Rachel Sager's 2027 Todos Santos Retreat
Rootstock
A hybrid apple tree is created by splicing a healthy, resilient rootstock with a novel variety that has different qualities. The graft creates something new that carries the best qualities of both.
The Ruins has been the proving ground, the rootstock upon which Rachel Sager has been testing mosaic ideas for over a decade. In April, she will be grafting it onto Baja.
The power of ONE place
One of the rootstock identifiers of The Ruins has consistently been the power of ONE place. Choosing one place and going all in on it from every angle. Not just from its front, but from its side angles and corners.
That is what a week in Todos Santos is.
One place. Every angle.
Three words that are always true
A mosaic message.
Wherever you are, whenever you are, when you read the three short words, YOU ARE HERE, they are always true. They are a guidepost that reminds us to remember.
For some they might be a meditation, for others they will be a first jump from the diving board into the art of mosaic. And for many, Rachel hopes, they will be a continuation of what has become a long running collaborative relationship.
Since launching The You Are Here Project, Rachel’s new favorite thing has become discovering these mosaics out in the wild.
From the riverbank in Whitsett to Largo Sound in the Florida Keys, YOU ARE HERE is beginning to appear in the places that shaped the people who make them. Each mosaic carries its own story, its own materials, its own landscape, its own version of the three words that are always true.
The project is spreading its message throughout the world, one place at a time.
Choose your HERE
The gray whales travel thousands of miles down the Pacific to arrive in Baja.
You are making a journey too.
Your HERE can be Todos Santos itself. Or it can be your town, your city, your underappreciated hinterland.
Will you make a map? Maybe a native animal silhouette? A shape, a sign, an intuitive mandala? You choose your composition and Rachel will help you make it a success.
You may choose to spend some time before you travel foraging for meaning filled tesserae. River pebbles, broken plate shards, shells. Things that make you feel connected to your place. Some may be cut up and used as tesserae, others can be left whole and used as focal points.
Rachel had a special stamp made with the mixed font letters and chose a specific red, earthy clay. Each tag is hand cut and hand stamped, so they are the same but also one of a kind. Small imperfections will be enjoyed and embraced.
Yours is included.
Four and a half inches, round, and it travels with you when you fly home inside your finished piece.
Rachel has had the extended thrill of watching students become colleagues, beginners become peers, and first-time mosaicists maturing into intuitive andamento speakers.
This week is built for exactly that.
The group will go deep into finding or fine tuning your intuitive andamento. Balanced compositions will be built around the tag. Materials will be experimented with, Mexican smalti on site alongside whatever you carried in your suitcase.
Everyone works on frames. Although you may also choose to work directly on mesh so when you get home, you can install it outdoors.
Everyone flies home with a finished piece.
Part learning experience, part collaboration, part giant experiment.
Rachel loves the element of surprise inherent in this hybrid. We don’t know what to expect and that’s a big part of the attraction. Even when the possibilities don’t work out exactly right, the unexpected parts are sometimes the most exciting.
Who this is for
No previous mosaic experience is required.
Bring a place that shaped you, and a willingness to honor it.
Twelve students. April. Todos Santos, Baja California Sur.
Now, let’s make some mosaic!
One more HERE
Rachel has made a flagship piece, The Whale’s Tail, that will stay in Todos Santos permanently.
On the last day, the group will install it together on a wall near the hotel.
Installing a mosaic made on mesh will be a ceremonial last bit of instruction on what the You Are Here Project is all about.
Retreat Experience & Setting
Todos Retreats offers more than time in the studio. It gives you the chance to slow down, settle into a different rhythm, and spend a week creating alongside people who share your love of art.
Our home for the week is Los Colibris Casitas, a peaceful boutique retreat overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Mornings begin in our open-air studio with the waves crashing just below you. Throughout the day you'll enjoy delicious meals prepared by our two personal chefs, quiet moments to recharge, and plenty of opportunities to connect with fellow artists.
When you're not creating, there's time to enjoy everything that makes Todos Santos so special. Wander through colorful streets lined with galleries and local shops, take a walk on the beach, relax by the pool, or simply sit with a cup of coffee and watch the birds and ocean from your casita. There is no pressure to fill every moment. You can be as active or as relaxed as you choose.
Located just an hour north of Cabo San Lucas, Todos Santos feels like a different world. This historic artist colony has long attracted painters, sculptors, writers, and makers who are drawn to its incredible light, natural beauty, and creative energy. It's a welcoming community that embraces visitors, making it easy to understand why so many artists return year after year.
By the end of the week, most guests leave with more than new artwork. They leave feeling refreshed, inspired, and already thinking about when they can come back.
Retreat Details
Retreat Price: $2,995 (double occupancy)
- $1,495 deposit to reserve your spot
- Balance due 90 days before retreat
Partner Plan: $1,595 (includes all activities except the workshop)
Single Room Supplement: $650 (limited availability)
Retreat Limited to: 12 students
What’s Included
- Airport transfers to/from San José del Cabo (SJD)
(Must arrive by 2pm on retreat arrival day and depart 2pm or later for flight on retreat departure day). If you cannot arange travel within that window of time, there are other transfer options available. - 6 nights lodging at Los Colibris Casitas
- Welcome dinner & reception with Chef Iker
- 6 full breakfasts & 5 lunches prepared by Chef Martin
- Refreshing agua fresca throughout the workday
- Evening transportation into town
- Final night cooking class & dinner with Chef Iker
Tentative Itinerary (Subject to change)
The tentative itinerary below offers a preview of the experiences planned for the Todos Santos Retreat. While subject to change, it reflects our commitment to creating an engaging, inspiring, and memorable creative retreat. Each activity has been thoughtfully chosen to enrich your time with us.
Day 1: Arrival, welcome dinner & introductions
Day 2: Morning beach walk with Tami, workshop, dinner in town
Day 3: Workshop, gallery strolls, shopping in town, dinner in town
Day 4: Workshop, Poolside Grill night
Day 5: Workshop, dinner and optional shopping in town
Day 6: Workshop, group photo, cooking class & dinner with Chef Iker
Day 7: Departure (breakfast provided)
- Breakfast daily: 8:00–9:30 AM
- Workshop 9:30 - 1:30
- Lunch daily: 1:30 PM
- Optional studio time after lunch
Free Time & Optional Activities
There will be ample free time to explore Todos Santos and surrounding areas. Popular activities include beach walks, gallery visits, shopping, yoga, massage, and optional excursions through Todos Santos Eco Adventures. Room selection is based on the order of full payment received.
Learn more about the accomodations at Los Colibris Hotel and optional excursions at Todos Santos Eco Adventures and Todos Santos Eco Adventures Facebook.
Registration & Payment
To register or join the waitlist, contact Tami Macala at [email protected]
- Credit cards accepted (+4% processing fee) added to the full price of the retreat
Cancellation Policy
- 90+ days before retreat: Full refund minus $200 processing fee
- Less than 90 days: 50% refundable (deposit non-refundable)
- Less than 45 days: No refunds or credits unless retreat is canceled due to a government travel ban and the workshop is canceled.
All Cooped Up Productions, Inc. (SBSMA) have no obligation regarding any additional costs or fees related to the issuance and/or cancellation of airline tickets or other travel reservations. All Cooped Up Productions, Inc. (SBSMA) accept no liability for any airline cancellation penalty incurred by the purchase of a non-refundable ticket or for canceled flights.
Travel insurance is strongly recommended. Please consider Travel Insurance and Travel Guard and Travel Off Path.
Participants should consider purchasing Trip Cancellation, Emergency Medical Evacuation, Baggage, Accident and Medical insurance from a reputable insurance company.
Participants are responsible for all airline and travel arrangements.
About the Instructor
Rachel Sager The Storytelling Mosaicist, has been making mosaic, writing about mosaic, talking about mosaic, and teaching mosaic for over twenty years. Her signature forager and intuitive teaching styles have changed how mosaic is experienced and have helped build on the golden age that mosaic is enjoying in these exciting decades.
As the owner and creator of The Ruins Project and Sager Mosaics, Rachel lives and works as an Appalachian entrepreneur in the hills and hollows of her hometown just down the river from Pittsburgh.
Our hosts during this retreat are Tami and Jerry Macala. They have been hosting retreats at Los Colibris Casitas in Todos Santos for more than 10 years.
Any questions? Please contact Tami Macala
📧 [email protected]