05/07/2026
We’re continuing our May series with Chris Toy.
Over the years, I’ve watched a lot of people arrive at workshops carrying the quiet belief that they need to already be “good at art” before they begin. Chris has a way of gently undoing that within the first hour.
A piece of driftwood.
A length of wire.
Something found along the shore.
Then slowly, through attention, balance, and a willingness to follow an idea a little further than you expected, it begins to move.
Not perfectly.
Not predictably.
But beautifully.
There’s something deeply reassuring about spending time with people who know how to work this way. Patiently. Curiously. Willing to see where a material wants to lead them.
Maybe that’s part of what Touchstones has always been about for me after all these years. Not mastery so much as traveling with intention, staying open to surprise, and letting yourself wander a little beyond the edge of what’s familiar.
This September on the coast of Maine, Chris will be teaching alongside:
Shannon Kerner
Linda Facci
Kristine Biegel
Leah Widdicombe
Five workshops. One shared week by the ocean.
If you’ve been thinking about giving yourself a few days to make things with your hands, breathe some salt air, and spend time among thoughtful people, the full workshop descriptions and schedule are linked in the bio.
