A Botanical Art Workshop

In Canada’s most easterly province, bordering the Atlantic Ocean – Newfoundland and Labrador.

At Newfoundland’s Irish Loop
July 5 – 10, 2026

•  The Wilds Resort at Salmonier River,  Salmonier Line, Route 90.NL

Plants on the Edge is a five-day  botanical art retreat led by Mary Dillon and Margaret Walsh Best — two artists from either side of the Atlantic,  this retreat is designed for artists who wish to deepen their practice through sustained field engagement. Participants are invited to slow down, look closely, and develop a richer understanding of how working directly with living plants in their environment can inform both artistic insight and intention.

Through a thoughtful balance of guided fieldwork and studio-based sessions, Margaret and Mary will support artists as they move from location sketching and observational drawing to refined botanical watercolour paintings. Individual goals will be encouraged, with one-to-one guidance tailored to each participant’s experience and aspirations.

This is a workshop for artists who seek more than technique — who long for exploration, excellence, and connection. Open to artists from Canada, the US, Ireland, and beyond.

The retreat will include:

•  Full hotel accommodations  and meals may be handled through The Wilds Resort with special rates based on room choice & single or shared occupancy ( Rooms starting at $159+15% tax CAD per night). 

• Guided field studies along the Irish Loop

•  Meals  available through The Wilds Resort

• In-depth observational drawing

• Botanical watercolour instruction– techniques for painting plants and florals

• Individual goal setting and on -to -one tutoring

• Reflection on plants, place, and protection

Non-painting Guests: we are more than happy to welcome non-painting guests, accompanying partners, family or friends.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR WORKSHOP
Deadline to register is March 13th, 2026

Important Information for participants 

After registering for the workshop, participants will receive a confirmation email containing a discount code for reduced hotel rates. Once your registration is confirmed, you may proceed to book one of the reserved hotel rooms using the provided code. A limited number of rooms are being held specifically for workshop participants. Some rooms include two beds; please request this option if needed during booking.

Click here for the Hotel booking page

Please note: The discount code is only available after workshop registration.

Non-Painting Guests & Activities

Non-painting guests, including partners, family members, or friends, are welcome to accompany workshop participants. 

The Wilds offers a wide range of activities to enjoy during your stay, making it easy for everyone to create an unforgettable experience. Options include golf, swimming, and scenic walking and hiking trails, among many others.

Click here to explore activities at The Wilds

The Wilds Resort at Salmonier River– Salmonier Line, Route 90

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Margaret Walsh Best

Canadian artist Margaret Walsh Best is captivated by the full process of creating botanical art. From the moment a plant literally ‘stops her in her tracks’ the uniqueness of each plant unfolds through careful observation,

thoughtful drawings and paintings, and invariably build a deeper respect for the plant world. With a practice rooted in art and plant knowledge, she delights in helping others discover the extraordinary detail, structure, and quiet character within each plant subject. Her deeply rooted respect for the plant world evolved naturally from a young age by being informally immersed in morphology and ethnobotany by her Irish-born grandmother in the family’s ocean-front garden in Fermeuse, Newfoundland and Labrador, her home province. That approach to plants that blends curiosity, science, and sensitivity continues to guide her art practice. A major delight is guiding others to look closely, draw with intention, and gain confidence in rendering form, light, texture, and subtle colour. As artist, curator and educator, Margaret’s exhibitions and workshops have explored such plant themes as biodiversity, folklore and history. She has exhibited and tutored from western North America to Europe, is a member of several botanical art organizations worldwide and was the founding president of the Botanical Art Society of Newfoundland and Labrador. At home her current project centres on native/indigenous and introduced naturalized plants, which further her wonderment of the natural world.

Mary Dillon
Capturing the essence of a plant with its sensuality and frailty defines the work of Mary Dillon. Mary has a fascination for botanical art as a personal process while at the same time striving for excellence in her art practice. 

Her work was chosen as the signature image for the recent National Gallery of Ireland exhibition, Drawn From Nature and the subsequent publication by Patricia Butler. Mary’s work belongs in the collection of Dr. Shirley Sherwood and in the Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation in Pittsburgh. Mary was the founding Chairperson of the Irish Society of Botanical Artists. Her work, ‘Abundance, Punica granata’, was awarded ‘Best in Show’ at the ASBA 25 th International Exhibition in New York. 

Mary is an experienced botanical art tutor and she has been teaching botanical art worldwide for many years. This will be Mary’s second visit to teach botanical art in Newfoundland.

If other information becomes available, details will be posted here. 

If you have any questions please contact  Maragaret Walsh Best: walshbest@gmail.com or Mary Dillon : marydillonbotanicalart@gmail.com 

CANCELLATION POLICY 

If cancellation is necessary before March 13, 2026, 15% of the Workshop Fee will be held. If cancellation occurs after March 20, there will be no Workshop Fee refund, unless the space is filled by another wait-listed participant.