Commissioned Goods In The Woods

If you visited the Haystack Store at some point over the last three summers, you may have noticed some special edition merchandise at the counter. In this post, we shine a light on the custom Haystack-inspired bandanas available for purchase in the Store, created by members of the Haystack community.

In an effort to tap into the creativity and talent of Haystack instructors, Store Operations Manager Kerri Harding initiated the ongoing project in 2023, working closely with artists on limited-edition, seasonal merch. The prompt for the bandana is to create a design from a participant’s perspective that evokes their feelings and observations of the campus, community, and environment. All bandanas are 100% cotton and printed in the United States.

The first Haystack bandana was digitally designed by eco artist, educator, naturalist, and small business owner Katama Murray. Katama is a longtime Haystack attendee, participating in the Mentor Program as both a mentee and mentor, and more recently, as a volunteer and faculty member. She shared that she was “inspired by the sights, sounds, architecture, energy, and community of Haystack's campus along the Maine coast.” In its first year, all 2024 season bandanas sold out!

In 2025, the season bandana shifted from shades of blue to an earthy goldenrod, illustrating elements of nature found at Haystack on both land and sea. Part of the inspiration came from an anecdote that Haystack is “held together by spit and twigs.” 2024 Graphics faculty Natasha Bowdoin and her studio assistant for the session, Sophia Parker, collaborated on the design, a handful of which are still available for purchase!

Kerri invited Curtis Bullock, a 2025 member of the Graphics faculty, to take on the bandana design for the 2026 season. Curtis shared, “Gazing is meant to capture the indelible visual patterns found at Haystack Mountain School of Crafts. Iconic rooflines and stairs, sunrises and sunsets, blue skies and water, walls of trees, and nights full of stars.” He continues, “Hopefully you can return to Haystack soon, but, in the meantime, I hope this design will help you return in your mind.”

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