St. Marys Creative Retreat brings artists together to create and connect

The Encaustic (painting with beeswax) Workshop with local artist Anna Koot was one of many workshops held during the Oct. 20-22 Creative Retreat in St. Marys.

By Stewart Grant

Creativity was on full display in downtown St. Marys last week as artists and aspiring creators gathered for the inaugural St. Marys Creative Retreat, a three-day event designed to inspire artistic expression, foster connections and showcase the town as a destination for cultural experiences.

Held Oct. 20–22, the retreat featured 14 creative workshops, morning walks along the Thames River, opportunities to connect with fellow artists, a community dinner and a closing show-and-tell celebration. Workshops took place at several downtown businesses, making the town itself an important part of the experience.

The response exceeded organizers’ expectations. A total of 104 people attended workshops, while 75 took part in morning and evening plenary activities. Approximately 60 per cent of attendees were local, with the remainder travelling from elsewhere, including Toronto, Owen Sound, Thornbury, Windsor and Port Huron.

For Melissa Barton, owner of Riverwalk Commons and the retreat’s lead organizer, those numbers represented more than a successful first event.

“It’s what we dreamed of at the start, and it was very special to have this idea come to life,” Barton said.

The idea emerged from weekly gatherings at Riverwalk Commons, where local creatives meet to work on projects and socialize. The venue also partners monthly with Stonetown Arts to offer beginner-friendly workshops.

In late 2025, conversations among the Wednesday regulars turned to the Town of St. Marys’ updated Economic Development Strategy, particularly its goal of positioning culture, heritage and tourism as key economic drivers.

The group began considering how activities at Riverwalk Commons could be expanded into an event that would attract visitors, support local businesses and provide meaningful paid opportunities for artist instructors.

The vision grew to encompass downtown St. Marys, with local businesses offering creative workshops invited to join the planning process.

A committee of local artists and business owners developed a plan built around collaboration, inclusivity and fair compensation for artists. Its guiding tagline became “Create, Connect, Renew.”

The retreat brought activities to Riverwalk Commons, Zenfire Pottery, MacPherson Yarns, Lucid Musings, 162 Queen Street, The Flower Shop and More, and Perthstone Kitchen.

The three days began with an opening-night gathering at Riverwalk Commons, featuring a welcome from Oneida Nation member Patsy Day, a presentation on the town’s cultural heritage by St. Marys Museum curator and archivist Emily Taylor, and a keynote presentation and musical performance by singer-songwriter Emm Gryner.

Other highlights included early morning walks along the river with members of the St. Marys Poetry Circle and the town’s archivist, a community dinner with artists at Perthstone Kitchen, and a closing show-and-tell where participants shared work completed during the retreat.

“Seeing groups of artists moving throughout the downtown on their way to the workshops or community events, enlivening the streets during a time of year when things are typically a little slower, was very special,” Barton said.

Gryner’s opening-night keynote offered a fitting theme for the retreat: finding inspiration in everyday life and learning to create for the joy of it.

Gryner, who lived in St. Marys for 20 years and raised her children here before moving to London, has enjoyed a varied career, including three Juno Award nominations, collaborations with David Bowie and a music video created with astronaut Chris Hadfield while he was aboard the International Space Station.

Despite those accomplishments, her message was that artistic fulfilment cannot be measured solely by commercial success or public recognition.

She recalled receiving a $250,000 major-label album deal at age 21, only to lose her position following a corporate takeover. She subsequently made Science Fair, one of her favourite albums, at a cottage for approximately $500 using a small recorder. The experience reinforced the distinction between making art and achieving commercial success.

Gryner also cautioned that social media can make artists overly focused on followers and external validation, sometimes at the expense of the satisfaction that comes from creating something simply because they want to.

During a difficult period in her own life, a recreational therapist encouraged her to try crafting. Making things by hand helped her rediscover the pleasure of the creative process.

Her message resonated with the retreat’s broader purpose: creativity can foster connection, personal renewal and wellbeing, regardless of whether the finished work attracts an audience. She concluded by reading Mary Oliver’s poem “Wild Geese” and performing her song, Blackwinged Bird.

As Barton put it, echoing Gryner’s central message, “Creativity is everywhere.”

The planning committee will review feedback from attendees and volunteers before deciding whether the retreat is feasible to hold again next year.

Barton hopes community members who attended will share their feedback and ideas for future events by emailing StMarysCreativeRetreat@gmail.com.