Waring Faculty Member at Haystack Mountain School of Crafts

Each year, thanks to a generous grant from the Mad Crow Fellowship, Waring School awards one faculty member a fellowship at the Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, which covers tuition, housing, meals, and includes a $500 spending allowance. This year, I was honored to receive the Mad Crow Fellowship, and had the chance to live an incredible experience at Haystack.

Haystack Mountain School of Crafts in Deer Isle, Maine, is a place where people can safely explore their creativity in a beautiful, natural setting. Life at Haystack follows a steady rhythm of focused studio work, shared meals, and time with peers which is a chance to step away from daily life and fully engage in art.

The school offers one- and two-week intensive workshops in many craft areas, led by nationally and internationally recognized artists. These workshops are open to adults of all skill levels. Haystack also provides fellowships to support those who may not otherwise be able to attend.

I chose a clay workshop, since I have been practicing pottery in France and exhibiting my work for years. I also taught French immersion classes to Core students last year, introducing them to pottery in a relaxed environment. In addition to ceramics, the first session offered workshops in blacksmithing, fiber, graphics, metals, and wood. Three Fab Lab residents also shared their research and creative approaches, giving us a deeper understanding of their art.

The workshop I joined—“Narrative & Ceramics: Thinking through Making” with artist Kevin Snipes and his three assistants—combined storytelling with ceramics. We began with small narrative exercises on paper, then brought those ideas onto porcelain. Everyone was encouraged to express personal observations of life through imagery and story.

The most powerful part of this workshop was learning to let go of perfection and instead create art that felt fluid, authentic, and true to ourselves.

One exercise to spark creativity was sketching an idea suggested by a peer. It showed how differently people can interpret the same starting point. We were also invited to reflect on the connections between our life stories, symbols, and the creative process.

Seeing how each artist transformed what they heard and saw into something personal was inspiring and exciting.

Overall, these two weeks felt like an artistic journey of discovery for everyone.

PAUL MERTER, Waring School Faculty in French/Immersion & Ceramics