Mission San Juan Bautista Workshop April 27 -30, 2010

The San Juan Batista Mission is the largest of the California Missions. It was founded in 1797 and is the fifteenth of the twenty one missions built in California. Rich with culture and history, the town of San Juan Batista is located in the heart of the noted San Juan Valley between the Gabilan Mountains and Flint Hills. 

The Mission San Juan Bautista Workshop was the first in our California Mission Workshop Series. During this workshop we had special access to the restricted areas not open to the public. Martin Vargas introduced us to Ruben Mendoza, an archaeologist, writer, and photographer who has explored the length and breadth of Mexico, Central America, Europe, and the US Southwest documenting both pre-Columbian and Colonial era sites and collections. A founding faculty member of the California State University, Monterey Bay, and Curator/Project Director of the Mission Conservation Program at San Juan Bautista. With Ruben's expert guidance we spent 3 days in and around the San Juan Mission. Participants submitted their images for a juried book project which Kim is designing as I write this blog. Stay tuned for this exciting new book and keep an eye out for next year's Mission Workshop!

Mission San Juan Bautista

Grounds behind the Mission

Rooster in the garden

Kim praying for forgiveness

Candles in the mission

Old museum pieces

Inside the museum

Hallway in mission

Class Picture

Kim and Martin Vargas

The boys at the workshop
Photos by Gina Weston and John Wrobleski