A girl can dream...

One special stop on my travels in Maine last week was the Haystack, as it is known, a summer art retreat on Deer Isle. One- and two-week sessions are available in ceramics, glass, papermaking, fibre, wood, etc.

Tours are available at 1 p.m. on Wednesdays. Unfortunately I was there on a Thursday. Visitors are usually limited to a very small part of the campus, so as not to disturb the artists, and I respected those boundaries, but still managed to get some photos that allowed me to get a sense of the place.

A footpath bordered by lichens and mosses

A dirt road through the woods brings you to the campus. The views of the forest are magical. It almost appeared as though the lichens had been painted onto the rocks by the artists.

The grounds are bisected by an impressive stairway leading down
to a platform overlooking the sea.

This is the view from the platform.

Stretching in both directions from the stairway are decks, leading to individual studios.

The pottery studio, facing the ocean.

The pottery studio, back end. It appeared to have just been hosed down,
perhaps indicating the end of a session.

An assembly room with display walls

The dining hall. At noon a bell rings to summon everyone for lunch.
Note the roaring fire surrounded with comfy seating.

Applications are reviewed and participants are selected to ensure a wide range of ages, experience and backgrounds. Scholarships, work/study positions and technical assistant positions are available.

Please visit their website for more information. Here's a two-minute video from Youtube for a little inspiration.