Haystack Mountain School of Crafts

By Emily Sypher

For those artists out there who are looking for an artistic getaway or just some new inspiration, have I found the place for you! Haystack Mountain School of Crafts is an artists’ heaven on earth. Once you arrive you’ll never want to leave.

Haystack is a year-round establishment, though the majority of its courses run during the summer. There are seven summer sessions of both one and two week courses in a multitude of mediums ranging from beginner drawing to advanced glassblowing.


Founded in 1950 in Montville, Maine (near Haystack Mountain), the campus is now located in Deer Isle. Designed by highly acclaimed architect Edward Larrabee Barnes, the current campus received the Twenty-Five Year Award in 1994 from the American Institute of Architects’ for its design. The studio structures sit on stilts, with stairs and walkways to connect them. The running joke during my stay on campus was that we would all lose five pounds by the end of camp due to the endless amount of staircases.


When I first viewed the summer course options I felt like a kid in a candy shop–I couldn’t decide which course I wanted to take the most! I finally settled on a small metals course during the camp’s first session. Having no experience in metals I was a little nervous at the beginning, but by the end of the session I felt like a pro.


Between the amazing instructors that hail from across the nation and my fellow classmates, the learning curve in our class was phenomenal. In two weeks I could weld, solder, enamel, cold connect, cast, and more. I was truly sad to leave Haystack at the end of my two weeks, but like many of the other artists, I know I made friendships there that will last a lifetime. That sadness was also quickly replaced by excitement about the new skills and inspiration we were bringing home with us, and of course, the already brewing plans for our next summer’s adventure back.


For those who can’t commit to a full week or two-week course, Haystack also provides a number of weekend workshops as well as visiting artist opportunities throughout the summer. Since its first conception the program has grown by leaps and bounds, benefitting everyone from the surrounding community to international artists. For more information on Haystack visit their website.