Confident Color
A ten day painting retreat in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico
With artist and teacher, Ruth Armitage
February 5-15, 2025
San Miguel Allende offers a cacophony of color inspiration. Join Ruth for a deep dive into all things color. Utilizing watercolor and high flow acrylic, we’ll experiment with color, from restrained to free-flowing. You’ll explore value, intensity, temperature and pure color contrasts and learn why and how these contrasts work in a painting.
Ralph Waldo Emerson said:
“Color always wears the colors of the spirit.”
“Learn how trusting your intuition can help create work that expresses the spirit of San Miguel.. We’ll add collage, dry media and acrylic to our watercolors to enhance depth and variation, while infusing our paintings with local ambiance.
You’ll learn to take color ‘notes’ in the field and work from those notes back in the studio to create work that expresses your reaction to the rich and varied landscape of sunny San Miguel.” ~ Ruth Armitage
You Will Explore:
*Color Mixing
* Dominance
*Variety Symbolism and Mood
* Expressive and Interpretive methods
*Planning vs. Spontaneity
*Triads, Complements and More!
““I’ve taken several classes from Ruth over the years. With each class I’ve come away with gems that have remained in my tool box. In her most recent workshop, I wanted to learn more about how to implement line. I feel that I accomplished that along with so much more. Ruth is such a generous teacher, always willing to go to the next step in the process.”
~ Jennie O'Connor
“Ruth teaches us design, cloaked in creativity.”
Location
San Miguel de Allende, located in central Mexico is a Heritage UNESCO puebla magica, not to mention voted one of the best places in the world to live by Conde Nast Traveler two years in a row. Come and be captivated by the friendliness and beauty of this town!
More on San Miguel below.
Retreat Venue
We are sure you will be delighted with the accommodations and facilities. Casa de los Angelitos is a family owned villa with stunning views of San Miguel.With Old world style, beautiful views and a friendly staff, Casa Angelitos is a truly remarkable architectural masterpiece. (Click on the link for a video tour)
About Ruth Armitage
Ruth Armitage paints abstract and non-objective work inspired by people and places of personal significance. Educated as an English teacher, Ruth writes, “I crave variety in my process, so very few things are constant. I am not simply wandering; rather, I’m focused in my exploration, keeping a destination in mind.”
Ruth's award-winning work has earned her signature membership in the National Watercolor Society, Rocky Mountain National Water media, San Diego Watercolor Society among others. She was the recipient of the American Watercolor Society’s Bronze Medal of Honor in April, 2023. Her work has been featured in numerous national and international publications. Ruth currently lives and works in West Linn, Oregon. rutharmitage.com
Travel
Please make your reservations* to arrive at Leon (BJX) or Queretaro (QRO) airports. Information about easy and reliable shuttle service will be shared with participants. Please note, if you decide to fly into Mexico City, it is another four hours to San Miguel.
*Also Note: Please wait to make your flight arrangements until we inform you the retreat is full.
Please click here for pricing and registration information
About San Miguel
Mexico is a huge country that offers its visitors an amazing amount of diversity. San Miguel de Allende is located in the geographical center of the country and is said to be built upon a bed of crystal quartz. Many people believe this legend aids in the “magical” quality so often associated with this town. San Miguel is a peaceful, safe environment, full of friendly people, sophistication and charm to spare. It is small, but far from sleepy. The streets are always full of visitors and locals in a lively and festive atmosphere.
There is more than plenty to see and do on off hours during the retreat. Most days you can count on very cool mornings, warm to hot sunny afternoons, and slightly cooler evenings. Think layers and bring a light sweater. There is virtually no humidity. San Miguel is quite hilly in parts, and the streets are cobbled. You will most likely be doing a lot of walking (the best way to see the town!), so we suggest to bring good shoes.
We are at 6000 feet and if you have not been in high altitudes, you may feel a bit tired the first day or two. Luckily, there are numerous cafes, parks and plazas for rest and refreshments all over town. There are also ample and inexpensive cabs (and Uber) available should you need a break from the walking. The cab drivers, incidentally are some of the best locals to practice your Spanish with!
The web is full of articles and videos about San Miguel. Here are two to whet your whistle:
About Linda Laino
Linda is an visual artist and writer who received her MFA from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Va. She has lived in San Miguel de Allende for twelve years where she formally taught English Language Arts and continues to paint and write. She has organized writing and painting retreats of her own in San Miguel and is recently sharing her love and knowledge of this charming and colorful town with other artists and teachers. She has been a waitress, a textile conservator, teacher and flower farmer, all in service to a lifetime of art making. Her painting and writing can be accessed here: www.lindalaino.com
Cancellation Policy Please Review
All deposits and balances for workshops are non-refundable. We understand that it is sometimes difficult to plan ahead for a trip such as this and these uncertain times have created a bit more challenge. We thank you for your understanding of the need for these policies on our end. We ask that retreat participants be vaccinated. Note: Mexico never closed its borders to travelers during 2020.
Please read our full cancellation policy here.
All participants will be asked to download and sign the waiver form and provide emergency contact info. Please email to lalainoart@yahoo.com
Linda will provide all participants with an SMA Survival Guide listing restaurants, things to do on off hours, and useful phone numbers.
We look forward to welcoming you to San Miguel in February, 2025! Please do not hesitate to contact us. For questions about the workshop, please contact Ruth at artistruth5405@gmail.com. For questions about San Miguel, contact Linda at lalainoart@yahoo.com