When I heard the roar of the plane engines I had to smile. Once again, I was off to spend 10 days in beautiful Guatemala where I would conduct an educational travel workshop for adult students from all over the world. I have had students from England, Germany, and the United States. Together we would explore surface design techniques and experiment with mixed media to create art books, wall art, collage art, art dolls, and paper arts....

The workshop I teach regularly in Guatemala is appropriate for artists of all skill levels and backgrounds. It's the perfect opportunity for those with little art experience, so long as they have an imagination and a willingness to learn new skills and techniques.

Our artful journey to Guatemala began in La Antigua, a small village with an international ambiance, filled with colorful bougainvillea spilling over tumbling rocks of centuries-old ruins. The ultimate artist's dream location! Surrounded by volcanoes, this delightful small town offers spectacular scenery, fabulous shopping, great outdoor cafes, and--most important--warm hearted, welcoming people.

We spent the first half of each day exploring a variety of surface design techniques. Each morning began with art classes held out on the verandah of a private courtyard filled with luscious gardens. I taught my students how to achieve special effects by using fluid acrylics, glues, gels, and other mediums, and how to add texture by using waxed paper, plastic wrap, gauze, and alcohol. They also learned to achieve depth, interest, and richness by glazing layers of paint.

Each student used the resulting papers for stationery, book arts, wall art, and other pursuits. And we enjoyed making handmade "spirit dolls," inspired by the Guatemalan surroundings and utilizing the items we found in the local markets. There was much to choose from: beads, charms, milagros (silver charms), and fabulous Guatemalan fabrics woven by hand.

After class, our afternoons were filled with adventure. We visited a different village each day, including Chichicastenango, Panajachel, Santiago, San Andreas Ixtapa, and Santa Catarina Barahona. I will never forget them.

In Chichicastenango, we found the largest outdoor textile market in the world. It was market day, and we all made several purchases of hand-woven goods. The fabrics are bright, beautiful, and detailed in many ways with unique handiwork. Each village produces a different fabric distinguished by its weave, color or design. We spent a lot of quetzals (Guatemalan currency) buying up fabric, tablecloths, purses, vests, blankets, and other items.

The village of Panajachel is situated on the shores of beautiful Lake Atitlan. Here we purchased handcarved and painted wood items and had the chance to observe many local woodworkers at their labors. We discovered some beautiful beads in Panajachel, which we later used in our artwork.

Perhaps my most memorable visit was to the village of Santiago. Also located on the shores of Lake Atitlan, visitors must take a half-hour boat ride from Panajachel to get there. We found a remote village full of smiling children who greeted us happily. We also observed their mothers washing laundry along the water's edge. Not far away, the men of the village fished successfully using only a string and a hook, nothing more. It was beautiful.

San Andreas Ixtapa also interested me greatly, for here we experienced the shrine of San Simone. The locals, who practice a faith based on the Catholic and Mayan religions, come here to pray and give thanks for favors that have been granted. In San Simone's shrine we found natives playing music, smoking huge cigars(both men and women), drinking rum straight out of the bottle, burning incense, and lighting the candles that represented various wishes. Mayan confradias told fortunes using the ashes from their spent cigars. What an amazing sight!

Another memorable experience was the evening we spent in the village of Santa Catarina, where we met master weaver and textile artist Zoila Garcia. She showed us her backstop loom and demonstrated how she uses it. It takes countless hours, and much skill and patience, to produce one hand woven article. We all appreciate her weavings much more after seeing how they were made.

Zoila prepared for us a typical meal of Pepian, a spicy chicken and rice dish. She also taught us how to make corn tortillas the traditional way, grinding the corn herself on a stone, patting the tortillas into shape, and cooking them over an open fire in her outdoor kitchen.

I have been to Guatemala several times, but the most memorable experiences were those when my two daughters, Mariah and Callie, accompanied me. It was wonderful to see their eyes light up as they encountered each new adventure, they even made some friends with the local children. Although neither spoke the other's language, smiles are universal--as is art.

If you would like information on upcoming workshops in Guatemala, please email Kim by Clicking Here. To register, click here.