Treat yourself to Taos, New Mexico, the Land of Enchantment. It’s a rugged and gorgeous country with big skies, sunrises and sunsets that you won’t believe.
"We've taught here for several years and we always can't wait to go back. The place is magically inspirational and every time we come away with new rich experiences. We'd love to have you join us!" ~ Lisa and Sue
The Location
Rich in history, authentic in architecture, The Mabel Dodge Luhan House has been a center of Taos arts and education for nearly 100 years. Join us and experience the rustic and relaxing ambience that makes the Mabel Dodge Luhan house an artistic salon of the Southwest. This historic home has inspired creatives such as Georgia O'Keefe, Ansel Adams, D.H. Lawrence and more. Named after Mabel Dodge, a patron of the arts who married Native American Tony Luhan in the early 1920’s, this home exudes creativity, spirituality and intimacy.
While the interior of this quaint adobe is warm and cozy, it pales in comparison to the beauty just outdoors. Located on the edge of the Taos Pueblo, you can walk the labyrinth next to the studio or sit in the library or next to a fire to sketch or journal.
This is a place to be inspired, connect with the beauty of the landscape, and make new friends If ever there was a place to simply be, this is it.
The Studio:
This workshop is not media specific. You are free to work in any media.
Options are:
- water-based or oil painting
- drawing
- stitching or fiber
- book-making
- collage
- object making
Lisa and Sue will guide you in the use of non-traditional approaches to making while you receive inspiration from the light, textures, and colors of Taos, New Mexico. Using mixed media and earth materials, gathered on site, participants will expand personal visual language and mark-making skills. Experience new ways of seeing, while enjoying a fresh engagement with intuition, freedom, and interaction with the unique sense of this place – Taos, the high desert and the Mabel Dodge Luhan House and grounds.
What is included:
- Welcome reception on Nov. 3 before dinner
- 6 nights at the historic Mabel Dodge Luhan House in a private room with bath
- Delicious breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily (dietary restrictions accommodated) with one night out on your own
- Field trip to Ghost Ranch and the Georgia O'Keefe house
- Free time to explore museums and galleries in Taos
- 4 full days of studio time and 24 hour access to the studio for the duration of the retreat
- Evening presentations and get togethers
- Demonstrations, prompts and individual attention while meeting each participant where they are
- A variety of R&F Pigment Sticks provided
- 2 pre-trip meet and greet and informational Zoom meetings
Material and Technique Demos
Group Feedback Sessions
One on One Consultations
Good Food and Conversation
Mabel Dodge is known for its healthy, delicious food created by a top local chef. When possible, garden-raised or local produce is used. To keep you energized throughout the day, coffee, tea, water and fresh baked cookies are available.
Sample dinner menu: (with vegetarian and vegan options available)
- Grilled chicken cutlets in tomatillo-chipolte sauce
- Herbed rice
- Whole wheat tortillas
- Squash stew (summer squash, onions, corn, green chile and queso fresco)
- Sonoran salad (a green salad with jicama, poblano chiles, avocado and pecans)
- Mexican chocolate Cake
And a Lot of Fun!
"Everything about the Taos workshop is wonderful: the food, the location, the teachers, and the participants. You will spend your days talking, laughing, creating, and taking in the beautiful surroundings. Everyone is supportive and kind. The workshop will leave you feeling inspired, grateful for new friendships, and very happy." ~ Susan A.
"Lisa’s and Sue’s Taos Workshop is a special opportunity to create art with a wonderful group of women in a relaxed and supportive environment at an iconic location. ~ Sandy S.
"Lisa and Sue’s Taos workshop/retreat was truly a wonderful experience. Mabel Dodge Luhan house is a charming, comfortable, and a visually lovely place to spend the week. Did I also mention that the food (breakfast, lunch, dinner) was also fabulous? I thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to work at my own pace in the nurturing and supportive environment they provide. Taos itself is a kind of magical place…the landscape inspires in ways that are hard to express in words." ~ Donnna H.
"Sue and Lisa provided exercises and prompts as starting points, which I found to be inspiring. The group critiques and Lisa and Sue’s guidance were invaluable.. The field trip to canyon Ranch and Georgia O’Keefe’s was an experience I will not soon forget.. All in all I felt very fortunate to be able to be part of this amazing experience and would do it again in a heartbeat." ~ Beth H.
Total Price for the Retreat with Lodging, Meals, Instruction, and Field trip is $3995 USD
EMAIL US for registration.
About Lisa & Sue
Instructors Sue Stover and Lisa Pressman have been teaching together online and in-person courses since 2020. The focus of their courses is to direct artists toward a more contemplative practice, exploring techniques, materials and concepts along with a strong foundation in art fundamentals. Destination workshops inspire the artist within unique cultural frameworks and capitalize on the extended time together. Our approach to teaching is flexible and welcoming, and we strive to meet participants wherever they are on their journey as artists.
Lisa Pressman
Lisa Pressman’s career as an artist has been marked by exploration of the expressive potential of a variety of mediums, among them oil, encaustic, cold wax, and mixed-media collage. Her work is abstract, conceptually based, and process-driven, featuring marks, forms, colors and patterns that are evocative rather than descriptive.
Lisa received her Bachelor of Arts degree in fine art from Douglass College at Rutgers University, with an emphasis in ceramics and sculpture, in 1979. As a graduate student she changed her emphasis to painting, and in 1981 was awarded a Master of Fine Arts degree in Painting from Bard College. Since then she has exhibited regionally and nationally in solo and group exhibitions, and her work is held in numerous private and public collections. Her work is represented by Susan Eley Fine Arts in New York, Addington Gallery in Chicago, and Slate Gallery in Telluride, Colorado.
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Susan Stover
Susan Stover is a San Francisco Bay Area artist who creates paintings and sculptures that explore themes of cultural identity and mythology. Having studied many aesthetic traditions from around the world, she embraces ritual, tradition, and meditation inherent in repetitive processes.
Susan received a MFA from California College of Art in Oakland, California and a BFA from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio with both degrees concentrating in textiles ad painting. Her work is in many private and corporate collections. She is represented by Carrie Haddad Gallery in Hudson, NY and Seager/Gray Gallery in Mill Valley, CA. Susan teaches workshops online from her northern California studio, in person at other locations in the U.S., and internationally.
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FAQ's
Q: Who is this retreat for?
A. This retreat is for artists that are at an intermediate or advanced level and who enjoy working in the company of other artists, have a sense of adventure and are looking for inspiration that the location offers.
Q: What's not covered?
A: Airfare and transportation to Taos, personal purchases, alcohol, one night dinner out.
Q: What supplies do I need to bring?
A: We will provide a supply list as the time gets closer, but you can work in the medium of your choice (as listed in above description.) Basic studio supplies are provided.
Q: Do I need travel insurance?
A: It's always a good idea to purchase travel insurance due to unforeseen circumstances.