Making is Knowing: A Collage + Assemblage Retreat
San Miguel de Allende, Mexico
march 14-20,2027
Join River Gallery School and Sweet Spot Style for an unforgettable week of art-making, exploration, and creative renewal in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.
Designed by Kimberly Carmody of River Gallery School of Art (RGS) and Desha Peacock of Sweet Spot Style, this retreat directly supports RGS, with 100% of profits benefiting RGS arts programming.
This intimate retreat is open to artists, makers, and curious travelers of all experience levels who wish to deepen their connection to creativity while immersed in one of the world’s most vibrant cultural destinations.
At River Gallery School, we believe that making is a way of knowing. Through the creative process, we discover new ways of seeing ourselves, our surroundings, and one another.
This retreat is an invitation to experience San Miguel de Allende not simply as a tourist, but as an observer—to move through the city with curiosity, attention, and a willingness to be surprised.
IMAGINE
Time to journal, sketch, explore, or simply soak in the beauty of San Miguel, this retreat is designed to support your individual creative journey.
A Week of Art- Making
Using collage and assemblage as our primary creative process, we’ll gather found, recycled, natural, and locally sourced materials while exploring the streets, markets, gardens, bookstores, and neighborhoods of San Miguel de Allende.
We’ll slow down, follow our hearts, look, listen and notice what we’re drawn towards. Perhaps it’s the city’s vibrant architecture, the blooming flowers, weathered walls or bustling markets, that will speak to us.
Our discoveries will become the raw material for making artwork that reflects both our experience of San Miguel and our own inner landscape.
Participants will have dedicated studio space in our private retreat house, opportunities for plein air painting, sketching excursions, and a Sequencing Painting workshop, as well as visits to local artisans, galleries, museums, and the Mercado de Artesanías.
With ample time to create, rest, explore, and enjoy the thermal hot springs, this retreat offers a unique opportunity to deepen your artistic practice and immerse yourself in Mexican culture.
The best part? Everything is optional. Whether you prefer a full schedule of creative activities or a slower pace with time to journal, sketch, explore, or simply soak in the beauty of San Miguel, this retreat is designed to support your individual creative journey.
I‘m hooked!
I loved the demos, instruction and the allotted times we had to paint. I also liked that I could swap out tours/activities for painting time. Learning how to sequence was definitely an eye-and heart-opener. The process was very accessible and allowed me to find my way on the canvas and begin to discover my own way of expressing what I see. I'm hooked!
Kezia Carpenter
What a gift
I had the good fortune of joining River Gallery School’s inaugural landscape painting trip to San Miguel de Allende in Mexico! I came away quite changed! Kimberly and Desha wove together such a magical aesthetic adventure of care-filled oil painting instruction and exploration, meandering sun baked clay colored cobblestone street elevation… striking interiors… handmade sketchbook pages to catch the marks of coming together and wandering adrift… soothing hot springs… vibrant colors… a beautiful measure of shared communal creativity and retreat so that clarity and inspiration could return to the surface…What a gift.
Liza Cassidy, Artist
I can’t wait to return
Kimberly and Desha offered their expertise and leadership with such grace and ease such that each person felt there was space and a path for them.
It felt to me to be just the right balance of planned activities and time just to relax.
The design of the retreat and the magical environment of San Miguel made this an extraordinarily rich and an unforgettable art and travel experience- one that for me definitely needs to be repeated.
I can’t wait to return.
Kate Dare-Winters
Take me back!
Painting outside, surrounded by the beauty of San Miguel, was beyond my expectations. The colors, the light, the people, the FOOD! All of it contributed to a magical time in SM.
I will definitely be back!
Sami, Videographer
About San Miguel
San Miguel de Allende is a stunning colonial town in central Mexico that is rated by Conde Nast as the #1 travel destination in the world! Writers, artists and other creatives come here to be inspired by the culture, vibrant colors and spring-like weather.
This retreat is the perfect place to allow your creativity to flow. Meander through the cobblestone streets filled with lush courtyards beyond beautifully adorned doors, allow yourself to melt away watching the sunset on our private rooftop terrace and feel the energy pulsating through one of Mexico’s most charming towns.
Meet Your Hosts
Kimberly Carmody
Kimberly is an artist, educator, and Executive Director of River Gallery School of Art in Brattleboro, Vermont.
Kimberly will have individual conferences with each participant, lead a plein air painting session, sketching excursions through San Miguel’s streets and markets, helping people deepen their powers of observation and connect more fully with the visual richness of the city.
Desha Peacock
Desha is a River Gallery School board member, founder of Sweet Spot Style, and longtime San Miguel retreat leader.
Having hosted retreats in San Miguel for more than a decade, Desha will serve as our local guide, helping us find hidden treasures to thrift and collect materials from, and introducing us to the city’s museums, galleries, artisan workshops, boutiques and restaurants.
The retreat house. The space in which we hold retreat is a BIG part of your creative journey. This one is chosen for its quiet and calming location, attention to design details, and abundance of both outdoor and indoor private spaces for you to bond with your creative friends, sketch on your own, or simply watch the sunset on the rooftop.
I look forward to coming back!
I'm still digesting the experience but it definitely loosened up my life a lot! I see it taking me into working with paint and textiles in some way moving forward. It will also help me in my own teaching because some of the concepts were similar but in a different medium! I had such a wonderful time with everyone. It was such a nice group of people. And I learned so much!! Thank you for everything!
Robin Zachary, Prop Stylist + Author
Epic!
Traveling to San Miguel with the River Gallery Art School was such a special treat. I’m new to painting and was a bit nervous, but everyone made me feel so at ease and included. One of my favorite parts was meeting the local artists - like Van at her shop in Guadalupe. So inspiring!
Ashley Marshall
Itinerary Sketch
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You’ll be met by your shuttle driver at Queretaro (QRO) or Leon/Guanajuato (BJX) Airport and taken to your private retreat home in the heart of San Miguel de Allende where you will relax for the next six nights.
This evening you’ll enjoy a welcome dinner and inaugural cocktail on the retreat house rooftop; and set up personal studio work space.
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8:30-9:00: Grounding Rooftop Meditation (optional)
9:00-9:30: Breakfast at the retreat house
10:00-1:30: Get your bearings with a guided walk to the heart of centro. Enjoy lunch at one of the local cafes + visit a couple of the art galleries + pop into the shops that catch your eye and grab a bite for lunch.
1:30–4:30: Bring your curiosity! We’ll meet in our retreat house for a Sequencing Painting Workshop, which will get us all started in our creative journey.
Evening: You’ll receive a travel guide full of recommendations for dinner so you can enjoy some free time and explore this UNESCO World Heritage Site at your own pace.
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8:30-9:00: Grounding Rooftop Meditation (optional)
9:00-9:30: Breakfast at the house
10:00-1:00: El Jardin with / sketchbooks. We will wander the streets and source local materials for collage + assemblage.1:00-2:00: Lunch on your own.
2:30-4:30: Gather your art supplies and join Kimberly at the house for a workshop on collage + assemblage techniques.
Evening: Dinner on your own
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Day 4: VISIT THE THERMAL HOT SPRINGS + creative workshop
8:00-8:30: Quick light breakfast at the house
8:30-10:30: Depart for a visit to San Miguel’s most famous thermal springs. Enjoy the deliciously warm hot springs, one of the many natural thermal baths around San Miguel. Locals and travelers alike come to the warm waters for their healing and rejuvenating properties.
Lunch on your own
2:30-4:00: Creative workshop with a local artisan.
Evening: Dinner on your own
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8:30-9:00: Grounding Rooftop Meditation (optional)
9:00-9:30: Breakfast at the house
10:00-12:00: Kimberly visits each participant in their workspace for a personal check in
12:00-3:00: Lunch out + independent walk with sketch books through Guadalupe neighborhood which is full of art murals and wonderful little coffee shops.
Evening: Free time for dinner and to rest on your own.
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8:30-9:00: Grounding Rooftop Meditation (optional)
9:00-9:30 Breakfast at the house
Today is a free day for you to continue drawing + painting or take a day trip to explore this marvelous town.
Get a massage or perhaps visit the Botanical Gardens.
Stroll through the Mercado Ignacio Ramirez where you’ll find hand-woven shawls, embroidered linens, hand-painted pottery & the latest folk-art trends.
Lunch is on your own. You’ll find recommendations in your Retreat Guide.
5:00pm: We will gather to enjoy a farewell dinner and have a group share in which participants can share their work.
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8:30-10:30am: Breakfast included.
Transfers arranged for your return trip to the airport.
* Please note this is an itinerary sketch. Small changes may be made due to unexpected opportunities & group desires. Meals that are included are the welcome and farewell dinner, light tapas on day 4 and breakfast daily. All other meals are on your own expense.
What’s Included:
Six nights accommodations at our private retreat house
An intimate retreat experience, limited to 10 participants
Daily fresh breakfast prepared at the casa + welcome & farewell reception (all other meals are at participants’ expense)
Optional morning meditation to begin each day with intention
Round-trip transportation from León or Querétaro airports
Transportation & admission to the healing Mayan thermal hot springs
Visit to the Mercado de Artesanías to explore and shop local crafts
One plein air painting class, one Sequencing Painting & one individual conference with Kimberly to discuss your artwork and creative process
One creative workshop with a local artisan
Guided walks through San Miguel to gather found, recycled, and locally sourced materials for collage and assemblage projects
Loved the camaraderie and support.
This retreat was wonderfully organized! I loved the morning meditation, the hot springs, the great people and the daily structured painting / drawing time.
Tina Olsen, Artist
The retreat exceeded my expectations
I had always wanted to go to San Miquel on a creative retreat so when I googled those two things together, up popped Desha’s website Sweet Spot Style.
After a few email exchanges I decided to jump in and travel to a place I’d never been before with a group of people I had never met. And I am so glad I did. The retreat exceeded my expectations.
The guest house was absolutely lovely, the city accessible and beautiful, the creative parts lots of fun and the excursions most interesting.
But the best part was the lively group that I found myself part of - everyone else either had a connection to Vermont or a connection to one another but I was welcomed in with open arms. I met such an interesting group of women and was inspired by all of them in different ways. It was a lovely and memorable week for me!
Marilee, Artist
Register Here
Make sure to note the cancellation policy under the FAQ’s and that travel insurance is required. Then click the register button below.
There are five private king size bedrooms each with an ensuite bathroom at the retreat house, along with one queen double. First come, first serve on these rooms.
AVAILABLE ROOMS
Save $250 when signing up before October 15, 2026 (early bird prices reflected in the cart).
Queen: This is a shared room with two queen beds. Early Bird Price per person $3000.
Private King: For one person with ensuite bathroom Early Bird Price $3500.
Shared King: For two people sharing the king with ensuite bathroom Early Bird Price $2500 per person.
Payment plans on request + for further questions you may contact desha@sweetspotstyle.com