The Ink Road
China
&Tibet
With Tiffani Gyatso
&Catarina Gushiken
May 24 to June 16. 2025
Immerse yourself in the timeless beauty of Chinese and Tibetan art. Journey through historic cities, ascend to the Tibetan Plateau, and discover sacred temples, ancient caves, and the living legacy of the last artists from an ancestral lineage from whom we will be learning from. Guided by the inspired vision of Tiffani Gyatso and Catarina Gushiken, this experience invites you for a deep immersion in your own creative and curious inner artist.
“Remember that happiness is a way of travel –
not a destination.” – Roy M. Goodman
The Ink Road
Art and artist from china & Tibet
With Tiffani Gyatso and Catarina Gushiken
China: May 24th to June 4th
Tibet: June 4th to 16th, 2025
A journey that transcends time and space, an intersection of culture, art, and spirituality through China and Tibet with artists Tiffani Gyatso and Catarina Gushiken. From the historic temples of Beijing, where architectural symmetry and ancient rituals evoke Confucian harmony, to the mystical expanses of Tibet, with its monasteries and caves nestled among sacred mountains, every step of this journey invites new perspectives and a revival of ancestral expression. The dialogue between dramatic landscapes and living traditions — such as Chinese calligraphy, Tibetan thangka painting, metal sculpture, local ceramics, and ceremonial art — will unveil to artists the essence of a cultural legacy where the material and the spiritual intertwine. This immersion will not only be an aesthetic exploration and hands on with local artists, but also an inner discovery, an invitation to create from a profound connection with the sacred and the sublime.
Above pictures: artists and streets of Chengdu
CHINA – TIES BETWEEN PAST AND FUTURE – AN ARTISTIC IMMERSION
For the first ten days, we will delve into the art and culture of China, beginning in Beijing and then heading south to Chengdu in Sichuan Province, the birthplace of Taoism, where nature serves as both muse and background. This artistic immersion will be guided by two artists whose journeys reveal the richness found at the crossroads of tradition and modernity.
Three of our 10 days in China will be dedicated to an art immersion in a beautiful venue close to the famous and sacred Mt. Emei. With Tiffani Gyatso, we will learn to revere the contemplative gesture of sacred art, where every line embodies intention and meditation. Her practice invites us to explore the sacred within our own creative expression. Catarina Gushiken, on the other hand, will bring her vibrant, innovative energy, challenging us to reinterpret ancestral techniques that she developed of her many years of research and create something that resonates with the contemporary world.
This will be a space to explore the intersections between tradition and modernity, the individual and the universal. By the end, each artwork created will reflect not just technique but also a deeply personal and collective journey.
In the video below, Catarina explains the essence of this immersion (choose english captions on the bellow button on the right). This artistic journey is inspired by our shared experience of travel itself — no prior experience in art is necessary, only interest, curiosity, and the joy of learning and discovering art at its source with great masters.
MYSTICAL TIBET – ART AS A YOGA
The second part of the journey takes us to Tibet, where we will visit DeRger, home to one of the oldest printing house. This is the oldest woodblock printing center in China, having remarkably survived the passage of time. Our journey continues with a special day in Dzogchen, renowned for its grand monasteries, as well as yogi-monks residing in remote caves, dedicated to the Dzogchen lineage of meditation, or "Great Perfection." We will embark on a 2-hour walk through valleys and rivers to visit the Yamataka Cave, where a meditator has lived for over 20 years. Occasionally receiving visitors, this contemplative master is someone Tiffani connected with in 2024, adding a deeply personal and meaningful layer to this experience.
Above images: Dzogchen and Dzongzar.
Finally, we'll continue and reach the Dzongzar Valley and Khyenle Center, where we will spend the remaining days, dedicating one day to each craft with local artists in the arts of: thangka (iconographic Buddhist art), metal sculpture (lost wax technique), clay, and calligraphy. In addition, we will take walks across the Tibetan plateau, visiting temples and caves where meditators live in spiritual practice. Below, watch the video to learn more about our residence location, the Khyenle artists, and the arts that we will be experiencing.
The valley of Tibetan Arts & Crafts in China
In a remote village in western Sichuan, Maisu(Dzongsar) is a thriving community where Tibetan artisans have harnessed the power of cultural heritage enterprise to create a vibrant and sustainable way of life. With over 1,000 artisans working in 27 workshops, the village specializes in traditional Tibetan crafts such as lost-wax casting, silversmithing, pottery, thangka painting, and wood carving. These craft enterprises not only provide a source of income but also foster flexibility and stability for the villagers. Additionally, they indirectly support other cultural traditions like yak herding, butter making, and traditional music. (Maisu)Dzongsar's craft economy, deeply rooted in Tibetan Buddhism, has become a symbol of cultural vitality, celebrating the rich heritage and traditions of the community.
Short Itinerary
CHINA (Part 1) From March 24 to June 4
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May 24: Arrival in Beijing, reception by the guide, and transfer to the hotel. Welcome dinner at a restaurant specializing in Peking Duck.
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May 25: Visit to the Forbidden City and the Temple of Heaven.
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May 26: In the morning, visit to local artist Mr. Yan, followed by a tour of the 798 Art District and Liulichang Cultural Street to explore antique art material shops.
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May 27: Full day dedicated to visiting the Jinshanling section of the Great Wall.
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May 28: Morning flight to Chengdu. Visit to the Wenshu Monastery, famous for tea ceremonies and calligraphy. Dinner at a restaurant specialized in Mapo Tofu.
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May 29: Visit Mount Qingcheng and the Luyeyuan Private Stone Sculpture Museum.
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May 30: In the morning, visit to the Giant Panda Research and Sanctuary Center, and in the afternoon, the Sanxingdui Museum, an important archaeological reference.
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May 31: From Chengdu, travel to the Giant Buddha of Leshan. Hike to the top. In the afternoon, travel and visit Mount Emei (approx. 1h20). Check-in at the hotel.
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June 1: Full day of artistic immersion at the hotel.
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June 2: Full day of artistic immersion at the hotel.
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June 3: Full day of artistic immersion at the hotel, followed by return to Chengdu in the evening. Dinner, which will also be a high-class "hotpot" experience.
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June 4: Morning flight from Chengdu to Ganzi, Tibet for those joining Part 2, or fly back home.
TIBET (Part 2) From June 4 to June 16
June 4: Morning flight from Chengdu to Ganzi, Tibet for those joining Part 2, or flight back home. Accommodation in Dzogchen and visit to the monastery.
June 5: Hike in the valley and visit to Yamataka Cave. Overnight in Derger.
June 6: Visit to the ancient printing press of Derger. Travel to Dzongsar.
June 7: Morning hike and visit to the Pema Champu Cave and Temple. Local workshops.
June 8: Tibetan calligraphy workshop with a local artist.
June 9: Pottery workshop with a local artist.
June 10: Thangka painting workshop with a local artist.
June 11: Metal jewelry workshop with a local artist.
June 12: Second part of the metal workshop – last day.
June 13: Hike through the Dorphu Valley and visit temples.
June 14: Early departure for Ganzi, visit to Ganzi Monastery, and overnight stay.
June 15: Flight to Chengdu and overnight stay.
June 16: Flight back home.
**The trip begins in Beijing and ends in Chengdu. For booking your international flight from your country to Beijing, the return flight should be from Chengdu. If you wish to return via Beijing, we can assist in organizing it (extra cost).
Travel with
Tiffani Gyatso is a Brazilian artist whose journey is intertwined with the paths of spirituality and Eastern artistic traditions. A specialist in Thangka, the sacred art of Tibetan Buddhism, she began her studies at the Gandan Monastery in Mongolia and further specialized in India from 2003 to 2006. Her restless gaze led her to unravel the mysteries of sacred geometry from the Middle East, studying at the Prince’s School of Traditional Arts in London and immersing herself in studies in Morocco. Between 2007 and 2012, she painted the murals of the CEBB Buddhist Center temple in Viamão, RS. Graduated in Visual Arts from Dulcina de Moraes University, she also explored her interests in contemporary painting, which she exhibited in New York in 2011 and 2015. She incorporated the importance of the body in the creative process through performances inspired by the teachings of her dance teachers Yumma Mudra and Raji, and her Chinese brushwork teacher, Alok Hsu Kwang-han.
Today, in the mountains of Extrema, MG, she lives and coordinates at Atelier YabYum, where she offers immersions and produces her creations. She is the author of the book "Life and Thangka." Since 2012, she has been leading annual study groups to India, Bhutan, and other countries in the East, spending much of the year in Asia.
She considers herself a pilgrim artist, seeking to learn from masters within their cultural contexts, and as such, she travels to many unexplored places to touch the invisible within the heart human being's essence, which is able of expressing itself in infinite forms and colors.
CÄTA Catarina Gushiken is a visual artist, born in São Paulo, Brazil, in 1981.
Her creative process involves investigations into identity, ancestry, and origin. She began her research using family archives, translating letters and diaries written in Uchinaguchi, an ancient indigenous language of Uchina, now Okinawa/Japan, left by her grandfather dating back to 1936. Through this investigation, the work Caligrafias Sensitivas (Sensitive Calligraphies) emerged, in collaboration with artist and photographer Gal Oppido. Catarina has been experimenting, beyond drawing and painting, with connections between asemic writing, the body, and dance. She participated in the performance Jardim Oriental dos Primeiros Desejos (Oriental Garden of First Desires), directed by Ismael Ivo, with the São Paulo City Ballet, performed at the Tomie Ohtake Institute (2019); the musical performance Sanshin, directed by Caito Marcondes, presented at Sesc Pompéia (2023); the calligraphic performance Corpos em Conjunto (Bodies Together) at the Pinacoteca do Ceará (2024); the performance MA during Michiko Okano's lecture at Sesc Consolação (2024); and the performance Caligrafias Sensitivas at the Casa de Cultura Japonesa | Interdepartmental Language Center - USP (2024).
Catarina's art manifests the confluences and sharing with other beings and their perceptions of the world, representing the very diversity of memories that emerge from encounters with such plural existences.
Details
NOT INCLUDED
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International flight from your home to Beijing with return via Chengdu (the trip starts and ends in different locations)
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Travel insurance
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Visa and other documentation fees
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Drinks and meals not mentioned
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Tips (typically, the group adds an amount for common tips given to the main guide for management)
INCLUDED China:
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Airport pick-up in Beijing
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1 flight from Beijing to Chengdu
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All land transfers in A/C mini bus
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11 overnight stays in 3+ star hotels
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All meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
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3 days of immersion/workshop
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Local guides and translators
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Support and guidance from Tiffani and Catarina
INCLUDED Tibet:
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2 flights, round trip from Chengdu to Ganzi
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All land transfers in A/C mini bus
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12 overnight stays (9 nights in family guesthouse)
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All meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
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5 days of workshops with Tibetan artists
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Local guides and translators
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Support from Tiffani and Catarina
Contribution and Enrollment
(Part 1) CHINA: Beijing, Chengdu, Leshan:
May 24 to June 4 (11 nights)
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Double Room: US$4,200 (per person)
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Single Room: US$5,100 (per person)
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(Part 2) TIBET: Ganze, Dzogchen, Deger, Dzongsar, Chengdu:
June 4 to June 16 (12 nights)
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Double Room with private bathroom: US$3,400
*Only double room option available -
*(Part 1 and 2) CHINA and TIBET, May 24 to June 16 (23 nights)
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Double Room: US$6,990 (with a $710 discount for both parts)
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Single Room (only for China part): +US$900
- The trip begins in Beijing and ends in Chengdu. For your international flight, you should arrive in Beijing and depart from Chengdu. If you wish to return via Beijing, we can assist in organizing it (extra cost).
- Those who participate only in Part 2, Tibet, can fly to and from Chengdu (not including Beijing).
HOW TO ENROLL:
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Please request registration by emailing: arteperegrina@gmail.com
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No previous experience with art is required—just an interest, curiosity, and joy in learning and discovering art from the source of great masters.
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You can register for either PART 1 (China) or PART 2 (Tibet) or both, with the discount as presented. We suggest taking the full package for a more complete experience :)
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Limited spots available for 14 participants.
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After your registration, you will be invited to a few preparatory Zoom meetings for the trip, where all practical questions will be answered, and additional information about the places and customs will be shared to help you be well-prepared for this great journey.
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Any doubts, questions, or comments?
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We know it’s a long and very special trip, so feel free to schedule a no-obligation Zoom chat to clarify any doubts. Tiffani: arteperegrina@gmail.com
Note: We recognize that China is a peaceful place, and we have no political involvement at any level, nor have we ever had. We also do not intend to promote any political discussion. We are a group of artists interested in the architecture, local artists, and their painting techniques. We appreciate and learn from the rich Chinese culture and hope to be received, as we have been in the past, with great hospitality. Our intention is to promote the rich art of painting and calligraphy throughout China, which includes Tibet, without any objection.