Monday, July 11-Friday, July 15

Young artists put their investigative skills to work as they collect, study, identify, and illustrate the Gardens’ butterflies and the flowers and plants they depend on. Daily, participants will explore and sketch on-location in the Gardens, developing a strong foundation of observation, drawing, and painting skills, simultaneously creating a portfolio of beautiful studies and illustrations using pencil, pen and ink, colored pencil, and watercolor. Students also gain an understanding and appreciation for the important role these pollinators play in our gardens. All art supplies are included with this camp.

Hélène Farrar has taught and worked in the visual arts for twenty years, actively exhibiting in commercial, nonprofit, and university galleries in New England, New York City, Pennsylvania, Italy, and England. Farrar has a BA in studio art from the University of Maine and an MFA in interdisciplinary arts from Goddard College in Vermont. Hélène currently owns and operates a private art school out of her Maine “farmhouse” studio where she holds a variety of workshops and classes for children and adults.

Please note this class requires participants to show proof of having received all eligible Covid-19 vaccinations, as recommended for their age by the CDC, in order to participate. Because of the dynamic nature of this situation, we ask that you agree to abide by potential future changes in CMBG’s Covid-19 policy designed to address evolving public health recommendations.

Discover all that you can see, smell, hear, feel, and even taste as we tour the Lerner Garden of the Five Senses together, experiencing nature and the Gardens in a whole new way. Participants will finish the program by potting up an herb to take with them, carrying forward and cultivating that sensory experience at home! This unique adult/child program is free for members and $10 in addition to admission for nonmembers

Learn about what happens as a seed becomes a full-grown plant, then starts the entire cycle all over again! We’ll talk everything plants: life cycle, adaptations, and overall importance. We’ll dissect different parts of a plant, learn about their functions, and explore our Learning Garden, testing (and tasting!) what we’ve learned. Participants will take a plant home as a reminder of their botanical experience. This unique adult/child program is free for members and $10 in addition to admission for nonmembers

Monday, July 25-Friday, July 29

Our summer nature camps provide fun and enriching opportunities for young people to learn about the natural world. Exploration-filled activities will take us on adventures throughout the Gardens and surrounding forests as we investigate bugs, birds, food chains, amphibians, the water cycle, and so much more. Through observations, games, stories, experiments, and nature-related projects, campers will be well on their way to becoming young naturalists the end of the week! Karen Jones is the Camp Coordinator for the Gardens and first grade teacher at Hall-Dale Elementary; she brings over fifteen years of teaching experience working with children of all ages.

Please note this class requires participants to show proof of having received all eligible Covid-19 vaccinations, as recommended for their age by the CDC, in order to participate. Because of the dynamic nature of this situation, we ask that you agree to abide by potential future changes in CMBG’s Covid-19 policy designed to address evolving public health recommendations.

Summertime is prime butterfly time! Join us to explore our Native Butterfly and Moth House, as well as other butterfly hot spots at the Gardens. We’ll learn about life cycles, special connections to plants, unique adaptations, and how to tell the difference between butterflies and moths. Students will leave with an even greater appreciation for—and understanding of—these lovely creatures. At the end of the program, participants will craft a colorful reminder of the butterfly life cycle to take home with them. This unique adult/child program is free for members and $10 in addition to admission for nonmembers

Monday, August 8-Friday August 12

Campers will spend the week getting up close and personal with the amazing pollinators making all of our gardens possible. Through games, activities, observations, and visits to our Native Butterfly and Moth House, honeybee hives, and annual resident exhibition, The Caterpillar Lab, campers will learn the ins and outs of pollination. Each day will focus on a different pollinator and its unique adaptations.

Please note this class requires participants to show proof of having received all eligible Covid-19 vaccinations, as recommended for their age by the CDC, in order to participate. Because of the dynamic nature of this situation, we ask that you agree to abide by potential future changes in CMBG’s Covid-19 policy designed to address evolving public health recommendations.

Karen Jones is the Camp Coordinator for the Gardens and first grade teacher at Hall-Dale Elementary; she brings over fifteen years of teaching experience working with children of all ages.

We’ll begin by walking through the Gardens to select spring blooms like tulips, daffodils, and azaleas, making them the subject of this watercolor workshop. Once back in the classroom, we’ll work on painting larger-than-life flowers, focusing on observation techniques and learning how to scale, mix colors, apply masking techniques, and create large washes of watercolor. Students will work towards having a finished piece by the end of the day. Whether new to watercolor, or working on refining your skills, this class is appropriate for all skill levels. All art supplies will be included.

Erica Qualey lives in Maine and works as a watercolor artist and illustrator. She is an award-winning member of the New England Watercolor Society and has exhibited nationally and internationally. Teaching students of all ages to draw and paint has become another passion for Erica in recent years. Her youth programming through the Skidompha Library is very popular, and she has also worked with children through visiting artists programs. She was recently awarded a grant from the Maine Arts Association supporting her work as a virtual art educator.

Wednesday-Friday, June 28-30, 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

Create a nature-journaling keepsake! During this three-day workshop, students will explore the Gardens and surrounding woodlands, learning how to make journal observations that combine words and imagery. Once back in the classroom, learn lettering techniques using ink and how to add color, detail, lines, and texture using watercolors and colored pencils. We’ll discuss journal page design and layout, and everyone will get to take a journal of completed works home, ready to house more of their nature observations in the future. All materials provided. Parents/Guardians are welcome to take this class alongside their young artist.

Erica Qualey lives in Maine and works as a watercolor artist and illustrator. She is an award-winning member of the New England Watercolor Society and has exhibited nationally and internationally. Teaching students of all ages to draw and paint has become another passion for Erica in recent years. Her youth programming through the Skidompha Library is very popular, and she has also worked with children through visiting artists programs. She was recently awarded a grant from the Maine Arts Association supporting her work as a virtual art educator.

Monday-Wednesday, July 10-12, 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

Does your child have an interest in learning printmaking? Join local artists Debra Arter and Kay Miller as they share their love of the art and various unique printing styles with young artists. Students will visit different parts of the Gardens each day, drawing inspiration and gathering natural materials to use for plant rubbings and botanical monotypes. Students will also experiment with gelli and collagraph plates to make cards, nature books, and framed work. All materials will be provided. Parents/Guardians are welcome to take this class alongside their young artist.

Debra Arter has earned a BA in art education and MFA in fine art. She has been teaching adults and children for over 30 years, both in Maine and internationally—but her favorite is printmaking. Her work will be featured in several curated shows this summer. When not teaching or traveling, she enjoys spending time in her own gardens in Damariscotta. She is a founding member of the Midcoast Printmakers.

Kay Miller's daily interactions with nature provide the starting point for her compositions. Using color and an array of natural materials she has picked and pressed, Kay is able to express how she feels about living on the coast of Maine. The process of monotype printing provides instant satisfaction, while offering a complexity in the layering and changing of form and color.

Thursday & Friday, July 13 & 14, 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

The Gardens’ five resident trolls are fabulous sketching subjects! In this two-day workshop, young artists will develop an understanding of shape and form as they create their own sketches of these giants. Students will draw both on-site and in the studio and become familiar with a variety of drawing media, including various pencils and an introduction to watercolor. After capturing the trolls, participants will apply their new skills to other subjects at the Gardens such as butterflies, flowers, and frogs. All materials provided. 

Hélène Farrar has taught and worked in the visual arts for twenty years while actively exhibiting in commercial, nonprofit, and university galleries in New England, New York City, Pennsylvania, Italy, and England. Farrar has a BA in studio art from the University of Maine and an MFA in interdisciplinary arts from Goddard College in Vermont. Hélène currently owns and operates her own private art school in Maine out of her “Farmhouse” studio, where she holds a variety of workshops and classes for children and adults.

Monday-Friday, July 24-28 | Our summer nature camps provide fun and enriching opportunities for young people to learn about the natural world. Exploration-filled activities will take us on adventures throughout the Gardens and surrounding forests as we investigate bugs, birds, food chains, mammals, sun power, and much more. Through observations, games, stories, experiments, and nature-related projects, campers will be well on their way to becoming young naturalists by the end of the week! Plus, new for 2023, aftercare will be available for campers participating in this camp through our Extended Explorations.

Monday-Friday, July 31-August 4 | The Gardens is full of beauty and wonder thriving above ground, but there’s plenty to discover below the surface too! Our many ponds are teeming with life, and campers will spend the week exploring them, catching frogs, salamanders, and aquatic bugs while learning all about their life cycles in the process. Campers will also discover the unique adaptations of the plants and animals that depend on these diverse habitats for their survival. Plus, new for 2023, aftercare will be available for campers participating in this camp through our Extended Explorations.

Monday & Tuesday, August 21 & 22, 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

The Gardens’ five resident trolls are fabulous sketching subjects! In this two-day workshop, young artists will develop an understanding of shape and form as they create their own sketches of these giants. Students will draw both on-site and in the studio and become familiar with a variety of drawing media, including various pencils and an introduction to watercolor. After capturing the trolls, participants will apply their new skills to other subjects at the Gardens such as butterflies, flowers, and frogs. All materials provided.

Hélène Farrar has taught and worked in the visual arts for twenty years while actively exhibiting in commercial, nonprofit, and university galleries in New England, New York City, Pennsylvania, Italy, and England. Farrar has a BA in studio art from the University of Maine and an MFA in interdisciplinary arts from Goddard College in Vermont. Hélène currently owns and operates her own private art school in Maine out of her “Farmhouse” studio, where she holds a variety of workshops and classes for children and adults.