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!

Retreat to The Willows, a beautiful Victorian home with architecture that echoes the rich tradition and elegance of the 1800s. For the painters, York Beach is just a short stroll to breathtaking views of the sand, surf, and rocks. There is a spacious dining room and gracious living room with comfortable seating for all participants to relax, socialize and make new friends. 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. 

The registration fee includes workshops and all meals.  For special weekend accommodations call Chris at 207-653-3163 or email him at christoy.net@gmail.com. 

Feedback from recent Acadian Arts Retreats participants: 

“Mary is a guide and a gifted teacher.”  “We became extended family."

Cheese making is so mysterious because it starts by turning a liquid into a solid. Cheese making also takes A LOT of time: usually a day of work just to get the initial stage of fresh cheese, then weeks/months/years of aging to change a bland white chalky lump into something completely different. In this hands-on workshop, local cheese maker Eric Rector -- from Monroe Cheese Studio -- will summarize 10,000 years of cheese making and show you how to make a quick and tasty cheese in an effort to describe milk’s “leap toward immortality.” All supplies will be provided and you will have the opportunity to sample the cheese you’ve made before the end of the class. (and bring home any leftovers!).

Instructor Eric Rector is a cheesemaker, Maine Cheese Guild member, and owner of Monroe Cheese Studio.

You will learn how breathing is different for women and why it matters, how to manage pain and stress through breathing techniques, how female sex hormones influence your breathing and health, how to prevent and treat pelvic floor dysfunction, and how to cope with menopause symptoms. This class will empower you to take charge of your health and well-being by understanding and improving your breathing habits.

Carole Freeman, B.S. RTT, Breathing Specialist has a background in equal portions of respiratory therapy, exercise physiology, and massage therapy. Her career as a respiratory therapist began at Loma Linda University Medical Center. She attended graduate school at LLUMC, majoring in Health Sciences.

You do not need to be a wizard to make a wonderful scone! If you have had flat or tough dry scones this might be just the class you have been waiting for. Debra will show you step by step how to make light and tender Chocolate Cherry Scones, Apricot Ginger Scones, Cranberry Orange Scones and Bacon, Cheddar & Chive Scones as well as classic Basic Savory Hotel Scones. This class will be participatory and samples of all items will be tasted and the rest divided among the class. Soooo ...get a friend to sign up with you and enjoy the evening! Remember to bring your apron and an empty container to store all that you will take home. 

Debra Arter loves scones and learned how to make them several years ago when they got expensive to buy. She has won many awards for baking as have her students!

This workshop is for people who have always wanted to try this amazing medium but are not sure about materials or how to get started. It is also for those who would like to build on previous experience. The choices of materials on the market now are overwhelming. Students will learn about the differences in paints, paper, and brushes.

An overview of core techniques will be demonstrated using a variety of materials. Students will create simple paintings and small studies while receiving one-on-one instruction when needed. A few watercolor “tricks” will be shown that will add a sense of wonder to your work. You will be surprised at how accessible this medium really is!

An $18 materials fee is payable to the instructor the night of class.

Margaret Dwyer holds a BFA and MFA in Visual Arts. Her watercolors have been published in fine art books and magazines and have been included in numerous juried national and international exhibitions. For the last several years she has been the artist in residence at Billings Farm & Museum and Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park in Woodstock, VT. Her work is now in Damariscotta at “River Arts” and “Gifts at 136”.

The first thing to learn about woodworking is sharpening the tools you will be using.  In this course you will learn to sharpen bench chisels, plane irons, card scrapers, cabinet scrapers and marking knives. 

Instructor Rick Gallion has been a professional woodworker for over thirty years and has taught many students the craft of woodworking. His shop is designed as a teaching facility. All classes will be held at the Clary Lake Woodworking School at 777 Gardiner Road (Hwy 126), Jefferson. Class size is limited. Safety glasses provided for each class.

Women’s Health and Fitness is designed to help you improve your physical and mental well-being. You will learn how to regain lost energy and stamina, how to optimize your breathing for different activities and situations, how respiratory muscle strength affects your endurance, and what are the new rules for cardio and stamina. By the end of this course, you will have a better understanding of your body and its needs, and how to achieve your fitness goals in a healthy and sustainable way.

Carole Freeman, B.S. RTT, Breathing Specialist has a background in equal portions of respiratory therapy, exercise physiology, and massage therapy. Her career as a respiratory therapist began at Loma Linda University Medical Center. She attended graduate school at LLUMC, majoring in Health Sciences.

Do you struggle with food obsession, overeating, undereating or bulimia? There is a Solution. Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous is holding a Free Information Session online and by phone.

For more information and meeting ID and Passcode call the coordinator (Sharon) at 207-250-7373 or email fa.newcastle.maine@gmail.com