Please Note: The below is an article written for the Zanesville-Muskingum Advertiser and much of the information about the
links are no longer accurate do to the closing of the Zanesville-Muskingum Advertiser. We will be changing this page in the very
near future. If you have information about the vases and would like to contribute please send an email to ZAAP at
Vase Information
Vase in Place Project: By Kathy Campbell
ticopublishing.kathy@earthlink.net
The following is part of a series of articles that The Zanesville-Muskingum
Advertiser is publishing in support of the Vase in Place Project featuring the participating artists and their sponsors.
The Weller inspired, Vase in Place project is a collaborative effort designed to help the Appalachian Pottery Guild, The Artists
Colony of Zanesville and a Weller Museum in the former Weller Pottery manufacturing facility. To sponsor a vase or volunteer as an
artist call The Muskingum County Community Foundation at (740) 453-5192.
For more information about becoming a sponsor, artist or to learn more about the project
visit: www.zanesville.org.
The following artists are active members of Z.A.A.P. - Check back for more articles and pictures.
Multi-disciplined artist, Marilyn Westgerdes, knew she wanted to depict the connotations of "family" on this vase sponsored by the
Muskingum County Community Foundation. When David Mitzel, Executive Director of the MCCF, also suggested family as the theme, Marilyn
knew she was on the right track. She describes herself as a spontaneous artist, once inspired she likes to dive in and work until a
project's finished. This piece presented some new challenges for the artist, including paint that dried quicker than she was used to
and designing the base so that it coordinated with the art. Marilyn spent about two weeks working on the vase. She is currently
preparing for a show at Muskingum College that will feature her work in stained glass and sculpture.
The vase is located in front of the Muskingum County Community Foundation at 534 Putnam Avenue. The mission of the MCCF is to improve
the quality of life and to serve the charitable needs of the community by attracting and administering charitable funds. Visit their
website at www.mccf.org for information on scholarships, grants, awards, the PURE center and more.
Linda Plants first saw an undecorated vase when the members of the Zanesville Appalachian Arts Project (ZAAP) were invited to a meeting
at Alan Cottrill's studio. "It was a little overwhelming at first, however, I couldn't wait to get it into my studio." She said;
"After Alan explained the project we were all a little stunned, but the vase has such a nice shape, it's so pleasant to look at."
Entitled 'Myriad Shapes of Floral', the vase Linda painted was sponsored by the Zanesville-Muskingum Advertiser and is located in front
of their offices at 760 Linden Avenue in Zanesville. It's decorated in greens and pinks and was described by one viewer as "mysterious,
like a lily creeping through water to the surface." Linda spent several days creating a design for the vase, sketching and thinking
about how to paint it. "With something of this size I felt I needed to develop a plan and still allow the plan to evolve as it is
created on the vase." Working around her full time job at the Zanesville-Muskingum Advertiser, Linda estimates it took about seven or
eight days of evening work to complete the vase once the base coat was completed.
Ms. Plants has been the president of for five years, you can see more of her work in the Advertiser office and at shows throughout
the area. To learn more about becoming a member of , visit their website at www.art.org
Ohio Pottery sponsored the vase painted by self-taught artist, Tanya Jones. Tanya recreated a look once used by the Roseville
Pottery called Zephr Lily. She carved out the leaves and flowers for added dimension before painting the vase and then created her
own swirling stencil as the finishing touch to the background. Ms. Jones said she heard about the vase project at a ZAAP
(Zanesville Appalachian Artists Project) meeting and signed up immediately to paint this one. She worked on the vase for about four
hours a day, five days a week for a month. Tanya's studio is located in the Artists Colony of Zanesville and she was the featured
artist the First Friday event held in August.
Ohio Pottery is a family owned business located in Norwich at the intersection of routes 40 and 22, ten miles east of Zanesville.
They carry a varied selection of pottery, giftware, lawn ornaments and decorative accessories, most locally made. In addition to
Tanya's vase gracing their front entrance, there is a second vase painted by Brenda Graybill.
Artist, Susan Stubbins, was the first to sponsor and paint a vase for this exciting project. Entitled "Eyes of Illusion" her vase is
located in front of Studio 202, a venue she shares with Susan Nash at 47 N. 4th Street in Zanesville. She says her inspiration for the
piece came from nature.
"Many insects and birds have spots on their foliage or feathers that simulate eyes to fool predators." Ms. Stubbins said.
Susan was an art teacher for thirty years. Now retired and with an opportunity to pursue her own interests, her studio is filled with
a wide selection of water color, mixed media and paper collage pieces. She explained that after teaching so many styles of art to her
students, she is experimenting and finding the style that best expresses her. She has had Studio 202 for two years and occasionally
gives lessons. Interested students should e-mail for availability at: stubbins_s@sbcglobal.net.
Studio 202 is open to the public during the week and on First Friday's. Susan's work will also be on display in a show at Marietta
College beginning August 26th.
The Community Bank sponsored two vases, one for their branch in Crooksville and one for the bank at North Point. Crooksville's vase
was painted as a collaborative effort between Alma Hoopes, Patty Boring, Susan Wantz and Pat Colbert, all members of the Crooksville
Arts Council. They presented the bank with pictures of Roseville Pottery pieces and the bank selected this replica of dogwood flowers.
The artists on this vase were especially challenged by the fact that the vase is displayed inside the bank, permitting even casual
viewing to be up close. It took the group about five weeks to complete the project, working just a few hours per week. In order to make
sure the vase looked the same all the way around, each of them worked on each image on the vase.
Patty Boring looked to history when she selected a theme for the vase she painted. It's located on the bridge outside Heritage Hall in
Crooksville, once the site of the Crooksville train station. Patty had access to old pictures and newspapers of the station in operation
as well as film of it being torn down so she drew from that to create this idyllic scene of a time past. She estimates is took a few
months to complete the piece, she was undergoing chemotherapy at the time and worked only when she had the energy or the urge to paint.
"It sat in my living room so long I was almost sad to finish it and see it go." Patty said.
The Clay Valley Foundation sponsored this vase as well as two others. A non-profit organization, the foundation's mission is to
coordinate and redistribute charitable contributions to best benefit the citizens of Crooksville. They will be hosting the annual
Fall Fest in October.
