The Center for Furniture Craftsmanship was founded in 1974 by Peter Korn. It offers a variety of…read morecourses, from ones lasting 9 months to shorter ones lasting a couple of months to summer courses lasting a couple of weeks. The minimum age of students is 17. I doubt there's a maximum. If you go to their website you will learn more information than I can give here. We learned about the Center's existence yesterday when we observed a blue highway marking sign. We missed the much larger sign beside/behind it, although we saw it today when we pulled in. We parked in front of the office and gallery space and walked in. We were greeted by Peter Korn, who told us about the current exhibit and offered us a tour of a workshop after we took in the exhibit. See my review for the Messler Gallery for more about the show. We walked down the stairs and across a gravel path to the workshop area. We walked through the work space, where people were working on chairs. We had mentioned living near Walnut Creek CA and were introduced to a student who came from there as well as to one of the instructors and a coupe of other students. Peter showed us where the wood is stored for the Center, hardwoods and sheets. It was very impressive. He offered to take us over to another space, more of a co-working space where students can experiment w/ new techniques, etc. We wanted to, but felt I had reached the end of my capacity for walking on unlevel surfaces, so we reluctantly passed on the opportunity. Alan and I marveled that after all the years we've been coming to this area this was the first time we had discovered the Center. We were glad we did and appreciated Peter taking the time to give us the tour.

As we were driving north to the place we are staying in Rockport our attention was caught by a…read moresmall blue highway marker reading The Center for Furniture Craftsmanship. Interestingly, we completely overlooked the large, beautiful sign next to it. I repeated the name to myself several times as we were driving so I would remember it and when we reached the place and set up the computer I looked it up. We decided to visit Messler Gallery, which is the Center's display space, today. As we walked in we were greeted by Peter Korn, the Center's director. They're having a show of student work which ends May 31. They have four exhibits a year. This particular show is of the work of students who are completing their 9 month residential training program. The students, men and women, come from all over. Several are from Camden but one man came from Hawaii, another from Walnut Creek, California, near to where we live. Others come from Florida, Minnesota and New Jersey. We walked through the show and were enthralled by the beauty and craftsmanship on display. Some standing pieces, some wall hung. There was a lovely whiskey cabinet. There were benches and tables, even a couple of lamps. The designs were interesting and unusual, the finishes smooth and refined. There were no chairs, because chairs are the students' final project. After we had admired the work in the gallery we checked in w/ Peter, who offered us a tour of one of the workshops. See my review of the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship for more details.

I have been looking to take a beginners metalsmith course and found ArtWorx through a google…read moresearch. After looking through the website, I decided to give them a call to confirm classes are still in place with covid going on. I called.. phone disconnected. Few days later, still disconnected. I look on the website and google a week later, phone number listed is still disconnected. I decide to sign up for the course anyway, pay by check and send an email to confirm that the address is correct (since the phone number is not) and I receive this email back.......

Had the BEST time getting my permanent bracelet done by Dana. She is so kind, personable, and…read moretalented!! 10/10. Love it!!!!

This was one of the few things to do in Rockland on a quiet Monday. Be warned, if you arrive off…read moreseason most stores, shops, and even restaurants will likely be closed but the museum is worth a visit regardless. I can appreciate the efforts of this museum and their commitment to sharing art. We received passes from our hotel nearby and walked over. The building itself is beautiful and the interior is bright and open. They had about four exhibits the day we arrived, each one perfectly described and appointed. I would visit again if I ever had the opportunity. I have a feeling there is a lot in store for this museum!

A stunning setting for terrific exhibitions by artists with Maine roots or connections. It's like…read morea taste of NYC's Whitney or the Boston ICA in Rockland. The modern, light-filled galleries designed by NYC-based architect Toshiko Mori (who has a place on North Haven), offer a bright counterpoint to the dark brick-and-wood interiors of older buildings nearby.

Willow knows her way around the forest! In our foray on Mt Desert Island we found and identified a…read moreton of mushrooms and got to take home the ones that were edible. Willow showed us what to look for and in no time we started seeing fungi literally pop right at us. We learned a lot and would not hesitate to go on another mushroom hunt with her!

I have wanted to forage for mushrooms for a good while and was so happy to learn that Willow gives…read morethese tours on MDI. She knows her mycology and also the ins and outs of what one might find on MDI at different times of the year. Willow was very flexible about where we would forage, so we went out on my property. Within steps of crossing in front of the house we found our first edible mushrooms! With her coaching, our eyes started to focus on what to look for. She clearly explains why particular mushrooms are found in different settings (relating it to the nearby trees, usually). The whole experience was fascinating and I learned a lot. Magical! Willow is the best! Highly recommend.

Down East is run by expert birder and naturalist Michael Good. It was my good fortune to have him…read morerecommended to me on a recent trip to Mount Desert Island. His infectious enthusiasm helped create a memorable day with lots of great sightings. I'm an experienced birder but would not have known the best places to look for the migrating warblers and other songbirds I came to see. Michael took us right to the hot spots, all the while explaining all about the local ecology and geologic history. He wowed us with his incredible ability to hear and identify every bird song near or far, all the while instructing me and my novice-birder husband on what to watch or listen for. Friendly and personable, Michael would be a great guide for birders at any level of experience, or for anyone (including families with kids) wanting their trip to Acadia to be enriched by a deeper look into the natural history of the area.

Excellent experience! Michael Good expanded our knowledge ten-fold in a four-hour morning. He…read moreadapts the experience to all levels of birders. We will always remember our day on Mt Desert Island with Michael. We highly recommend.

Great school and courses, and excellent instructors! Beautiful setting in Brooklin ME, right on…read moreEggemoggin Reach

I saw this in the listings and even though i have no personal experience with the school i needed…read moreto comment since it has always been part of a fantasy of my sister and i. When driving to one of our favorite beaches down-east we always passed the Wooden Boat School. Sometimes we would stop since it is located near a beautiful inlet that you could only imagine if you have been to this part of Maine. It always got us thinking about what it would be like to go to a wooden boat school. What kind of degree does one walk away with? A BBS (Bachelors in the Boat Sciences)? Maybe one day we will go, and if we do we can help you build a boat.

Atlantic's Tom was an outstanding instructor for our group of five as we rappelled and rock climbed…read moreat Great Head. His instruction was clear and patient, and his encouragement and support made everyone feel comfortable and confident. We were all beginning rappellers and rock climbers. And I'm 80! He made the experience both safe and incredibly enjoyable. We couldn't have asked for a better guide--easily five stars!

The most beautiful way to experience Acadia!! Our guide (Ben) was knowledgeable and patient and…read moremade us feel very safe even though we are not experienced climbers. 10/10