News Stories

Mosaics decorate park pavilion - Cincinnati Enquirer, 3 July, 2003

WCET's FOCUS weekly public affairs program features CCF (8 Jan, 2004)

The Theodore M. Berry International Friendship Park opened this spring in the East End. Named in honor of the city’s first African-American mayor, the park is designed to be a celebration of cultures, featuring flags from around the world, an earth sculpture, Gardens of the Continents, and now mosaic designs representing Cincinnati’s Sister Cities.

Master ceramic artists from each city worked this summer to create mosaics in designs that reflect the unique art techniques and cultures of their home countries. These tiles have been installed on the exterior and interior columns of the Friendship Pavilion and will be formally dedicated on October 18.

The mosaic art joins other elements in the park, all of which are designed to lead to insight and understanding of the cultures not only of our eight Sister Cities but also those from around the world. Focus will examine how international partnerships were formed to carry out this idea, discuss the cultural barriers that needed to be addressed for the project to succeed, and will show viewers not only samples of their work and designs but also a look at the park itself.

Guests:
Jan Brown Checco, Project Manager, "Clay, Color & Fire"
Steve Shuckman, Supervisor of Planning & Design, Cincinnati Park Board

Jan Brown Checco was the driving force behind the pillared pavilion at the Theodore M. Berry International Friendship Park. As project director she brought Cincinnati Parks, the University of Cincinnati's College of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning and Sister Cities Association of Greater Cincinnati together for this international project. Seven master ceramic artists from each of Cincinnati's seven sister cities -- Gifu, Japan; Taipei-Hsien, Taiwan; Munich, Germany; Harare, Zimbabwe; Kharkiv, Ukraine; Liuzhou, China, and Nancy, France -- were brought together to create "Clay, Color and Fire."

Clay, Color, & Fire director Jan Brown Checco wins Post-Corbett Award. The Post-Corbett Award is the most prestigious award bestowed on artists and arts organizations by the Cincincinnati arts and literary community.