Maine nature writer and photographer Sandra Mitchell has always enjoyed animals, nature, and wildlife, taking every opportunity she could to spend time outdoors. This passion began with birds and the annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count, then expanded over the years to include just about everything to be found outside whether it has feathers, swims, crawls, hops, slithers, flies, or grows out of the earth or even grows on the things that grows out of the earth. She is a Maine Master Naturalist and a registered Maine Guide.

She has written for publications including Northern Woodlands, PetMD, Cats Magazine, among others, and is slowly putting together a book.  

People-Nature-Art is a free monthly series that brings artists, writers, carvers, and creative types of all kinds to the Gilley to explore how nature and art interact in their work.

Start the new year with some calm and join us at the Gilley for a watercolor technique workshop with Erika Elizabeth, who will guide students step by step to create a painting of meditative blossoms using wet-on-wet painting technique on Saturday, Jan. 17 from 10am to 12:30pm.

wet-on-wet painting technique on Friday, Jan. 16 from 10am-1pm.

Don't delay — hurry up and join us for the Gilley's 2026 Winter Session!

We are open Fridays and Saturdays from 10am to 4pm each day, and on certain other days and evenings for programs including our signature monthly series, People-Nature-Art, and various workshops. Please check the calendar here on our website for the latest information.

You can also sign up for the monthly newsletter at the bottom of the home page.

Expert needle-felter, fiber artist, and storyteller Hillary Dow of Binding Tales will lead this fun workshop at the Gilley, guiding participants through the process of creating a felted coral reef wall hanging. This workshop is suitable for all skill levels including beginners.

Learn needle felting techniques as you transform puffy piles of wool into a vivid and dynamic coral reef that features several types of coral in a variety of colors with dark shadows and 3D depth. Your wool supplies will include a 5x7 wool pre-felt; blue, purple, green and coral blended batts; and solid color roving. All the felting tools necessary to create your piece are provided, including several sizes of felting needles, single and multi-needle tools, finger guards, and a felting pad. The rich variety of prepared colors allows for a painterly approach to needle felting. All the wool used in this project is sourced from Maine fiber farms.

Hillary will display an author-illustrator showcase of original artwork as well as her children’s books, which will be available for sale. She is the author, illustrator and publisher of Binding Tales books, featuring pictures she has needle felted with wool sourced from Maine sheep. Born and raised in the western mountains of Maine, she now lives with her family in Hampden.