Fall Artist Residency Week, September 14th - 20th
Artist-in-Residence: Maine Plein Air with Jody Regan
September 14th - 18th
Massachusetts painter Jody Regan joins us this September for the season debut of our Fall Artist-in-Residence series. For nearly a decade, Jody has committed to completing a painting or drawing each day and documenting the journey through her social media. During her residency at Spruce Point Inn, she’ll paint through Days 3296–3301 of her unbroken streak, while inviting guests to join her for casual and complimentary drop-in plein air sessions, sketchbooking, and painting around the resort, on Burnt Island, and on excursions into town.
About Jody
Jody Regan is a Massachusetts-based painter whose work is rooted in observation and a deep connection to the New England coast. She paints in oil, watercolor, acrylic and gouache, working primarily along the coast of Massachusetts, in Boston and on Monhegan Island, Maine, where she spends time each summer. Since 2017, Jody has maintained an unbroken daily drawing and painting practice, capturing the places, people and everyday moments that surround her. Her work has been featured in Creative Freedom by North Light Books, and she was one of twelve artists selected to illustrate the 2023 Boston in 100 Words contest.
Artist-in-Residence: "The Race" with Michael Vermette
September 18th - 20th
Join Michael Vermette for a weekend of art and history on the coast of Maine. The weekend begins with a watercolor workshop on Burnt Island hosted by the New England Watercolor Society, and includes a gallery opening, a formal art workshop (registration required), and an art history lecture. Some events are free and some require registration, but all are open to the public.
Schedule:
- Friday, September 18th (9:30AM - 3PM): New England Watercolor Society Class: Brushes with Nature Burnt Island Plein Air Excursion
The New England Watercolor Society presents: Brushes with Nature, a day of plein air instruction and painting on Burnt Island in Boothbay Harbor. Depart from Spruce Point Inn's dock for a ride to across the harbor to Burnt Island with acclaimed Maine watercolorist Michael Vermette and enjoy a day of painting in plein air. The event is free and open to the public. Reservations required (class limit 12 students)
- Saturday, September 19th (6PM): Opening Night at Gleason Fine Art
Join artist-in-residence Michael Vermette for opening night of his show at Gleason Fine Art in Boothbay Village. This event is free and open to the public at 31 Townsend Ave, Boothbay Harbor, ME.
- Sunday, September 20th (9:30AM - 3PM): THE RACE: Burnt Island Plein Air Excursion with Michael Vermette
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 September 20th: (6PM): THE RACE: Critique & Art History Lecture: Robert Henri ,the Ashcan Artists, and the Maine Coast
Join Michael and his students for a critique of the day's work on Burnt Island followed by a slide presentation and art history talk exploring the history of The Race, Robert Henri, the Ashcan Painters, and the coast of Maine's impact on 20th century art.
About The Race Workshop:
For more than a century, Monhegan Island, off the coast of Boothbay Harbor, has drawn painters in pursuit of something elusive: the shifting light, the drama of the sea, and the challenge of capturing a place that has inspired generations of American artists. This September, acclaimed painter Michael Vermette brings that legacy to Spruce Point Inn through The Race, a workshop inspired by a 1911 visit by 20th century painter Robert Henri and his fellow Ash Can School painters, who traveled to Monhegan in search of creative renewal and artistic breakthrough.
As part of Michael’s residency, Spruce Point Inn guests are invited to participate in the opening days of the workshop, including a complimentary art history lecture exploring the story of Robert Henri, George Bellows, and these artists travels between Boothbay Harbor and Monhegan Island. To learn more about Michael's workshop and inquire about signing up for the full 4 day workshop, visit his website.
About Michael
Michael Vermette is a Maine-based watercolorist and painter whose work captures the character, light, and landscape of the New England coast. Deeply influenced by the work of renowned Maine artist James Fitzgerald, Vermette has developed a distinctive plein air practice rooted in observation, spontaneity, and a deep connection to place. His work reflects both the enduring traditions of Maine painting and his own contemporary perspective on the landscape.
Visit During our September Artist Residencies
Plan your stay around our September Artist Residency and experience the creative traditions that have drawn painters to the Maine coast for generations. Through artist talks, live demonstrations, and immersive workshops, guests are invited to engage with the enduring artistic legacy of midcoast Maine.
