Guanajuato Print Workshop

            

I just returned from the July Guanajuato (Mexico) Print Workshop where a group of 9 artists and non-artists came together to create in the studio and immerse themselves in a charming city.  Hugo Anaya and I team-taught at his studio, Piramidal Gráfica, and our individual techniques and ways of working blended seamlessly and were in fact a compliment to each other.  Hugo demonstrated his drypoint on copper technique with his unique way of handcoloring using acrylic paint then overprinting.  Everyone produced at least one 3" x 5" print - and the variety and quality of work was impressive. 

Top: Claudia Gallardo, Jorey Greene, Bottom: Hugo with students, Hugo and Glen Celebrating

Hand colored drypoints by Nancy Dunaway and Claudia Gallardo

I lead the group in monotype printing incorporating the drypoint technique for texture and printing with transparent layers of ink to build a rich surface. Everyone had a blast and some great prints were made. Piramidal Gráfica Studio is modern, spacious and well-equiped with natural light and has two etching presses that were in constant  use. It was a pleasure to work there with plenty of room to spread out. I always love to see the diversity of the prints in terms of imagery and color, from abstract to figurative, to traditional. 

monotype by Karen Van Galder

monotype by Veronica Gross

Each day we were treated to a wonderful lunch in the patio surrounded by gardens and two-century old stone walls. On Wednesday, we took an excursion to San Miguel de Allende and stopped at 3 other towns along the way, among them Delores Hidalgo and Atontonilco.  It was a beautiful afternoon and great day for a road trip.  We visited shops featuring local ceramics, visited amazing churches, and got a taste of the smaller pueblas and countryside.On Saturday, Hugo surprised us with an exhibit of everyone's work in the gallery and put on a great spread of food and drink.  What a nice way to celebrate and see the great work produced during the week! 

Lunch in the Patio Gardens at the Studio

Dan, Veronica and Karen in Delores Hidalgo on our excursion

Exhibition in the Gallery and Closing Party

Everyone enjoyed exploring the historic center of Guanajuato (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) with it's distinct European flavor, narrow cobblestone alleyways and sidewalk cafes. It was easy walking from the studio or B&B to museums, galleries, markets and historic monuments. We enjoyed some great meals in local restaurants and started each morning with an outstanding breakfast at Alma del Sol B&B. 

I will definitely schedule another workshop with Hugo Anaya in the future. He was a joy to work with and everyone loved him.  He and his staff made our stay at Alma del Sol and Espiritus Alegres really special. 

                                     

Walking through Centro from the Studio

Ready for Breakfast at Alma del Sol

                                                     

                                                        

Thanks to everyone for making this a very special Art Vacation!  I'll be back!

My book, Art & Sacred Sites: Connecting with Spirit of Place

My book, Art and Sacred Sites: Connecting with Spirit of Place will be launched in May. It's very exciting to see this labor of love come to fruition! The book is about  my  pilgrimages to sacred sites -  a sharing of my experiences, inspirations, and the creative process.  "As my travels became spiritual journeys, each one bore a new wave of creativity in the studio." 

pages from the chapter on Las Labradas, Mexico.

From My introduction:

"For many years, I’ve taken my inspiration from archetypal symbols and sacred sites around the world, continually drawing from a universal visual language. I’ve followed in the footsteps of these early cultures by drawing from nature’s purest forms, such as the spiral, the circle and the crescent, whose cyclical shapes suggest renewal and regeneration. I am honored to have had the opportunity to walk these ancient lands imbued with the spirit of our ancestors. I feel that these same symbols, whether inscribed on ancient stones or painted on my 21^st Century canvas, can connect us as humans, connect us to nature and give hope and inspiration to future generations. As I begin a work of art inspired by this imagery, scratching the surface of the plate or layering colors of paint, I feel connected to those who have come before me."  

Sunrise at Stonehenge

  My life as an artist thus far has been an incredible journey made all the richer by pilgrimages to these sacred sites and the deep spiritual connections I’ve experienced. I feel blessed that I’ve had the opportunity to walk the perimeter of Uluru in Australia, enter the sacred chamber of Newgrange in Ireland, visit the Temple of Knossos in Crete (before the tour buses arrived!) and, especially, to live so close to one of my favorite places, Las Labradas, near my home in Mazatlán, Mexico.

Entry Stone to Newgrange, Ireland

"In her work, and in this book, Glen Rogers invites us to accompany her on a pilgrimage to these ancient sites marked by human creativity.  With Glen we encounter the immense numinosity of these powerful places; we experience with her their ability to stir us deeply, to inspire and transform, to quicken the creative spirit." From the Foreward by Diane Jonte-Pace, Ph.D.,
Professor of Religious Studies
Vice Provost for Academic Affairs
Santa Clara University   

 

Cave Paintings, North Queensland, Australia

        Sharing is something that we’re compelled to do. It’s in our nature, part of what defines us as human beings, and indeed, glorifies us as individuals.

       It’s in this spirit that Glen has given us this book, sharing the sacred places, symbols and connections she has discovered in her many years of traveling and creating art. As she has opened her heart, it seems the natural world has responded, sharing its ancient secrets and wisdom which she now passes on to us within the pages of this book.

      With this book, Glen demonstrates how she has transformed her spiritual journey into art, gently stepping into the role of teacher as she shares the inspiration she’s received. I, for one, am thrilled and grateful for this gift; I trust you will be, too.

Janet Blaser, Publisher M! Magazine

 
The book was created in collaboration with book designer, Margery Cantor, with beautiful spreads in full color of my work, photographs of the sites that inspired me and personal observations written especially for each chapter. Limited edition, hard-cover, 90 pages, 11" x 13".

To reserve your copy:  email me at glen@glenrogersart.com

New Prints Inspired by Monte Alban, Oaxaca

Artifact from Monte Alban

Coming soon, a book about my art and the sacred sites that have inspired my work over the last 15 years. Art and Sacred Sites: Connecting with Spirit of Place.

 

Outside of Oaxaca lies Monte Albán, an ancient Zapotec site with an impressive complex of pyramids and an expansive view of the countryside. Here I felt a sense of spirit, a sense of place. I was entranced by the multitude of stone monuments inscribed with figures and symbols, a hidden language whose forms interested me more than their meaning. Back in the studio, I found myself mixing and matching the vertical stacks of glyphs, circles, dots and wavy lines, and then pairing them with more feminine symbols such as the vesica piscis and the spiral. Perhaps it was my little cosmic joke to balance the yin to the yang, and thus provide a completeness and wholeness to these ancient images.

Another site that interested me was Mitla, a major religious center that reached its zenith between 750 and 1521. One can only imagine the rituals, rites and sacrifices performed by priests in the temple called House of the Vital Force.  But what sets Mitla apart from other pyramids in Mexico is its intricate mosaic stonework in geometric designs.  Throughout the complex, running spirals, zig-zags and chevrons embellish tombs, panels and entire walls. The contrast of the white design work, red earthen walls and blue sky was food for inspiration, and I created a series of paintings that seemed to capture the feeling of place, as well as a suite of small prints drawn from photos and memory.

Mitla