Guatemalan Highland Painting Expedition
A Cultural Journey for Adventuring Artists
February 2 - 10, 2008All inclusive fee: $1,600
Join renowned painter Mat Barber Kennedy, distinguished member of Britain's Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolours, for nine days of cultural exploration in the Guatemalan Highlands. Based in beautiful Lake Atitlan, student painters embark on day trips to neighboring villages and project sites where they learn about local cultural initiatives such as women's weaving cooperatives, local artisan projects, and fair trade and organic coffee farming. After morning dialogue with local programs and artists, students partake in afternoon painting sessions under the stunning Atitlan mountains, in colorful village squares and among fellow Guatemalan artists. This tour provides a uniquely intimate and revealing view of Guatemala's contemporary culture, introducing visiting artists to initiatives that are positively impacting local communities.
Location of Atitlan
Lake Atitlan is located in the Guatemalan Highlands in the south-west region of Guatemala, only 45 miles from Guatemala City. The trip, however, can take at least two hours on local highways, which ascend through foothills and mountains to the caldera lake whose three dormant volcanoes rise majestically up to 10,000 feet above sea level. The lake is over 11 miles long, 5 miles wide and 1115 ft deep (one of the deepest in the world). It was considered by Aldous Huxley "The most beautiful in the world." About a dozen villages around the lake provide a vast diversity of culture, most of them catering to tourist needs while maintaining their heritage of Mayan and Spanish culture. The village of Jaibalito is a short boat ride from the larger town of Panajachel, where most people arrive from Guatemala City. With an estimated population of 600 inhabitants, mostly of Mayan descent, Jaibalito is nestled between two promontories overlooking the lake and is rich with banana trees, coffee plants and avocadoes.
Accommodations
Expedition Artists stay at the Vulcano Lodge in the village of Jaibalito, hosted by Norwegian couple Terje and Monica Maeland, who have made Atitlan their home since 1994. Each morning and evening, guests gather in the Lodge's intimate dining hall as Terje and the Lodge's Mayan chefs prepare sumptuous breakfasts and suppers of multi-cultural origin. Guests will also enjoy evening discussions and programs in the lodge, including a salon and review of student work. Visit Vulcano Lodge website at: www.vulcanolodge.com
Who is an Expedition Artist?
The Guatemalan Painting Expedition is designed for painters of all skill levels. Afternoon painting sessions are guided by facilitating painter Mat Barber Kennedy whose instruction promotes creative exploration and growth at all stages of an artist's career. For more information on the painting curriculum, email Mat at mbk@matbarberkennedy.com. Visit Mat's website at www.matbarberkennedy.com.
Expedition Artists should be in shape for moderate physical exertion, including between one and two miles walking at a leisurely pace. Accommodations for people with disabilities must be requested in advance and will be discussed with individual applicants.
Mat Barber Kennedy
Expedition Artist facilitator Mat Barber Kennedy began to extend his formidable skills as a London architect into painting in 1990 when he embarked on a global journey to capture local cultures with a combination of paint and collage media. In 1994, he was elected to the prestigious Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolours, which has represented the best of contemporary British watercolorists since 1831. His work is exhibited in galleries in England and the United States, including in The Federation of British Artists Gallery in London and ES Lawrence Galleries in Charleston and Aspen. He currently teaches in Chicago at the American Academy of Art and leads painting workshops throughout the world. Mat is a graduate of the University of Sheffield and the Royal College of Art, and currently resides in Chicago with his wife, three young sons, and pet tadpole.
Further Information
To sign up please download and complete the course registration form:www.milkwoodinternational.org/workshops_form.php
Secure online Paypal payments can be made at:
www.milkwoodinternational.org/payments_workshop.php
Fee deadline: 12/30/07
Maximum students: 12
Fee covers: * All local travel * Accommodations
* Breakfast & Dinner * Painting instruction
Fee does not cover: * International travel * Painting materials
For a list of painting materials and travel guidance,download this document.
For more program & payment information, contact:
Peter Grosz, Milkwood International
peter@milkwoodinternational.org
+1.773.989.9841
Mat Barber Kennedy
mbk@matbarberkennedy.com
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International Plein Air Painters
Hosting the Annual International Worldwide Paint Out
Organizers are not liable for costs or risks related to international travel & reserve the right to cancel or alter this program as necessary. While organizers attempt to take all reasonable precautions against injuries and accidents, participants will be required to sign a waiver for such incidents.