June 6–11, 2027 | Monhegan Island, Maine
Four-Day Destination Workshop | $1,050
Lunch included each instruction day

Join watercolor artist Wyatt Waters for four days of plein air painting on Monhegan Island, Maine — a rugged, beautiful island with a remarkable artistic history and a landscape that has inspired generations of painters.

Located approximately 10 miles off the Maine coast, Monhegan feels wonderfully removed from everyday life. There are no cars, few distractions and an extraordinary variety of subjects within walking distance: working boats and weathered docks, village cottages, winding paths, dramatic cliffs, rocky shorelines and sweeping views of the Atlantic.

It is rustic, intimate and a little like summer camp for artists — a place where the rhythm of the island encourages you to slow down, explore and paint.

The workshop is designed for watercolor painters of all experience levels. Wyatt will share his approach to seeing and simplifying a scene, establishing strong values, working with color and capturing the atmosphere of a place without becoming overwhelmed by detail.

Each morning, Wyatt will begin with a painting demonstration, sharing his observations, process and decision-making as he works. Participants will then spend the remainder of the day painting, with Wyatt working individually with each person to offer guidance, feedback and instruction.

What to Expect

Four days on Monhegan allow us to settle into a different kind of painting rhythm.

Rather than rushing from one subject to the next, participants will have time to explore the island, return to favorite locations and experience how dramatically a subject can change with the light, weather and time of day.

Wyatt’s teaching emphasizes learning how to see — identifying what is most important in a scene, understanding value relationships and making intentional decisions before and during the painting process. Participants will work on composition, drawing, color, light and developing the confidence to respond to what is actually happening in front of them.

Possible painting subjects include:

• The working harbor and fishing boats

• Monhegan village and its weathered cottages

• Island Inn and surrounding architecture

• Lighthouse Hill and island landmarks

• Rocky shoreline and ocean views

• Forest paths and dramatic cliffs

• Docks, wharves and working waterfront scenes

• People and everyday island life

Monhegan is an especially valuable place to experience plein air painting because conditions are always changing. Fog may roll in, boats move through the harbor, the tide changes and sunlight can completely transform a scene.

Learning to respond to those changes — rather than fight them — is part of the experience.

Workshop Details

Arrival Sunday, June 6 with departure on Friday, June 11

Painting Dates: Monday–Thursday, June 7–10, 2027

Location: Monhegan Island, Maine

Workshop Fee: $1,050

The workshop fee includes:

• Four full days of watercolor instruction with Wyatt Waters

• Morning painting demonstrations

• Individual guidance throughout each painting session

• Group discussion and critique

• Lunch on each of the four instruction days

Participants are responsible for their own watercolor supplies, airfare, ground transportation, ferry transportation, lodging, breakfast and dinner. Breakfast is included for participants staying at the Island Inn.

Because this is an island workshop, participants should be comfortable walking with their painting supplies. Monhegan has no paved roads and no cars for visitors, so we encourage everyone to pack thoughtfully and keep painting equipment as portable as possible.

Accommodations

We have reserved a block of rooms at the Island Inn, ideally situated overlooking Monhegan Harbor and within easy walking distance of our painting locations.

Participants should contact Jennifer Marr at the Island Inn directly to review available room options and make reservations.

Island Inn
207-596-0371
info@islandinnmonhegan.com

Breakfast is included in the nightly room rate.

Because accommodations on Monhegan are limited, workshop participants should reserve their rooms as early as possible. Room reservations must be made by March 15, 2027 to take advantage of our workshop room block.

Participants are responsible for the cost of their lodging.

Traveling to Monhegan

Getting to Monhegan is part of the adventure, and we recommend allowing plenty of time for travel rather than trying to reach the island on the first morning of the workshop.

Recommended Travel Schedule

We recommend flying into Portland, Maine, on Saturday, June 5, and spending Saturday night in Portland.

On Sunday, June 6, participants can travel from Portland to New Harbor, Maine, where the Hardy Boat ferry departs for Monhegan Island.

Uber or another car service can be used for transportation from Portland to New Harbor. Participants may also choose to rent a car, but because cars cannot be taken to Monhegan, arrangements will need to be made for parking in New Harbor.

Ferry to Monhegan

The Hardy Boat provides ferry service from New Harbor to Monhegan. It is about an hour ferry ride.

We recommend taking either the:

9:00 a.m. or
2:00 p.m. 

on Sunday, June 6.

Arriving the day before the workshop gives you time to check into the Island Inn, get oriented, explore the village and settle into island life before painting begins Monday morning.

Participants are responsible for making and paying for their own ferry reservations.

Because ferry schedules can change seasonally, participants should confirm the 2027 schedule and make reservations in advance.

What to Expect on Arrival

When you step off the ferry, you will immediately understand why artists have been drawn to Monhegan for more than a century.

The harbor, boats and village are right in front of you, and most destinations on the island are reached on foot.

Luggage service is typically available from the dock to island accommodations, so you will not need to carry your suitcase through the village. Once checked into the Island Inn, you can explore the immediate area, locate our meeting point and begin getting a sense of the subjects you may want to paint during the week.

Monhegan is casual and rustic. Comfortable walking shoes, layered clothing and lightweight painting equipment will make the experience much more enjoyable.

We will provide registered participants with a detailed packing list, painting supply recommendations, arrival information and final workshop itinerary before the trip.

Painting Monhegan

Monhegan has played an important role in American art history because artists have long recognized something special here.

It isn't only the dramatic cliffs or the working harbor. It is the combination of landscape, people, weather, light and isolation that makes you pay closer attention.

That makes Monhegan an ideal place to explore one of the central ideas behind Wyatt’s teaching: the painting begins with seeing.

Over four days, we will have the rare opportunity to step away from normal routines, live with our subjects and experience how a place reveals itself gradually.

The goal is not to leave Monhegan with four perfect paintings.

It is to leave seeing more than you did when you arrived.

Come prepared to paint, walk, explore and spend four unforgettable days immersed in watercolor on one of America’s most storied artist islands.