Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
classes. There was a benefactor. Life was good. But in 1961, construction of Me. 3 threatened
the artists' idyllic existence, so founder Fran Merritt and his cronies moved to Deer Isle, a
remote location that, as far as they were concerned, would never tempt a highway planner.
What it does lure are more than 80 folks per week who come to blow glass, throw pots,
weave baskets, fold paper, hammer metal, and turn wood. Ages range from 18 to 98, and
experience levels run the gamut from rank beginners to emerging success stories. But even
many of the already established craftspeople who flock to the place often choose to jump ship
and learn a craft in which they, too, are beginners.
BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE
If you go to Stonington, the only real town on Deer Isle, you'll probably stumble
across a statue dedicated to the island's stonecutters. In fact, the little town used to
be called Green's Landing, but in 1897 the citizens decided to change its name to
honor the granite boom that revitalized the economy. Indeed, Deer Isle's granite was
used to build New York's Rockefeller Center, the New York County Courthouse,
and the John F. Kennedy Gravesite in Arlington National Cemetery. It was also used
to build the Manhattan and George Washington Bridges in New York City.
Steel and concrete, of course, put the kibosh on Stonington's granite boom, but
by then, the city leaders decided to go ahead and keep the name.
Haystack's faculty—internationally renowned craftspeople, some of whom are studio
artists, and university and college art school professors working in more than 40 different
combinations of media—varies from year to year, so naturally its workshops do, too. But you
can bet there will always be offerings in blacksmithing, clay, fibers, glass, graphics, metals,
and wood.
The main hive of activity is the crafts studios that branch off from wooden walkways
connecting the precariously perched buildings. In the high summer season, these studios are
open 24/7, yet even though they exude an aura of energy and intense concentration, someone
described Haystack as a completely angst-free environment. The school also runs programs
in the spring and fall for locals and residents of Maine.
Although Haystack has no art gallery on campus, it does have a craft auction at the end
of each session. Classes are held May through October, and tuition for the two- to three-week
workshops is between $675 and $900. Room and board costs between $280 for a day student
and $2,160 for a three-week single room. Apply by April 15 for priority consideration.
