Call & Response (August 23 – 29, 2020) Haystack Moun­tain School of Crafts

The objects and spaces we navi­gate are filled with latent poten­tial for rede­f­i­n­i­tion. Working from the start­ing place of wood­carv­ing and bending along­side mechan­i­cal and tradi­tional joinery methods, we will explore object making steeped in humor, absur­dity, and the capac­ity for trans­for­ma­tion. Archi­tec­ture, the envi­ron­ment, and found mate­ri­als will be prompts for inven­tive, impro­vi­sa­tional build­ing strate­gies that speak to speci­ficity of place, part­ner­ships, and people. Partic­i­pants will define the tech­ni­cal para­me­ters of their work based on site and mate­r­ial choices, with the goal of finding strate­gies where a personal and prolif­er­at­ing source of concep­tual and tech­ni­cal fodder abound. All levels welcome.

Ellie Richards has trav­eled exten­sively to inves­ti­gate the role play and impro­vi­sa­tion have on the artis­tic process — most recently to Ghana, where she appren­ticed in a work­shop on build­ing hollow forms in wood. Her work, both furni­ture and sculp­ture, has been in exhi­bi­tions at the Mint Museum; Center for Craft, Creativ­ity, and Design; SOFA Chicago; and the Society of Contem­po­rary Craft. After receiv­ing an MFA from Arizona State Univer­sity, Richards was an Artist-in-Resi­dence at Ander­son Ranch, Peters Valley, the Appalachian Center for Craft, and the Vermont Studio Center, and was the wood studio coor­di­na­tor at Penland, 2015 – 2019. This year Richards was awarded Windgate resi­den­cies at the Center for Art in Wood in Philadel­phia and San Diego State Univer­sity. ellie​-richards​.com @ellieinthewoods

Schol­ar­ship appli­ca­tion dead­line: March 1, 2020

General appli­ca­tion dead­line: April 1, 2020