Workshops + Retreats

September 7-21st 2026

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You do not need to be a trained artist to partake in  this workshop, though a good imagination is crucial for anything we do in this world today.  In the first years of living in Iquitos, before I purchased land, I spent a good two years exploring ceremonies, dietas and working with creative processes for painting and gilding. The results were phenomenal for me, not just the creative expression of discovering deeper sides of myself but also refining an expression that was more genuinely mine, and the process itself had profound, lasting  healing benefits.  

 

The word "transmutation" had a whole new meaning for me.  Heavy indoctrination that claims anger, fear, sadness, resentment, etc are not positive characteristics to have, then why do so many people hold on to these  things?  Any of these powerful emotions, when channeled properly, can be transmuted into  creative expression.  There is a lot of beautiful artwork throughout history, and if you know the story behind some of these, they were created by pain.  Even though they come across as an expression of love, the deeper message is "You never know how much you love someone until they are gone."

There is a full spectrum of light and dark to work with, and I am here to just guide the process within the confines of the ancient technique of water gilding and painting if you wish.  In the past I have explored dark topics, though in the last decades I have challenged myself with the difficultly of attempting to create beauty.   It is not easy, even beauty can be subjective, a  majority of the people might like it, though there is always someone who gets offended.

 

 

I recently saw a pod cast with Gregg Braden and at one point he was talking about the Gnostic Gospels and was putting the word "Divinity" into modern day context from its Aramaic origins.  Divinity is not originally of religious context, the word religion was not even used back then.  Divinity in its essence is "The ability to transcend perceived limitations."  The expressions of Human Divinity are: imagination, creativity, innovation, empathy, sympathy, compassion, self healing, and forgiveness.  He further said the purpose of evil is to deny Human Divinity, to deny us of our greatest expressions.   This workshop is a platform to explore our capacity to transcend perceived limitations.

This retreat will include Ayahuasca Ceremonies, Plant Diets, healthy food, all materials for preparation and gilding, though we recommend bringing a minimum of drawing and painting supplies that can be explained later for those interested. I am here to guide the experience of creating something from your imagination, real or abstract or exploring nature in its endless patterns and designs which can have distinct forms yet can be broken down into abstraction.  Each individual will be unique exploring this.

 

It includes preparing, creating and making a gilded icon to take back with you.

 

This will be an immersive experience with a group of like minded individuals who are also interested in exploring the ancient  technique of water gilding and expressing it in a contemporary manner.  The roots of water gilding can be traced back to ancient Egypt, with numerous examples found in Tutankamon's tomb. It evolved in certain Roman burial rites with wax painted portraits of the deceased with gold gilt laurel leaves as a crown.  Later, it surfaced in the European Byzantine art meshed into paintings from  about 1150 to about 1550.  During the Italian Renaissance with the advent of painting on canvas rather than wood the gilding shifted to the frame.  From there it spread into furniture, architecture, decoration motifs, etc. and has resurfaced in paintings throughout history.

 

I am really excited to share the techniques I have learned over decades of exploring various ways of expression and experimentation with you all and help you all express whatever you wish in a unique way to yourselves, via this ancient technique.  You will be able to take the art pieces home with you after as a reminder of your journey.

 

Cost will be $3000 which includes all ceremonies, necessary dietas, art materials and more.

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Please do watch the video on this page which goes into deeper information about my artistic work, and if you wish to join email us to save your space.