A highlight of the year for Salem artist Grace Smyth, Jr. (1907-1994), was working as a fire ranger in Virginia’s forests, watching for wildfires. She enjoyed being close to nature and spent her life painting and sculpting the wildlife around her.
These sculptures are a sampling of her art that is a part of the Salem Museum’s collections. With these figures she captured the image of the animals around her, making these beautiful ceramic sculptures.
You can see these sculptures on display this weekend as part of the Salem Museum’s Hands-On History Saturday program. In April, the Hands-On History theme is “Salem Arts” featuring the works of Salem artists. On Saturdays, visitors can pull on a glove and touch a piece of history with their own hand.
To learn how ceramic and pottery art is made, visit the Salem Museum for Hands-On Arts Day. On April 13 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. a variety of artists will be on hand doing demonstrations and many will offer the opportunity for visitors to try their craft themselves.
Salem Museum is open Tuesday-Saturday 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and located at 801 E. Main St.