Whistle While You Work

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Created on Friday, 15 March 2013 15:43
Written by Brian Stone

Whistle MakerEAST MONTPELIER - On top of a hill overlooking a mountain range Mary Stone spends her days sculpting, painting, and firing clay whistles. After converting her children's old playroom into her studio, She is now able to work at home and get inspiration from birds perched in the tree just outside her window.

Stone, who was born and raised in central Vermont, studied Geology and Art at the University of Vermont. She then began crafting clay whistles over 20 years go and is now even co-owner of Artisans Hand in downtown Montpelier. It’s not only the musical aspect that drew Stone to whistle making, she says that each piece should be able to be displayed as well as functional. Offering handmade sculptures, necklaces, and ornaments Stone is able to provide each customer a whistle as unique as them.

Traveling the state to display her work at shows and teaching workshops, Stone says she loves the awe on peoples when they finally realize that the pieces are not only sculptures but whistles as well ‘People will walk by and stop and look, and then it dawns on them that the sound is coming from the piece I’m holding in my mouth, and they go oh it’s a whistle.” After a request from a friend Stone has expanded beyond whistles and has recently begun to make salt and pepper shakers and other small sculptures. “I’m always will to try something new for someone,” says Stone.

With the addition of her website Stone has been able to showcase her work beyond Vermont and New England. “This fellow from Tasmania found me on the web, and wanted to buy a chickadee or a bird whistle for his wife because she had grown up in Japan and her sister was given a little wren whistle when they left. She didn’t get one and she always coveted her sister’s wren necklace whistle. He saw that I had bird whistles on necklaces and so we decided on a chickadee, since it was a nice little Vermont bird, and I sent it off for her 50th birthday in Tasmania. And got a wonderful letter from her, and that’s pretty nice to be contacted by someone from the other side of the world and make them happy, and gives me a nice little story to tell too.”

“I can’t imagine doing anything else” said Stone as she talked about her love for her work, “I know a lot of people love their jobs, but I feel super lucky.”