Immersive art workshops in the heart of Northern New Mexico
Drawing Canyon, Sage, and Sky
Immersive art workshops in the heart of Northern New Mexico
Drawing Canyon, Sage, and Sky
Explore stunning field locations and produce drawings that embody the land and sky of Northern New Mexico. We set up portable studios within badlands and sage fields, gather earth pigments and handcraft charcoal, and expand drawing practice through tutorials and independent studio work, all as connected to the experience of place. Sessions span four days and five evenings, and are designed for practicing artists.
Surrounded by piñon and juniper, complex geological formations, endless cloudscapes and Milky Way skies, this high-desert environment is open for sensory discovery. Artist Agnes Martin called this part of New Mexico her home, and drew deeply from this terrain.
Working with artist and professor Sara Schneckloth, participants come away with fresh techniques, a body of mixed-media drawings, relationships with new colleagues, and the experience of being immersed in the open air, vast silence, and remarkable natural diversity of this singular landscape.
Participation is limited to a maximum of six, and an application is required.
Summer 2021 Workshop: Thursday May 20 - Monday May 24, 2021
Workshop may be subject to postponement depending on Covid-19 and NM State Regulations
The Setting
Based at a ranch house just outside the town of Cuba (alt. 7000'), we will explore nearby badlands, canyons, forests, and mesas. We set up studio tents directly within the environment for daily drawing sessions, where we will typically be the only people we encounter. The locations are chosen for their blend of remoteness and accessibility, sweeping vistas, rich color, and the abundance of compelling natural forms. Many of these sites lay bare 60 million years of geological history and are virtually untouched. Light hiking over uneven ground is required, for distances up to a mile.
The Workshops
The workshops combine field drawing, tutorials, independent art production, and professional dialogue. The session is geared toward experienced artists seeking to deepen their drawing practice, craft and work with natural materials, meet colleagues with shared interests, and be immersed in the landscape of this less-traveled corner of New Mexico.
Maximum enrollment is six.
Admission is by rolling application.
Rates range from $1300-1550 the four day/five evening session, and includes workshop, meals, and lodging.
The Workshop Site
Lodging and Cuisine
The Workshop Site
Our base of operations for the workshop, the Chaco Lodge is spacious and comfortable, with large terraces, open fields, and panoramic views of the Sierra Nacimiento. We meet here daily for tutorials and studio work.
Creative Director
Lodging and Cuisine
The Workshop Site
Sara Schneckloth's studio practice brings together art and science with an abiding love for the southwestern landscape. She has taught drawing professionally for twenty years and her mixed-media artworks have featured in over eighty exhibitions; her work in the New Mexican high desert began in 2014.
Lodging and Cuisine
Lodging and Cuisine
Lodging and Cuisine
Lodging options include staying on-site in a private room or in a shared apartment in a nearby historic bed and breakfast, for five evenings. Shared meals reflect the best of local New Mexican cuisine and include vegetarian options. Lodging, lunches, and four dinners are included in the price of the workshop.
The Region
Application
Lodging and Cuisine
The Cuba region is ideal for hiking (including the Continental Divide Trail), biking, and exploring the nearby badlands. Cuba is located 90 minutes from the Albuquerque International Sunport, and within easy driving distance of Abiquiu, Chaco Canyon, and a number of hotsprings. Add a day before or after the workshop to explore the area.
FAQ
Application
Application
Do I need a vehicle? What is the weather like? The altitude? What materials do I need to bring?
These and more can be found below.
Application
Application
Application
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, with acceptance based on experience, portfolio, and stated interest in the workshop.
Review of applications is ongoing, and will end on April 10, 2021.