More of San Miguel, then Ratindra Das Watercolor Workshop

These final pages in this particular journal book travel thru our final day in San Miguel de Allende and then into the learning experience with Ratindra Das' Watercolor Workshop in Ajijic, Mexico.

The time spent in San Miguel was even more rich amplified by fascinating new acquaintances and beautiful architecture. The charming La Maison del Bosque, our place of lodging, offered both breakfast and dinners served right there in a cozy dining room. When we took advantage of the evening meal, we savored not only the food but the pleasure of mixing with diverse guests also staying there. One couple in particular enriched my experience there ... their business cards reside in the top left corner of my page. A delightful couple that lead an annual retreat here in San Miguel (and have for 15 years) working around spirit expansion and awakening the individual. I wanted to take their retreat!! But on to our day around and about San Miguel. Numerous are the churches here, but one I found most beautiful was the Oratorio de San Felipe Neri Church out of the main square but, glorious in it's glowing coral and yellow hues for this artist! But this city offers a plethora of picturesque structures ~ I just couldn't paint nor photo fast enough.

My opposite journal page is in honor of a wonderful gentle man and refreshing artist, Ratindra Das (www.RatindraDas.net). I knew I was at home in his workshop when he opens saying he doesn't want us to take everything he says as an absolute ... that it is what works for him and to just try what he suggests and keep it if it works for you! His soft sense of humor complimented his passion for mixing pure pigments right out of the tube ~ and the brilliance that came from that made us aim to replicate. But few of us in the workshop mimicked accurately. He was a master and he showed us his entire process, from sketchbooks, to transfer to completion of painting. Here, I've caught him in his beginning stages of painting, still looking back at his sketchbook in his left hand. I love that I've captured him visually, sort of in this dance with the women in one of Efren Gonzales' large oil paintings. I have to admit that I've simplified Efren's image some to keep the focus and interest mainly on Ratindra. I saved the class notes and materials list in an envelope here to the right. But it all brings back many fond memories of the two days spent in the Efren Gonzales Art Center under the tutelage of Ratindra.

Stay tuned for more from my Mexico journal pages ...