Rock Gardens Inn Blog

Art Workshops at Rock Gardens Inn - Summer 2010

2010 is shaping up to be an exhilarating summer at Rock Gardens Inn. Today we are excited to bring you some information about our upcoming summer Art Workshops. Every summer we have a number of weeks dedicated to art and artists, when we bring talented and renowned teachers here to the inn to provide guidance and critique for students of all levels and areas of interest. We are very much looking forward to welcoming back returning artists, and meeting new ones, starting on the very first week of the season.

This year we begin our Art Workshops with an Artist's Retreat Week (June 13-18) with artist in residence David Beynon Pena. David has taught both landscape and figure painting workshops here in previous summers, and is a member of the faculty at the New Jersey Center for Visual Arts, as well as having taught at the Art Students League, the National Academy of Design, the Montclair Museum, and the School of Visual Arts. The retreat week is not so much a formal class as an opportunity for artists to come and paint as they like, while still having the advantage of an experienced teacher to help them if they wish.

Our second Art Workshop will be taught by returning artist Carl Schmalz, and is entitled simply "Watercolor Painting Workshop" (June 20-25). Professor Schmalz studied with, and taught watercolor for, Eliot O'Hara. He completed his Ph.D. in Art History while teaching and administering the Museum at Bowdoin College. He will be conducting daily demonstrations and critiques for all students.

Returning artist Bjӧrn Runquist will teach the first of our weekend workshops (June 25-27) entitled "Painting Plein-Air: In and Out of the Studio". Artists participating in this workshop will begin with the basics and focus on the dynamics of building a painting, particularly the aspect of light within a painting. Mr. Runquist's art has been shown up and down the east coast, and he is currently represented in galleries in Maine, Connecticut, and South Carolina.

Karen O'Neil returns to host our fourth workshop of 2010 entitled "Direct, Fresh Painting Workshop" (June 27-July 2). Ms. O'Neil is currently an instructor of painting at the Art Students League of New York, and has been teaching for over a decade. Her work is represented in galleries in New York, Indiana, and Florida. Students in this workshop will focus on color, specifically on the atmospheric effects of light on color at different times of the day. Ms. O'Neil will be assisted by her husband, Art Students League instructor Peter Clapper, who will be aiding students with both drawing and observational skills.

We are very excited to welcome two new artists to the 2010 Art Workshops.

The first artist is David Dewey who will be teaching his "Landscape Watercolor Workshop" (July 4-9). Mr. Dewey has a long history of art instruction, teaching at Parson's School of Design from 1974-1997, at the National Academy School of Fine Arts, and most recently at the Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts. He currently shows at the Bernaducci-Meisel Gallery in New York City, and the Caldbeck Gallery in Rockland, Maine. Artists attending this workshop will focus on the watercolor medium, on-location painting methodology, composition, and color.

Our second new artist is Frank Webb, A.W.S. (DF) N.W.S. He will be teaching a workshop entitled "Watercolor, Esthetics, and Energies" (July 11-16). Mr. Webb has been a professional artist for sixty years, as well as having conducted workshops in every state in the Union, as well as across the globe. He studied at the Fleisher Art Memorial and with painter Edgar Whitney. He was included in "20 Great Watercolor Teachers" by the American Artist Magazine "Watercolor". Artists in Mr. Webb's workshop will learn pictorial design, which includes planning, color, tonal values, expression, and visual theme. Every participant will have a one on one with Mr. Webb every day of the workshop.

Our summer series of Art Workshops concludes with returning artist David Kapp's new workshop "Painting and Drawing the Contemporary Landscape" (August 28-September 2). Mr. Kapp's work can be found at the Metropolitan Museum of Art; The Museum of the City, New York; Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Texas; Portland Museum of Art, Portland, Oregon; and the Colby College Museum of Art, Waterville, Maine. He has taught at the Vermont Studio Center, Brandeis University, Fordham University, and Haverford College. Artists working with Mr. Kapp will explore the unconventional aspects of the contemporary landscape, with a focus on pictorial movement through space, and use of light.

Finally, Lois Dodd returns to Rock Gardens Inn this September to teach her "Outdoor Painting Workshop" (September 12-17). Ms. Dodd attended The Cooper Union and was one of five artists to establish the cooperative Tanager Gallery. She is an elected member of the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters , and of the National Academy of Design. Her work is currently represented in the Alexandre Gallery in New York City. Artists attending her workshop will work on the grounds, or in the studio building, as Ms. Dodd mingles and offers help and advice. Group critiques will end each day of the workshop.

Those are our summer 2010 Art Workshop offerings. We hope that you are as excited about them as we are! Please take a look at the Art Workshops page of our website for more information. We look forward to seeing you all this summer.

Solstice Sunset

Although a little late in the posting, we wanted to show you the sunset on the Winter Solstice here at Rock Gardens Inn. The picture below was taken around 4:05pm on December 21st, 2009.  As you can see in the picture we were in the midst of some flurries.  For those of you who remember sunsets from the summer, or even looking at the sunset picture in our post from October 15th, it is interesting to note how the sunset moves across the horizon from Northwest to Southwest.  We hope that you enjoy the picture and that the New Year finds you well and warm!  Check back soon for news on the 2010 Art Workshops, as well as more pictures of Rock Gardens Inn in the winter months.

 

Fall Projects

Fall at Rock Gardens is a quieter time, but certainly not one devoid of labor.  After the Inn closes we set to work, making sure the cottages and grounds are ready for next summer. Painting, roofing, and redecoration are all on the list at the end of the year, along with any minor repair that might be required.

In addition to the work on the cottages, we have to make sure that the gardens are protected with layers of pine branches. The overlapping needles diffuse the effects of frost and offer a framework for layers of protective snow later in the year. We also drain the plumbing system, as well as the pool, to prevent freezing damage.  And we take advantage of the lovely fall weather for all our projects, including Julie's race to paint as many decks as possible before it becomes too cold.

One of the biggest projects this fall was Randy's focus on repairing the roofs, with help from Chris, and from Rob Stevens. They worked atop Cool Ledge, Broadview, the Main House, the 19th Hole, and Trail's End.  We are thankful both for the good help, and for the long stretches of beautiful fall weather, and now both the cottages and the grounds are ready for next year.  We are looking forward to next summer, when you can see the results for yourself.

Last Dinner of the Season

At the end of every season, after the guests have gone home, and the Inn has been closed up, we gather all the summer's staff together for one final meal before we all go our separate ways.  This year we celebrated the completion of another great summer by hosting a dinner for our staff here at the Inn.

Our chef, Bill Hanley, prepared a favorite of many of our guests, his beef tenderloin.  Laura made a tasty spinach and artichoke dip.  Cindy brought a salad with fresh, edible flowers from her garden.  And Donna finished the meal off with an incredible chocolate cheesecake.  Throughout the night Paul Hanley showed off his recently acquired bartending skills.  The meal was delicious, and having a chance to relax and talk with everyone who was able to make it was a nice change of pace.

While the beginning of every summer sees both new and returning members of the staff here at the Inn, by the end, inevitably, we leave feeling like family.  We had a wonderful time, and one final, terrific meal; and before the evening ended we watched a beautiful sunset over the water, and the rise of a crescent moon.

Fall Farewells

September is a beautiful month in Maine.  While the days are usually quite warm and sunny, the nights begin to cool, and a crackling fire can make a great evening gathering spot.  The leaves begin to turn and the sunsets are the most vivid of the year.  The month does, however, bring with it a tinge of melancholy as the last weeks of the season come upon us.

As we head into the final week of Rock Gardens' season we would like to thank all of our guests and staff for making it a great ninety-eighth season.  Greeting returning guests and meeting new ones is what keeps the summer diverse and engaging.  We hope that as you return to your home, your work, and routine, that you keep with you a bit of whatever it is that drew you to the Inn, be it peace, relaxation, camaraderie, or the like.

We will continue to post blogs about the off-season months here at the Inn, so check back in to see what happens when the guests leave.  All of us here at Rock Gardens Inn wish you a happy and healthy rest of the year, and look forward to seeing you all again next summer.

The Last Great Hurricane

The last decade or so of hurricane seasons have been fairly uneventful here at the Inn; however, that was not always the case.  In August of 1991 Maine saw one of the most severe summer storms to make landfall here in the last half a century. Hurricane Bob was the first major storm to hit since Gloria in 1985. By the time it reached Maine it was technically at Tropical Storm, with gusts of up to sixty one miles per hour recorded in Portland, and a storm surge of almost three feet. It had swept a path of destruction through coastal New England, and police were warning anyone on the water to head inland.

It being the middle of August we had a full house, and the question quickly became whether or not we should evacuate to the Bath emergency shelter.  Sebasco began vacating immediately. We decided to wait out the storm. We knew the storm was going to hit the east side of the Phippsburg peninsula, opposite our shoreline, making our cove and shore fairly safe. Of course we offered to help any guests who wanted to go, but we had no takers. So that evening we served dinner by candlelight, passed out flashlights and lanterns, and battened down the hatches.

As the storm drew closer winds howled across the property, rain poured down, and waves crashed over the rocks and onto the lawns. Safely ensconced in their cottages, guests built up fires and gathered round to play cards, talk, or simply to watch the sea and storm. We woke the following morning to branches scattered across the grass, buoys and traps sitting atop the ledges, and one or two fallen trees. Everyone came into breakfast un-showered but elated with the feeling of shared danger passed. Power, and Sebasco's guests, returned a day or so later.

What's for dinner?

Both breakfast and dinner are served daily at the Inn (excluding Friday night dinner, due to the lobster bake that takes place that afternoon), and we are quite lucky to have had the same Chefs in our kitchen for more than 15 years.  Bill and Paul Hanley have continuously kept guests raving about the meals, and coming back for more.  And while we make sure to keep many of the guest favorites on the menu, we also know that variety is both exciting, and essential to maintaining eaters' interest.  Therefore, every year we come up with a number of new dishes to mix into the menu.  Here are a couple of examples of a nightly menu including some of our new dishes:

Caesar Salad

Stuffed Chicken Breast with Wine Sauce

or

Scallop Kebabs

Asparagus with Horseradish Butter

Fresh Lemon Rice

Potato Leek and Fennel Soup

Spinach and Pear Salad

Roast Pork Tenderloin

or

Salmon with Mustard and Brown Sugar Glaze

Snow Peas with Toasted Almonds

Scalloped Potatoes

Art Before the Fall

Our early summer Art Workshops have come and gone.  Students and teachers alike expressed their enjoyment, and their anticipation and excitement for next year's workshops.  However, this summer's offerings aren't finished yet.  We are very excited about our upcoming end-of-the-season workshops.

For our first we welcome new teacher David Kapp, who's workshop is entitled "Painting and Drawing the Contemporary Landscape".  It will involve outdoor and indoor work, with a potential evening field-trip.  The conceptual focus will be the exploration of the unconventional aspects of the contemporary landscape.  Our final workshop is with returning artist Lois Dodd, who will be teaching her "Outdoor Painting Workshop".  The workshop will be conducted primarily out of doors, weather permitting, and Ms. Dodd will mingle with the students set up about the grounds of the Inn, aiding and encouraging as needed.  Group critiques will follow each day's work.

For those interested in either of these Art Workshops, there is still space available.  Mr. Kapp's workshop has both overnight and day spaces left available, and Ms. Dodd's workshop has a few overnight spaces left.  If you are interested in joining either of these brilliant artists and would like more information please follow this link to the Art Workshops Page of our website.

The Lure of Lobster

Maine is known for few things more readily than it is for its freshly caught, and simply cooked, lobster.  Here at the Inn we do a lobster cookout every Friday for our guests.  For some, however, that only scratches the surface of their interest.

Since lobstering is one of the cornerstones of Maine coastal life, it's hardly surprising that many guests express interest in learning more.  Fortunately Rock Gardens Inn is located near several traditional Maine lobstering and fishing villages.  All guests need do to learn more is drive a little way down the road.

And for those whose curiosity matches, or exceeds, their appetite, there are lobstering tours available.  Recently a couple of Rock Gardens guests took one of those tours on the 'Miss Betsy' with Mark and Bill Wells.  Over the course of a few hours they toured the coastline, hauled up lobster traps and checked the catch, learned about what lobsters you can keep and which you have to throw back, and many of the other secrets of the trade.

Family Reunions at Rock Gardens Inn

Rock Gardens Inn has long been a place where families gather, often year after year.  We have had groups of up to twenty family members, spanning up to four generations in one group, gathered here to reunite, reacquaint, and relax.  We look forward to returning families with the excitement we hold for all our returning guests, and we are glad Rock Gardens can provide a sanctuary for their reunions.

The setting here at the Inn provides the perfect retreat for families.  Immediate families can break up into their private cottages, then congregate at meals, often all gathering afterward in one of the larger cottages.  There are a number of great group activities, including: swimming and sunbathing by the pool, or at one of the nearby beaches, kayaking together in the cove, and around the coast, contra-dancing in the Studio Building, and the weekly lobster bakes and cocktail parties.

This past week we hosted the Lawrence/Desjardin family reunion, a gathering of three generations.  In addition to their other activities, they took advantage of the rainy day to make tie-dyed t-shirts, pictured below.  If you have any stories of your own reunions here at the Inn, please feel free to share in the comments section, or email us for a login to the blog.  We look forward to seeing you all soon!