The Joy of Travel and Art:
Painting in Coastal Canada
Join artist and instructor, Laura Raborn, for a retreat experience filled with art-making, culinary delights, and stunning natural beauty of St. Andrews-by-the-Sea.
Tuesday, June 2 - Sunday, June 7, 2026
Registration is now open for a special week of art making in coastal Canada. We will practice seeing and making art with a sense of curiosity and wonder - a skill that will serve you throughout your travels and life. Based on last year’s student feedback, this workshop is one day longer - it’s hard to leave beautiful St. Andrews-by-the-Sea!
In short…
If you enjoy travel and art, and are yearning for an artistic getaway in a beautiful place, this retreat may be for you! Many of us yearn for time away from our daily routines in a beautiful, serene place. By adding the component of art-making, we can amplify the restorative power of being in a place away from home.
A bit more to it…
Looking closely with wonder has the power to relieve many of our stresses. It takes us out of our repetitive thoughts, the hamster wheel routine, and the pressure to “be” something. The Coastal Canada art retreat provides participants with an escape that is as engaging and nourishing as it is relaxing.
We will leave with new connections to others and ourselves, and with a sketchbook memento and portfolio of paintings to remind us of each lesson, each stunning view and delightful sight, and of our days roaming the town of St. Andrews.
We will loosely draw and paint our inspirational surroundings…without pressure or stress. Drawing excursions coupled with studio painting sessions will elevate our art making as we move from abstraction to realism and will leave with a group of studies and paintings that span the many possibilities between.
What’s Included:
Arrival welcome reception for introductions and to jump start our art activities
Comfortable accommodations at beautifully restored, historic Kennedy House on the waterfront in the middle of town
Daily 3-hour sketchbook art excursions hitting the most beautiful spots in St. Andrews
Daily studio painting sessions with demonstrations, group and one-on-one instruction
A sketchbook tour of renowned Kingsbrae Botanical Garden
All art supplies and tote bag
Dinner each night (5) at the top restaurants in St. Andrews
Plus extra activities like a history tour of the town, a visit to Minister’s Island, or a studio visit with a beloved local artist!
Meet Your Instructor
For 12 years, Laura Raborn has led art workshops and retreats focused on drawing, painting and all types of mixed media techniques. She focuses on reaching all levels of artists - from seasoned pros to brand new creators and believes all people are born to create, and are able to make beautiful art with some encouragement, confidence and specific tips and tricks.
Laura’s experience as a 2023 KIngsbrae artist-in-residence and her return to St. Andrews last year to lead a painting and drawing workshop, puts you in good hands. She is familiar with the area, with local artists, with the cafes and restaurants, and the many not-to-be-missed sights.
Based in Little Rock, Arkansas, Laura’s work focuses on looking closely at people and places with a sense of wonder, and acknowledgement that everything we see is only one fraction of the whole story. She is represented by Justus Fine Art in Arkansas and by Princess Street Gallery on Harbour Island in the Bahamas.
Who is the Retreat for?
This retreats for you if:
You are interested in adding the element of art making to your travels
You are a brand new artist, or already experienced, looking to add skills and techniques to your practice
You are needing a true getaway that combines structured guided time with free time
You want to create art while traveling but don’t know where to begin or what to pack
You want to travel in a creative way, seeing a beautiful place through the eyes of your inner artist
You want to overcome fear of perfection in your creative process
You want to travel with a friend or try out solo travel, and make new friendships during the art outings
You don’t want to worry about purchasing and packing art supplies
Activity level: Moderate (we will be leisurely walking, climbing and descending stairs, sitting, and standing)
This is a drawing and painting retreat for all levels of creatives. The group will be small and we welcome those who enjoy meeting people, experiencing new places, and broadening perspectives and skills. If you are looking for an uplifting and enjoyable experience learning about how we see our environments and how to turn that vision into beautiful art, scroll down to grab your spot today!
Testimonials:
“I would most certainly recommend the class to a friend. I loved it. So many important lessons! You’re an encouraging and patient teacher, offering critical tips and advice to a novice or experienced artist. Your voice and manner are so pleasant and calming, and your enthusiasm is palpable. I loved every second.” -Alex
“Oh Laura, I could not have enjoyed your workshop more. It was literally an eye opener for me. I keep looking at the trees with “new” eyes. You are a wonderful teacher. I am so grateful to you for bringing us to such a special spot to learn about painting. -Ann
Welcome to St. Andrews-by-the-Sea in New Brunswick, Canada
St. Andrews by-the-Sea, named USA Today’s Best Destination in Canada and one of the 12 Best Small Towns in Canada by Travel+Leisure, is a gorgeous seaside town, with a long list of beautfil sights to inspire our art making.
Accommodations: Welcome to the Kennedy House
With a long and fascinating history, the Kennedy House has been a local and visitor favorite for many years. With the tastefully refurbished rooms, modern conveniences such as wifi and an elevator, popular restaurant and bar, and iconic front porch, it is the place to be. Each room comes with an en suite bathroom, microwave, mini fridge, and coffee machine.
Additionally, the Inn is perfectly located with beautiful views of the waterfront. Accessible by foot to nature trails, the wharf, shopping, the main restaurants, bars, and sights, the Kennedy House offers our group of artists an ideal starting point and ending point to our creative days.
Our painting sessions will take place in a Kenndy House common room, to be used privately and exclusively by our art group.
To read about the history of the building click here.
Retreat Description and Itinerary
How to Loosely (and Accurately) Paint Your Surroundings…Without Pressure or Stress!
The workshop involves a range of drawing and painting exercises. Initially, we will practice loose gestural sketches to learn how to see basic shapes, colors and values. Through specific tips and demonstrations about loose shapes and energetic lines, students will create abstract forms. These lessons will help prepare our eyes and hands for projects where we aim to accurately capture scenes in a representational style.
As the workshop progresses and we move toward realism, we will use basic geometric shapes and measuring techniques to develop multiple drawings. We will also create value studies that can guide you during the workshop and in future painting. We will bring our sketches to life by adding layers of Golden Open acrylic paint which has some characteristics of oil paint, with the ease of acrylic paint.
In beautiful St. Andrews-by-the-Sea, part of each day will be spent taking our sketchpads to documents the many beautiful sights and part of our time will be spent painting in our private studio space and porch at the Kennedy House. The workshop includes demonstrations, work time and individual attention as our step-by-step compositions unfold. You will learn how to incorporate an art practice into your every day life whether you are at home gazing out the window or inspired by the new sights of travel.
The materials we will use (included in the fee) are: Golden Open acrylic paint, paint brushes, watercolor paper pads, pencils, water containers, paper towels, drawing boards, tape, and easels. Students bring: a small sketchbook (my favorites are Moleskin and Talens).
Arrival and Departure Dates:
Check in at the Kennedy House is between 3:00-5:00 Atlantic time on Tuesday, June 2, 2026
At 5:30 we will gather for a Happy Hour Meet and Greet on the iconic front porch of the Kennedy House. Meet your fellow art travelers and your instructor Laura Raborn. We will go over the schedule for the retreat and information about the town and our surroundings, followed by a welcome dinner.Check out is 11:00 am on Sunday, June 7th, 2025.
Daily Sample Schedule:
9:30-12:30 Explore delightful locations in the area, perfect for artistic inspiration and drawing lessons, with sketchpad and cameras in hand
12:30-2:30 Free time/lunch
2:30-5:00 or 5:30 Studio painting time at the Kennedy House
6:30 or 7:00 Group dinners at favorite St. Andrews restaurants
Times will be adjusted slightly. Included in the fee, is at least one extra curricular activity such as a sketchbook outing to Minister’s Island, a history tour of the town, or a studio visit with a well known local artist.
Once registered…
Laura will email you a registration confirmation and will then send the balance invoice on March 15th. The balance will be based on the CAD/USD exchange rate on the day of balance payment.
We can discuss travel arrangements, packing recommendations, food allergies, and answer any questions you have as we near our art-making trip together.
Click here to contact Laura to answer your questions and determine if this retreat is the right fit for you.
Registration is now open!
Early Bird Discount and Bonus!
Register on or before Feb. 15th, 2026 to receive a discounted rate per art retreat participant:
Single Occupancy: $3231 CAD per person (around $2322 USD)
Double Occupancy: $2579 CAD per person (around $1854 USD) Looking for the biggest bang for your buck? This is it!
The Early Bird Special breaks down to $464 USD per day for a single room and $370 USD per person per day for a double room. Take a look at what is included (on the right—->) and you can see what all is packed into that daily fee. It’s a fantastic opportunity for travel-loving artists!
Bonus! The first two people to register will each receive a demo painting of their choice at the retreat!
Non-participating guests are welcome in a double occupancy booking with a retreat participant for a fee of $1715 CAD (around $1232 USD) which includes 5 nights accommodations, five group dinners, and one art group outing of your choice, such as a visit to Minister’s Island, entry to Kingsbrae Botanical Garden, a visit to a local artists studio, or a history tour of St. Andrews (and does not include art materials or participation in the daily drawing excursions or studio painting time). This breaks down to roughly $246 USD per day for non-participating guests.
Regular Fees (after Feb. 15th):
Single Occupancy: $3590 CAD (around $2580 USD)
Double Occupancy $2865 CAD per person (around $2059 USD)
Please read on!
Note: The payment structure allows you to pay for the retreat in 2 installments: a hold deposit of $750 USD at time of registration and a final payment due on March 15th, 2026.
** Please read the cancellation policy below prior to signing up.
** By registering for this retreat, you agree that you have have read the Insurance and Liability, and Payment and Cancellation policies.
Click here to contact Laura to answer your questions and determine if this retreat is the right fit for you.
The fee includes the following:
Arrival welcome reception for introductions and to jump start our art activities
Comfortable accommodations at beautifully restored, historic Kennedy House on the waterfront in the middle of town
Daily 3-hour sketchbook art excursions hitting the most beautiful spots in St. Andrews
Daily studio painting sessions with demonstrations, group and one-on-one instruction
A sketchbook tour of renowned Kingsbrae Botanical Garden
All art supplies and tote bag
Dinner each night at the top restaurants in St. Andrews
Plus extra activities like a history tour of the town, a visit to Minister’s Island, or a studio visit with a beloved local artist!
Getting to St. Andrews-by-the-Sea
Travelers are responsible for arranging their own flights. The closest US airport is in Bangor, Maine (2 hour drive) or Portland, ME (4 hour drive). In Canada, the closest airport is the Saint John Airport, approximately 1.5 hrs away from St. Andrews by-the-Sea. Note: Saint John Airport (YSJ) is NOT to be confused with the St. John’s Airport in Newfoundland.
Insurance and Liability
Participation in this retreat is voluntary and involves travel, physical activity, and time spent in unfamiliar environments, which may carry inherent risks. By registering, participants acknowledge and accept full responsibility for their own health, safety, and well-being throughout the retreat. The retreat organizer is not responsible for injury, illness, loss, damage, or expense arising from participation, including but not limited to accidents, slips or falls, transportation issues, or acts of third-party service providers. Participants are expected to carry appropriate travel and medical insurance and to exercise personal judgment and care at all times.
Participation signifies agreement to release and hold harmless the retreat organizer, Laura Raborn, from any claims or liabilities arising from participation.
Payment and cancellation policy
Your $750 USD deposit is non-refundable no matter what the circumstance. If you cancel at least 3 months before a retreat, and you have paid in full, we will return 75% of your payment minus the deposit. If you cancel at least 2 months before the retreat, we will return 50% of your payment minus the deposit. If you cancel within 2 months of the start of a retreat, the total fees paid and deposit are nonrefundable. We understand that illness and emergencies happen, therefore, encourage all participants to purchase travel insurance.
Please know that we do not aim to profit off of someone’s cancellation, therefore, if there is a wait list and we are able to fill your spot, you will be reimbursed your payment minus the non-refundable deposit. If the retreat is cancelled, you will receive your deposit and all fees paid. With such a small group, the fee structure is dependent on a certain number of participants attending therefore, we must adhere to the above described cancellation policy in order to run the program.
