Dolce Far Niente

San Miguel is a very lovely and vibrant place for an artist to live. Voted as the world’s best city by the readers of Conde Nast Traveler, it is indeed one of the most livable cities on the planet. All hype aside, it has many amenities – historic buildings, cobblestone streets, great restaurants, a cosmopolitan culture, old world charm, Mexican hospitality, balmy weather, and a minimum of urban blight. Artists like me love it here, and with good reason. There’s tremendous creative energy, an abundance of clear light, inexpensive studio space, many support groups, ample places for exhibiting, relative freedom from commercialism and competition, and a general sense of joie de vivre. It’s a great place to do one’s creative work. But one can also sit in the principal plaza, el jardin, soak up the ambience, watch the tourists, listen to music, sketch, or just sit back contentedly for a while and think, “dolce far niente,” how sweet to do nothing.