A brisk pace and long day are necessary for this unique tour of the history and evolution of Ohio’s Clay Belt. From Haydenville to Zanesville, regional geology supported numerous ceramic industries spanning the Industrial Revolution and beyond. Participants will visit massive ruins of factories that didn’t survive, as well as those that persevered into modern success stories. Today, these factories make bulletproof vest components, pizza stones, turbine parts and more! Along the way, the tour will also see examples of ceramic influences in architecture, cemetery monuments and mining history.

The last stop of the tour will be Material Histories: Cultures of Resistance at Majestic Galleries (Nelsonville, Ohio). A day of discovery in Ohio’s Clay Belt will conclude in a private viewing with exhibition artist, Mary Jo Bole and curator Alex Hibbitt.

Participants also have the option to take part in a hands-on workshop with Mary Jo Bole held Nov. 1st 8:30 am – 1:30 pm. Hosted at Ohio University’s School of Art + Design, the workshop will collect and collate the tour-goer’s photos, sketches, journal entries and impressions gathered during the Clay Belt Bus Tour, to be published as a commemorative Zine.

This event is designed for ages 16 and older. Please be prepared to depart promptly at 7:30 am and also wear closed-toed shoes for our factory visits. The tour bus will depart and return to The Dairy Barn Arts Center parking lot. If you need additional information, contact kelly@dairybarn.org.