Form and Texture in Graphite I

Thursdays, April 13 & 20, 9:30-11:30 a.m.

In this two day class, delve deeply into the art of graphite drawing. Using simple botanical subjects, this virtual class will give students confidence in accurately depicting various fruits and vegetables. Using a light source and three-dimensional armature and an emphasis on highlights, mid-tones, and shadow areas, artists will develop an understanding of concave and convex shapes. Students will complete a three-part series of drawings, line, armature, and full tonal graphite drawing. While this class is a part of our adult education offerings, it is open to advanced younger students, ages 14 and older.

Location: Online
Instructor: Mindy Lighthipe
Price: $55 / $65

Orientation for Certificate in Botanical Arts

Meet in-person at the Gardens for this introduction to the Botanical Arts Certificate Program. Our program offers a broad palette of botanically inspired classes. Enrolled students select courses that suit their interests and work toward a final project. Learn about this program and its classes, and decide if this creative curriculum inspires you. New and current students should enroll in the orientation. The fee is $25 dollars for new enrollees; those previously enrolled do not have to pay a fee, just sign up as a current student.

Location: Bosarge Family Education Center Botanical Gardens Drive, Boothbay
Instructor: Caroline Davis
Price: $25

Form and Texture in Graphite II

Thursdays, May 4, 11, 18, & 25, 9:30-11:30 a.m.

In a continuation of Form & Texture with Graphite Part I, students will further develop understanding and application of graphite to more complex natural subjects. By using pineapples, pine cones, the interior of a pepper, and so on, students will develop their skills, including working on rendering different pigments in greyscale. Explore the tonal quality and textural differences between the papery skin of a garlic and the deep, dark shine of an eggplant. Learn to translate multi-colored subjects into tonal values, all while maintaining form and perspective. This class will meet via Zoom from 9:30-11:30 on May 4, 11, 18, and 25. Pre-requisite: Suggested as a continuation of Form and Texture with Graphite Part I. While this class is a part of our adult education offerings, it is open to advanced younger students, ages 14 and older.

Location: Online
Instructor: Mindy Lighthipe
Price: $135 / $155

“Going Dutch” – Painting Floral Arrangements in Acrylic

Monday-Wednesday, May 8-10, 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m.

Do you LOVE lush floral design and the dramatic still life paintings of the Dutch masters? Celebrate spring blooms in the Gardens in this three-day workshop. On day one, Mimi and Mum Floral design will present several large, extraordinary arrangements to serve as models for students to paint from, discuss their process, and offer a few tricks to make flowers appear open and showy. Then, we’ll focus our studies on individual flowers so that students can learn to paint these beautiful, complex forms with confidence. Come learn from and be inspired by the 17th-century Dutch flower painting technique, and learn the history behind this historical method. Materials list will be made available upon registration.

Location: Bosarge Family Education Center Botanical Gardens Drive, Boothbay
Instructor: Multiple Instructors
Price: $285 / $305

Gardens of Memory: Poetry and Book Arts

Tuesday & Wednesday, May 23 & 24, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

Visiting Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens offers sensory stimulation and inspires personal reflection. In this two-day workshop, students will draw on CMBG gems like the Lerner Garden of the Five Senses, the Alfond Children's Garden, and the Vayo Meditation Garden in order to explore the dynamic space of sight/insight. Both days will be devoted to creating new, expressive forms in poetry and book arts. Day one will begin with a paperback accordion book to be used as a journal, then we’ll venture into the Gardens. Students will write about both what’s in front of them and what that experience of seeing brings up in the memory. On day two, we’ll experiment with collage. After lunch, we’ll construct a single-sheet diorama book. As the day closes, students will have the opportunity to appreciate one another's work with a round-table exhibit and reading.

Location: Bosarge Family Education Center Botanical Gardens Drive, Boothbay
Instructor: Multiple Instructors
Price: $225 / $245

Watercolors in the Spring Garden

Tuesday-Thursday, May 30-June 1, 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

Come out and enjoy painting in the best studio ever, the great outdoors! In spring, the Gardens offers joyous inspiration, sparking creativity after a long winter with daffodils, tulips and budding trees. Via both group instruction and putting skills to work in the Gardens, class will focus on watercolor techniques and learning what creates a good composition. Students can expect demonstrations as well as time to work independently, with plenty of instructor feedback. Though open to all levels, students will benefit from having some basic knowledge of painting with watercolor prior to these workshops. While this class is a part of our adult education offerings, it is open to advanced younger students, ages 14 and older.

Location: Bosarge Family Education Center Botanical Gardens Drive, Boothbay
Instructor: Erica Qualey
Price: $295 / $310

Pastel Painting in the Gardens

Tuesday-Thursday, June 20-22, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

In a workshop designed for all levels of experience, participants will be inspired by beautiful gardens while learning to create vibrant paintings with the pastel medium. Led by artist Diana Rogers, this three-day course will introduce beginning artists to pastels with pure pigments, the perfect complement to the colorful bounty of nature. For experienced painters, the course offers techniques for loosening up compositions and using bold color and painterly mark-making. Diana will offer demonstrations and plenty of one-on-one attention and encouragement at the easel. Using fun exercises, participants will learn how to use color selection, simplified compositions, and mark-making to create expressive garden paintings. We will paint indoors in the classroom and spend time outdoors observing nature and preparing sketches. Participants will have plenty of time to paint and complete fully developed paintings.

Location: Bosarge Family Education Center Botanical Gardens Drive, Boothbay
Instructor: Diana Rogers
Price: $285 / $305

Photography: The Art of Flower Portraiture

Have you ever thought of flower photographs as portraits? Award-winning photographer Kathleen Clemons certainly does, and she will share the equipment and techniques she uses to create her art. Topics will include lens choice, lighting, subject selection, focus issues, aperture choices, selecting a background, and how to simplify a subject to truly capture its natural beauty.

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Location: Bosarge Family Education Center Botanical Gardens Drive, Boothbay
Instructor: Kathleen Clemons
Price: $95 / $115

Mosaic Garden Art for Adults

Monday-Wednesday, August 14-16,10 a.m.-3 p.m.

In this fun mosaic class, students will make a garden stepping stone and a garden stake. We will use various tiles, broken china dishes, and found objects. All material will be provided, except for a mosaic wheel tile cutter, which can be purchased from the instructor for $15. If you already have one, feel free to bring your own. There are so many delightful things that can be incorporated into mosaics. If you wish, feel free to bring sentimental pieces of broken ceramic china, smooth stones, and shells from home to add to your stepping stone. You can also bring 3D figurines, salt and pepper shakers, etc., to add to your garden stake. While this class is a part of our adult education offerings, it is open to advanced younger students, ages 14 and older.

Caroline Clare Davis is a painter, crafter, floral designer, and the Arts and Exhibits Coordinator at Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens.

Location: Bosarge Family Education Center Botanical Gardens Drive, Boothbay
Instructor: Caroline Davis
Price: $185 / $205

Five Fabulous Days of Insect Fun!

Monday-Friday, August 21-25,10 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

Explore the fascinating world of insects and the vital role they play in pollination. In this five-day workshop, students will learn the anatomy of insects like beetles, butterflies, and dragonflies by using a small variety of insect models, photos, and online resources. We’ll also focus on creating compositions where the insects interact with plants. Lectures and demonstrations will provide students with an opportunity to draw and paint insects in flight, capture iridescence, and more. Insects are included in the course fee, and students will be able to keep their models.

Location: Bosarge Family Education Center Botanical Gardens Drive, Boothbay
Instructor: Mindy Lighthipe
Price: $535 / $555

Block Printing on Fabric: Embroidered and Embellished!

Tuesday-Thursday, September 5-7, 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

Experience the wonder of two crafts, block printing and embroidery, in this special three-day workshop. Combine two different approaches to mark-making, carving, and stitching by creating a fiber arts piece of your own design. Day one will concentrate on designing a block print motif, transferring your design to the block, then carving and printing your motif onto paper and fabric. Day two will focus on embroidery, learning and practicing various stitches to incorporate into your block-printed fabric. Continue the process of discovery and medium-integration on day three as you complete your final project.

Location: Bosarge Family Education Center Botanical Gardens Drive, Boothbay
Instructor: Holly Berry
Price: $295 / $310

Mixed Media and Wax

Monday-Wednesday, September 11-13, 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

Beautiful things happen when the ancient medium of encaustic meets with mixed media materials. Join us for an intensive three-day workshop and explore encaustic on a basic level and its relationship to textile, photographs, and natural materials. Students will investigate how to transfer images, stencil, collage, and learn techniques for building up surfaces. There is a $60 materials fee per student; materials will be supplied by the instructor, including four- and eight-inch-sized beginner panels.

Location: Bosarge Family Education Center Botanical Gardens Drive, Boothbay
Instructor: Hélène Farrar
Price: $265 / $285

The Fall Garden In Acrylics

Monday-Wednesday, October 16-18, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

As the light and weather change, the Gardens provides new and interesting perspectives and invites students to find their own color and texture inspiration. In this three-day workshop, students of all skill levels will learn to paint the colors and textures of the Gardens in the French tradition, “en plein air,” or painting outside. Emphasis will be on working in the field: selecting your composition and working within a limited timeframe.

Location: Bosarge Family Education Center Botanical Gardens Drive, Boothbay
Instructor: Susan Bartlett Rice
Price: $265 / $285