San Miguel de Allende: Classic, Colonial Beauty *****

San Miguel de Allende, a UNESCO site named after Ignacio José de Allende who was a leader (with the Priest, Miguel Hidalgo) in the revolution that led to the founding of the modern country of Mexico, is one of the most magical places imaginable. With its great beauty, vibrant culture and quirky architecture, San Miguel offers us an alluring, unforgettable place to paint.  Its landscape nicely complements and contrasts those of Guanajuato, Dolores Hidalgo and Mineral de Pozos, the other pueblos in this book. 

 A popular destination for North Americans and Mexicans alike, San Miguel is often considered the “Aspen (Colorado)” of Mexico.  Here, you can stroll along narrow, cobbled streets edged with inviting doorways in brightly painted buildings, sit in shady parks and gaze out at Baroque churches, and dine at sidewalk cafes from the wee hours in the morning until the moon shines high in the heavens. With its seldom ending events –from daytime parades to evening operas and mariachi bands- there is rarely a dull moment in this vibrant town.

Situated at the head of a broad valley in Mexico’s central plateau, San Miguel has a fairytale setting, its many church spires peeking into the azure sky, an enclosing ridge of hills the backdrop.  A Spanish Colonial town, San Miguel was associated with the silver and mining industry, a place where services were provided -such a shipping, banking and merchandising.  Fortunately, San Miguel -with wisdom and foresight- managed to preserve much of its historic charm to become a popular destination for this very reason.  It’s popularity among artists and travelers alike is, in significant part, because of the local Instituto de San Miguel de Allende (founded by two Americans and a Mexican), was accredited for the U.S’s “G.I. Bill” after World War II, a program where returning servicemen could study fine art with tuition subsidies.  This accreditation assured a continuous stream of artists from North America (and Europe) to study at el Instituto, many of whom remained in this lively and creative town.  To this day, “SMA” (as it is called), includes among its residents a large community of artists, writers and a broad stripe of people who love its artsy culture.

I visited San Miguel three times (2014-16), before moving here to live in January 2017 and experience year-round weather.  All seasons are immensely enjoyable (winter is cool and dry; early summer, warmer with frequent afternoon and evening thunderstorms. Spring and autumn are ideal with cool mornings and warm days. The modest seasonal changes are refreshing. 

San Miguel offers a broad range of art themes:

            * classical townscapes

            * historical architectural 

            * gardens and parks

            * scenic-rural landscapes

            * courtyards and interiors

            * café art

            * themes and studies 

The following pages in my book will guide you, an artist, to the best of San Miguel."  (It covers, in detail, about six fascinating and scenic locations-with maps, drawings and paintings.... 

The Journey Begins...

This blog follows my recently published book:

Available on Amazon and Blurb.com, this book is the first of a planned series of books on the scenic beauty and enchanting culture of Pueblos Mágicos ("Magical Towns") in Mexico.  This book, taking over two years to write, describes the most scenic and interesting locations-plazas, gardens, parks and look-out points-in four Magical Towns in Guanajuato, a mountainous State in Central Mexico.  The book contains hand-drawn maps, oil and watercolor paintings, and drawings that illustrate the captivating scenes in the various locations within and around these towns.

My research on these towns is extensive and involved guidance from the local Tourism Offices, walking for miles exploring the streets, alleyways and trails to find the very best locations for visual arts: painting, photography or notable architecture.  When I found a captivating spot, I would often measure and draw maps of it to show the exact location of painting or photography spots.  Here is an example map:

This book is not only about this and books-in-the-works, but also about the process of writing them: the journeys, explorations, adventures and personal experiences of traveling to these towns. Although it is written in English, I do speak "travel Spanish" fluently; hence, I am able to gather information and record it in this (these) books with insight and accuracy.  In many ways, this Blog will be a travel log. I invite your following.  Hasta luego.