COMPOSITION & COLD WAX MEDIUM
A NEXT LEVEL COLD WAX WORKSHOP
with Jerry McLaughlin
OCTOBER 20-25, 2025
San Miguel de Allende, Mexico
$1,695*
*(includes 6 days daily lunch, transportation to/from studio, $100 materials fee)
‘Jerry is mentor, friend, instructor, and teacher. Patient, intelligent, articulate, and passionate about art and sharing his knowledge. By far the most beneficial workshop I have ever participated in.’
- Barbara S
An aerial view of San Miguel with its famous Paroquia and Jardin Allende.
Looking down one of the many beautiful cobblestone streets.
ABOUT THIS SAN MIGUEL WORKSHOP
The focus is composition. Artists will focus on and work deliberately with compositional concepts, practice analyzing composition, and work to incorporate this analysis into their painting process.
This workshop is 6 days. This gives participants plenty of time to paint, practice, and incorporate the workshop topics.
The workshop includes one-on-one time with Jerry. During the painting process Jerry will spend time with each participant to help them engage personally with their own compositions.
Pre-workshop meet and greet. The evening before the workshop begins, all participants are invited to a meet and greet to initiate the ‘getting to know’ process. This helps reduces Day 1 anxiety.
This workshop takes place at Estudio Paloma. On workshop days, there is no need to worry about lunch or travel logistics. Pick up and drop off between San Miguel city center and the studio, as well as a full, home-cooked lunch and wine are included in the price.
‘I will never forget Blanca, our lunches in her beautiful home, and our conversations to and from my little abode. Thanks for this workshop and your wonderful teaching skills.’
- Shelley H
*late balance payment incurs a fee of $200
COMPOSITION & CWM
This is a unique and in-depth workshop. Artists will have 6 hours of video lessons to watch in the month prior to the workshop as well as written and visual homework to help them be prepared for the workshop. During the workshop we will review the principals of design and learn how to apply those to compositional analysis. Students will work on studies using a specific compositional structure of their choice. They will practice compositional analysis and practice applying this during the painting process of 3-4 developed pieces to help them arrive at better final compositions.
WORKSHOP TOPICS INCLUDE:
principles of design and composition
heirarchy and visual weight
tension and balance
variety and unity
pattern, movement, and rhythm
scale and proportion
under-recognized compositional issues
edges of shapes
edges of paintings
implied lines
symmetry - asymmetry
character and unity
applying the principles of design to analysis of composition
recognizing strong composition
recognizing and identifying problems in composition
using compositional anaylsis and problem solving while painting
working deliberately with composition
improving your composition
planned vs. intuitive composition
and MORE!
*This workshops is for artists with prior experience painting and prior experience working with cold wax medium. If you are looking for a course on basic cold wax techniques, please consider one of my Introductory Intensive Workshops.
Are supplies included?
To make travel more convenient, artists essentially need to bring only their tools, paints, creativity, and enthusiasm. With your materials fee, the following supplies are provided:
cold wax medium, 32 oz per student
solvents
Arches oil paper
painting surfaces (Multimedia Artboard)
1 roll paper towels
waxed, non-stick, and other papers
texture materials, PanPastels, dry pigments, sand
palette paper
inks and other water-soluble media
and more!
Thinking of taking the workshop? Make it happen, no matter the inconvenience, cost, or timing!
- Judy V
It was well thought out and more giving of experience and talent than any other workshop I have taken.
- Dana G
ABOUT YOUR INSTRUCTOR
Jerry McLaughlin, MD, initially trained as a pediatric critical care physician. He began his artistic career as a fine art photographer, but realizing he had always wanted to be a painter, he abandoned photography and started painting. Although encaustic was his initial medium, once he discovered cold wax and oils, he quickly transitioned and has never gone back. His work has been collected across the US and internationally and has appeared in many publications. He works with HG Contemporary Gallery in New York, DZINE Gallery in San Francisco, and Avivson Gallery in London.
In 2017, Jerry, with co-author Rebecca Crowell, published the internationally award-winning Cold Wax Medium: Techniques, Concepts & Conversations. It is the first ever comprehensive book exploring the myriad techniques and ways artists are using cold wax medium. In 2020, Rebeca and Jerry started COLD WAX ACADEMY, the only online learning portal devoted exclusively to artists interested in cold wax.
Jerry is passionate about teaching, and he holds a certificate in adult education from the University of Washington. His strength lies in identifying and addressing the individual needs of his students and helping them analyze and develop solutions to the difficulties they are encountering.
Jerry went for the first time to San Miguel de Allende, Mexico in 2018. Three weeks later he and his husband, Mike, bought a home. They left Oakland and now live in San Miguel with their dog, Bert.
ABOUT TAKING A WORKSHOP IN SAN MIGUEL de ALLENDE
Getting to and around San Miguel
I recommend you fly into Leon (Guanajuato International Airport, BJX), which is about 60 miles from San Miguel or into Queretaro (also about 60 miles, QRO). From any of the airports you can take a cab or hire a car. There are shuttle/car services like BajioGo, whose services are reputable and have a solid track record. I use them when I go to/from the airport. I have some private drivers I can recommend if you are interested. Click HERE if you want names of private drivers.
You can also fly into Mexico City, but that is about 160 miles away and a 3-hour trip by car or bus to San Miguel.
Although you can rent a car and drive, having a car in SMA can be quite inconvenient with parking/traffic. It is easy to get around SMA via taxi and PickMe+. They are abundant and inexpensive. When getting into a ‘green taxi’ always agree on price before you depart. PickMe+ has fixed rates.
Lodging
The studio address is Paloma 11 La Luz, San Miguel de Allende, 37747 (the pink circle on the map).
Because daily transport to/from the workshop is included, I recommend you choose one of the many hotels or Airbnb’s in the city center and take advantage of the food, beauty, and culture of San Miguel.
If you would prefer to be walking distance to the workshop, Hotel Casa Primavera (the red circle), Hacienda San Patricio (between ‘SIN NOMBRE and pink circle), and some Airbnb’s in the area are options. However, unless you prefer a walking distance option, I recommend you stay in the city center (up and left of the red circle) and enjoy San Miguel. Here are some local hotels at various price ranges:
Rosewood - high end, great views, rooftop and restaurant, lots of amenities, historic
Hotel Live Aqua - high end, close to downtown but more private, pool, amenities, new
Hotel Apapacho - high end, downtown, rooftop, pool, restaurant
Casa Contenta - 7BR/7BA home, private rooms, great for groups or individuals, a more traditional/local neighborhood
Casa Carmen - a beautiful B&B in city center, great for groups or individuals
Casa Puesta del Sol - a beautiful hotel in a quiet neighborhood, modestly priced
Casa Schuck - a 10BR luxury B&B in centro, special pricing for my workshop, email them for info
Hotel Real de Minas - more ‘traditional’ hotel, modest prices, short walk to town but lots of good food nearby
Meson Hidalgo and Casa Delphine - small, boutique hotels owned by friends of ours, great for individuals or small groups
Hotel Casa Blanca - more ‘traditional’ hotel, modest prices, short walk to town, a more traditional/local neighborhood
Casa Carly - more ‘traditional’, a short walk to town but super close to dozens of art galleries in Fabrica la Aurora, modest prices
*Please note, I am not endorsing any lodging. Where you stay, how much you spend, the kinds of services and amenities you expect are your personal choice. The locations I have listed are well known and reputable, and/or prior students have stayed there and reported a good experience.
What should you bring?
Click HERE for information about traveling with art supplies.
*You cannot ship your art supplies to me. Please do not ask this.
How will I get my paintings home?
We will be working on surfaces varying among 9x12, 12x12, 12x16, 16x16, or 16x20, depending on what sizes you choose when you’re here. I recommend you bring two pieces of corrugated cardboard approximately 1 inch bigger than the largest size you plan on working with (e.g. 17x17 will accommodate a 16x16 inch painting). This will keep them protected during your travel.
Travel Insurance
I recommend that you purchase travel insurance to help cover the cost of workshop, flight, lodging, luggage, etc., should there be interruption or disruption of your travels. Your policy should also include health coverage. Medicare and many other insurance plans do not cover medical expenses or repatriation during international travel. Click HERE for basic information on travel insurance.
CLICK HERE FOR INFORMATION ABOUT COVID-19