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Plein Air Workshops
on Campobello Island, New Brunswick, Canada
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Michael will demonstrate materials and methods for painting en plein air with plenty of instruction at the student's easel. Painting locations may include Lubec's historic waterfront, the Roosevelt Cottage and grounds, and scenic working harbors such as Head Harbour. Sessions,
which consist of weeklong (Monday-Friday) half-day
sessions will give
Campobello Island is just over the bridge from Lubec, Maine, and only two hours from Bar Harbor or the Bangor International Airport. Lodging and dining are plentiful on Campobello Island. Even though each session is a complete course, feel free to take several weeks to hone your skills! There is no minimum number of students for the class. ** 2009 Workshop Note ** Starting in 2009, Michael will add a focus to the Campobello workshops to take advantage of tides and weather for certain subjects. For example, "Focus: Rocks & Beaches" will take place during a week when low tides are in the morning, which will be the best time to paint them. Please take special note of these focus workshops when you review the 2009 schedule. |
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Cost
of the weeklong, half-day workshop is $250
Michael
Chesley Johnson, PO Box 454, Lubec ME 04652 |
painters plenty of time to explore the island
and the Downeast Maine region on their own. (Sessions are usually 9-1 Atlantic Time.) While
visiting, you can go on a whale watch...take a
hike along Herring Cove's beautiful cobble beach
in Herring Cove Provincial Park...go bike riding
on one of the Roosevelt Campobello International
Park's many gravel roads...or visit two of the
most scenic lighthouses, the West Quoddy Light
and the Head Harbour Light.Important FAQs This workshop is for someone who wants to experience painting outdoors in a beautiful location. If you've never painted outdoors but would like to, Michael will guide you through what painting "en plein air" is all about. If you're an old hand at outdoor painting, Michael will share his method of capturing light, shadow and color quickly and how he brings a painting to completion on location. Both neophytes and experts will benefit from the workshop You will need to be able to walk short distances on sometimes-uneven ground with your equipment. The group will never walk far from the car, but occasionally you may need to negotiate a set of stairs from the parking area, walk to a small viewpoint or onto a rocky beach. Restrooms may not always be nearby, but painting sessions typically last only two hours. Our studio is located on the second floor of our studio gallery and is reached by a flight of stairs. Although the workshop is for any level of student, from beginner to advanced, you will need to have had some painting experience. Painting outdoors has its own challenges, above and beyond the ones a student encounters when learning painting basics. If you have not painted before, do yourself a favor and take a couple of introductory studio classes first. |
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The workshop runs Monday through Friday. Each day is a half-day, usually 9-1 Atlantic Time, which means you will have the opportunity to explore the island and surrounding area on your own. (If you prefer, you can use this time to paint, and I will gladly critique anything you do.) We will most likely paint in the mornings, but be prepared to paint instead in the afternoon or evening if the weather is better then. We will meet Sunday afternoon at 5pm (Atlantic Time -- which is 4 pm Eastern Time) at Friars Bay Studio Gallery for tea and to discuss our plans for the week. Instruction will likely end by lunchtime on Friday, but you may wish to stay several more days to explore the area. Campobello Island has plenty of lodging. Friars Bay Studio Gallery is located in Welshpool on Campobello, and we most likely will paint on the island within a few miles of Welshpool. Two websites give many options for lodging. These are: www.visitlubecmaine.com and www.campobello.com. Below are a few places that are in or near Welshpool and very close to the studio gallery. There is other lodging elsewhere on the island and in the region. If you are looking for a specific kind of lodging, please ask us and we'll help you. When you make inquiries for lodging, please do remember the time difference. Campobello is one hour ahead of Lubec, and the workshop will start at 9 am AT each day. If you are staying at a B&B, find out what time breakfast is served; if you can't get to the workshop on time because of breakfast, see if the B&B will serve you earlier. They usually can make some arrangement for you. Motels, Inns and Cottages
There are also private residences for rent in Welshpool. See www.campobello.com for more and also for motels, inns and cottages elsewhere on the island. Campobello Summer Cottages (www.cyberrentals.com #120461, 117215, 133795, goodiesdh@sigecom.net, 812-455-1890) are located near the Head Harbour Light and offer a 10% discount to students. Are you a camper? The Herring Cove Provincial Park offers camping very close to Friar's Bay Studio Gallery. Golfing, too! www.campobello.com/herring.html, 506-752-7010) If you are looking for wireless Internet access, the Welshpool Library offers it. However, the Studio Gallery also has it, and you are welcome to use it during gallery hours. Do you need a car? There is a once-a-day bus service from Bangor to Whiting Village, and we can arrange to pick you up. There's also the possibility of carpooling with other students for our daily expeditions. However, you'll most likely want a car. Exploring on your own after our painting sessions will be a major part of your stay, so we recommend that you judge your needs accordingly. By Air. The closest airport is Bangor, ME. Bangor is 2.5 hours by auto from Campobello Island. (Another option is the Bar Harbor airport in Trenton, also 2.5 hours away.) When you head out for Lubec (see "By Auto" below), you have two choices for a route. The quickest and least trafficky is the interior route: Rte 9 to Wesley, then Rte 192 to Machias and then Rte 189 to Lubec. The coastal route, Rte 1, is scenic but extremely busy during high tourist season (July 4th through Labor Day), especially around Ellsworth. By Auto. If you are coming from the US or mainland Canada, head for Lubec, Maine. During July and August, when the Deer Island Ferry is running, you can also come from mainland Canada via Letete, NB. (You will still need a car!) Google Map directions from Bangor (click on View Larger Map for directions and route): Google Map Directions from St John, NB (click on View Larger Map for directions and route): View Larger Map For ferry information, see www.deerisland.nb.ca/ferries.htm. Once you're close: From Lubec. Go over the bridge to Campobello. Follow Rte 774 past Friar's Bay Motel to intersection with North Rd. Go RIGHT (continuing on Route 774) toward Wilson's Beach about 1/3 mile. (This is still Rte 774.) Gallery is at sharp bend in road on RIGHT. Look for the Friar's Bay Studio Gallery sign. From the Deer Island Ferry Landing (on Campobello Island). Take RIGHT out of ferry landing toward Welshpool on North Rd. Go to intersection with Rte 774. Go STRAIGHT on Rte 774 through intersection toward Wilson's Beach. Go about 1/3 mile. Gallery is at sharp bend in road on RIGHT. Look for the Friar's Bay Studio Gallery sign.
Campobello is uncrowded, quiet and beautiful. (Which is why we live here!) Besides lodging, Campobello has restaurants, a pharmacy, a small grocery store and gift shops. Nearby Lubec has more, such as gas stations, an IGA grocery store, hardware store, etc. (We should mention Phil's Ice Cream Shop and also Seaside Chocolates. You'll want to put those on your "must visit" list.) Lubec also has a medical center. There are no art supply stores, so you must bring all the art supplies you need. With
several parks nearby -- the Roosevelt-Campobello International
Park, the Herring Cove Provincial Park and Maine State
Parks such as West Quoddy Head -- and also the Cobscook
Bay Trails system, there's plenty of hiking and biking.
There's also whale watching tours and deep-sea fishing,
art galleries and gift shops. The Summer Keys program
in Lubec sponsors a free weekly concert where you can
hear world-class performers. (See www.summerkeys.com.)
And don't forget that we have plenty of fresh local
seafood! Until mid-June, you may encounter some fog and drizzly days. After that time, though, the weather dries out and warms up nicely. Still, be prepared for the occasional day of rain and cool weather. Although we won't paint in the rain, for your own comfort bring a raincoat and warm layers to dress in. We have a mosquito or two, so bring insect repellent if the little critters bother you. (See the supply lists for other items.) Just as a reminder, the workshop is in Canada. If you are coming from the U.S., you will need appropriate identification - either a passport, or a photo driver's license plus a copy of your birth certificate or naturalization certificate. (This is new as of January 2008.) Visit travel.state.gov for the latest updates on crossings into the US and www.cbsa.gc.ca for crossing into Canada. You will want to make sure you bring all the art supplies you need. There are no art supply stores within a day's drive. Friar's Bay Studio Gallery has no supplies to sell or loan. If you're flying or traveling light and don't want to pack your easel, we may have one available for rent. It is $25/week, and you must reserve it in advance as we have a very limited number. We also will have Turpenoid available for those students who are flying. There are two frame shops that stock a limited amount supplies. If you are planning to buy from them, call to see what they have. They will also special order for you. For more information:
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There are NO art supply stores within a day's drive. You will want to make sure you bring all the art supplies you will need. By the way, if you're painting in oil, you will need a wet panel carrier -- something to transport your wet paintings home in. Supply List for Oil Plein Air | Supply List for Pastel Plein Air |
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About Michael | Paintings | Workshops | News | The Book | A Plein Air Painter's Blog | Contact | Site Map | Home