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Wow, THAT’s Creative!

Ohio has creative pieces of art in museums, along roadways, in parks, you name it. Help us share pieces that make you pause and say, “Wow, THAT’s creative!”

You may submit a photo of your favorite creative piece of art in Ohio with a description under 300 words for publishing and posting consideration. Be sure to include a byline with photo credit. Send your submission to scoops@ohiotraveler.com.

So far, we’ve said, “Wow, THAT’s creative!” in reaction to these pieces…




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Airstream Treehouse

Spend a night
in a Luxury Treehouse that
houses an Airstream 25 feet in the air!

The Mohicans Treehouse Resort and Wedding Venue features the popular Airstream Treehouse with a new Airstream cabin on the way. In addition, updates are being made to the world-famous Little Red Treehouse over the next year. A new project is the glamping tent treehouse. In addition, they offer ground cabins and country homes.

The Silver Bullet Treehouse is a treetop cabin made from a 31-ft classic 1978 Airstream trailer perched 25 feet off the ground. Equipped with black walnut flooring, some barn siding walls, indoor and outdoor showers, skylights, and a sauna, it mixes the old with the new by blending vintage barn materials with the aluminum details of this iconic aerodynamic trailer.

The Mohicans Treehouse Resort is owned and operated by husband & wife team Kevin and Laura Mooney. It is one of the nation’s largest treehouse villages offering stunning rustic-chic cabins and treehouses – three of which were designed by the guys from Animal Planet’s Treehouse Masters, including The Little Red Treehouse, which was featured on the show and was originally built by Nelson’s team as a brewery and tasting center before it was converted into a treehouse.

The Mohicans sits on 75 private acres of uninterrupted natural landscape overlooking the Mohican River Valley. Today, you will find seven finished treehouses and four ground-level cabins named after rivers from the local area (The Mohican, The Killbuck, The Walhonding, and The Kokosing). The three newest treehouses include El Castillo (a 2-level honeymoon suite), The View (floor-to-ceiling windows), and The Silver Bullet. The resort opened its doors in 2011 with a few cabins and Mooney’s long-term goal to become one of the nation’s most exclusive eco-resorts with up to 20 treehouses.

Sustainable design concepts are incorporated into the properties of The Mohicans Treehouse Resort, including passive solar design, radiant heat, on-demand hot water, reused and repurposed materials (100-year-old barn siding, hand-hewn barn beams, windows, doors, ladders, sliding barn doors, and cabinets).

Click here to plan your stay.

Hamilton – The City of Sculpture

Walk “The City of Sculpture” – Hamilton, Ohio!

There are over 40 sculptures, many in candid settings such as a couple reading under a tree, a father teaching his daughter to ride a bike, and a boy walking down a sidewalk playing the harmonica with his loyal dog in tow. Along the way, enjoy a few tasty cafes and novelty shops.

Click here for a map for the sculptures walking tour. There’s also a nearby sculpture park with 60 more sculptures nestled in nature and gardens at Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park.

Explore the wonderful shopping opportunities downtown and across the river in a revitalized boutique shopping district. Throughout, there are great eateries dotting the sidewalks. Some favorites are True West Coffee (great sandwiches) in a two-story coffee shop on the west side of the river at 313 Main Street. Look for the sculpture of a man and umbrella being rained on. Across the street is delicious ice cream at The Village Parlor. In the heart of downtown are two popular eateries. Alexander’s Market & Deli is where the locals flock for lunch. And just down the sidewalk, you can eat and shop for interesting items at High Street Café.

To learn a fascinating story, venture to the southeast quadrant of 3rd Street and Sycamore. For geo-explorers, coordinates are N: 39° 23.711 and W: 084° 33.699. There lies the Father of Hollow Earth Theory on a most peculiar gravesite.

Hamilton, the City of Sculptures (and murals, too), is a great place to walk, shop, and eat a day away.

Portsmouth Flood Wall Murals

The Portsmouth, Ohio Flood Wall Murals Project is one of the largest in the world stretching about 20 feet high and 2,000 feet long between Front Street and the Ohio River. Renowned mural painter Robert Dafford. His works, including the Portsmouth murals, create a 3-D illusion. The painting of the floodwalls lasted a decade, reaching completion in 2002. It has ever since been a great Ohio tourist attraction. The murals are a walk thru the Portsmouth area’s history from the time of Native Americans living on the banks of The Ohio River to the modern era. The floodwalls were erected after the Ohio River invaded the town in 1937, wreaking havoc. The gorgeous murals were painted soon after to replace what was a beautiful river view from the Historic Boneyfiddle District. The murals number more than 50! It’s a great walking tour or drive-by. Work up an appetite for the delicious eateries a stone’s throw away. Click here for more area attractions.

Vintage Ohio Postcards

I was in #Greenville, #Ohio yesterday to visit a friend who shared his postcard collection of the town and Darke County with me at The Coffee Pot …Now I’m sharing some with you because, well, just because…
And yes, they used to race ostriches at The Great Darke County Fair.
And yes, there used to be a streetcar service from Greenville to #Dayton, so I’m told.
The other two #postcards are a play on the word Dark(e) as in #DarkeCounty.
Visit

VW Bug Tower

Volkswagen Bug Tower In Defiance, Ohio
is at the corner of Hwys 18 & 281

The VW Bug Tower is a fun little stop in Defiance, Ohio. Five colorfully painted vintage Volkswagen Beetles rise to the telephone wires.  There’s a large parking lot at the corner to park and walk around the tower to check out the artwork and subtle touches. I gasped looking through my camera lens in the high wind and rain when I saw a man climbing out of the windshield of the fourth car up. My wife’s laugh said, “I told you about the mannequin when we first pulled in. See, you don’t listen to me.”

Giant Trolls at Aullwood

Three giant trolls made from recycled materials now live among the natural habitats at Aullwood Audubon in Dayton, Ohio, in an exhibit called “The Troll That Hatched an Egg.”

Two of these towering pieces of art are placed subtly in the woodlands. They blend in so well; visitors may be stunned when they come into view. Out on the prairie is one you can see from across the open field at quite a distance. It, too, is a stunning sight. Together, these majestic creatures named Bo, Bodil, and Bibbi tell a story about birds, flight, and why preserving habitats is essential.

The giant trolls are the creation of internationally renowned artist Thomas Dambo. There are only nine other exhibitions of this kind in the country. But this one tells explicitly a story that combines the area’s environment and history of flight.

Dambo is from Copenhagen, Denmark, and is recognized around the globe as a master recycle artist. His giant trolls have been popping up around the world for the past decade. Aullwood’s trio of trolls was created from locally sourced materials. It’s why they blend so well with their surrounding ecosystem. Dead branches in the area made the troll’s nest.

People of all ages are enjoying the opportunity to get out and see such a wonderous imagination come to life among the natural jewel that is Aullwood Audubon. Plan a trip to see “The Troll That Hatched an Egg” at Aullwood.org.

By Frank Rocco Satullo, The OhioTraveler, Your Tour Guide to Fun! 

3-D Wood Carving By Hand

Paul Weaver, a local Amish man, spent 20 years honing his skill at three-dimensional wood carving. Each piece usually takes three months to complete, using only hand tools.

Most of the carvings are from a solid block of butternut wood, sometimes with leaves still growing out of it. No adhesives are used.

His collection is on display, daily, at the historic Lehman’s Hardware Store in Kidron, Ohio. Every fourth Saturday of the month, Paul Weaver is there to answer questions and explain his process. It’s free but donations are appreciated.

VW-Henge-ish

Sometimes a wrong turn can lead to fun discoveries. Thank you, GPS. Missing a turn, my GPS rerouted me down Barrhaven (Rd, St, Ave?) which loops to/from Main Street in Hayesville, Ohio in Ashland County. Off to the side of the backroad was an old VW Bug jutting up from the ground, half-buried. I guess it’s Ohio’s version of Cadillac Ranch off Route 66 in Texas. LOL.

Field of Giant Concrete Corn Cobs in Dublin Ohio

Being Corny in Dublin, Ohio

Field of Corn (with Osage Orange Trees) is the name of this curious roadside attraction in Dublin, Ohio’s Franz Park, at 4995 Rings Road.

There are 109 ears of corn made from concrete, each standing over 6 feet tall in this creative artwork; you may walk through year-round from dawn to dusk.

It’s a favorite stop for Ohio travelers passing anywhere near the Greater Columbus area. Stop for the awe, history, or pure novelty of it. Have a picnic, take some fun photos, and have a few laughs. A cell tour is available at 614-368-6999.

Click here for further details about this unique artwork, why it was built, and how it represents the agricultural history of the area.

Abracadabra

Abracadabra (1992) by Alexander Liberman
Photo courtesy of Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park & Museum

Abracadabra (1992) by Alexander Liberman is one of the largest works that Liberman ever constructed. It’s made out of a mix of sheet and cylinder steel, painted a vibrant red. Liberman was primarily known for working with cylinders, but later in his career, he started to work with more sheet steel. Abracadabra is influenced by the several trips Liberman took to Greece in the mid-1960s to study the remnants of Greek and Roman architecture. In the case of Abracadabra, Liberman built this piece full scale, meaning there was no model or moquette. He would draw on sheets of the steel; the fabricator would then cut them out and use cranes, sometimes multiple cranes, to put them in temporary positions as the piece was built.

Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park & Museum features over 80 outdoor sculptures on 300+ acres of land. Enjoy nature and art by walking, driving the park, or renting an art cart to explore! The park also has hiking trails so one can really immerse themselves in nature. Take a break from the outdoors and visit their Ancient Sculpture Museum featuring Greek, Roman, Etruscan, Syrian, and Egyptian antiquities dating to 1550 B.C.

Plan your trip at https://www.pyramidhill.org/abracadabra

Topiary Park Or Painting?

Wouldn’t it be really cool to walk into a painting and be a part of it? You could check things out three-dimensionally to see what the other side looks like.

How about a famous painting? Let’s say, for example, Georges Seurat’s 1887 A Sunday Afternoon on the Isle of La Grand Jatte, which is a depiction of people gathering on a Sunday afternoon at the Seine River in Paris. The original is shown at the Art Institute of Chicago. But the version in downtown Columbus, Ohio offers a totally different experience.

Enjoy a walk and picnic at the Columbus Topiary Garden & Park at Old Deaf School Park – https://www.ohiotraveler.com/topiary-garden/

Vasehenge

VASE IN PLACE or as some refer to as VASEHENGE in Zanesville, Ohio is a circle of 18 giant painted clay vases to celebrate the town’s heritage as the “Clay City.” Zanesville was once known as the “Clay Capital of the United States” because it was home to some of the most renowned pottery companies on the planet. The display of larger than life vases stand at the foot of another rare sight, a Y-bridge. You’ll find this interesting roadside attraction at Pine Street and Highway 40. Afterward, head downtown to shop the vibrant art scene. Plan your visit at https://www.visitzanesville.com/Explore/Destinations/305/Vase-In-Place/.

Monumental Figurative Sculptures

Watch a famous sculptor at work just about any time. And walk around his spacious two-story studio to see the world’s largest bronze sculpture exhibition by a living sculptor. Alan Cottrill is happy to take a break and tell you stories, beginning with that first time he sunk his hands into clay, and about the process behind creating mega pieces that are shipped and placed around the world. Click here to plan your visit to the Alan Cottrill Sculpture Studio.

Hollow Earth Theory

Did you know that the Earth is hollow, according to a theory laid to rest in Hamilton, Ohio?

Symmes Monument in Hamilton, Ohio commemorates the “Father of Hollow Earth Theory,” John Cleves Symmes Jr. This is the only remnant left of a cemetery-turned park after other remains were transferred to another burial ground. Symmes believed an opening near the poles (later dubbed “Symmes Hole”) led to a hollow and inhabitable interior world. The Theory of Concentric Spheres and Solar Voids was pitched to the U.S. Congress in hopes that funding for an expedition would be funded. After a lecture tour promoting his theory, Symmes died May 29, 1829, and was laid to rest here, just south of downtown Hamilton, Ohio at the southeast quadrant of 3rd Street and Sycamore. For geo-explorers, coordinates are N: 39° 23.711 and W: 084° 33.699.

Touching Up The Earthship

“Wow, THAT’s creative!”

Blue Rock Station just outside of Philo, Ohio has 16 artsy buildings made mostly of reused materials, earthen plaster and rammed-earth tire foundations.

This is a working farm with barns made of straw-bales, reclaimed weathered barn wood and art on the walls.

The art pictured here appears on the walls of two of their tiny sleeping cabins. Interns and students help to design and create the art.

The photos demonstrate how two of the art pieces come together to make interesting artistic buildings.  Each building has a name.

The farm is open occasionally during warmer months and registration is required to take a tour.

For more information or to listen to the Blue Rock Station podcast visit www.bluerockstation.com.

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Ohio has creative pieces of art in museums, along roadways, in parks, you name it. Help us share pieces that make you pause and say, “Wow, THAT’s creative!”

You may submit a photo of your favorite creative piece of art in Ohio with a description under 300 words for publishing and posting consideration. Be sure to include a byline with photo credit. Send your submission to scoops@ohiotraveler.com.

See More of Ohio “Wow” at
https://www.ohiotraveler.com/wow-thats-creative/ 

Lost And Found Sculpture

“Wow, THAT’s creative!”

“Lost and Found” by American sculptor Alison Saar is on permanent display at the Dayton Art Institute in Dayton, Ohio.

This sculpture is the focal point no matter which direction you enter the vast room where it is displayed. It commands attention and curiosity. It is simply made of wood, tin, and of course, wire. But it projects a profound message that although we may not notice one another at times when everything is stripped away, we mirror each other and are very connected no matter our differences by gender, race, or age.

Alison Saar is a mixed medium sculptor based in Los Angeles, California. She focuses on race and gender and uses found and traditional material. Her work often conveys cultural and social messages, experiences, and identity, especially in areas to express the injustices endured by minorities and women.

Dayton Art Institute is one of the nation’s finest mid-sized art museums. It features an encyclopedic collection of nearly 30,000 objects spanning 5,000 years of art history. Highlights include the museum’s outstanding Asian collection, 17th-century Baroque paintings, 18th, and 19th-century American art, and contemporary art collection. In addition to its diverse collection, the museum features world-class special exhibitions, a wide variety of educational programs, and an interactive, family-oriented Experiencenter gallery.

Click here for more information about The Dayton Art Institute.

* * *

Ohio has creative pieces of art in museums, along roadways, in parks, you name it. Help us share pieces that make you pause and say, “Wow, THAT’s creative!”

You may submit a photo of your favorite creative piece of art in Ohio with a description under 300 words for publishing and posting consideration. Be sure to include a byline with photo credit. Send your submission to scoops@ohiotraveler.com.

See More of Ohio “Wow” at
https://www.ohiotraveler.com/wow-thats-creative/