Canjilon Lake

This is a 2.5-hour guided plein air painting session at Canjilon Lake. Your instructor will guide you step by step through composing and painting the alpine landscape — the still water, the spruce and aspen canopy, the peaks above. You leave with a finished original painting and a memory of a New Mexico that most visitors never find.

The area's habitats are set among wetlands, marshes, and the headwaters of Canjilon Creek — meaning the scene in front of you shifts constantly as light moves across the water and wind ripples the surface. No two sessions here produce the same painting.

Practical details:

The access road varies from paved to all-weather gravel — a standard passenger vehicle can make the drive, though an SUV is recommended. Guests should dress in layers — temperatures at this elevation can swing dramatically between morning and afternoon — and bring water, sunscreen, and closed-toe shoes.

All painting supplies, canvases, brushes, and paints are provided by Luminaria Studio.