2 san Miguel de Allende art-sampler workshops
February 3-10,2020 OR February 22-29,2020
7 NIGHTS LODGING, 4 WORKSHOPS, TOURS AND ALL BREAKFASTS
$900 - $1050 USD for 2 participants OR treat yourself…$1400 to $1900 USD single occupancy.
Join other adventure travelers in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, a UNESCO World Heritage site, to experience painting, jewelry making, paper mache dolls, cooking traditional dishes, and the magic of San Miguel de allende!
Hosted by
CASA DE LA NOCHE & BORDELLO GALERIA
What to expect: This 7-night sampler will start off with an evening meet & greet margarita cocktail party to mix with others who have as eclectic interests as you. Various workshop leader experts will be offering a variety of activities and lots of fun. This art workshop sampler is suitable for first timers as well as experienced art people. It’s great for a mother & daughter trip, or a girl friends getaway, or just as a treat for yourself!
In addition, we are offering a 2 1/2-hour town walking tour to learn about the historic, cultural, and architectural aspects of San Miguel de Allende. After this tour you will better appreciate why this town is so special. We will also have a dinner party with a typical Mexican meal to treat the taste buds.
Don’t worry - there will be plenty of time between workshops to relax, enjoy, and explore the magical town of San Miguel. Each day starts with a full home-cooked healthy-start Mexican breakfast.
The pricing is all inclusive (except for meals off-site) and all workshop materials are included as well!
Your San Miguel de Allende ART Sampler Workshops begins with your stay at Casa de la Noche, a boutique bed & breakfast, where we offer fourteen individually decorated rooms with private baths, some with kitchenettes, and all with access to light cooking facilities and common living areas. We also offer nearby housing for an additional 14 to 20 individuals. The special projects room for art or other workshop activities is right on site.
Casa de la Noche is in a great location, with an easy walk to main plaza - the Jardin. There is water purification throughout the bed & breakfast, wireless Internet & cable TV, air conditioning in suites and common rooms, and in-floor heating in common rooms as well. There is a phone available for calls throughout Mexico, USA, and Canada. Each morning a full home-cooked, healthy-start breakfast is served. A self-serve bar and 24-hour concierge service is at your disposal.
After learning more about our art-sampler workshops, you can view your room choices and make your selection directly from this invitation. We look forward to hosting you!
About the workshops:
PAINTING with a local artist Class length: 2 1/2 hours
San Miguel de Allende is a great place to practice stylizing from the dramatic shapes, colors, textures and lights and darks created by the shadows of old colonial architecture and beautiful parks and gardens. And the sun shines almost every day! This is the perfect place for outdoor sketching and painting.
Veronicka, one of our artists, has a history in the fashion and home decor business, and has been a professional muralist before she settled here in San Miguel. She even makes painted floor rugs! Now she brings her expertise here and will guide participants in creating a painting in acrylics that incorporates the simple design and color elements that make her home and clothing lines so successful. Check her out at www.Veronicka.com
She makes a complex process easy with step-by-step instructions for creating a finished piece from a blank canvas that you will be proud to display at home. No need to hunt for art materials! All materials are provided, and your art will be sized to fit in your suitcase.
Participants in this workshop will explore shapes, values, lines, colors, textures and forms in their chosen subject matter. These elements can be applied to any creative experience.
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Paper Mache Masks with an internationally known artist Class length: 4-hours / 2 days
Internationally known artist Charlsie Kelly finds inspiration everywhere, and her methods and mediums reflect the diversity of places in which she creates.
The common thread in Charlsie’s work is whimsy: from play-on-word idiomatic expressions in watercolor, faux mosaics to trick the eye, larger than life murals, to a variety of paper mache sculptures often created of recycled materials.
Her work has been shown and collected around the world, and Charlsie has led workshops and taught on 4 continents. In this 2-day workshop of 4 hours each you will create your own Dia de los Muertos skull with paper mache! All materials included.
Students will work one day in the AM and another in the afternoon, with days to be coordinated with silver jewelry making.
Charlsie divides her time between her studio in "America's Last Home Town," Pacific Grove, CA, and Costa Rica. We are fortunate to have her in San Miguel de Allende!
For more information about Charlsie: www.charlsiekelly.com & www.artlicensing.com
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MAKING SILVER JEWELRY Class length: 4-hours / 2 days
Antonio Lopez has been making silver jewelry and teaching his craft for 25 years. He apprenticed with his father, whose 60 year career included instructing at the famous Instituto Allende. Now Antonio’s atelier, located just steps from Casa de la Noche, offers students an authentic ‘open studio’ experience and an opportunity to learn this craft in his humble home studio.
In this 2-day workshop of 4 hours each you will create your own jewelry piece! All materials are available at class; a small additional fee is charged based on the weight of silver used.
This is the perfect opportunity to rework a piece of family jewelry that is no longer in fashion, or reinvent the use of a favorite earring that is missing its mate. Or, just be inspired in the moment under the influence of Antonio’s instruction. This class is fun for first timers to the very experienced. Check him out… www.antoniolopezstudio.com
Students will work one day in the morning and another in the afternoon, with days to be coordinated with paper mache mask making.
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COOKING CLASS and Market Visit Class length: 4-hours
In this class, you will learn from Chef Bernice Lugo how to prepare delicious authentic Mexican cuisine in a traditional family kitchen. This personalized class will start in the market to obtain the local ingredients, then you will help prepare the food in a pleasant environment where you can drink coffee, tea or fresh water while we start cooking a typical Mexican sauce, followed by the main dish that is a roast of pork typical of northern Mexico. During class the history of the dish will be explained along with the preparation of it, as well as the ingredients and their origins. Finally we will prepare the table to enjoy the fruits of your work in our beautiful kitchen with a glass of wine and a good conversation.
Buen Provecho!
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What will your 7-day week look like?
After settling in on your first day, we’ll provide an evening meet & greet margarita orientation session.
The first full day will include a walking tour of our Historic Center, so you will have a better understanding and appreciation of the cultural, social, and architectural aspects on “the Best Small City in the World”. Afterwards, you’ll be free to enjoy and explore San Miguel de Allende. You will be provided with a map and various points of interest to visit, as well as fabulous restaurants to sample.
The next few days will be filled with art and exploration, workshops and experiences, and perhaps a trip to Fabrica Aurora to stimulate your artist within. You will want to stroll through the local Artisans Market for trinkets or souvenirs, and of course enjoy the mariachis in the plaza in the evenings.
The four class days will include a mix of activities:
A 2 1/2-hour studio session with Veronicka after a delicious healthy-start breakfast. The session includes demonstration and suggestions for designing from looking at a subject. She’ll guide you in painting from a blank canvas to your finished piece.
The second day students will meet with Antonio and Charlsie, to learn to make silver jewelry and paper mache.
The third day will be marketing at the local mercado, cooking (and then eating) a complete Mexican meal.
The forth day will be a final paper mache class with Charlsie and a finishing class with Antonio.
Your evenings will be free to attend many of the local concerts, restaurants, socialize or work individually in the studio.
Our last evening will feature a final evening gathering, a bit of show & tell, and fabulous munchies.
TOURS and ACTIVITIES
This is also an invitation to experience the magic of San Miguel de Allende, the most artistic city in Mexico, recently named by Conde Nast “Best City in the World” for a second year running. We encourage a trip to nearby Atotonilco to visit the historic old town and an artisan gallery in a large park-like setting, followed by an afternoon at the hot springs for swimming, lunch and enjoying the sun. Be sure to walk romantic stone walkways and cobblestoned streets, to explore the history and culture of old Mexico, listen to the Mariachis singing in the Jardin in the evenings, and savor fine international dining and local Mexican favorites.
A favorite for art lovers is a visit to the unique Fabrica Aurora complex of art galleries, or check out our unique botanical gardens of this semi arid highlands, or visit a nearby archeological site with one of the master diggers of the site. There are so many possibilities in the area, either before or after the workshops. Ask the staff at Casa de la Noche to help you pick your best options!
HOW TO GET TO SAN MIGUEL DE ALLENDE
San Miguel de Allende is in the heart of Mexico at 6200 ft. elevation. The closest airports are Leon (BJX) or Queretaro (QRO) and shuttles or private transportation can be arranged to meet you at the airport and drive you directly to Casa de la Noche, a 75-minute drive. You can also fly into Mexico City, a 3 1/2 or 4-hour bus or shuttle ride.
You will need a current Passport and a Visa (available at the airport upon arrival). Consider travel insurance in case your plans change. Some credit cards offer this as part of their perks - check yours!
The ATMs in San Miguel accept VISA DEBIT cards for access to Mexican pesos.
our workshops sampler is held at
Casa de la noche - the famous old san Miguel bordello
Participants choose their own room, first come, first served.
You may choose your own room or share a room with another participant, with costs dependent on room choice. Our Casa has its own art studio, spacious gardens and grounds, guest kitchen, superb location, and original art throughout the property. To learn more about historic Casa de la Noche, check the website: www.casadelanoche.com
TO JOIN US
Click on the PayPal button associated with the room of your choice to make a $300 USD deposit. Payment of the balance can be paid by check sent to Casa de la Noche, 1735 Crockett Lane, Hillsborough CA, 94010, or by credit card by calling the Casa with your details. Please note “Workshops Sampler” on the memo line of your check.
Cancellation Policy / Refunds / Deposits. Deposits are refundable up until Jan.15th, 2020. Refund requests after this date will not be granted unless the workshops fills completely. All deposit refunds are subject to a $75 processing fee. Payment of the balance is due 2 weeks prior to arrival. We encourage you to purchase travel insurance that will cover your expenses in case your plans change.
If you have lodging questions, please contact the staff at Casa de la Noche (info@casadelanoche.com; or call 831-373-8888). Our multi-level boutique hotel does not have an elevator so if you have concerns about your ability to negotiate steps, please let us know so we can help you choose your accommodation. Remember, rooms are available on a first-come, first-choice, basis.
EACH ROOM IS UNIQUE!
YOU CHOOSE FROM SUITES, LUXURY OR DELUXE ROOMS, OR EXPERIENCE AN ORIGINAL “WORKING GIRL” ACCOMMODATION
Please make your room selections HERE. Pricing includes lodging, breakfasts, and all workshop fees!
All fourteen rooms are individually decorated and all have private baths. Some have kitchenettes, separate sitting areas, TVs, fireplaces, gardens, patios or terraces, and all have access to light cooking facilities and common living areas. Our main common rooms have in-floor heating and all accommodations have electric or gas heaters, fans or air conditioning. All water is purified and WiFi is located throughout the property. Healthy start, home-cooked Mexican breakfasts are included with your lodging.
We hope you’ll join us!
Scroll down to enjoy a few photos of San Miguel de Allende!
