Fantastical Creatures from the Workshop of Jacobo and María Ángeles 

April 10–September 7, 2026

Spirit Guides: Fantastical Creatures from the Workshop of Jacobo and María Ángeles features brightly colored, richly patterned sculptures depicting imaginary hybrid animals that serve as spirit guides and astrological embodiments of human character. Inspired by the Zapotec calendar, the exhibition includes eight large-scale works organized by Denver Botanic Gardens.

Use our Symbol Search guide to follow the California Oaks Trail from the Welcome Center to the Arbor Garden. Along the way, discover all eight sculptures and spot the symbols featured at each stop.

About the Artists

Jacobo and María Ángeles are a married artist team based in San Martín Tilcajete in Oaxaca, Mexico. Joyful, fanciful and distinctively patterned, the Ángeles’ animal sculptures embrace both contemporary art practices and folk art traditions. With increasing demand for their works, the artists employ more than 100 artisans in a workshop that also acts as an art school, offering creatives the opportunity to advance and develop their artistic skills. The workshop’s creations have been exhibited in museums throughout the globe, including the Museo de Arte Popular in Mexico City and the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C.

Public Programs

April

Spirit Guides Guided Walking Tour

Join knowledgeable volunteer Garden Guides for special tours of Spirit Guides at Sonoma Botanical Garden on select Saturdays during the run of the exhibition. Experience the updated entrance to our California Oaks Trail and discover the vibrant, monumental sculptures by Jacobo and María Ángeles, hearing stories about the works’ cultural inspirations, symbolic meanings, and connections with the natural world. Our volunteers will enrich your visit with insights into the artists’ process, the Zapotec influences behind the spirit animals, and how the exhibition complements the surrounding landscape. These engaging English language tours offer context and conversation that deepen your appreciation of both the art and the Garden.

Saturday, April 18, 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

Saturday, April 25, 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

$10 for members, $20 for non-members | Includes Garden admission. Please check in at the Garden’s Welcome Center. To learn more and sign up, click “Register” and explore the “Info” tab on the registration page.

Forest Bathing Walk

Come enjoy a gentle, guided Forest Bathing Walk where East meets West at the Sonoma Botanical Garden, thoughtfully complemented by the presence of our Spirit Guides exhibition. Inspired by the Japanese practice of shinrin yoku, or “forest bathing,” this experience encourages you to slow down and awaken your senses—taking in the sights, sounds, and subtle energies of the Garden while reflecting on the cultural and spiritual connections between nature and the imaginative forms of the Spirit Guides.

This walk will be led by Susan Karle, a Certified Forest Therapy Guide, who brings over a decade of experience guiding nature connection practices with people of all ages. Her approach integrates her background in grief and trauma work with a deep respect for the healing power of nature. 

Saturday, April 18, 10:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. 

$17 for members, $32 for non-members | Includes Garden admission. Please check in at the Garden’s Welcomer Center. To learn more and sign up, click “Register” and explore the “Info” tab on the registration page.

Photo Walk/Caminatas Fotográficos

Join professional bilingual photographer Daniel Perales for a guided photo walk inspired by the Spirit Guides exhibition at Sonoma Botanical Garden – offered in both English and Spanish. This outdoor experience invites you to explore the Garden as a living gallery where art and nature meet.

During the walk, you’ll have opportunities to photograph the exhibition’s vibrant sculptures—imaginative hybrid animals that serve as spirit guides and astrological embodiments of human character—set among the Garden’s natural landscapes. These monumental works by Jacobo and María Ángeles offer dynamic shapes, bold colors, and expressive forms that invite visual exploration.

Saturday, April 25, 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

$10 for members, $20 for non-members | Includes Garden admission. Please check in at the Garden’s Welcome Center. 

May

Curator’s Seasonal Spring Walk 

Take a deep dive into this season’s botanical highlights with the Garden’s Curator of Living Collections, Michael Wenzel. In addition to a focus on spring flora, this guided walk will explore plant species that resonate with the themes of our Spirit Guides exhibition—connection, symbolism, and the enduring relationship between humans and the natural world.

Saturday May 9, 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

$10 for members, $20 for non-members | Includes Garden admission. Please check in at the Garden’s Welcome Center. To learn more and sign up, click “Register” and explore the “Info” tab on the registration page.

Honeybee (Re-)Wilding Walk with Apis Arborea

We invite you to join us for a 90-minute guided walk exploring the Garden’s living relationship with free-living honeybees. Led by a knowledgeable guide from the nonprofit Apis Arborea, this walk will highlight the Garden’s TreeNest along with two existing wild bee trees. Along the way, we’ll practice quiet observation—watching flight paths, foraging behavior, and the surrounding habitat to better understand how honeybees interact with the landscape. 

Friday, May 22, 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

$10 for members, $20 for non-members | Includes Garden admission. Please check in at the Garden’s Welcome Center. 

Fabric Block Printing Workshop with Sonya Philip

Inspired by the bold colors and rich patterning of the sculptures in our Spirit Guides exhibition, we invite you to join us at Sonoma Botanical Garden for a hands-on introduction to the art of fabric block printing with Bay Area artist and maker Sonya Philip. In this welcoming workshop, Sonya will guide participants through the fundamentals of block printing on fabric, including pattern repetition, color play, and ink application techniques.

Saturday, May 23, 10:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

$78 for members, $95 for non-members | Includes Garden admission. Please check in at the Center for Learning & Engagement. To learn more and sign up, click “Register” and explore the “Info” tab on the registration page.

Artist-in-Residence Program

Enjoy a special visit by artists from the Workshop of Jacobo & Maria Ángeles. The residency includes the kickoff of the inaugural Noche Latina on May 27, a “Botanical Briefing” lecture, and a hands-on painting workshop, deepening visitor understanding of the exhibition’s symbolism, craftsmanship, and Indigenous roots. 

Botanical Briefing: The Artists Behind Spirit Guides

Join the artists behind our exhibition Spirit Guides for a special Botanical Briefing exploring the creative vision behind their vividly imagined, monumental sculptures—hybrid animal forms inspired by Zapotec cosmology and the symbolic language of the calendar. Through this presentation, they will share insights into their artistic process, cultural influences, and the stories embedded within their richly patterned, brightly colored works. 

Thursday, May 28, 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.

$10 for members, $20 for non-members | Includes Garden admission. Please check in at the Garden’s Center for Learning & Engagement. To learn more and sign up, click “Register” and explore the “Info” tab on the registration page.

Paint Your Own Spirit Guide Workshop

Join the Spirit Guides artists, Jacobo Ángeles and María Ángeles, for a vibrant, hands-on workshop where you’ll paint your own wooden nahualito—a small spirit guide inspired by the rich traditions of Zapotec culture.

Guided step-by-step by the artists, you’ll explore the symbolism, stories, and cultural meaning behind these fantastical creatures while learning traditional painting techniques that bring each figure to life.

Saturday, May 30, 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Saturday, May 30, 1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

$78 for members, $95 for non-members | Includes Garden admission. Please check in at the Center for Learning & Engagement. To learn more and sign up, click “Register” and explore the “Info” tab on the registration page.

June

Summer Restorative Yoga

Begin your Saturday mornings with a calming session of restorative yoga at the Garden – an invitation to slow down, breathe deeply, and reconnect with yourself in a peaceful natural setting. Whether you’re looking to unwind from a busy week or manage ongoing stress, this beginner-friendly class offers a gentle path toward physical and emotional balance.

Saturday, June 20, 10:30–11:30 a.m. 

$30 for members, $35 for non-members | Includes Garden admission. Please check in at the Center for Learning & Engagement. To learn more and sign up, click “Register” and explore the “Info” tab on the registration page.

Meditation Spirit Hike

Take a centering journey through the Garden’s vibrant summer landscape, where stillness, mindfulness, and gentle movement come together in a seasonal meditation hike inspired by the themes of our Spirit Guides exhibition. This reflective experience leads participants along a quiet trail to the Garden’s highest point, offering space to slow down, breathe deeply, and attune to the subtle presences that shape the land. Along the way, pause to notice summer’s quiet messengers—sun-warmed leaves, the hum of pollinators, shifting light through the canopy, the scent of dry earth—and engage in mindful breathing and guided reflection. 

This program is offered in collaboration with Sonoma Yoga, a community-centered studio with over 20 years of experience and a dynamic team of yoga, fitness, and meditation guides to support your practice. Please dress accordingly and bring water. 

Saturday, June 13, 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m

$17 for members, $32 for non-members | Includes Garden admission. Please check in at the Garden’s Welcome Center. To learn more and sign up, click “Register” and explore the “Info” tab on the registration page.

Sunset Spirit Sound Bath

In celebration of our Spirit Guides exhibition, join Glen Ellen–based practitioners Amelia Belle and Bob Rudorf for a restorative open air sound bath inspired by the wisdom, symbolism, and grounding presence of the natural world.

Open to all levels, this experience invites you to reconnect with nature and yourself—an opportunity to pause, reflect, and attune to the rhythms of the living landscape.

Saturday, June 13, 7:00 – 8:00 p.m.

$45 for members, $55 for non-members.  A check-in table will be set up at the end of the visitor parking lot. To learn more and sign up, click “Register” and explore the “Info” tab on the registration page.

July

Acoustic Sunsets & Noche Latina

A signature spring–summer series that transforms Wednesday evenings into vibrant, after-hours Garden gatherings (18 dates, May 6–September 16). In partnership with Spirit Guides, the series includes monthly Noche Latina evenings celebrating Latin music and culture – featuring mariachi to classical Spanish guitar.  

Wednesdays, May 6–September 16 (No concerts on July 1)

Noche Latina: July 29 & August 26

Free for Garden members and included with general admission for non-members. This is a drop-in program; advance registration is not required. 

Spirit Guides Guided Walking Tour

Join knowledgeable volunteer Garden Guides for special tours of Spirit Guides at Sonoma Botanical Garden on select Saturdays during the run of the exhibition. Experience the updated entrance to our California Oaks Trail and discover the vibrant, monumental sculptures by Jacobo and María Ángeles, hearing stories about the works’ cultural inspirations, symbolic meanings, and connections with the natural world. Our volunteers will enrich your visit with insights into the artists’ process, the Zapotec influences behind the spirit animals, and how the exhibition complements the surrounding landscape. These engaging English language tours offer context and conversation that deepen your appreciation of both the art and the Garden.

Saturday, July 18, 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

Saturday, July 25, 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

$10 for members, $20 for non-members | Includes Garden admission. Please check in at the Garden’s Welcome Center. To learn more and sign up, click “Register” and explore the “Info” tab on the registration page.

Summer Restorative Yoga

Begin your Saturday mornings with a calming session of restorative yoga at the Garden – an invitation to slow down, breathe deeply, and reconnect with yourself in a peaceful natural setting. Whether you’re looking to unwind from a busy week or manage ongoing stress, this beginner-friendly class offers a gentle path toward physical and emotional balance.

Saturday, July 18, 10:30–11:30 a.m. 

$30 for members, $35 for non-members | Includes Garden admission. Please check in at the Center for Learning & Engagement. To learn more and sign up, click “Register” and explore the “Info” tab on the registration page.

Curator’s Seasonal Summer Walk

Take a deep dive into the season’s botanical highlights with Sonoma Botanical Garden’s Curator of Living Collections, Michael Wenzel. This guided walk will showcase plants at their summer peak, from vibrant blooms and striking foliage to rare and unusual species found throughout the Garden’s collections.

Saturday July 11, 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 noon

$10 for members, $20 for non-members | Includes Garden admission. Please check in at the Garden’s Welcome Center.

Sunset Spirit Sound Bath

In celebration of our Spirit Guides exhibition, join Glen Ellen–based practitioners Amelia Belle and Bob Rudorf for a restorative open air sound bath inspired by the wisdom, symbolism, and grounding presence of the natural world.

Open to all levels, this experience invites you to reconnect with nature and yourself—an opportunity to pause, reflect, and attune to the rhythms of the living landscape.

Saturday, July 18, 7:00 – 8:00 p.m. 

$45 for members, $55 for non-members.  A check-in table will be set up at the end of the visitor parking lot. To learn more and sign up, click “Register” and explore the “Info” tab on the registration page.

Watercolor Meditation Workshop with Lisa Solomon

Inspired by the bold colors and rich patterning of the sculptures featured in our Spirit Guides exhibition, join us at Sonoma Botanical Garden for a hands-on watercolor workshop with Bay Area artist and maker Lisa Solomon. This workshop is open to all experience levels, from complete beginners to those with prior artistic experience.

In this immersive workshop, we’ll open up the world of color, using painting as a means of exploration—and, potentially, relaxation. The session will begin with a brief, accessible exercise to help participants become familiar with the paints in their palette and comfortable working with watercolor brushes.

Saturday, July 25, 10:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

$78 for members, $95 for non-members | Includes Garden admission. Please check in at the Center for Learning & Engagement. To learn more and sign up, click “Register” and explore the “Info” tab on the registration page.

August

Spirit Guides Guided Walking Tour

Join knowledgeable volunteer Garden Guides for special tours of Spirit Guides at Sonoma Botanical Garden on select Saturdays during the run of the exhibition. Experience the updated entrance to our California Oaks Trail and discover the vibrant, monumental sculptures by Jacobo and María Ángeles, hearing stories about the works’ cultural inspirations, symbolic meanings, and connections with the natural world. Our volunteers will enrich your visit with insights into the artists’ process, the Zapotec influences behind the spirit animals, and how the exhibition complements the surrounding landscape. These engaging English language tours offer context and conversation that deepen your appreciation of both the art and the Garden.

Saturday, August 1, 10:30–11:30 a.m.

Saturday, August 22, 10:30–11:30 a.m.

Saturday, August 29, 10:30–11:30 a.m.

$10 for members, $20 for non-members | Includes Garden admission. Please check in at the Garden’s Welcome Center. To learn more and sign up, click “Register” and explore the “Info” tab on the registration page.

Summer Restorative Yoga

Begin your Saturday mornings with a calming session of restorative yoga at the Garden – an invitation to slow down, breathe deeply, and reconnect with yourself in a peaceful natural setting. Whether you’re looking to unwind from a busy week or manage ongoing stress, this beginner-friendly class offers a gentle path toward physical and emotional balance.

Saturday, August 1, 10:30–11:30 a.m. 

Saturday, August 15, 10:30–11:30 a.m. 

$30 for members, $35 for non-members | Includes Garden admission. Please check in at the Center for Learning & Engagement. To learn more and sign up, click “Register” and explore the “Info” tab on the registration page.

Honeybee (Re-)Wilding Walk with Apis Arborea

We invite you to join us for a 90-minute guided walk exploring the Garden’s living relationship with free-living honeybees. Led by a knowledgeable guide from the nonprofit Apis Arborea, this walk will highlight the Garden’s TreeNest along with two existing wild bee trees. Along the way, we’ll practice quiet observation—watching flight paths, foraging behavior, and the surrounding habitat to better understand how honeybees interact with the landscape. 

Saturday, August 8, 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

$10 for members, $20 for non-members | Includes Garden admission. Please check in at the Garden’s Welcome Center. To learn more and sign up, click “Register” and explore the “Info” tab on the registration page.

Sunday Funday 

Sunday Funday is a playful, family-friendly program inviting children of all ages to explore the beauty of the Garden and connect with nature through hands-on, creative experiences. Families can enjoy face painting, arts and crafts, family yoga, live animal presentations, lawn games, and more. 

During each program, guests will also have the opportunity to experience our special exhibition, Spirit Guides, featuring large-scale sculptures of brightly colored, richly patterned imaginary hybrid animals. Select activities and activations throughout the afternoon will be offered bilingually (English/Spanish), supporting inclusive engagement for families in our community. This is a drop-in program; no advance registration is required.

Sunday, August 9, 1:00–4:00 pm 

Sunset Spirit Sound Bath

In celebration of our Spirit Guides exhibition, join Glen Ellen–based practitioners Amelia Belle and Bob Rudorf for a restorative open air sound bath inspired by the wisdom, symbolism, and grounding presence of the natural world.

Open to all levels, this experience invites you to reconnect with nature and yourself—an opportunity to pause, reflect, and attune to the rhythms of the living landscape.

Saturday, August 22, 7:00 – 8:00 p.m. 

$45 for members, $55 for non-members.  A check-in table will be set up at the end of the visitor parking lot. To learn more and sign up, click “Register” and explore the “Info” tab on the registration page.

Organized by:

Presenting Sponsor:
The KHR McNeely Family Foundation: Kevin, Rosemary, and Hannah Rose McNeely

With support from: