Welcome to MCA’s Weekend Workshop at Haystack!
DATES: MAY 7 – 10
We can’t wait to see you and what you will create! This page is for participants who have registered and received confirmation of their placement in one of our seven workshops. Please refer to this page for all the necessary details, materials list, forms to fill out, and more!
Questions? Contact: Simonne@MaineCrafts.org
NEXT STEPS + DUE DATES
- Sign the waivers: Due April 7. Sent via Dropbox Sign.
- Gateway Instructor/Student Exhibition & Sale: Preferred deadline – May 1. The form asks for images of the items if you have them, but it is not required to submit images.
- Review the Community Guidelines – all participants are expected to review and follow these guidelines during the weekend. See section below.
QUICK LINKS
WORKSHOP MATERIALS LISTS
BLACKSMITHING – Tools for the Home with Anna Koplik
Estimated Fee: $40 – $60
This fee will be collected when students check out for the weekend and will depend on the amount of steel used per participant.
Students are expected to bring the following items:
- Sketchbook + drawing tools
- Natural fiber clothing (ex: Cotton, wool, or other natural fibers. No synthetics!)
- Closed-toe shoes
- Ear plugs
CERAMICS – Push & Pull: Form & Surface with Candice Methe
Materials + Fees: $0 – $55
Students are asked to bring the following items and let MCA know of their choice of materials fees.
- Your favorite clay tools including:
- Objects, items, whatnottery for mark making on your work- get creative
- Slips and underglazes that you want to use to try mono-printing.
- Brushes
- Needle tool
- Xacto knife
- Serrated ribs
- Rasp
- Rubber/plastic ribs
- Fettling knife
- Sgrifitto tools/ trimming tools- some round ones if you have them
- A hand towel
- An apron or studio clothes
- Materials to transport unfired work home with you.
- Materials Fee Option #1: N/A. When choosing this option, students will be responsible for the purchase and transportation of their own clay of choice. You will need to bring at least 50 lbs.
- Materials Fee Option #2: $55. Students will be supplied with 50 lbs of Laguna 65. MCA will take care of the transport to the campus, but participants should plan on removing any extra clay and or scraps by the end of the workshop. The fee will be added to your invoice after registration.
Participants will be invoiced after materials fee selections have been made.
FIBER – Resilient Systems: Experimental Textile Printing and Object Making with Karen Gelardi
Materials + Fees: n/a
The instructor will provide most of the materials participants will use over the weekend, but please bring the items on the student-supplied materials list.
Student Supplied Materials List:
- Fabric shears*
- Scissors (for cutting paper
- Sketchbook for observations and notes
- Optional if you like to work with precision—Self-healing cutting mat, X-Acto knife, matt knife, metal ruler
GRAPHICS – Hanky Panky: Screenprinting on Fabric Squares with Pilar Nadal
Materials List + Fees: $50
Students will be charged a materials fee when invoiced for the weekend (after registration). Closer to the workshop date, participants will receive a materials list and will be required to bring the items with them.
- 25 or more 12″x12″- 17″x17″ pieces of Cotton Fabric, clean and ironed – any colors, plain (not patterned). Bringing multiple colors is great! Additional hemmed white 17″x17″ handkerchiefs for sale by instructor for $3 each).
- Water-based screen printing for fabric/textiles inks in specialty colors (fluorescents, metallics, etc). We will have a set of basic colors: Red Yellow Blue White Black for everyone to mix and use. Any brand is fine as long as it’s water-based.
- Drawing Supplies: favorite markers, pens, and or paint brushes to use with India ink or acrylic paint. Posca Paint Markers are also great to bring if you have them, any color.
- Exacto knife with fresh Blades
- 1 roll of 3″ Clear Packing tape- not cloudy
METALS – Wearable Mementos with Shelby Goldsmith
Estimated Fee $55 – $75
The instructor will provide a variety of flat and domed mineral crystals ranging 20-30mm. Sentimental materials should fit within that size range, and not exceed 1/4” in depth.
While the instructor will have all the necessary supplies to create your mementos, students are encouraged to bring any of the following items if they have them.
- 1″ sheet of 20g sterling silver
- silver solder – hard, medium, easy
- saw blades – Bundle of (12) Laser Gold saw blades in size 1
-
4 sheets of Hermes sandpaper, in 220g, 320g, 400g & 600g
- 3” piece of 1/4” fine silver bezel wire, 26g
- 3” piece of 3/16” sterling bezel wire, 26g
Your fee will be paid at the end of the workshop and will depend on the amount of materials used.
Student Supplied Materials List:
- It is required that you wear closed-toe shoes and have something to secure your hair back.
- Wear clothing made from natural fibers, especially if you wear long sleeves.
- You may want to bring an apron from home to keep your clothes clean.
- To be kind to the environment and to prevent tool rust, bring a junk hand towel to dry your hands and your work.
- I will provide earplugs and dust masks, should you want or need them
- Safety glasses are provided by the studio, but bring your own if you prefer them.
- MOST IMPORTANTLY: Don’t forget to bring multiple material options to set in your wearable memento! Items should not exceed 30mm in width or 1/4” in depth. Any natural items must be completely dry. It is wise to bring multiple options, as each material will present unique challenges, and some will work better than others. Some ideas: a lock of hair, a tooth, cremains,
sand, a scrap of fabric, etc. You can absolutely choose a flat item like a photo, but I think it’s more fun to set something 3D- or maybe both together! - If you have any of the listed class materials, feel free to bring them, but everything will be provided for purchase.
MIXED MEDIA – Marquetry Masks: A Mixed Media Workshop Exploring the Craft of Marquetry on a Curved Form with Jim Macdonald
The instructor will provide all essential materials for each student that will be covered by the $55 studio materials fee. Students are asked to bring the following items:
- Steel ruler
- Favorite drawing tools
- Sketchbook
- Utility knife
- Scissors
- Any favorite woodworking tools that you already own and would like to work with
- An apron or clothes you don’t mind getting messy
Optional item to bring:
- Deep throat fret saw – Recommended choices: Woodcraft Item #141407, Eclipse or 70-FS1R, Olson SF 63507
- Paring knife – Old Hickory paring knife or similar
WOOD – From Straight to Curvy: Create a Sculptural LED Lamp with Yuri Kobayashi
Materials + Fees: $35
A materials kit will be provided for each participant. The fee will be added to your invoice after registration.
Students are asked to bring the following items:
- A pair of water-resistant thermal gloves. (Recommended – Wonder Grip WG-338, which you can buy through Amazon.)
- A utility or X-Acto knife
-
A favorite whittling knife, if you have one.
- Various sheets of sandpaper. Grits #80, #100, #120, #180, #220
- Not necessary, but it will be helpful if you have small (~1-inch jar opening capacity) metal or plastic spring clamps.
- Safety glasses (provided, but you can bring your own if preferred)
- Hearing protection (provided, but you can bring your own if preferred)
- Closed-toed shoes
- No loose or baggy clothing
- Hair ties if you have long hair
- Sketchbook and drawing tools
WEEKEND ITINERARY
STUDENT ARRIVAL / CHECK IN: 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM
MCA staff will be waiting for you to check in outside of the Gateway Building.
There are no early arrivals permitted, but please arrive no later than 11:30 am on Thursday. You will need time to check in, receive your cabin number, bring your belongings to your accommodations, and park your vehicles. At this time, please also drop off your labeled exhibition items with MCA staff.
You may temporarily park vehicles in the lower lot to unload quickly, but you will need to move your vehicle to the parking lot for others to follow.
DEPARTURE / CHECK OUT
All participants are required to check out when departing on Sunday at 1:00 pm outside the Gateway Building. Those who have tabs for items purchased throughout the weekend will need to pay upon checkout.
THURSDAY
10:00 am – 11:30 am: Arrival/Check-in
Upon arrival, all participants are required to check in with MCA staff outside the Gateway Building.
Plan to have time to check in and drop your belongings in your cabins before lunch begins.
Please drop off your labeled exhibition items during this time.
Noon:
Welcome lunch and weekend announcements from MCA & Haystack teams.
1:00 pm:
Workshops begin
5:30 pm:
Casual meet & greet on the top deck or around the fire
6:00 pm:
Welcome dinner
7:00 pm:
Faculty Slide Presentations in Gateway
FRIDAY
8:00 am:
Breakfast
8:30 am – 5:00 pm: Workshops (Lunch at Noon)
6:00 pm:
Dinner
7:00 pm:
Gateway Instructor/ Student Exhibition & Sale – (see Gateway Exhibition section)
SATURDAY
8:00 am:
Breakfast
8:30 am – 5:00 pm: Workshops (Lunch at Noon)
6:00 pm:
Dinner
After hours:
Music night in the Dining Hall
This fun MCA tradition is for those who want to join together to play music, sing, and enjoy another type of craft. BYO instruments and equipment. (see before/after hours programming section).
SUNDAY
8:00 am:
Breakfast
8:30 am – 8:45 am: Remove personal belongings from cabins
Your belongings must be removed from your cabins for housekeeping. You may choose to either pack your vehicles early or leave your items outside of your cabin door.
8:45 am – 11:00 am:
Workshops
11:00 am – 11:50 am:
Studio walkthrough
11:55 am:
Group photo on the Main Stairs
Noon: Lunch
1:00 pm: Check-out & Departure
All participants are required to check out with MCA staff outside of the Gateway Building. You will pay any remaining balance on your invoice at this time.
HAYSTACK STORE HOURS: REMINDER! Participants should not rely on the store to purchase their workshop materials.
Thursday – 9 – 12, closed for lunch, 1 – 4
Friday – 9 – 12, closed for lunch, 1 – 4
Saturday – 9 – 12, closed for lunch, 1 – 4
Sunday – Closed
BEFORE/AFTER HOURS PROGRAMMING
INSTRUCTOR SLIDE SHOW PRESENTATIONS – Thursday, May 7 | 7:00 PM | Gateway Building
Please join us in learning about our wonderful instructors and their careers in these fun, get-to-know-you style presentations.
GATEWAY EXHIBITION – Friday, May 8 | 7:00 PM | Gateway Building
The Gateway Instructor / Student Exhibition & Sale is held annually in the Haystack campus Gateway Building. Workshop instructors and weekend participants are invited to contribute 1 – 3 pieces of artwork to the exhibition, but it is not a requirement for workshop participants.
Each of your items should be priced accordingly with a built-in 50/50 split. You may choose to donate 50% or 100% of sales. Funds from the exhibition support this program and the Bliss Fund.
All work that is contributed to the show must be installation-ready and labeled when dropped off with MCA staff at Haystack during check-in.
Submissions are due May 1.
The form asks for images of items, but it is not required to submit images.
MUSIC NIGHT – Saturday, May 9 | 7 – ? | Dining Hall
This fun MCA tradition is for those who want to join together to play music, sing, and enjoy another type of craft. BYO instruments, lyrics, and equipment.
PACKING LIST
In addition to your normal personal overnight items.
- Every bed in every cabin receives a pillow. You will need to provide your own sleeping bag (suggested option) / twin sheets / pillowcase / extra pillow / blankets / electric blanket etc.
- The materials listed on your workshop syllabus/course materials list.
- Personal use towel(s) and/or bath mat
- Bug spray / SPF / tick repellent
- Clothing and layers for all types of weather including rain gear (maybe even a swimsuit). Please note! It can get cold in the evening, we suggest bringing extra warm clothes and layers.
- Appropriate shoes + clothing for your workshop. There are lots of stairs.
- Headphones / headset (optional).
- Flashlight (or cell phone light).
- Special or necessary dietary food/drinks (you may use the student fridge).
- Instrument or lyrics for music night (optional).
- Travel mug / water bottle / hand towels (please consider bringing these items to cut down on disposable use items on campus).
- Yoga mat if participating in yoga.
CAMPUS, CABINS + STUDIOS
CAMPUS
Built on a cliff overlooking Jericho Bay in the Atlantic Ocean, the Haystack Mountain School of Crafts has served as a muse to many who have come to create. Located on Stinson Neck in Deer Isle, Maine, the award-winning campus, designed by Edward Larrabee Barnes, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in February 2006. For more information about the campus and photos, visit Haystack’s website.
CABINS + STUDIOS
Haystack studios and accommodations are roomy and light-filled, and unheated.
All accommodations are shared – there are two-person cabins with and without bathrooms, three-person cabins without bathrooms, and two dorms. Generally one of the two dorms is all genders, and the other is reserved for women. For dorms and all cabins without baths, there are bathrooms one flight of stairs up or down. We do our best to honor roommate and housing requests but cannot guarantee your request.
Studios are open 24 hours for work.There is no Wifi in the studios or cabins.
Reminder – Pack for all types of weather (cold, rain, sun) and bring your own bedding (see packing list). The campus has many stairs, so remember to bring good walking shoes.
PARKING
Haystack has two parking lots – the Lower Lot and the Upper Lot. We are a big group that needs to fit many vehicles in the parking lots. Please park with others in mind.
1) Lower Lot – Reserved for participants who are driving and staying on campus. This is the first lot that is located on the right side of the road as you come up Haystack School Drive. Please fill this lot first before using the Upper Lot.
2) Upper Lot – Reserved for staff, those with accessibility needs, visitors, Day Students, and overflow parking. This is the second lot that is located on the left side of the road as you come up Haystack School Drive.
COMMUNITY GUIDELINES
Both MCA and Haystack Mountain School of Crafts expect all participants who participate in programming to read and follow community guidelines. Please review these before arriving on campus.
HAYSTACK COMMUNITY GUIDELINES
Haystack’s community guidelines are one of the ways we put our organizational values, and the goals of our Strategic Plan, into action. They are intended to establish a shared understanding of our common goals, how we create community, and the principles that ensure all people feel welcome and respected. It is expected that everyone coming to Haystack will help contribute to a culture in which all members feel personally safe, listened to, valued, and treated with fairness and respect.
Remember our mission and goal
Our shared goal at Haystack is to connect people through craft. We believe in creating an environment that supports the exploration of new ideas in a supportive and inclusive community. Serving an ever-changing group of makers and thinkers, we are dedicated to working and learning alongside one another, while exploring the intersections of craft, art, and design in broad and expansive ways.
Creating a sense of belonging
Haystack is committed to fostering a welcoming environment that honors the safety, health, mutual respect, and well-being of everyone at the School. If someone is asking you for support, do your best to help them find a solution or direct them to someone on staff who can help.
Studio Culture
Being in the studio is central to the Haystack experience. Be respectful of shared space and follow safety guidelines at all times. No one is permitted in the studio if under the influence of alcohol or drugs, except the legal use of prescribed medication that does not impair the safe use of Haystack resources. When participating in group discussions please listen to others and consider multiple perspectives. Avoid dominating group discussions and make space for other people. Challenge your preconceptions and try to be open to new approaches.
Honor Everyone’s Boundaries
Care for yourself and communicate your needs while also respecting other people’s boundaries. Please ask for consent before making physical contact or using someone else’s belongings. Always ask permission before photographing or posting about someone or their work. We believe in taking responsibility for our actions, learning from our mistakes, and moving forward.
Make no assumptions
Haystack celebrates a community built on broad views and backgrounds. We avoid making assumptions about people’s gender, race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, age, ability, or anything else related to their identity or lived experiences. Individuals identify in many different ways that may not be externally explicit. For example, we ask that members of our community avoid making assumptions on individuals’ gender. If an individual feels comfortable, we encourage sharing of pronouns and we ask in all cases that others show respect to those preferences.
Inappropriate conduct
Haystack does not tolerate discrimination or harassment, whether directed at an employee, program participant, faculty, or other members of the Haystack community. We ask you to be conscientious about your words and behavior. Harassing or discriminatory conduct—whether intentional or not—based on an individual’s sex, gender identity or expression, race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, age, familial status, disability, or any other categories protected by law are unacceptable on Haystack’s campus and will be addressed. Our top priority is making sure everyone feels respected and able to participate. If Haystack determines that a harmful incident has occurred, we may first seek a solution through conversation and possible accommodations based on the willingness of those involved. We expect all individuals to uphold the Community Guidelines, and Haystack may be obligated to investigate and take action against an offending individual, up to removing individuals from campus, if their actions fail to respect these guidelines or devalue the teaching and learning experience for the larger community.
CANCELLATION POLICY
Cancellations received prior to Thursday, March 5, 2026, will be refunded total workshop fees paid to date LESS the $100 non-refundable deposit.
(Example, $600 – $100 = $500, $500 is refunded.)
Cancellations received after Thursday, March 5, 2026, will be refunded 50% of workshop fees paid to date, excluding the $100 non-refundable deposit.
(Example, $600 – $100 = $500, $250 is refunded.)
Cancellations received on and after Thursday, April 23, 2026, will receive no refund.
In either case, the MCA membership fee is non-refundable.