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....
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