David Griesmyer flicks his torch on and off and delicately bends a wire into the shape of a palm. Bright flames flash off the ends of bits of steel while he fills in its metallic fingers.
This hand will soon belong to the stainless steel woman, who sits cross-legged on his desk.
鈥淚 want her one hand to be outstretched so that a little bug can be climbing on her fingers,鈥� the rural welder said, stepping back to examine his work.
Soon, he鈥檒l add wings and place her atop a 15 foot flower, also to be welded in his studio in Malta. It will join a trail of other larger than life sculptures scattered around 144 miles in southeast Ohio, known as the Ohio Arts Corridor.
Appalachian Ohio has been losing population for the last two decades. While many advocates have focused on creating jobs in the region, David Griesmyer believes culture is important too. He hopes the corridor will help highlight the beauty of the southeast corner of the state.
Bringing people in
He started in his hometown of McConnelsville. It鈥檚 the largest town in Morgan County, and its population is declining.
鈥淭here's no major roads coming through here. There's no real industry. There's no train tracks,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e want to start creating an environment where people start coming down this way off of 70 or 77 from West Virginia. We want them to come through here to see the art.鈥�
So, he鈥檚 made sure there鈥檚 plenty to see. The route 鈥� which spans from Zanesville to Athens, Circleville to Portsmouth 鈥� showcases local art that celebrates each towns鈥� history and culture.
It includes the city of Lancaster, where Jonett Haberfield works for the county tourism organization, Visit Fairfield County.
鈥淲e're trying to inspire people to look at that area of the state as a place to live, a place to raise your family,鈥� she said.
Haberfield said it鈥檚 worked 鈥� people who have never heard of Fairfield County have come into the community to see their sculpture park 鈥淔light of the Hawks.鈥� In it, a 2,500 pound raptor, and its vulture counterpart, tower over visitors.
An economic boost
Even if the spectacle doesn鈥檛 convince people to move there, it still has an economic impact.
鈥淭hey buy gasoline, they stay in hotels, they spend money, and that's what economic development is,鈥� Haberfield said. 鈥淕etting people who don't live here to leave some of their money in our community, and then go home and tell everybody what a great time they had.鈥�
That鈥檚 exactly the effect Griesmyer hopes his next sculpture will have. The soon-to-be 20-foot tall metal white-tail buck will sit in the center of his village鈥檚 roundabout. It鈥檚 a tribute to Morgan County and its place as 鈥渢he hunting capital of Ohio.鈥�
鈥淭hey don鈥檛 have enough money here to afford art,鈥� Griesmyer said. 鈥淭his is my gift to the community.鈥�
Sparks fly from his perch as he welds another scrap of metal onto the frame that stretches to the studio鈥檚 rafters. This addition will get him one step closer to making his quirky project the longest public art trail in the world 鈥� his dream.
He steps off the ladder, takes a step back and looks up at his work with a grin. He said he never gets tired of this feeling.
鈥淲e're just taking raw material and bending and shaping and creating something beautiful,鈥� he said.
Griesmyer thinks of the Ohio Arts Corridor in the same way: he鈥檚 just unearthing beauty for others to see.
