MAINE COAST ENCAUSTIC RETREAT 2027
Kennebunkport, Maine
Session 1: SEPTEMBER 12 – 18
Seesion 2: SEPTEMBER 19 – 25
registration opens 2/15/26.
This retreat is about you. Select what you want to study. Try something new. Wander the Maine Coast. Sip something frothy by the pool. Wake EArly for Yoga. Eat lunch with new friends. Find your voice and have fun getting there.
2027 WORKSHOPS
Casting Objects – We will work with a specialized putty that enables artists to quickly cast small objects and recreate them in encaustic. This material lends itself to multiples and is reusable.
Incorporating Text – Words can transform the meaning of your paintings. We will experiment with different ways to incorporate text from working with ink and other drawing materials to carving, collage, and more.
Layers + Translucency – Instruction will focus on building paintings from the ground up - covering what can be done directly onto a substrate, between layers of medium, and on the surface - as well as how to create a smooth, even, and luminous surface.
Leaf Stencils + Organic Materials - A class that appeals to all nature lovers. You will learn how to work with dried and fresh plant materials.
Metal | Metallic – Explore the range of possibilities related to working with metallic encaustic paint and Pigment Sticks, incorporating small metal objects, using artificial metallic foil, and metallic flakes.
Paper Lithography on Wax – Offered by guest instructor Leslie Giuliani. Learn the techniques of paper lithography and how it can be combined with encaustic. In this workshop Leslie will show students how to work with transfer drawings and images onto the surface of encaustic or between layers using Gum Arabic and ink.
Unique Sketchbooks – Design a one-of-a-kind sketchbook. You’ll be provided with an accordion sketchbook you can use with ink and mixed media. During our session you will transform the front and back of your sketchbook using encaustic paint.
Wax Resist – Using a special paper that can be incorporated easily into encaustic, we will incorporate wax markings, gestural strokes, stamping, folding, batik and resist dyeing to achieve dynamic results that are uniquely your own.
Yoga – Start your day with gentle to moderate yoga and mindful meditation designed to leave you feeling strong and grounded. Mats, straps, and blocks provided. All levels welcome. 5 yoga sessions count as one workshop.
WHAT’S INCLUDED:
+ 6 nights in one of Maine’s most beautiful, historic hotels The Colony Hotel
+ breakfast + lunch
+ 7 workshops + 3 open studios
+ supplies
COST
All inclusive workshop, hotel, and meal packages start at $3,500. Room upgrades are available. Workshops and open studio slots can fill in advance, so early registration is recommended. A maximum of 20 participants will be accepted on a first come, first serve basis. No more than 12 students will be in each individual workshop.
payment plan
A $500 deposit is required to hold your spot. The remaining balance is due April 1, 2026. Please see FAQs below for cancellation policy.
DETAILS
Boston’s Logan Airport is 1½ hours away and accessible by train. The Portland International Jetport is only ½ hour away.
What is there to do in Kennebunkport? You can fish; take a lobster tour; whale watch; go on a sailing trip; shop; gallery hop; drive coastal Route 1; play golf or tennis; go swimming in the Colony Hotel’s pool overlooking the Atlantic Ocean; have a peek at the Bush compound; go antiquing; visit the Franciscan Monastery, Blowing Cave, or Spouting Rock; kayak; canoe; walk the beach and nature trails; visit a lighthouse; or take the trolley. The Colony Hotel hospitality staff is ready and waiting with even more suggestions.
