time in a workshop setting and this flexibility for dinners allows the introverts some space while giving the more social folks a chance to sample the scene in town.

Workshop participants are responsible for their own travel arrangements but we are happy to make suggestions if needed.  You can easily get to Albuquerque or Santa Fe and hire a car or take a shuttle from either of these towns.  Often, people get in touch ahead of time to set up ride sharing which is a great way to build community before the workshop even starts!

(…and other conditions?)

During our workshop time the weather in Taos can get quite hot during the day, but it generally cools off at night, so layers are suggested.  The region is considered “high desert” so conditions are VERY dry.  I encourage everyone to stay hydrated.  It is also quite high in elevation (at least to those of us who dwell the rest of the year around sea level) so care must be taken not to fall prey to altitude sickness.  But with a bit of care and common sense, most people acclimate successfully.  There are occasionally storms that gather in the afternoons but they don’t often produce more than a quick shower.  Mostly just spectacular cloud formations and rainbows! We are also there when the cottonwood trees are snowing down so allergens might be an issue for some people. 

“Beginners” are truly my favorite kinds of students to work with as, for one thing, it takes a lot of courage to be an adult beginner in a new thing, especially in art!  You definitely do NOT need to be an artist to take this class.  You just need to be a curious human being who wants to collect and document the beauty around you.  The most inspiring place to start is in a beautiful place such as Taos!  Trust me, you CAN learn the basics in one week.  The rest is really about practice.

Absolutely!!  I have been an artist my whole life and eventually went to art school and developed my series of workshops.  I still learn new things everyday!  When fellow working artists join my classes I often learn as much from them as they hopefully do from me. You can use the workshop time to gather beauty, try some fresh exercises and meet new friends.  Every artist needs the occasional getaway to fill the well of creativity.  Over the years I have had many professionals along for the workshops and everyone’s horizons are broadened along the way. 

There is time built into each day for trips into town to visit galleries and shops, over to tour Taos Pueblo or have a nap, relax or go for a walk.  If there is something you want to do that might eat into class time, that’s fine too!  We just ask that you keep us informed of your whereabouts so we can keep track of everyone in the group.  This is YOUR week.  The workshop time is the frame work for it.