Personal Enrichment

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Acadian Arts Watercolor Painting Retreat at Harbor View House in Prospect Harbor, Maine

with Mary Laury

Apr

11

April 11th to 14th, 2025

$595 More Info

Your instructor, Mary Laury is an accomplished watercolorist and highly esteemed teacher. She encourages all her students to believe they can be successful. Painting is an exciting medium; it flows and moves and does beautiful things. If you have never painted in watercolors, we will start at the beginning. If you have painted before, you will pick up some new tips and tricks as well. We all learn together!

Painting Flower Portraits in Watercolor is the focus of this retreat.

Paint flower portraits realistically. You will paint pictures of flowers in detail, but more painterly than a scientific illustration. We won’t count veins, but we will count petals! Painting flowers is a wonderful exercise in observation.

Learn brush stroke and value

White on white flowers

Leaves, long and short

Iris, narcissus, orchids, tulips, and other spring flowers.

Materials list:

We will paint on smooth paper; Strathmore Series 500, one hundred percent cotton paper, either plate or vellum. This paper can be bought at Artist and Craftsman in Portland in large sheets, which we will cut up.

Bring a #2 round brush and a #6 round brush, pencil, palette, tube watercolors in the 3 primary colors and perhaps a green. Paper towels and water container. And bring a plant or flower specimen with no more than 9 petals. This is a slow and careful process and 9 petals and some leaves is enough happiness for us all.

Escape to a Grand Victorian Inn, the Harbor View House in Prospect Harbor on the coast of Maine, with an intimate group of artist, cooks and creatives! All meals are included in the workshop fee plus special activities to extend your learning from the day’s workshops, including a private house concert by Grammy balloted sing-songwriter, storyteller, and author Gordon Ward. Day students are welcome.

For more information about the workshop, call Mary at 207-632-2251. To book your stay at the inn call 207-963-9122 or visit https://harborviewhousellc.com/.

Feedback from recent participants:

“Great instructor!-Mary acts as a guide to develop our own style.“ “Easy no stress instruction.”

Registration closed

13 Types of Yeast Rolls

with Debra Arter

Apr

3

April 3rd, 2025

$55 More Info

Who can resist the smell of fresh bread baking? In this one-night class we will learn how to mix, knead, proof and shape yeast dough into both savory and sweet treats. Participants will learn how to create cloverleaf rolls, butter crescents, cinnamon swirls, tea rings, caramel pecan rolls and whole-wheat buns as well as an economical savory braid that comes together quickly. You will learn what gluten is about! Various yeast bread tricks will be shared and discussed. Each student will go home with a basket of yummy warm sample as well as dough to bake at home. All baking levels are welcome for this hands-on class. Bring an apron, and a container to fill and take home.

Debra Arter learned how to bake and shape from her Home Ec. Teacher mother in Minnesota. She participates in cooking contests regularly and her loaves of bread often get blue ribbons at local fairs. Her enthusiasm for food and fun is contagious. Autumn in Maine was made for an activity like this. You will have a fun delicious evening! ($55 includes $10 materials fee)

Waiting list available

Fishing Handline – Introduction to Whittling – NEW!

with Jessica Steele

Apr

9

April 9th, 2025

$65 More Info

Learn how to design and carve your own fishing handline. Each student will get materials to make up to two handlines, though only one may be completed during the class. Supplies include wood, line, hooks, and weights. We will go over everything from how to use your handline and cast it properly.

Acadian Arts Asian Fusion Cooking Retreat at Roosevelt Campobello International Park, New Brunswick, Canada

with Chris Toy

Jun

20

June 20th to 23rd, 2025

$595 More Info

Your instructor, Chris Toy is the author of 6 popular cookbooks, a private chef, and has taught Asian-fusion cooking for several Maine community education programs. Cooking students will learn how to prepare a variety of recipes from Asia, Europe, and the Americas incorporating traditional and local ingredients. Each meal will actively engage cooks with the tools, techniques, and stories behind the dishes being created.

Step back to a time when President Franklin Roosevelt, Eleanor, and their family escaped to their “beautiful little island” in the Canadian Maritimes, Campobello Island. We will be exclusive guests of the international park, staying in historic Victorian cottages. Workshop participants will explore and paint the same coastal scenery enjoyed by the summer residents at the turn of the 20th century. All meals are included in the workshop fee as well as specially planned optional evening activities designed to extend your learning from the day’s workshops, including a private concert by award-winning Celtic Fiddle player, Katherine Moller, in the Victorian parlor of Hubbard House. Register for the retreat then call Sherry Mitchell at 506-752-2922 to make room reservations. Acadian Arts Retreats participants will have exclusive overnight accommodations in the park.

Comments from recent Acadian Arts Retreats participants:

“I learned so much that Chris taught me, and the recipes were attainable." “Chris speaks slowly and encourages questions."

Maple Tree Delights & Sweets Workshop – NEW!

with Jessica Steele

Mar

3

March 3rd, 2025

$77 More Info

It's that time of the year when the sap comes up from the roots of a maple tree and starts to feed the tree new buds. This is when we tap the maples to gather the sap and boil it down to make maple syrup or other yummy, sweet products. Join me to learn the basics of maple syruping and how you could start making your own maple syrup in your own backyard!

Candle Making

with Heather Emerson

May

13

May 13th, 2025

$100 More Info

Tired of paying crazy expensive prices for candles? Are you looking for a great gift-giving idea? Learn how to make handmade candles with non-toxic soy wax and scented with all-natural essential oils. Each student will receive 2 lbs. of soy wax, wicks, a variety of scents, and containers to choose from, leaving the class with their creations that night to give away or keep for themselves. $10 materials fee included.