Pottery was and still is the area's claim to fame. It's the clay soil -- good for pottery, bad for hydrangeas. At one time, there were over 100 working potteries in the area -- Weller, Roseville, Brush, Shawnee, McCoy, Ransbottom, and more. Unfortunately, because of all the cheap China crap pottery now, the pottery industry has dwindled down to just a handful to diehards -- Hartstone being one of the largest potteries left. 
The area artists community took part in a project called the Weller Vase Project. Numerous artists each decorated a Weller replica vase that was then put on display at local businesses, attractions, etc. within the county. Hand painting these vases was no simple feat -- Did I mention that these vases are 7 feet tall , 170 pounds? Sidenote: The humungous vases aren't actually made of pottery -- molding a 7 foot tall vase was rather out of the question. They're fiberglass.
The one pictured here was in front of a local bank. Over the next few weeks, I'll try to get shots of some of the others -- I believe there were about 100 or so of them. Many were auctioned off this last week for charity, so they're on the move.
2 comments:
That is so unique! And don't even get me started on the cheap china crap taking over the world...it makes me so sad we have all these fabulous artists here in the US and people continue to purchase the china garbage instead of real art from a real USA artist. Sigh.
Oh - love the big patriotic vace - looking forward to seeing some of the others. Are they displayed around town as well?
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