Art on the Pacific

This hands-on art experience introduces you to printmaking in the relaxed setting of a multifaceted artist's intimate studio in a charming village near Valparaíso. Under Marcela's guidance, you'll try your hand at crafting a monotype print using non-toxic, soy-based inks. Marcela will support you through creating the design and nurturing your natural talent and proving that everyone has an inner artist. By the time the activity is complete, your monotype will be ready to take away. No prior experience or proven skills in drawing or printmaking are necessary. To conclude your trip to Concon, Marcela will recommend local seafood restaurants in the "Gastronomic Capital of Chile" where you can stop for lunch or dinner.

The experience provides rare access to the studio of a professional Chilean artist. Marcela's portfolio spans lithography, painting, and folk art and she will share rich insight into Chile's artisanal legacy and culture while you create. Marcela's studio is attached to her home above the Higuerillas fishing hamlet in Concon, a short drive from Viña del Mar or Valparaíso. This area is rarely visited by international tourists which means you get to experience a truly local community. In terms of inspiration, you only need glance outside where dunes tumble to meet the waves of the Pacific and seals cling to rocky crags. This residential neighborhood is alive with flora and avifauna. Marcela is well-versed in Chilean mythology and has further visual prompts to unleash your creativity. Refreshments and local pastries are provided. If you're lucky, you may even get to sample the famous "pancito amasado" bread baked by Marcela's father, a retired lighthouse keeper.

Marcela Rodriguez is a contemporary multi-media artist. Born in 1965, Marcela grew up living in lighthouses with her lighthouse-keeper father along the rugged Southern Chilean coast. The vast Patagonian landscape and turbulent Pacific Ocean greatly influenced her. While in college, she discovered street theatre and performed with two important Santiago theatre troupes. In 1992, Marcela moved to Minneapolis, USA, and obtained a bachelor’s degree in Theatre Arts and an MFA in painting and drawing. In 2001, she moved back to Chile and developed a passion for printmaking, focusing on lithography. Her artwork has been exhibited in galleries throughout Chile, Mexico, Cuba, and the USA. Marcela has completed two art residencies for printmakers, including a month-long one in Veracruz, Mexico at La Ceiba Grafica in 2018 and with renowned artists from “Taller 99” in Santiago, 2019. She currently lives and works as a visual artist in Concon, Chile, and teaches at Casa Plan in Valparaíso.

Comfortable attire. Please be advised, in case of allergies, that four cats reside on the premises.