Oaxaca Día de Muertos Workshop 2025

Día de Muertos Oaxaca Art + Culture Workshop:
watercolor, group altar, sand tapestry

DATES: October 26–November 4, 2025

art workshop with watercolor + cultural immersion
with Oaxacan artist Pedro Cruz Pacheco + Corrie McCluskey
Oaxaca, Mexico

DAY OF THE DEAD CELEBRATION OF ART + SACRED MEMORY IN THE HEART OF OAXACA

Do you need to feed your creative soul? Fill it to the brim with creative transformation and fresh inspiration, memories to last a lifetime. Join a small group of travelers for this magical art + cultural immersion workshop where you’ll meet a rich culture that celebrates creativity and traditions.

Experience an unforgettable celebration of Day of the Dead or Día de Muertos in magical, traditional Oaxaca, with stunningly decorated altars, street parades with vibrant music, wild and wonderfully costumed revelers, all-night vigils in local cemeteries, marigold flowers and copal incense, pan de Muerto, sand tapestries and dazzling murals throughout the city.

Our workshops are different. We mix art classes with carefully curated private field trips – we meet master artists and artisans in their studios out in the far flung pueblos, sit with them to hear their stories, get to know their process and cultural traditions, share an intimate afternoon with them. Then we bring these experiences into our art classes.

Our adventures start with a field trip to a mercado to shop for altar decorations and offerings (cempasuchil flowers, papel picado, long candles, copal incense, chocolate, special breads, sugar skulls, fruit and mezcal). We’ll make visits to 2 cemeteries where Oaxaqueños lovingly decorate the graves of their ancestors and bring offerings to share with their spirits. Participants should bring photos of your dearly departed to adorn our group altar – and if you are so inclined, costumes + face paint for the fiesta. We will catch a comparsa – the traditional Muertos parade – along the pedestrian street as our schedule permits.

We will spend our days painting imagery and symbolic representations of our loved ones to honor their memories, assemble a beautiful group altar and construct and decorate a tapete de arena (sand tapestry).

The REAL Oaxaca is found in the villages and private workspaces: additional group field trips include a visit to a renowned tapete (woven wool rugs) artistan family, alebrije (carved wooden objects) artisans, and the Mujeres del Barro Rojo (Women of the Red Clay) who are “guardians of the identity & pottery tradition of their community” (where they will have their own gorgeous Día de Muertos altar).

Nurture your creative soul with us…your life will shift with this retreat – it will stoke the fire within to feed your mind, body, and soul. Many visitors to Oaxaca never make it past the tourist center – we will go direct to the heart and soul of this ancient place – the streets, studios, kitchens, and markets – and get to know the people and traditions with their rich culture, food, and art.

IN THE WATERCOLOR PAINTING CLASS:
Pedro will focus on symbols + talismans, key elements in all his painting. He will show participants an extensive repertoire of personal symbols that are incorporated into his art, and offer them the opportunity to discover and paint their own in this intimate setting. This is a chance to consider the “secret soul” of things that matter to you and bring them into your painting. There will be demonstrations in Pedro’s techniques, but students primarily will be encouraged to create using their own personal approach.

Workshop details:

All levels, 7-day art + culture workshop in the heart of Oaxaca, Mexico
Group field trips with private van
Maximum 10 participants
9 nights at a charming hotel built in the 16th century in the heart of the city center
hotel rooms have private bathrooms, wifi, fans; restaurant next door, courtyard to enjoy breakfast or sip morning coffee
hotel is 1 block from zocalo square, everything within walking distance
art material list provided (you bring your own art supplies)
list provided of restaurants, museums & galleries, optional tours that you can book for your day off, cool places to visit on your own

Preliminary itinerary (subject to change as necessary):

Day One: arrive in Oaxaca – informal dinner in the neighborhood
Day Two: AM class, shopping trip to buy altar decorations & offerings; PM create group altar; group welcome dinner
Day Three: AM create tapete (sand tapestry); PM art class
Day Four: AM art class; PM studio visit @ weavers artisan workshop + special meal
Day Five: day off to explore on your own
Day Six: all day art class; late night visit to cemetery
Day Seven: AM art class; PM studio visit @ alebrijes artisan workshop; trip to cemetery in small pueblo
Day Eight: AM art class; PM visit to ancient tree in Tule; studio visit @ ceramics artisan workshop
Day Nine: all day art class + art show, group farewell dinner
Day Ten: depart Oaxaca

Our instructors:
Pedro Cruz Pacheco is a painter from Santa Cruz Amilpas, Oaxaca, Mexico who works in watercolor, oil, and mixed media. He left his job in a brickyard in 1999 and initially began his career as a self-taught artist. He spent 8 years apprenticing in the studio of master Oaxacan painter Felipe Morales, and showed & sold his work for years in Labastida Plaza in downtown Oaxaca (by Santo Domingo church). Pedro has exhibited in Mexico (Oaxaca, Mexico City, Puerto Vallarta, Merida, Monterrey), Texas, and California (San Francisco, Los Angeles, Sonoma County, Eureka), and has taught watercolor workshops in Oaxaca and Baja, BCS, Mexico. Pedro’s style is very Oaxaca-influenced, with magic realism as an artistic point of view – a Mexican version of surrealism. His work is intimate, private, and incorporates personal symbols and talismans that reflect his own life experiences as well as the history and customs of Oaxaqueños. His work features bright, vivid colors and his own deeply personal and heart-felt spiritual view of the world around him.

Corrie McCluskey (workshop coordinator) is a visual artist originally from Northern California (now living in Oaxaca) who was a b&w photographer for two decades. She transitioned into visual journaling, mail art, collage, bookbinding and making artist books. She now focuses on mixed media on paper: collage, encaustic monotypes, abstract painting with natural pigments & India ink, graphite, cold wax with oil pigment sticks. Visual journaling is a part of her art expression: it’s all about process and discovery – a container for ideas and play with ephemera. She is a “Guidess”-in-training for people who feel unqualified or too intimidated to express their creativity because they think they can’t “do art”. For 20 years, she was a workshop and event coordinator, and she loves to bring small groups of people together and facilitate an amazing workshop experience.

Workshop location & lodging:

Our hotel in Oaxaca: Hotel Parador San Agustín
We have a block of 10 rooms reserved at Hotel Parador San Agustín, a 16th century former colonial estate with a traditional courtyard and terrace (each room has either 2 double beds or 1 king bed, and private bathroom). Rooms are charming yet basic, clean and secure, and the hotel is centrally located one block from the zocalo square in the city’s historic center and within walking distance of the huge indoor market, banks/ATMs, museums, galleries, shops and cafes. Amenities: all rooms have private bathroom, TV, & free wifi; airport shuttle is available (w/ surcharge), breakfast available next door at restaurant, computer station, self-serve laundry facilities; upstairs floors accessible by stairs only, all rooms have fans only (no A/C).

Our art class location in Oaxaca: A private van will pick up the group daily from our hotel to bring you to Pedro & Corrie’s newly built “industrial rustic” Talismán Oaxaca art studios, located in a cornfield in Santa Cruz Amilpas (Pedro’s hometown), just 15 minutes from city center. We’ll have space to spread out, make a mess, play with materials, and just let loose with our creativity! And you’ll get to see and experience what small town life is like in the valley of Oaxaca.

Our hotel: Hotel Parador San Agustín, Oaxaca centro

Talismán Oaxaca studios – art class location

Schedule:
arrival: Sunday, Oct 26
art classes + field trips: 7 days
day off: (no class or scheduled field trips) Thursday, Oct 30
departure: Tuesday, Nov 4
airport: Oaxaca Xoxocotlan International airport (OAX)

Trip fee, deadline & cancellation: $2795 – deadline 4/1/25

50% deposit with registration guarantees your space – register early before the workshop sells out.
Deadline to register & pay is 4/1/25 (Deposits, reservations, and arrangements are made in advance of the trip, so we need to receive your registration + deposit on time.)
Full trip fee (balance due) is due by 7/1/24.
Deadline to register in class is 4/1/24; no deposit or trip fee refund will be given after 4/1/24. No exceptions (unless workshop is cancelled for low enrollment, another pandemic, or natural disaster).
If you must cancel, contact Corrie, the workshop coordinator, immediately. You can transfer your deposit or full workshop payment to another person, at no charge. If there is a wait list, we will give you the first name on the list to whom you can offer your spot. Otherwise, no refunds will be issued under any circumstances. (This is why we require travel insurance, and recommend purchasing additional “cancel for any reason” coverage.)

Registration + payment online:
To register and pay online, click below. Your payment will be processed through PayPal.

Price includes:

hotel room in our group’s room block (rooms have either 2 double beds or 1 king bed + private bathroom)
private van transportation (for field trips & group dinners)
field trips to local mercado (market), alebrije & ceramics artisan studios, 2 cemeteries
materials to create sand tapestry and altar decorations

Not included in price:

airfare or transportation to/from airport
food & drinks (except for special meal at weaver’s studio)
required trip insurance

Required travel insurance: Why you need it: Oaxaca doesn’t have a robust healthcare system like you’re used to, so if you have a serious fall (sidewalks can be treacherous here), get sick, or the taxi you’re in has an accident, it could be very pricey to get you home for treatment. Therefore, we’re requiring everyone to purchase travel insurance for this trip (include medical evacuation of at least $50,000, international accident & health insurance including primary medical coverage, and trip cancellation coverage). There are also trip policies that include COVID cancellations. Also, we recommend purchasing additional “cancel for any reason” coverage – this will cover you in case you need to cancel at the last moment and there is no one on the wait list to take your place. We recommend that you get PRIMARY medical coverage, not secondary. Proof of insurance must be sent to us at least 45 days before departure.
We encourage you to purchase trip insurance immediately upon registering, with “Cancel for Any Reason” to cover you for unexpected circumstances – buy trip insurance WHEN YOU BOOK YOUR TRIP if you wish to have this extra coverage.
suggested provider: Squaremouth – https://www.squaremouth.com/travel-insurance-quotes
More COVID policy info: https://www.squaremouth.com/press-room/travel-insurance-coronavirus
best choices on Squaremouth: – HTH Worldwide, TripProtector Preferred, includes COVID cancellation – Trawick Intl, Safe Travels Voyager, includes COVID cancellation – TinLeg Gold, includes COVID cancellation
another provider: https://www.insuremytrip.com

COVID-19 protocol: We no longer require proof of vaccination, although we highly recommend having the most current booster before traveling to Oaxaca (it still exists here); there is no advanced treatment or special medications available here. If you become ill with Covid during the workshop, we expect you to immediately separate yourself from our group, isolate, and make arrangements to return home. Please add COVID coverage to your travel insurance.

Health & walking: Oaxaca is high altitude, at 5100 feet – some people need a few days to acclimate if they are coming from sea level. Can you walk 6,000 steps a day unassisted at 5100 ft? If not, you will be unhappy on this trip, and we only accept travelers who are in good health and can walk uneven cobblestone streets (narrow, with high curbs) and don’t have mobility or breathing issues. Also, dietary restrictions could be tricky, although there are restaurants that have gluten free and vegan options. Travelers will need to make personal accommodations and adjustments to meet group needs and schedule.

Valid passport: Also, be certain that your passport has at least six months on it before it expires from the date you enter Mexico – if not, your airline may not allow you entry into the country.

Flights & getting to/from the airport: airport: Oaxaca Xoxocotlán Intl airport (OAX) Oaxaca City (OAX) is a 45-minute flight from Mexico City (MEX), with many available connecting flights on AeroMexico, Volaris, and other carriers. To bypass Mexico City airport: in the US, United has a direct flight from Houston to Oaxaca, and American has a direct flight from Dallas to Oaxaca
NOTE: if you fly thru Mexico City, book flights that allow at least a 3-hr layover going TO Oaxaca (the line for passport control can be long and you’ll miss your flight), and 1-hr layover coming FROM Oaxaca. About a month prior to the workshop, we will send you detailed instructions about how to get from the airport to our location, what to bring, how to get cash from ATMs, etc.

Materials & suggestions:

We don’t supply materials for participants, please bring your own.
For watercolor – you can bring your favorite quality watercolor paints, brushes and paper. NOTE: if you are a watercolor beginner, you do NOT need to buy the complete list or most expensive art supplies, but just the basics. We suggest buying student quality watercolor kits & good paper to get started. Here is an optional list with suggestions for those undecided about materials: materials list here
We suggest that you familiarize yourself with Pedro’s website and take a look at his artwork for inspiration as you begin to think about your own personal symbols and talismans.

If you have questions: For questions regarding the workshop, lodging or transportation, contact the workshop coordinator: Corrie McCluskey at corrie[at]pedrocruzpacheco.com

ORIGINAL ART DIRECT FROM OAXACA, MEXICO
PEOPLE, ANIMALS, MAGICAL SCENES WITH SYMBOLS & TALISMANS