Haystack Part III: Being There

Discussion outside the clay studio

Swimming beach 

 There was more to get out of the Haystack experience than working in the studio. There was the beautiful rocky coastline with islands in the distance. Walk down the trail through the woods and there was a sandy spot perfect for swimming. It was hot enough that the water was a bit warmer than usual and I was able to dunk in and actually swim a few strokes.

I was told even before I arrived that the food was good at Haystack and it was. Three times a day the clanging bell in the bell tower summoned us hungry or not to a buffet (breakfast and lunch) or to a sit down dinner - always delicous and always some cookies at lunch and a dessert at dinner. On Saturday night I ordered two lobsters and with a glass of riesling ate them outdoors where the kitchen staff had spread out the picnic.


Deer Isle has some worthwhile sights to see. Nervous Nellie's Jams and Jellies has a shop on Sunshine Road and also a sculpture garden with junk sculptures by Peter Beerits. It would be an amazing place to bring a child, and I liked it too. My roommate thought it was creepy though.

On fourth of July, Deer Isle Village had a parade that the
whole island seemed to turn out for, with antique cars, homemade floats, people in lobster hats, decked out bikes and a contingent of children in the chess club carrying trophies.




I stopped one day at the Dowstudio and the Haystack Gallery. There were quite a few galleries in the village and island that I didn't get to. The Dowstudio had a craft show, mostly clay that was very exciting to all of us students working in the media. Since the prices were less than what we would pay elsewhere, i.e. the NYC area, many of us could not resist buying. I bought a sweet bowl by Florida artist Catherine Boswell although choosing one from the array of artists was tough. It seemed I loved everything they had there.

Inside the salt kiln

Just waking up in the morning on the Maine coast, seeing the fog in the evergreens or on fine days to see the rocks and islands with lobster boats on the water was a pleasure. Or if the kilns were loaded and there was nothing to do but wait, taking a walk to "The Meadow" near the school and smelling the wildflower and pine scents... it was a good place to be.