Who needs sunny weather?
Despite arriving at the St. Martin’s Plein Air Festival with a stubborn cold and a wall of Fundy fog rolling in, the weekend turned out to be an absolute delight. There’s something about painting outdoors—coughing, bundled up, and squinting through mist—that makes you feel like a very committed (or slightly ridiculous) artist. Maybe both.
What truly made it special were the people. Everywhere we turned, we met wonderful artists, locals, visitors, and volunteers who made the whole event feel warm even when the weather wasn’t. The organizers ran everything like clockwork, and the volunteers were absolute stars—cheerful, helpful, and somehow always appearing at the exact moment you needed something. A huge thank you to the Peter Salmon Art Club and their wonderful volunteers for a job well done.
I stayed at Fundy Footprints, and the hosts were incredibly kind. The sort of people who make you feel instantly at home, even when you’re dripping fog and carrying half the beach in your shoes.
The surroundings were breathtaking, even in the soft blur of mist. And the highlight of the entire festival was watching about sixty artists spread out across the beach, painting the iconic sea caves as the tide scurried out and the weather kept us guessing. There’s nothing like racing the Bay of Fundy tides to add a little drama to your brushstrokes.
Sunday morning, I woke early, grabbed my coffee, and wandered down an almost empty beach. Growing up, I spent my summers not far from here, so the smell of salt water and the sound of waves just settle me in a way nothing else does. The mist was hanging low so the colours of wet rocks were vibrant. The West Quaco fog horn drifted in from the distance—soft and friendly. It all felt so calming and familiar, like my whole body remembered it. Honestly, I didn’t want to leave.
I managed to finish four pieces—and to my surprise and delight, two of them sold. Between the camaraderie, the scenery, the creative energy, and the sheer beauty of seeing so many interpretations of the same landscape, it was a joy from start to finish.
Fog, cold, tides, and all—it was a weekend to remember.
