Our Artists, Writers, and Musicians
We are so proud of the creatives that choose to spend their precious time with us at Lake Chapala for a 360 XQMX residency. As you will read, we are thrilled to welcome writers, musicians and artists from every medium. Our sub-tropical climate, the generous Mexican people, the vibrant culture and time-honored traditions are the magical elements that makes this place so special. Every month our family of artists grows and the individuals you will read about return here time and time again … because it feels like home to them. We are confident you will discover the charms of Mexico while exploring what comes next for you during a residency in Ajijic.
John Clinock
Influenced by the ‘Beat’ poets of the 1950s and ’60s, Clinock left home in the UK to travel the highways of North America. Enroute, he fell in love with Canada’s west coast and remains there today. He failed high school art in England and didn’t even consider studying or practising visual art until 1977 in Victoria, BC. Since retiring, he has continued his art studies and practice and has used my experience to teach and help others discover and explore their own creativity and find healing and joy in the act of art.
Kristina Ryan Tate
Kristina Ryan Tate is an Arizona-born creative writer and artist. As the third of nine children, writing for Tate has become not just a mode of expression, but a voice that cuts through the noise. Most of her work sits in the realm of autofiction, a liminal space between what is real and what is made up. She writes into the facts—and the lies memory tells her—to find the story that didn’t happen within the one that did, a Truth that resonates above everything else.
Montserrat Alsina
Montserrat Alsina is a multidisciplinary artist from Valencia, Venezuela, whose work spans art, education, and holistic practices. She holds degrees in Art, Education, and Psychology from Rhodes College and an MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. As a cultural innovator and collaborator, she co-founded Nahui Ollin: Ceremonial Dances of Mexico, 18th Street Pilsen Open Studios, Colibrí Studio Gallery, and the Arts and Culture Committee of Pilsen in Chicago. Additionally, she is a member of the International Yoga Alliance and divides her time between Chicago and the Dominican Republic.
