This September, Spruce Point Inn, at 88 Grandview Drive in Boothbay Harbor, will celebrate the connection between artists and the Maine coast with Art Week, Sept. 14–20, bringing together Massachusetts painter Jody Regan and Maine artist Michael Vermette for a week of painting, instruction and art history.

Set against the waters and landscapes of Boothbay Harbor, the program offers guests the opportunity to spend time with working artists and participate in hands-on creative experiences, while several events throughout the week are open to the public.

Fall Art Week Schedule

Sept. 14–18: Artist-in-Residence:  Massachusetts-based artist Jody Regan joins Spruce Point Inn as the first Artist-in-Residence of the week. Regan has maintained an unbroken streak of daily painting since October 2017, capturing the people, places and everyday moments that surround her in gouache. During her residency, she will explore the landscapes and waterfront settings around Spruce Point Inn and Boothbay Harbor, with casual drop in painting and sketching outings offered daily and open to the public.

Sept. 18-20: Artist-in-Residence: Maine painter Michael Vermette joins Spruce Point Inn's Artist-in-Residence program for a weekend of watercolor, plein-air painting and art history. Vermette works in both watercolor and oil and is particularly known for his expressive interpretations of the Maine landscape. His work is deeply influenced by Maine painter James Fitzgerald and the tradition of plein-air painting along the coast.

Friday, Sept. 18: Brushes with Nature: Burnt Island Watercolor Workshop - 9:30 a.m. - 3 p.m. Vermette leads a plein-air watercolor workshop on Burnt Island, with participants traveling by boat from Spruce Point Inn for a day of painting and instruction amid the island's historic lighthouse and coastal landscape. This workshop is free and open to the public. Limited 12 participants, register here.

Friday, Sept. 18: Michael Vermette Exhibition Opening Reception at Gleason Fine Art from 5 to 7 p.m. The gallery and reception opening is free to the public.

Sunday, Sept. 20: Burnt Island Painting Expedition: 9:30 a.m. - 3 p.m. Artist-in-Residence Michael Vermette's students embark on the first day of their workshop by visiting Burnt Island for a day of plein air painting, and the start of their 4-Day Race to complete the most paintings across Boothbay Harbor and Monhegan Island in the days to come. Class limit 12, register here for the day or the full 4-day workshop.

Sunday, Sept. 20:  Wine, Cheese, and Art History with Michael Vermette. Open to the public at Spruce Point Inn's Salty Stag at 6 p.m. Vermette concludes Art Week with a complimentary art history lecture open to the public, exploring the artists who traveled to the Maine coast in the early 20th century, including Robert Henri and members of the Ashcan School, and their influence on American painting. 

About the Artists

Jody Regan is a Massachusetts-based painter whose work focuses on observation and the experience of everyday life. Since 2017, Regan has maintained a daily painting practice, creating a new painting or drawing each day. She works across oil, watercolor, acrylic and gouache and has exhibited throughout New England.

Michael Vermette is a Maine painter and watercolorist whose work reflects his deep connection to the state's coast and landscape. An expressive impressionist, Vermette works in watercolor and oil and draws inspiration from the light, atmosphere and character of the places he paints. His work has been exhibited throughout Maine and New England, and his artistic influences include renowned Maine painter James Fitzgerald. For additional information and the complete Art Week schedule, visit Spruce Point Inn's Artist-in-Residence page.