Plein Air Painting
Workshop
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September 18 - 22, 2026
Workshop Leader
Marc Dalessio
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Applications due
May 15th, 2026
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Set on beautiful Cuttyhunk Island, CIAR's Plein Air Painting Workshop with renowned painter Marc Dalessio offers a unique opportunity to paint directly from Cuttyhunk's sweeping coastal landscape. Each day includes up to six hours of instruction, with demonstrations and guidance covering composition, value, color theory, painting mechanics, materials, and the historical and aesthetic foundations of landscape painting. The workshop is open to oil painters of all levels, from beginners to experienced painters, with much of the instruction offered one-on-one as Marc works with participants throughout the day. Participants explore Cuttyhunk on foot, painting the stunning vistas from observation and swimming on the island's pristine beaches.
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Artists stay together at the historic Avalon Inn, sharing meals prepared by CIAR’s acclaimed Visiting Chef, Julie Carrion. Evenings offer time to relax and gather as a group, including a special tasting of freshly harvested Cuttyhunk oysters and an evening of live music under the stars, creating a rich balance of focused instruction, camaraderie, and the inspiration of island life.
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Apply
Supplies and Terrain
Meals
Cost
Sample Schedule​
Getting to Cuttyhunk
Apply
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The Fall 2026 Plein Air Painting Workshop welcomes 12-14 participants and is open to oil painters of all levels, from beginners eager to learn plein air painting to more experienced artists looking to expand their practice.
There is no fee to apply. Participants are selected based on their commitment to learning and engagement with their painting practice, as well as room preference and availability.
Applications can be submitted through Submittable and are due May 15. Click the button below to begin your application.
Supplies & Terrain
Participants bring all of their own painting supplies and accessories, as Cuttyhunk does not have an art store (or barely any stores at all)! Materials should be lightweight enough to carry comfortably while walking to painting sites, including on nature trails with areas of uneven terrain. Participants should pack for a range of conditions, including sun protection, lightweight long sleeves, and rain gear. While September is generally warm, evenings can be chilly, and weather on the island can change quickly. If weather conditions become too windy or rainy, there is also space to paint with some protection on the Avalon Inn’s wraparound covered porch.
A detailed packing list and recommended materials for the workshop will be included in your welcome packet upon acceptance. In the meantime, you may visit Marc Dalessio’s workshop page for an example of a typical supply list.
Meals
Enjoy delicious communal meals in the Avalon dining room and on the front porch overlooking the ocean. Chef Julie Carrion brings her exquisite, ingredient-driven cuisine to Cuttyhunk, creating lunches and dinners that are as inspiring as the island itself. Our staff lays out a nourishing buffet breakfast each morning, with coffee, tea, and snacks available all day. A social hour over a glass of wine or sparkling water leads into dinner. With no grocery stores on Cuttyhunk, the CIAR team handles all the logistics around food, including transporting food from the mainland, so our participants can freely focus on their painting. We just ask that our participants take one turn unloading the dishwasher.
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Chef Julie is happy to accommodate most dietary restrictions. Due to Cuttyhunk’s remote location and limited medical access, however, please note that our kitchen is unable to accommodate life-threatening food allergies.
About Chef Julie Carrion
Julie Carrion is the Culinary Director at Chef’s Dinner Table NYC, a private dining venue known for immersive dining experiences and collaborative chef events. She also works as an independent culinary consultant and travel chef, recently serving as a guest chef aboard the Sea Cloud Spirit sailing through Europe and the Caribbean.
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Earlier in her career, Julie spent a decade as Executive Chef at Yale University and later served as Director of Catering and Education at Forge City Works, a nonprofit focused on culinary job training and community food access. She began her career cooking in New York City and Montreal alongside acclaimed chefs including Anita Lo and Normand Laprise.
You can read more about Julie’s background here.
Cost
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Participants stay at the historic Avalon Inn. Costs vary depending on whether you choose a private or shared bedroom. If you are applying with friends and would like to room together, you are welcome to indicate this on your application.
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Single room (private bedroom): $3,300 – $3,700
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Double room (shared with one other): $2,500 – $2,800
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Triple room (shared with two others): $1,950
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Islander rate (Cuttyhunk residents who don’t need housing): $1,300
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The workshop fee covers your entire experience on Cuttyhunk, including accommodation at the Avalon Inn (towels and linens included), daily painting workshops with Marc Dalessio, and three meals each day, lunch and dinner prepared by acclaimed Visiting Chef, Julie Carrion. It also includes to-go snacks for painting excursions, social hour hors d’oeuvres with a complimentary glass of wine each evening, a tasting of freshly harvested Cuttyhunk oysters, an evening of live music, and coffee and tea throughout the day.
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Participants are responsible for their securing and paying for their own travel to and from Cuttyhunk, including ferry shuttle tickets and luggage ($50 each way + $5 per checked bag) from New Bedford, MA. An overnight stay in New Bedford may be necessary to catch the morning ferry.
Sample Schedule
Day 1
10:30 am - Ferry from New Bedford
11:30 am - Arrive to Cuttyhunk! We meet you at the dock and bring your luggage to the Avalon with golf carts
11:45 am - Welcome meeting on the front porch followed by a tour of the house and grounds
1:30 pm - Lunch
2:30 - 5:30 pm - Workshop (good footwear recommended)
6:30 pm - Social “hour” in the living room
7:00 pm - Dinner
10:00 pm - Quiet hours
Day 2
7:30 am - Coffee and tea
8:00–9:30 am - Buffet style breakfast
10:00–1:00 pm - Workshop
1:30 pm - Lunch
2:30 - 5:30pm - Workshop
6:30 pm - Social hour
6:45 pm - Dinner
8:00 pm - Live music at the Cuttyhunk Meeting House
10:00 pm - Quiet hours
Day 3
7:30 am - Coffee and tea
8:00–9:30 am - Buffet style breakfast
10:00–1:00 pm - Workshop
1:30 pm - Lunch
2:30 - 5:30 pm - Workshop
6:30 pm - Social hour, Cuttyhunk oyster tasting at sunset
7:00 pm - Dinner
10:00 pm - Quiet hours
Day 4
7:30 am - Coffee and tea
8:00–9:30 am - Buffet style breakfast
10:00–1:00 pm - Workshop
1:30pm - Lunch
2:30 - 5:30 pm - Workshop
6:30pm - Social hour, viewing of work created during the week
7:00pm - Dinner
10:00pm - Quiet hours
Day 5
7:30 am - Coffee and tea
8:00 am - Buffet style breakfast, pack up
9:30 am - Check out of bedrooms, cleaning staff arrives
10:15 am - Meet on back porch to load golf carts with luggage and head down to the ferry
11:00 am - Ferry departs Cuttyhunk - Farewell!
Getting to Cuttyhunk
The Cuttyhunk ferry departs from New Bedford, MA. All participants arrive on the same ferry. We will share more details about the ferry time and booking prior to the residency.
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Accommodations: If you’re traveling from a distance, you may want to stay the night before in New Bedford. We recommend the New Bedford Harbor Hotel, about a 10–15 minute walk from the marina.
By car / parking: The closest and most affordable parking option is the Elm Street Garage which offers indoor parking and is about a 15-minute walk to the marina.
By bus from NYC: Peter Pan runs from New York City to New Bedford with a transfer in Providence. Be sure to select New Bedford SRTA Terminal (134 Elm St.) as your destination when booking.
By train: You can take an Amtrak to South Station, Boston, MA, or Providence, RI. Connection information to New Bedford listed below.
By plane: You can either fly into Boston, MA or Providence, RI. The Boston Logan airport is a 1 hour 15 minute drive to New Bedford and Providence is 45 minutes. If you plan to take public transit from the airport, Boston is the most convenient option. More connection information listed below.
Boston to New Bedford connections:
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Bus: Peter Pan bus makes trips from the Boston Logan airport and South Station to downtown New Bedford SRTA (134 Elm St.) which is a 15 minute walk to the ferry shuttle and a 4 minute walk to New Bedford Harbor Hotel.
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Train: The new MBTA South Coast Rail leaves Boston’s from South Station, which is accessible on the Silver Line train from Logan Airport. The South Coast Rail reaches the New Bedford Station in about 1 hour and 40 minutes. From the New Bedford station (536 Acushnet Ave), it’s an easy 12–15 minute walk to the ferry.
Providence to New Bedford connections:
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Bus: You can take the Peter Pan bus from Providence Bus Terminal to downtown New Bedford. If you are coming from the airport or Amtrak station, you'll need to get to the bus terminal. Make sure to book your bus tickets in advance and make sure their schedule works with your flight.
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Car / Uber / Lyft: A taxi or car service from Providence takes about 45 minutes and would be less expensive than from Boston (but the flights are usually more affordable to Boston). One affordable local car service is Yes We Van. Be sure to book them in advance.