Newsletter
16th November, 2025
From the Studio…
Welcome to the November edition of From the Studio. In this edition I will share some stories and inspiration from my fabulous trip to Mexico - what a feast for the senses! There is also an Artwork in Focus (created in Mexico of course), a report on some Seasonal Noticing and a gentle reminder of my online shop brimming with gift ideas for the upcoming festive season. Step into my studio… Let’s get to it!
Marvellous Mexico
I have just returned from a truly magnificent adventure in Mexico. I feel so lucky and grateful that I was able to finally do this trip that I have been wistfully eyeing for a number of years now.
I spent a week in the incredible Mexico City with a couple of friends (Museums! Art! Ballet Folklorico de Mexico! The Pyramids of Teotihuacan! Frida Kahlo’s Casa Azul! Alebrijes - that’s me with one of these fantastical mythical creatures in the first photo) before joining the Art Travel Adventures gang to explore Guanajuato, San Miguel de Allende and Patzcuaro.
We were also there to make some art and this trip we attended a quite mind-blowing printing workshop with master printmaker Hugo Anaya. He is such a positive, inspiring teacher who was so encouraging. We all learnt so much and loved working in his beautiful rooftop studio.
Later in Patzcuaro, we met up with Hugo again, and he and Kerri took us through exercises, demonstrations and techniques to create travel sketchbooks - the perfect way to document a truly magical trip.
I have so many ideas for future artworks (and like my lovely new friends - many ideas for sprucing up my home to add more colour and life to it - a little bit of Mexico!) Who wouldn’t want a dining room like this one below from the Villa Refugio in Patzcuaro?!
This is my fourth trip with Art Travel Adventures - Kerri Ainsworth’s beautifully curated, immersive, creative experiences which combine culture, sightseeing and art-making (my kind of travel!) Mexico remains a favourite destination for the well-travelled Kerri and I can see why… There is inspiration, colour and a sense of joy everywhere.
We were lucky enough to be in Mexico for two major festivals - the International Cervantino Festival in Guanajuato and the Dia de Los Muertos (or Day of the Dead) in San Miguel de Allende. You can see us in our makeup and outfits in the header photo on our way to take part in the parade.
Autumn in Mexico, Spring in Sydney.
It was Autumn in Mexico and preparations for Day of the Dead were underway. The floral symbol of this celebration is the marigold. Big, blowsy, pom-poms of petals, more extravagant than the ones we generally see in Australia. Everywhere, the streets were decorated with marigolds, extra plants added to garden beds, garlands hung on doorways and bunches displayed on ofrendas or altars. The belief is that this vibrant flower guides the spirits of the dead back to living for their yearly visit.
Seasonal Noticing
Marigolds
in Mexico.
Returning to Sydney, I was happy to see that the Jacarandas are still going strong. I love to see the mauve clouds of their flowers on headlands, city streets and carpeting emerald green grass. They are often planted near Illawarra Flame trees which flower in scarlet - magnificent!
This artwork brings back many happy memories of the rooftop of Alma del Sol - Hugo Anaya’s lovely B and B and location of the printing studio where we worked. We would sit on this collection of chairs and watch the sunset with freshly made margaritas or enjoy a cup of tea and quick sketch before breakfast. Guanajuato’s skyline is filled with domes, towers and colour! Imagine also the sound of church bells echoing over the rooftops and troubadours singing on the streets below. I later turned this drawing into a print, a real challenge I must say. I drew this on brown paper using ink and my bamboo nib pen and later added colour with gouache paint.
Artwork in Focus - From Hugo’s Rooftop
A reminder that there are lots of goodies available at my online shop - Original Artworks, Limited Edition prints and even a Digital Download for a DIY Advent Calendar. I hope you will consider the gift of art for yourself or a special person this festive season.
That’s all for this edition of From the Studio. Please feel free to pass the link on to others or follow along on Instagram or Facebook @ellahollandcreative.
Until next time,
XX Ella