Make an adventure of it with Acadian Arts Retreats, dedicated to Watercolor Painting or Asian Fusion Cooking! Mary Laury and Chris Toy will be certain to enrich your life over the course of a wonderful get-away.

Accomplished watercolorist Mary Laury will guide beginners and experienced painters alike to stretch and improve their creativity toward success. Even the pros will pick up some new painting tips and tricks!

Cookbook author Chris Toy will have students preparing a variety of recipes from Asia, Europe and the Americas. You’ll discover the tools, techniques and stories behind each dish!

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. Day students are welcome and the event fee of $495 covers workshops and meals. Lodging is available. Contact Sherry Mitchell at 506-752-2922

Hunting for edible and medicinal wild mushrooms is a fun way to supplement your gourmet food diet and get some exercise in the great outdoors. And, you can beat supply chain issues and rising food prices while learning a new fascinating outdoor hobby. We will focus on safety and identification of common safe edibles in the first class.

Did you know mushrooms are the fruit of the fungi? Just like picking an apple, it does not hurt the organism to harvest them. Join us for discussion on habitat and which trees are symbiotic with which fungi. If you want to find Grifola frondosa (hen of the woods, common name), you must know what an oak tree looks like!

The second class will be a workshop/discussion (students are invited to bring in what they have found on their own) and a chance to sample some cooked edibles. Please plan on 3 hours at the second class. Summer brings the chance of finding chanterelles!! 

Please bring a $5 materials fee made payable to the instructor.

Yes, there are poisonous mushrooms. For this reason no children will be admitted to this class.

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. 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.

Searsport Shores is onsidered Midcoast Maine’s premier oceanfront campground, on the shores of Penobscot Bay, located between bustling Bar Harbor (Acadia National Park) and charming Camden village, you can find nearby motels, tenting, RV, and cabins overlooking the ocean.  Register for the retreat then call 207-548-6059 for overnight accommodations. This is an in-person retreat.

Feedback from recent participants: 

“I learned so much that Chris taught me, and the recipes were attainable.”  “Really enjoyed the scientific explanations of why things happen!”

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.

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. 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. Considered Mid-coast Maine’s premier oceanfront campground, on the shores of Penobscot Bay, located between bustling Bar Harbor (Acadia National Park) and charming Camden village, you can find nearby motels, tenting, RV, and cabins overlooking the ocean.  

Register for the retreat then call 207-548-6059 for overnight accommodations.

July 20-23 1 PM Thursday - 1 PM Sunday $495 includes workshops and meals

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!

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. Searsport Shores is considered Midcoast Maine’s premier oceanfront campground, on the shores of Penobscot Bay, located between bustling Bar Harbor (Acadia National Park) and charming Camden village, you can find nearby motels, tenting, RV, and cabins overlooking the ocean.  Register for the retreat then call 207-548-6059 for overnight accommodations. This is an in-person retreat.

Feedback from recent participants: 

“Mary is a wonderful guide and a gifted teacher.“ “Amazing four days!”

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 specific SNAP-Ed workshop is tailored to target participants with infant-PreK child(ren). 

Participants receive great shopping tips; practice reading labels and compare pricing to learn how to buy healthy foods on a limited budget.

Participants must be 18+ years old, each will receive a $10 Hannaford gift card for attending. 

Although offered as a FREE Opportunity; Registration is recommended so that we can properly prepare and communicate in regards to this event. 

This specific SNAP-Ed workshop is tailored to open to any and all participants, 18+ years old.

Participants receive great shopping tips; practice reading labels and compare pricing to learn how to buy healthy foods on a limited budget.

Although offered as a FREE Opportunity; Registration is recommended so that we can properly prepare and communicate in regards to this event. Each will receive a $10 Hannaford gift card for attending.  

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.

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/.  This is an in-person retreat.

Feedback from recent participants:  

“I learned so much from Chris that I can use immediately at home in my own kitchen.”  “Great kitchen hints!”

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.