Image: Sunbury Shores, oil on wood panel, Theresa MacKnight, 2019
Sunbury Shores Arts & Nature Centre Inc. is a non-profit cultural centre for the connections between art and nature. Our beautiful location and facilities create a unique opportunity for artists and families.
Every year we offer a wide variety of courses led by acclaimed instructors. Our multi-media studios, including print, ceramic and metalwork, are available to rent – with one-to-one or group tuition available. Two galleries offer space for regularly changing exhibitions of both local, national and international artists.
Sunbury Shores is open year-round while we offer arts and nature workshops and education to support our local community and the region’s schools. We also welcome our summer residents and visiting artists and instructors from across Canada, the USA and around the world.
As a not-for-profit, this would not be possible without the hard work and commitment of our wonderful Staff, Instructors and Volunteers.
The historic seaside resort of Saint Andrews-by-the-Sea provides a rich cultural experience, while the Bay of Fundy’s dramatic coastal scenery offers an inspiring and ever-changing landscape.
Sunbury Shores has been the link between the arts and nature since 1964. This year, find out for yourself what makes us so special.
Sunbury Shores Arts and Nature Centre was founded by Mrs. Dorothy Meigs Eidlitz over 50 years ago, to create real opportunities for people to appreciate the connection between art and nature. The centre is located in the heart of St. Andrews by-the-Sea, New Brunswick, established in 1783 and considered Canada’s premier historic seaside resort.
Sunbury Shores’ 130-year-old building is newly renovated and offers world-class facilities. The centre’s 6,000 square feet provides two galleries for exhibitions, studios for painting, drawing, printmaking, jewellery & metalsmith, pottery and other art and nature programs.
Our founder, Mrs. Eidlitz, was an American from New York City, N.Y. She graduated from Vassar College in 1914, then did graduate work at the University of Pennsylvania and Columbia University. While she traveled the world and she became a serious photographer. Her work was recognized internationally. She was made a fellow of the Royal Photographic Society of Great Britain and a fellow of the Photographic Society of America. She spent her summers in St Andrews and she hoped that painters, writers, and scientists would come together here. Dorothy Eidlitz was a true patron of the arts and it is said she was a champion for women’s rights.
Fun fact: In 1969, Prince Philip had the first North American exhibition of his photography, here at Sunbury Shores!
The centre is open year-round and offers programs to support the local community, the region’s schools, summer residents and visiting artists coming to the area primarily from across Canada and the Eastern US seaboard.
Dorothy Eidlitz
Sunbury Shores has two beautiful, recently renovated, gallery spaces. The Water Street Gallery is the larger gallery in the front and opens onto Water Street in St. Andrews making it a highly visible exhibition space. It has natural light from large storefront windows as well as modern track lighting. The Harbour View Gallery is the second gallery in the back. This gallery enjoys light from large windows and glass doors that overlook the deck, the garden, and a wonderful water view. The space in the wide hallway that connects the two galleries may also be used as an extra exhibition space.
The oceanfront deck and garden are available as temporary display areas for sculptures or large installations as well as performances and special events.
Multi-Purpose Studio
Our centre has a large, bright second-floor studio that serves as a multi-purpose space appropriate for painting, life drawing, photography workshops and there are many other practices this studio is suited for like stained glass, wet-felting, rug hooking, etc. There are easels, grinders, and a variety of objects available for use.
Print Studio
Our printshop is a newly renovated facility on the second floor overlooking St. Andrews Harbour. It is a well-equipped non-toxic facility with two Intaglio Presses and a Lithographic Press with lithographic stones. A range of inks, rollers, papers, and non-toxic etching solvents are stocked.
Pottery Studio
Located on the basement level, the pottery studio is equipped with two large electric kilns, four wheels, a good range and supply of chemicals and compounds for glazes, a range of moulds, an extruder, and a small clay press.
Jewellery and Metal Studio
A newly created metal studio now exists adjacent to the pottery studio. This space is equipped with workbench space for 8, an assortment of tools, a small kiln, torches, and a metal press.
