Flora
2025-08-16 - 2025-09-27 | Andrew & Laura McCain Art Gallery, 8 McCain Street, Florenceville-Bristol, New Brunswick, E7L 3H6, Canada
Join us on Thursday, September 4th at 5:30 pm for the opening – which will also be the pARTicipate Arts & Nature Festival kickoff event! Meet many of the artists, some of whom will be teaching workshops at pARTicipate.
“I like to make clothing, and I like it when it has an interesting shape or texture. I draft all my own patterns and the pieces are often historical, but sometimes not.
I enjoy the design challenges of working with secondhand and reclaimed materials, and combining inspiration from different historical eras, as well as the natural world. It’s always exciting to try a new material or learn a new technique, and sometimes I make videos of my projects so I can share all the construction information in as much detail as possible”. Vincent Briggs
“I have been a collector of seedpods for many years, each with incredibly beautiful, intricate forms and textures. These tiny seed vessels have been rich potential for creative exploration and have become the catalyst for my recent body of work. These smoke-fired vessels have been given over to the fire to breathe life into each piece, the smoke and flame creating a quiet beauty, richly marked with visual texture and colour.
It is my intention that these vessels evoke a sense of hope and renewal, a feeling of stillness and tranquility, reminding the viewer of the beauty of nature”. Judy Blake
“As a seamstress by trade and a passionate textile arts educator, I have nurtured a lifelong love for all
things fiber-related. Over the last few years, my daily art practice has increasingly zeroed in on bobbin
lace making. This historic craft is on the verge of dying out in New Brunswick and it is my long-term goal
to reintroduce it to the region and build a community of lace makers.
I am currently studying bobbin lace traditions from all over the world, learning multiple techniques
through online classes and creating original lace artwork. Designing a lace piece begins with loosely
sketching out ideas, experimenting with composition, and considering color. Then comes the precise
mathematical planning needed to design a lace pattern, like a puzzle that must be solved to ensure the
threads hold together and the picture takes shape as intended.
The process of bobbin lace making requires a profound level of concentration and attention to detail, as
each pair of threads is twisted and crossed in an exact order to keep the design intact and the colors in
place. Traditionally, lace designers and lace makers were separate entities, but I cherish the ability to bring
both roles together in my work. The whole process fascinates me, from the initial spark of inspiration to
the final moment when I remove the last pins and hold up the completed piece, an artwork made entirely
of threads, with more holes than solid mass yet still perfectly holding its form.
Through my work, I aim to honor and preserve the rich tradition of bobbin lace, while also bringing my
own unique vision to life, one thread at a time”. Cat Candow
Caoife Garvey is an Irish textile artist and designer currently living in Fredericton, New Brunswick. She specialises in weaving and felting techniques and works primarily with natural fibres such as linen, paper, wool and natural dyes. She uses thoughtfully chosen materials to create woven art pieces and fine craft accessories. Caoife is a graduate of the New Brunswick College of Craft and Design and currently works there as an instructor in the Foundation Visual Arts and Textile Design programmes. Her work has been shown in group exhibitions around New Brunswick and she has been the recipient of an Arts NB Creation Grant and the Charlotte Glencross Scholarship offered to an artist who is progressing in their professional development.
“My recent artistic practice blends traditional craftsmanship and contemporary exploration, using weaving and felting techniques to create works that are inspired by forms and textures observed in nature. I work with natural materials to create abstract, geometric patterns through the strategic manipulation of distinct weave structures. Most notably, I have been using yarn made from paper, a ubiquitous material made from the cellulose of trees and plants, to create weavings rich in texture and dimensionality. Building on this work, I am expanding my practice by integrating more elements of the plants themselves. Milkweed seeds and fibres provide soft stuffing, flax bast fibres are woven into fabric, and petals and bark are used for natural dyeing. I am particularly drawn to how the textures and colours found in local flora can enhance the qualities of specific weave structure, creating works that speak to both materiality and place”. Caife Garvey
Website: caoife@gmail.com Instagram: @Caoife.Garvey
Alexa began blacksmithing in Florida in 1980. Banging on metal proved to be the perfect counterpoint to her career as a librarian. She has been moving her scrap pile northward ever since. Initially she produced small abstract sculptures for interiors. When she established Ladysmith Forge in Connecticut in 1991, she learned to make hardware suitable for 18th and 19th century buildings. In 2006, she immigrated to Canada. Today, she and her wife live on a 125 acre farm in Mt. Hanley, Nova Scotia. Alexa forges garden sculpture and private commissions under the watchful eyes of a small flock of sheep. Her work can be seen at the Tangled Garden in Grand Pré and occasionally at the Annapolis Royal Historical Garden and, virtually, on her website: AlexaJaffurs.com
“My coloured glass flowers, each a faithful replica of one of our Atlantic provinces floral emblems, embody the range of habitats and regional identities of the Maritimes. They represent our character as well as being beautiful symbols of strength, adaptation, and unity. But even more important, at a time where biodiversity is increasingly understood as central to our very survival, these flowers and their distinct ecosystems remind us of a greater purpose: caring for our precious planet. Created on a specialized propane and oxygen torch to melt borosilicate glass. Solid rods and tubes are melted and shaped to create each piece of flora”. Heather McCaig
Adam McNamara (he/him) is a wood artist known for his unique approach to wood carving, drawing inspiration from the natural world and modern design elements. Employing power carving and fine carving techniques, he achieves realistic detail, resembling intricate paintings in wood. His creative process is deeply rooted in the world outside, particularly local ecosystems and hidden treasures within them. Influenced by anatomical drawings from Darwin’s era and the impressionism movement in painting, he infuses his pieces with themes of appreciating small creatures that hold our ecosystems together. Adam’s accolades include multiple exhibitions both locally and internationally, charity campaigns, and competitions over the years, with recent collaborations include a commission by Timberland Canada for hurricane relief in Nova Scotia. Adam prioritizes sustainability by sourcing wood from forests or purchasing scraps from woodworkers, repurposing all scrap to minimize waste. His self-taught journey pushes boundaries, with each piece serving as a discovery of new techniques and practices, contributing to the evolution of wood art.
“I use natural materials—hand-dyed woolen fabrics and yarn—hooked into linen or burlap backing to create images in the same way that other artists use paint on a canvas. My inspiration often comes from nature, the landscapes, plants, and animals that I see. However, colour and form also have appeal, and I strive to highlight them in my creations”. Caroline Simpson
Nationally acclaimed Canadian plant fibre artist, Ralph Simpson has developed an innovative method of weaving and sculpting plant fibre into pleasing sculptural forms. He was raised in the fields and forests of New Brunswick along the Petitcodiac River and there developed a keen interest in plants. His personal motivation arises from a deep connection with nature and an implicit desire to promote environmental sustainability.

Currently, he resides in Fredericton working full time in his studio there. Ralph chooses to work with locally sourced, sustainable materials and forages his own plant fibres using environmentally sustainable methods. He prefers invasive, introduced, or naturalized plant species and also native plants if they are abundant. Ralph holds an MSc. from UNB in Forest Research Biology, and a Diploma in Fine Craft from NBCCD. Informed by the sciences and his acquired technical expertise his intricately woven pieces reflect the fields and forests around him.
Ralph is an award-winning artist with grants from Arts NB and Canada Council, short-listed for the Salt Springs National Art Prize (2021) and his work has been accessioned into New Brunswick’s permanent art collection (2023). He exhibits his work locally and internationally, attending residencies and giving workshops.
The flora of New Brunswick informs his work and his creative process. His designs arise from his interpretations of nature and have evolved from traditional basketry, to vessels, and botanically themed sculptures. His process results in a contemporary manifestation of his connection with plants in their natural habitat. His work varies in form and style but what resonates in all his work is an underlying investigation into ways that plant materials can be used to spark interest and insight into the natural world.

Totality: David Hunter and James Wilson
2025-10-04 - 2025-11-08
The show is open from October 4, to November 7. The opening is on Saturday, October 18 from 2pm-4pm

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We are pleased to invite you to a special guided tour of our current exhibition, led by exhibiting artist, David Hunter.

Thursday, October 23 from 6:30pm-7:30pm
The Andrew & Laura McCain Art Gallery, 8 McCain St, Florenceville-Bristol

This tour offers a unique opportunity to gain insight into the artist’s creative process, inspiration, and the stories behind the works on display.

Admission is always free, and all are welcome to attend.

James Wilson
James Wilson is a fine art photographer living and working from his home based studio in Hampton, New Brunswick. His art works are in many public, corporate, and private collections throughout North America and Europe. He specializes in large format rural landscapes, still-life, and natural-light black and white studio portraits which he calls “Social Studies”. He has been teaching photography and mentoring people on the art of the medium internationally for 19 years, with annual workshops in Mexico, Italy, and Japan.
“…My approach to making these photographs was not as a scientist, but as an artist. So I experimented slightly to explore different effects mostly through exposure changes and zooming in and out.
Properly exposing the image of the corona of the sun around the moon would stay white like one would naturally expect as shown in this first image. (Leftmost)
Underexposing the image the corona would take on a much warmer look which some might find more appealing as shown in the image. (#2)
There was a point when the corona expanded and as I remembered it seemed to have a slight cyan colour. (#3)
This is a classic shot that eclipse photographers try to always get when the sun is slightly exiting its hidden stat behind the moon with a bright flare. It’s called the ‘Diamond Ring Shot’. (#4)
This image I took just after putting my solar eclipse filter back on the camera lens. It exaggerated the flaring of the sun coming out from behind the moon and added more drama to the event. (Rightmost)” -James Wilson
“Total solar eclipses are very rare occurrences for any given spot on Earth…Prior to 8th April, 2024, the last total solar eclipse in central New Brunswick happened in 932! Therefore, since the last total solar eclipse in Central NB has been more than 1000 years ago, and that the path of 2024 totality went through Central Carleton County, a special effort was mounted to bring this to the attention of the community and nation. However, there was a potential problem: there was a 70% probability that it would be cloudy on the day of the eclipse. Therefore, a project was started to send a stratospheric balloon above any clouds to observe the eclipse.” -David Hunter
Science Engineering Team for the Total Solar Eclipse Balloon Project
David Hunter, BSc, MSc
In his professional life he was involved in the development of high resolution X-ray digital mammography systems based on the material amorphous selenium. This work was conducted at the University of Toronto and the affiliated Sunnybrook Research Institute. He has had a long standing interest in physics, astronomy, meteorology, and electronics, which all contributed to the development of the Total Solar Eclipse Balloon Project.
Lewis Cobb, MSc
An Electrical Engineer from the University of New Brunswick, his career is in industrial microcontroller system design and he was involved in contributions pertaining to 3D modeling, 3D printing, and CNC routing.
Stephen Downward, BCS
A graduate of the University of New Brunswick, he worked in communications, programming, and electronics.
Dr. Don Plewes, Phd
Professor Emeritus from the Department of Medical Biophysics of the University of Toronto, his contributions related to the engineering design of the project testing, analysis and mathematics, and general advice.
Tom Sisk, MSc
A retired Electrical Engineer who worked at NB Power, Irving, and Coleson Cove, contributed to the engineering design of the project and payload, as well as general advice.
Ken Strauss, MSc
A retired Electrical Engineer who worked with Comshare and Ontario Hydro made contributions related to the mechanical design and testing of the Balloon Solar Eclipse Project.

University of New Brunswick Student Engineering Team

UNB Liaison and Faculty
Troy Lavigne, Project Officer, Electrical and Computer Engineering, UNB
Andy Simoneau, Chair, Department of Mechanical Engineering, UNB

UNB Engineering Student Project Group 1
Roshan Peri
Savishta Rattun
Jacob Snider
Benjamin Thomson

UNB Engineering Student Project Group 2
Ethan Albert Garnier
Spencer Frederick Gowlett
Alex Thomas Johnson
Zachary Michael Titus

UNB Engineering Student Project Group 3
Olivia DeMerchant
Zachary Demerson
Matthew Snell
Zoe Devries
To learn more about the Total Solar Eclipse Balloon Project, click the button below.
Learn more!

Children's Professional Learning Day Art Class
2025-10-24 07:45 - 17:30, 2025-12-12 07:45 - 17:30 (America/Halifax) | River Art Centre, 8746 Main St., Florenceville-Bristol, New Brunswick

Holiday Clay Workshop with Jenna Ross
2025-11-29 10:00 - 16:00 | River Art Centre, 8746 Main St., Florenceville-Bristol, New Brunswick
Join Jenna Ross at the River Art Centre (8746 Main St, Florenceville-Bristol) for a festive and fun clay workshop!
In this workshop you’ll be lead through making a handbuilt snowman sculpture and guided on how to make ornaments. Everyone will decorate their pieces using underglazes. All work will be fired and clear glaze coated for pickup at a later date – in time for Christmas!
This workshop runs from 10AM-4PM with an hour lunch at noon. You are welcome to bring or buy your lunch. No experience is necessary, just a willingness to try and get messy! Come with an open and curious spirit – clay can be delightful but sometimes unpredictable.
Students are welcome to bring their own cookie cutter shape, pattern/texture options like stamps or an old doily you don’t mind getting dirty, or anything else of the sort you want to try!
Note: Longer nails can make working with clay trickier!!!
Date: Saturday, November 29
Time: 10AM-4PM
Cost: $38 *No refunds on cancellations within 7 days of workshop
Location: River Art Centre – 8746 Main Street, Florenceville-Bristol

Reindeer Felting Workshop with Michelle Landry
2025-12-06 13:00 - 15:00 | River Art Centre, 8746 Main St., Florenceville-Bristol, New Brunswick
Join Michelle Landry at the River Art Centre (8746 Main St, Florenceville-Bristol) for a festive and fun felting workshop!
In this workshop, you’ll be led through making a felted a reindeer ornament! This workshop runs from 1pm-3pm, no experience is necessary, just a willingness to try!
Date: Saturday, December 6
Time: 1pm-3pm
Cost: $40 ($25 +$15 Kit)
Location: River Art Centre – 8746 Main St, Florenceville-Bristol
Contact the gallery to register today!
506-392-6769 or info@mccainartgallery.com

6 Week Clay Handbuilding Workshop with Jenna Ross
2026-01-14
Dive into exploring clay with a sampling of different handbuilding techniques in this course for beginners. Each Wednesday students will be guided through a unique handbuilding project that introduces a new skill. Participants will also have the opportunity to manage their own ongoing self-directed piece throughout the course and during free time. You will learn about slab building, slump molds, could building, pinchpots, lidded jars, and sculpture – with the final week for glaze decorating! Each participant will complete 6 unique pieces to take home.
Bring your curiosity, embrace imperfection, willingness to get messy, and openness to play!
Two class times to choose from;
2pm-5pm or 6pm-9pm
Dates:
Wednesdays: January 14, 21, 28, February 4, 11, and 18.
Cost: $300
No refunds on cancellations within 7 days of workshop

Kid's Professional Learning Day Art Classes
2026-01-16
More kids art classes this Friday!
See poster for more information.

This program is in partnership with the Carleton North High School, with financial assistance available if needed.
Bussing requests MUST be sent to Recreation before 4:00pm on Monday, January 12th
Register with the link below:
https://tms.ezfacility.com/OnlineRegistrations/Register.aspx?CompanyID=7708&GroupID=3976877

Questions? Please contact:
recreation@carletonnorth.com
(506) 392-6763 Ext. 220

Learn More!

2 Hour Intro to Wheel Workshop with Jenna Ross
2026-01-31
Learn the basics of “throwing” pottery on the wheel in this 2 hour session. Come ready to be messy, have fun, embrace imperfection, and enjoy the challenge of taming a spinning blob of clay! This one-time session is perfect for absolute beginners or those who have tried it in the past and want a refresher.
For participants who would like to keep their creation: this class includes one finished piece per student (which will be fired & receive a clear glaze coat + second firing, for pickup at a later date). Students can choose to keep additional pieces for a cost of $10/piece.
Course Details:

Saturday January 31, 10am-12pm
Saturday January 31, 1pm-3pm

Location: River Arts Centre,8746 Main St, Florenceville-Bristol
To Register: info@mccainartgallery.com or 506-392-6769
NO REFUNDS ON CANCELLATIONS WITHIN 2 WEEKS OF WORKSHOP!!!
LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE!!!

Drawing with Stephen Hutchings
2026-02-07
Join artist Stephen Hutchings and investigate drawing with pencil and charcoal!
Classes are Saturday February 7th, 21st, March 7th, and 28th.
10am-12pm, or 1:30pm-3:30pm $60 (covers all four classes) at the River Art Centre – 8746 Main St, Florenceville-Bristol
To register, please contact: info@mccainartgallery.com or 506-392-6769

Sarah Petite, The Line is the Canon
2026-02-14 - 2026-03-21
“In 2015, for the second time in my long practice, I became impatient with the eternal rectangle. I began experimenting with shapes, cut from plywood and intruded with meandering jigsaw ‘lines’. Everything the jigsaw does is like a line that can’t ever be erased. It’s the given, the canon. The paint has to answer to it.

A shape in my head becomes a sketch, becomes a plywood cutout, becomes a photograph, becomes a more precise sketch, printed out, for plotting the painting – which sometimes takes a few days before I pounce. Gazing at the beautiful shape. The paint – its colours, how it is applied, how its expression responds to the shape, is the project.
It’s true, my paintings are about encaustic paint, they reflect my fascination with its virtuosity, and the beauty and richness to be found in its effects. The process itself is what has kept me loyal to this medium for many years.” Sarah Petite
For a YouTube introduction to Sarah, Click Here
Born Pennsylvania, U.S.A., Sarah grew up near Boston and then settled in Canada, receiving Canadian citizenship in 1971. Sarah attended the Nova Scotia College of Art And Design, graduating with a BFA in Painting and in 1985 she studied Art History (early Christian, 12th century European, 16th century Italian architecture), at the University of East Anglia, Norwich, England. Sarah is represented at Gallery on Queen, Fredericton and is in major public and private collections in Canada. Having lived in various parts of Canada, Singapore, Italy, and England, she currently splits her time between Port Maitland, Nova Scotia and Fredericton NB.
Sarah began encaustic painting, and was largely self-taught. She won the Marie Hélène Allain Fellowship Award from the Sheila Hugh MacKay Foundation in 2022 for her encaustic work. As part of its mandate to promote the visual arts in New Brunswick, the SHMF recognises the accomplishments of mid-career New Brunswick artists who are engaged in the exploration and deepening of their creative endeavour. The jury was convinced by the accomplishments and perseverance Sarah demonstrates in discovering new directions through considered engagement with her materials and process, revealing a practice that contributes to and is in discourse with modernist painting traditions.
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“With encaustic, ‘hot’, or melted, means ‘wet’. Beeswax and pigment are combined in a small can (tomato paste, actually), melted down and dipped into. I use natural-bristle brushes whose long handles have been sawn off, to allow them to stand ready in the paint without tipping the can over. The paint stays ‘wet’ for about ten seconds, after which I must dip again, or may begin to cut and sculpt, using a variety of tools. The heat gun allows me to re-melt the paint right on the panel, making for textural enhancements like troweling, stippling or puddling”. Sarah Petite

2 Hour Intro to Wheel with Jenna Ross
2026-02-21
Learn the basics of “throwing” pottery on the wheel in this 2 hour session. Come ready to be messy, have fun, embrace imperfection, and enjoy the challenge of taming a spinning blob of clay! This one-time session is perfect for absolute beginners or those who have tried it in the past and want a refresher.
For participants who would like to keep their creation: this class includes one finished piece per student (which will be fired & receive a clear glaze coat + second firing, for pickup at a later date). Students can choose to keep additional pieces for a cost of $10/piece.
Course Details:

Saturday February 21, 10am-12pm
Saturday February 21, 1pm-3pm

Location: River Arts Centre,8746 Main St, Florenceville-Bristol
To Register: info@mccainartgallery.com or 506-392-6769
NO REFUNDS ON CANCELLATIONS WITHIN 2 WEEKS OF WORKSHOP!!!
LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE!!!

Creating a Body of Work: Workshop for Artists
2026-02-28 10:00 - 16:00 | River Art Centre, 8746 Main St., Florenceville-Bristol, New Brunswick
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Whether you are working in clay or paint, making drawings or taking photographs, how do you create a series of images or objects that successfully form a “body of work”?
Join artist Stephen Hutchings for this full-day workshop where you will be led through a discussion of content, themes, and graphic elements that are used to help make art and craft-work more unified.
You are encouraged to bring in some of your own works so that the concepts and discussions can be relevant to what you are currently working on.
When: Saturday, February 28 from 10AM-4PM
Where: River Art Centre, Upstairs: 8746 Main St, Florenceville-Bristol
Cost: $40
To register or for questions:
(506) 392-6769 or info@mccainartgallery.com

Raku Make-it Day
2026-02-28 12:00 - 16:00
Join Jenna for a handbuilding session where you will be led through making pots using Raku clay! You will leave having completed a minimum of 3 pots which prepares you to sign up for the Raku firing this summer!
If you wish to make more pots for the Raku firing, you can attend any clay drop-in until April 30th and ask for Raku Clay (drop-in pricing applies).
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Date: Saturday, February 28 2026
Time: 12pm-4pm
Location: River Art Centre, 8746 Main St, Florenceville Bristol
Cost: $40

To register: info@mccainartgallery.com or (506) 393-6769

*Important note: The raku firing workshop is separate: June 13, 9AM-5PM, $60.
Raku Firing Day Details

2.0 6-Week Wheel Course
2026-03-02
Ready to take your pottery skills to the next level? This Level 2 wheel course with Jenna’s Wheelhouse is designed for those who have the basics down and want to build more control, precision, and intention in their work.
This class expands on foundational techniques with a focus on making pieces well — not just making them survive 😄
Over 6 sessions, you’ll explore:
✨ Refining cylinders and improving consistency✨ Replication and working with measurement✨ Accounting for shrinkage✨ Throwing with more than 1 lb of clay✨ Throwing off the hump✨ Creating a lidded pot
By the end, you’ll feel more confident, controlled, and intentional at the wheel.
📅 Dates: March 2, 4, 9, 11, 16, 23⏰ Time Options: 2–5 PM | 6–9 PM💰 Cost: $300📍 Location: River Art Centre (8746 Main St, Florenceville-Bristol)📩 Register: 506-392-6769 | info@mccainartgallery.com
Spots are limited — reserve yours today!

Join Our Team!
2026-03-04
Each year the Gallery applies for funding from Canada Summer Jobs and SEED for two summer positions at the Gallery.
The SEED position is to be the Art Instructor for the summer art camps.
The Canada Summer Jobs position is for an administrative assistant at the gallery.
Duties can be shared depending on the candidates. Both positions are excellent for students pursuing a Visual Art degree at either post-secondary or university, and grade 12 students with suitable interests are invited to apply.
Please contact Jennifer at the Gallery with questions if you are interested in applying.
P.S. Always submit a cover letter with your application! Thanks
Questions:
(506) 392-6769
Apply Now!
jennifer@mccainartgallery.com
Art Camp Instructor
Start Date: June 9, 2026
Duration: 12 Weeks
In June, the Art Camp Instructor is responsible for planning the curriculum, ordering supplies, organising the studio, and preparing and delivering approximately eight art camps for children and youth. In July and August, the instructor will deliver weekly art camps for up to eight children or youth per camp, at the River Art Centre in Florenceville-Bristol New Brunswick. Mentoring, support, and art enrichment opportunities are offered by art professionals and some administrative and reception responsibilities are required of the instructor at various times during the summer.
Applicants must enjoy children, be self-directed, have effective communication, leadership, and organizational skills, as well as a willingness to learn. The position is ideal for students interested in Visual Art, who are currently enrolled in a post-secondary Education degree such as Early Childhood or Visual Art Programs. Qualified applicants from senior grades in high school are also encouraged to apply.
Administrative Assistant
Start Date: July 7, 2026
Duration: 8 Weeks
Working primarily at the Gallery and helping with summer art camp instruction, the Administrative Assistant will help at the Gallery with reception, providing information to visitors, and helping the Gallery team (Jennifer & Jeremy) look after all the tasks at the gallery.
Applicants must work well and efficiently with others, be detail-oriented, have strong communication, leadership, and organizational skills, and a willingness to learn.
This position is ideal for secondary school or college students who are currently enrolled in, or graduates of, Visual Arts or Admin Programs. Qualified applicants from senior grades in high school are also encouraged to apply.

Encaustic Painting Workshop
2026-03-07
Encaustic Painting Workshop
Get ready to dive into the world of creativity by learning all about Encaustic painting with Elspeth Hagan!
Workshop Details:
MARCH 7, 2026
FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH:
9AM-12PM, $40
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FOR ADULTS:
1PM-4PM, $60
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AT THE RIVER ART CENTRE, DOWNSTAIRS
8746 MAIN ST, FLORENCEVILLE-BRISTOL
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Register now!
(506) 392-6769
info@mccainartgallery.com
What you will learn:
You will create two images on wood (one framed) using only wax, or if you choose, wax combined with other elements like paper, beads, or pictures. You are welcome to bring their own elements or work with the supplied materials.
*Special care has been taken to adapt the process to ensure a fully non-toxic experience. Heated wax and heat guns will be used with supervision.
But what on Earth is encaustic?
Encaustic “painting” is an ancient artform that uses heated beeswax combined with pigments to create distinctive images. Encaustic uses layered wax, scraped and carved to create beautiful patterns and scenes, and may incorporate other materials like coloured paper, pictures, beads, fibres, or similar mixed media. Oil paints may be used to highlight certain lines. The beauty of encaustic art lies in the distinctive texture, as well as the unpredictable and organic pictures emerging from the wax.
Special care has been taken to adapt the process to ensure a fully non-toxic experience. Heated was and heat guns will be used with supervision.
About your instructor:
Elspeth Hagan taught for almost a decade (part time) in the Studio program (ages 6-14) of the Royal Ontario Museum, as well as developing and delivering art-based museum programming to adults and children. Elspeth developed museum programming – including for seniors and differently abled adults – at the British Museum in London. Elspeth currently leads the River Valley 4-H Arts & Crafts program in Florenceville.
Elspeth has always admired the history and beauty of encaustic painting and has researched and taught this technique to children and adults.
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Introduction to Linocut Printmaking
2026-03-14
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Join local artist Mahala McIntosh for a two-part immersive and hands-on linocut workshop – perfect for beginners and those with experience alike!
Part I: In this workshop, you will learn how to carve, ink, and print your own linocut.
Part II: Building off the skills learned in part I, you will learn about reduction printing and create a 2 colour reduction print.
*You are also welcome to participate in part II if you have taken linocut workshops previously.
Both classes are suited for ages 12+, with those 12-14 accompanied by an adult.
The linocuts will be 4.5″ by 6″ each class. You are welcome to bring your own image to use, and there will be images provided.
Dates: Part I: March 14, 1pm-4pm | Part II: March 21, 9:30am-3pm
Cost: Part I: $30 | Part II: $45 | OR $60 for both
Location: The River Art Centre, Downstairs : 8746 Main St, Florenceville-Bristol
If you have any questions, or wish to register:
(506) 392-6769 or info@mccainartgallery.com
What on Earth is Linocut Printmaking?
Linocut is a technique of relief printing, where you carve a design into a sheet of linoleum using sharp tools commonly called gouges. Once your design is carved, you then ink the linoleum using a roller, and put it ink-side down on the paper or fabric you wish to have the linocut on, and transfer the ink either by pressing with your hand very firmly, or with a press. This technique creates a bold, high-contrast image.
With this technique, the artist carves away the pieces they want to remain the colour of the paper (or fabric). *In reduction printing, after your first ink has transferred nicely, you then carve more away from the same linocut, which allows for multi-coloured linocut prints.
It should be noted that whatever you carve will be mirrored in the transfer.
Linocut is great for allowing bold styles, and is easier to carve than wood making it an excellent entry point for beginners.

Bonus Daytime Clay Drop-In
2026-03-22 13:00 - 15:00

Clay Marcos' Collection of Indigenous and Inuit Art
2026-03-28 - 2026-04-25
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The Andrew & Laura McCain Art Gallery is honoured to present Dr. Clay Marco’s collection of Inuit and Indigenous art to the community. Originally from the Vancouver area, Dr. Marco developed an appreciation for the art of the Haida Nation, examples of which are featured in the west end of the gallery. Approximately twelve years ago, Dr. Marco began collecting Inuit art during professional trips to Nunavut. He traveled to many communities over the course of more than thirty visits, purchasing art in most of the locations where he worked or traveled. Many of these pieces are featured in the east end of the gallery.
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View Clay’s Book: Reflections of the NorthClay grew up in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, where he developed a strong connection to Haida Nation Art. He explains that the artists replicate his strong feeling of ties to the land, and that draws his attention in completely. To Clay, it’s some of the most beautiful art in the world!
Clay will be in attendance at the Gallery on Saturday, April 25 at 2pm for the Closing Reception.
If you have any questions, or wish to hear Clay speak about his collection, it’s the perfect time to stop by the gallery.

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Clay Marcos' Collection of Indigenous and Inuit Art
2026-04-01 - 2026-04-02, 2026-04-04, 2026-04-08 - 2026-04-11, 2026-04-15 - 2026-04-18, 2026-04-22 - 2026-04-24

Gallery Closed: Good Friday
2026-04-03
Please note that the Gallery is closed for Good Friday.
We can’t wait to welcome you back tomorrow, Saturday April 4.

Intro to Crochet with Gaby Mann
2026-04-11 13:00 - 15:30
Workshop Details:
Dates: April 11 & 25
Time: 1pm-3:30pm both dates
Location: River Art Centre, 8746 Main St, Florenceville-Bristol
Cost: $65 *includes a $15 certificate to Close Knit Friends Yarn Shop to purchase a hook and yarn of your choice!*
*you need a size 6mm crochet hook, and 1 skein (approx 200m) worsted weight wool. You can stop by Close Knit Friends Yarn shop in Upper Kent, OR they will be attending the Fiddlehead Fibre Festival in Florenceville-Bristol on April 10 & 11
Register Now!
info@mccainartgallery.com
(506) 392-6769
In this class, you will learn the most common crochet stitches and use them to make a warm cozy cowl. The class is two sessions. In the first, you will learn the stitches on a practice piece (mug rug) you can take home. You’ll also start your cowl, and be ready to work on (or finish crocheting) it at home. In the second, we’ll refine your technique, solve problems, and show you how to sew the edges of your finished cowl together.
The cowl pattern used in this course is the Chi-Town Cowl by Kathy Kelly.
Chi-Town Crochet Cowl by Kathy KellyAbout the instructor:
Ask Gaby when she learned to crochet, sew, and knit, and she’ll tell you she can’t remember. Her sisters will attest that it started with the trolls. Remember trolls? Along with crayon nail polish and sharpie eyeliner, theirs “acquired” felt clothing (basic pattern design, handsewn seams, closures and decorations). Predictably, the dolls complained; that led to machine sewing, crochet, and knitting. In the following years, her parents went to great lengths to keep her and her sisters trying new things, many decidedly riskier than crocheting! Late, Gaby maintained her university grade average by compulsive note-taking and her sanity by knitting. Fellow residents noticed, and so began her “teaching” career.
There are no refunds on cancellations within 7 days of the workshop

Relief Carving with Megan Billings
2026-04-18 13:00 - 16:00 | River Art Centre, 8746 Main St., Florenceville-Bristol, New Brunswick
Space
Join local potter Megan Billings for an afternoon of relief carving on clay tiles!
In this workshop, you will be carving on a 6″ x 6″ clay tile with instruction from Megan. After you’re finished carving an image into your tile, you will choose a finish for your tile which will be fired later my Megan.
You are encouraged to bring your own 6″ x 6″ reference image!
What is relief clay carving?
Relief clay carving is a sculptural technique used to carve away the background or add layers on top of a flat surface to create a 3D design. Typically, you use leather-hard clay – meaning not bone dry, but not floppy wet – to carve shapes and shadows to get your desired outcome.
Workshop Details:
Date: Saturday, April 18 from 1pm-4pm
Location: River Art Centre, Downstairs. (8746 Main St, Florenceville-Bristol)
Cost: $40 per person
No refunds on cancellations within one week of workshop
Meet Megan!
Megan has been enamored with clay for over 25 years. She discovered a passion for clay carving during a sculpture class with Peter Thomas at the New Brunswick College of Craft & Design. Megan uses her carved designs with several categories of her creations.

Clay Drop-in: Newbie
2026-04-23 18:00 - 20:00

Intro to Crochet with Gaby Mann Part 2
2026-04-25 13:00 - 15:30
