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!

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. 

Feedback from recent Acadian Arts Retreats participants: 

“Mary is a wonderful guide and a gifted teacher.”  “Very helpful watercolor instruction."

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! 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.

Enjoy a weekend retreat with Mary Laury, 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'll start at the beginning. If you have painted before, you will pick up some new tips and tricks as well.  We all learn together!

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 plus specially planned evening activities designed to extend your learning from the day’s workshops. We convene on Friday, October 6th at 1 pm with classes throughout the weekend and end on Monday, October 9th at 1pm.

Register for the retreat then call Sherry Mitchell at 506-752-2922 to make room reservations.  Only Acadian Arts Retreats will be allowed to reserve overnight accommodations in the park.

​Please note: Included in the registration is a $40 non-refundable fee should you have to cancel.

COVID note: For everyone’s comfort and safety we suggest doing a COVID test 24 hours prior to arrival.  We will be following CDC guidelines according to location and dates.

This is your chance to ditch the reference photos and give plein air pastels a try. Classes will meet at scenic spots around the midcoast. Aimed primarily at Ed’s previous pastel students, as well as his continuing sketching or painting students. However, intrepid artists willing to jump in with both feet and learn in the field with instructor and peer coaching are more than welcome. Some familiarity with the medium is recommended. *No Class: 8/23.

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! $495 Tuition includes all lunches and dinners (Breakfast is included with room price). Day students are welcome. We will be exclusive guests of the international park, staying in historic Victorian cottages. Workshop participants will get to explore 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. Also included, is a private concert by award winning Celtic Fiddle player, Katherine Moller, in the Victorian parlor of Hubbard House. Special guest Catherine Hunter, will discuss Native American Basketry (included). 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.

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'll start at the beginning. If you have painted before, you will pick up some new tips and tricks as well.  We all learn together!

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 feeplus specially planned evening activities designed to extend your learning from the day’s workshops. We convene on a Friday at 1pm with classes throughout the weekend and end on the following Monday at 11am.

Register for the retreat then call Sherry Mitchell at 506-752-2922 to make room reservations.  Only Acadian Arts Retreats will be allowed to reserve overnight accommodations in the park.

​Please note: Included in the registration is a $40 non-refundable fee should you have to cancel.

In this class we will start out drawing in black and white with graphite and/ or charcoal. We’ll look at measuring, size relationships, and object placement. Then we’ll segue to drawing with a brush and draw en grisaille whereby we use: just black, white, and gray paint. This will allow us to think about and get a firm grasp of value (our lights to darks). During the last weeks of class we’ll explore limited color palettes, but get maximum mileage out of the colors we are using, as we’ll continue to see color in terms of value. You'll come away having honed drawing skills, begun training your eye to see subtle shifts in light to dark, and gained color mixing knowledge. Join us as we draw, both traditionally and with a brush, and gradually move toward incorporating color. *No Class: 4/20, 5/18, 6/8.

Pressed cotton paper ornaments originated in Germany, Russia and Austria. Cotton paper pulp is pressed on ceramic paper molds and removed when dry. Gold accents were used on the torn edges. Students may bring dried flower petals to add to their ornaments to create a unique touch. $5.00 Lab Fee due at beginning of class.