Katie Kendrick in her element

Since last October, when I attended a workshop in San Miguel de Allende, I have worked with Judy Wise and Katie Kendrick in offering artist workshops in Oaxaca, Mexico City, San Miguel and Costa Rica. Can you stand it?! Two of my favorite artists and I am organizing workshops for them. Who would have thunk it? I hadn't even dreamed it so you can imagine how blessed I feel that they are trusting me to organize these trips for them. Not only do I get to spend time with them, but I get to spread the word at how incredible both of these artists are. They are warm, generous, interesting women and I am learning not only about art, but also gardening, canning, making tinctures, and eating organically. Judy and Katie, along with their husbands, have great gardens that offer bounty not only for themselves, but for food banks and some of the worker bees who help them.

I went to Katie's to drop off some of the supplies for our upcoming workshop in Oaxaca. While there, I got to walk the loop along the river and fields where Katie gets a lot of her inspiration. Yes, I saw the Mother tree and swimming hole and marveled at the many beaver homes along the short distance we walked and the telltale signs of their visits along the riverbanks.

Katie picked a few supplies for me from her garden while I was there. What a treat.

Katie is definitely in her element when she is one with nature. If there was one word I would use to describe Katie, it is organic. This includes her artwork. She readily admits that she is not a realistic painter, instead her pieces evolve as she intuits their many layers.

I can't wait to see what she paints in Paint Oaxaca next week and in Mexico City with Judy in March.