DAY 195 - More Vases

These 6 ft vases are just sitting on a vacant lot on the bank of the river near the Y-Bridge.

Day 11 - Vase-apalloza

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.