Canelo Project

Connecting people, culture and nature

Natural Finishes Workshop & Tour in Oaxaca, MX

2026 OAXACA WORKSHOP

Natural Finishes
Workshop and Tour

Clay finishes, Tadelakt, and Plastering Traditions in Oaxaca City

Register for interest list

WHEN

  • Wednesday, February 25, 2026
  • Sunday, March 1, 2026
  • 09:00 AM
  • 05:30 PM

WHERE

  • Tierra del Sol , Tlacochahuaya , Oaxaca
  • Mexico

COST

  • $ 1200 (inc shared rooms & meals)

Lime & Clay Finishes Workshop and Tour in Oaxaca

Join us for 5 days in Oaxaca exploring the rich traditions of natural finishes with lime and clay. We will also be touring the Oaxaca City area learning about local clay & lime traditions. This experience will be a unique balance of workshop and cultural exploration.
 
The workshop content will include:
  • Hands-on sessions with ancient and modern lime & clay techniques including Tadelakt
  • Experiment with a variety of mixes and learn about forgotten admixes especially for lime plasters
  • Create samples and collaborate on a plaster project
This workshop is hosted in collaboration with Mixterra (local plaster experts) and hosted at Tierra del Sol with inspiring accommodations and farm-to-table Oaxacan meals.
 
Most days include a field trip including:
  • Historical convent Santo Domingo with & restored haciendas with lime plastering techniques
  • Traditional black pottery
  • Vibrant Oaxacan markets
  • The pyramids of Monte Albán

This unique program blends hands-on practice with cultural exploration, bringing together ancient techniques, local soils, and the region’s extraordinary heritage of craft and architecture. It is a perfect course for builders, designers, and anyone curious about natural finishes and place-based building traditions.

LOCATION:
During this workshop we will stay at Villa Agroecológica Tierra del Sol, a 4-hectare regenerative farm and education center in Tlacochahuaya. 

They operate as a space for awareness, learning, and practice on topics related to growing healthy food, ecological restoration, and environmental education. They share with small producers and responsible consumers the lessons learned over 20 years of working in the field.
Their mission is to contribute to the creation of a new culture of care and respect for all living beings, in close cooperation with nature.
Their site has beautiful lodging options – see more here.
Welcome to Tierra del Sol!
 
LOGISTICS:
  • Cost: $1200 USD for the full 5-day workshop (tuition cost only)
  • Meals: Are included in the workshop fee. 
  • Accommodations: Shared rooms at  Tierra Del Sol are included in the price with 3-4 people per room. Private rooms are available for extra cost. Read more on the accommodation options here.
  • Deposit: A $600 deposit is required to reserve your spot once registrations open.

We are still in the planning phase of this tour. Please register for our interest list and we will be in touch once more details are confirmed (approximately October 5).

REGISTER for interest list

Instructor

Benito Steen is a builder and artist, who strives to find the connection between space and beauty, shelter and nature, the hand and materials.

Born and raised in southeastern Arizona where his parents teach natural building, Benito comes from a long lineage of artists and makers and grew up surrounded by people from around the world coming in with new skills and crafts every day. Homeschooled, he gravitated early on as teenager towards the trades and arts such as: plastering, blacksmithing and woodworking.  

He has taught natural building throughout Latin American and Southeast Asia and his home in Canelo, AZ. Always learning and experimenting he mixes old techniques with the new, to create beautifully sustainable and healthy houses.

see more of our accommodation location at Tierra Del SOl & Oaxaca
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