January 23 – 30, 2027 Robert Burridge

by

Renown artist/instructor Robert Burridge returns to the Casa for his annual Tropical Escapaint & A New Workshop: Painting Abstract Themes and Contemporary Faces in Mexico

A New Unique Workshop
with Robert Burridge

We are excited and look forward to Bobs’ annual workshop week at the Casa!
January 23 – 30, 2027
For beginners with little experience, to advanced artists

“This Workshop was wonderful 11 out of 10. The Group was great, our hosts were lovely and welcoming, the place is beautiful. This was the best of many, many workshops I’ve attended. Bob’s communication, inspiration, knowledge and mastery were excellent!”
– B.K., Bethesda, MD

(To see Bob’s suggested Materials List for this workshop as well as suggestions for painting on location, please scroll to the bottom)

Creative tearing, paint splashing and drawing with acrylic inks and pencils start off this abstract workshop. You will learn how to begin a body of work with your own artistic voice and point of view. You will learn new techniques for creating Mixed Media work with specific themes for each painting day, including:


Small, Colorful Multiples – How to create artwork for small spaces, based on graphic design, color and a strong concept. Bob has called these his “little gems” since 1996.

Paint a Selfie– Paint Yourself? Someone Else? Your BFF? A Likeness? Your own interpretation of a face—from realistic to abstract, glamorous to scary… then add mixed media and collage. Get your inspiration from Mexican masks!

Abstracted Figures – Without a model, learn to add a figure and life to your painting. Paint the illusion of figures into a loose and juicy abstract painting. You will learn how to create Bob’s memorable “carrot people” in different poses, for today’s modern art world, whether painting the figure in landscape or loose abstracts.

Adding Collage Papers to your Painting – This is a daily exercise, focusing on making your own patterned collage papers, then experiment with layering collage, acrylic paint, water soluble pencils and crayons.

Daily, you can expect warmup paint sketching, brief painting and lecture demos, constructive critiques and plenty of time to work on personal projects. Come prepared to paint your stuff!

All days, you can expect hands-on demos, graphic design techniques and basic formulas. Plenty of painting time, and critiques from Bob. All levels. Handouts will be provided.

We will primarily paint in the top floor studio, overlooking the ocean and fishing village, along with an optional excursion to experience the beautiful surrounding region, the award wining Botanical Gardens and Puerto Vallarta.

Learn the goof-proof secrets how Bob Burridge begins everyday in his studio. Starting each day with multiple, small “warm-up painting exercises” and up to larger-format paintings, Burridge’s positive approach towards the act of painting will inspire you to loosen up, have fun again and paint more!

IMPORTANT! Keep it simple, portable and easy to carry.

You will paint many loose, crazy-fun paintings! Bob gives you permission to goof around, painting multiple warmups using his 5Cs – Concept, Color Combinations, Composition, Consistency and Commitment. Spend hours of splashing paint around, with structure, design and color. Bob’s workshop has become a must for artists who want the confidence and permission to paint the way they have always wanted to paint.

Imagine the best art workshop vacation of your life: Painting in a charming fishing village and visiting other exotic locations along the gorgeous Pacific coast of Mexico , with inspirational workshop leader Robert Burridge! Immerse yourself in the joys of authentic Mexican village life at one of the most beautiful and arts oriented locales in Latin America, Casa de los Artistas, in the serene village of Boca de Tomatlan, 10 miles south of Puerto Vallarta.

“Excellent! The art instruction, the food, kitchen staff, my room in the sister apartment -all was excellent! I would recommend the Casa because it is a great place for relaxation and tuning things out. I was told, “Whatever I needed to get out of the experience I would find it here” – and I did!

 

The instruction was amazing, the food delicious and fresh and the scenery beautiful. I feel like I have had a real break from my everyday life -when I get back to work I will feel rejuvenated.”
– Lorraine McDonough, Monterey, CA. – 2013 workshop participant

Watch the video below as Bob talks about one of his trips to the Casa and demos some of the materials he brings with him.

Bob Burridge on location sketch

 

“My Casa Experience was Reflective, Restful and Rejuvenating. I came in as an empty balloon and was filled with fabulous food, friends and memories as I float home on cloud 99 – A chance to pause and regain your “sense of self” through the simple lifestyle of “less is more”. Rustic Elegance with a terrain to tone every muscle in my body. Fabulous food and accommodations and great instruction – 10 Stars!!! – I would encourage people to begin their “Boca Experience” before they arrive. -Walk comfortably on uneven terrains and have fun walking up inclines several times a week before arriving, hike in the woods a few times so you are sure of your footing, there are uneven trails and cobblestones in the Boca and a lot of stairs at the Casa, (studio is on the 3rd floor). Something along the lines of Bob Burridges instructions for painting in plein air – learn to deal with your equipment and the elements BEFORE you get here, easel set ups, sun hats, bug repellent, paint pallette, etc., etc., etc. – this way you’ll be ready for optimal enjoyment!
– Peggy Buchanan, Santa Barbara, CA

Additional activities available at the Casa:

When you’re not painting: during the siesta, and Weds. afternoon, your time is your own. Join us for an optional trip to the award wining Puerto Vallarta Botanical Gardens or you can relax on the beautiful beach, photograph the charming village, take a siesta, visit the zoo, go hiking, walking, sea kayaking, zip lining, shopping in the Mercado, or exploring the galleries and cafes. You can enjoy peaceful alone time, or hang out with other guests. Information & Registration: (413) 335-4295

Robert Burridge


Robert Burridge shows the techniques for his studio chart “painting the illusion of glass”

Bob Burridge’s Suggested Materials List for the Casa de los Artistas Workshop
IMPORTANT! Keep it simple, portable and easy to carry.

Suggested Materials List – This is only a suggested materials list. Do not feel obligated to purchase everything on this list. Bring what you think you will need and use.

  • Palette: Any convenient surface for mixing your paint. I mix directly on the plastic cover on the table.
  • Paints: Any professional-grade paint (no cheap, student grade paints) Your choice of colors. Burridge will be painting with Holbein Artist Acrylic paint – colors to match his Goof-Proof Color Wheel, plus black and white.

    •Pyrrole Red Light •Marigold •Hansa Yellow •Cobalt Blue •Cad Green Deep •Compose Blue #1 •Compose Blue #2 •Ultramarine Deep •Primary Magenta•Luminous Opera •Lamp Black •Titanium White

    Holbein paints available at Vermont Art Supply. (800) 790-2552 or www.VermontArtSupply.com (They have Bob’s 10 favorite colors, plus the Luminous Opera – also black and Titanium White.) Note: “Color Comparison Chart”available on his website. 

  • “Drawing” –Any water soluble crayons or drawing pencils – black and your

    choice of colors. Bob will use Derwent InkTense pencils, Stabilo Woodies, and possibly a few others!

  • Brushes: You don’t need a lot of brushes.

    Synthetic Blends, 1/4”, 1/2” and 1” Flat and 1/4” Round brush for acrylic washes.

  • Surfaces: You can bring both watercolor paper and canvases and/or

    cradled wood panels to the workshop. Here is the breakdown of each: You can use 10”x10”, 9”x12” or similar sizes, 140 or 300 lb CP. Bob will use Fabriano Artistico Watercolor Paper. Before coming to the workshop, pre-gesso your paper, one coat, one side – let dry.

  • Collage materials – Your own collection of collage paper scraps, such as: Old letters, music sheets, photos (make prints from a Xerox copier), fabric or any other weird stuff you need.

  • Glue for Collage Work: Polymer Gel Medium – gloss. Bob uses Nova Color Gel Medium #207. Have a 2” cheap brush for spreading the gel medium. Bring a tool like a brayer, Catalyst or a cardboard spreader.

  • Paper towels. Roll of VIVA towels or similar
    (You may be purchased in the village, but is not the best quality – bring pesos or bring your own!)
  • For water: A low, half gallon plastic bucket, or a low 10×10 inch tupperware-type container, (they don’t tip over), or similar.
  • Table covering – Clear, 4ml plastic sheet, precut to 4 ft x 8 ft – hold down with strong tape (No green or blue painters’ tape.

  • Small plastic garbage bag for trash.
  • Robert Burridge’s Goof Proof Color Wheel. (We will bring a small number of Color Wheels with us – place an order on Bob’s website early to receive yours prior to the workshop.)
  • Artist’s Sketchbook, spiral bound for note taking, paint sketching – must accept light washes.

  • Hand Barrier Cream, such Burt’s Bees hand salve or Nitrile gloves

  • Cloth bag or backpack to carry all of your stuff.
The Casa Experience – Basic Supplies for On-Location Painting
We will be visiting the amazing Puerto Vallarta Botanical Gardens, rated among the top 10 in the world! Bob will share with you his methods for painting on location using the materials below, (check out his BobBlast video on these materials below as well.
For me, painting on location should not be a chore or a task. I love painting in my studio. I prefer to bring the same approach when outside. However, sketching outdoors reminds me to stop, slow down and observe. I tend to appreciate the entire experience more. I am also a firm believer that traveling and sketching on location is easier with less art supplies. No need for heavy paint boxes, easels and backpacks. For me, I’ve narrowed down the supplies to three things – one Kilimanjaro watercolor pad, one Faber-Castell Pitt Artist Pen sketching pen and Derwent InkTense Pencils and Blocks. Last year when I was in Mexico at the Casa de los Artistas outside of Puerto Vallarta, my time was well spent at the Casa, at the beach and the botanical garden – for impromptu sketching with the Derwent Inktense Pencils and Inktense Blocks. Later – I added a little water with a brush and turned the color pencil sketches into glorious vibrant watercolors! The quality of the InkTense Blocks and Pencils is perfect for quick sketching without lugging around all the painting gear. This Blast illustrates the ease and effectiveness of these two products. With less art supplies to lug around, I spend more time creating. That’s the whole idea, isn’t it? Paint More!

ALL OF THE ABOVE FITS INTO ONE OF MY TWO CHECKED PIECES OF LUGGAGE, under 50 lbs (one bag for art and the second bag for clothing/personal stuff.) Whatever you bring, make it work for you. *IMPORTANT! Keep it simple and portable. Bring only as much as you can comfortably carry. Expect to carry your stuff. No “bell boys” or porters – but many helping hands – when you arrive there are young men who will get your suitcase to your room and your art supply bag to the Casa studio on the 3rd floor – separate them – and don’t forget to tip these hard working young men generously!.

Label EVERYTHING with your name, email address and telephone number.

Remember – the three-storied Casa is wide open on the beach near the forest edge and faces the fishing boat community across the way. Fascinating ancient aromas and music waft across the beach while we paint. Imagine!

Robert Burridge – January 23 – 30, 2027
SEMINAR IS LIMITED !
REGISTER NOW TO RESERVE YOUR PLACE!
PLEASE WRITE THE WORKSHOP ARTIST & DATES YOU ARE SIGNING UP FOR!
BOOK YOUR FLIGHT EARLY
You can reserve your place with a $500. credit card deposit, (no surcharge) or pay in full (surcharge applies)

Go to the Payment Page >>