Seven foot tall, highly decorated vases are popping up in front of businesses all over Muskingum and Perry County. Called The Weller Museum, Vase in Place Project, these pieces of art represent a herculean effort designed to raise funds and provide an additional community attraction highlighting Southeastern Ohio’s heritage in the pottery industry. Once the project is completed, the vases will stretch from Zanesville through the towns and villages along what is known as the “Appalachian Clay Corridor” to Nelsonville in Athens County.

It started with the desire to turn the old Weller Pottery Company building, located in Putnam, into The Weller Pottery Museum with studios for local potters and artisans. The shape of the vase was inspired by a piece originally designed and marketed by the Weller Pottery Company. The largest employer of its time with 1,500 employees, Weller pieces are highly collectable. Once organizers had conceived the idea in spring of 2005, the project was adopted as a collaborative effort benefiting The Appalachian Pottery Guild and the Artist Colony of Zanesville, as well as the proposed Weller Museum. One hundred of the vases are being made and will be decorated by volunteer artists from throughout Southeastern Ohio. Made of a weather resistant fiberglass and gypsum composite, once decorated and sealed by the artist, the vases are waterproof and can be displayed outside. They weigh over 160 pounds and are mounted on a marine plywood base that can be attached to a sidewalk or other surface.

The blank vases are produced at The Appalachian Pottery Guild Studio located in Crooksville. Dale Hague, Director of the Guild, oversees and participates in production of the pieces. In the stifling heat of the studio, dwarfed by a staggered row of these giant vases ready to be delivered for decorating, Dale took time away from his work to explain the reason for his support of the Vase in Place project.

“Our region has an historic and contemporary heritage of fine pottery and other outstanding clay products. The availability of raw materials, combined with the ingenuity, artistic ability and creativity of our people enables us to accomplish good work. Southeastern Ohio is a leader in clay product creation and manufacturing, our products are known worldwide for their high quality. The intent of the project is to sustain this heritage, to promote the arts and provide an ongoing opportunity for commerce and tourism.”

Familiar with the successful cow project in Chicago, and pig program in Cincinnati, Zanesville Artist, Susan Stubbins, was so enthused by the project she was the first to sponsor a vase. Entitled “Eyes of Illusion” her vase is located outside the studio she shares with fellow artist Susan Nash at 47 N. Fourth Street. Even with a narrow ten day window, Linda Regula volunteered to paint the first sample piece she named “Night Settles In”. It is located in front of Alan Cottril’s Sculpture Studio now, but is in need of a sponsor.

One of the first sponsors to step forward and take advantage of this opportunity was The Community Bank. They have two of the giant vases, one decorated by Roger Penos at their branch on Maple Avenue, North Point, and one at their Crooksville branch painted by Alma Hoopes, Susan Wantz and Suanne Goins.

“I like this project.” Michael Steen, Community Bank President said. “I want to see the Weller Museum succeed and I feel it’s a banks responsibility to take the lead in good community projects.”

Sponsors pay $1,000 to support production of the vase that will be placed at their chosen site through September 2007. After this September deadline the vases will be auctioned off or sponsors can keep their vase by paying an additional $1,000. The artists who finish these vases are volunteers but receive $100 per vase for materials. What to paint on the vase is between the artist and sponsor. Some sponsors suggest a theme that the artist translates; others have sketched several designs from which the sponsor selects.

The fiscal agent for the Vase in Place project is The Muskingum County Community Foundation, a non-profit organization. For more information on how to sponsor a vase or volunteer as an artist, or to see an up-to-date list of vases currently in place go to the Vase in Place website: www.zanesville.org.