The Mad Potter Of Biloxi

On our return from Thanksgiving in NOLA, we decided it was time to cruise Hwy 90 along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. We dropped down at Gulfport and headed east through Biloxi and on to Ocean Springs before returning to I-10. We'd not wanted to 'sightsee' the effects of Katrina but now, after two years, we felt we could venture back to that beautiful stretch of beach and appreciate the efforts to reclaim the essence that we've long known.

Biloxi was our first home following our 1959 wedding. J was stationed at Keesler, AFB, and we found a 8'x42' repossessed house trailer and a park for it just across the highway from the beach. Bonfires and shrimp boils at water's edge with our many new military friends... a year long honeymoon. Much later the arrival of casinos trashed up the area but they've now been relocated (for the most part) and the miles of clean, unobstructed beaches are back... cheers! It's a beautiful drive seldom found along the Gulf in residential, much less commercial areas.

The Gulf Coast has an art museum named for the self proclaimed Mad Potter of Biloxi, George E. Ohr (1857-1915.) Recognized as one of the first American fine art potters and creatively ahead of his time, he flamboyantly attracted attention to himself to get his work recognized (sound familiar?) It seems most fitting that the new museum being built is designed by Frank Gehry whose work could also be called flamboyant... among other descriptives.

I especially wanted to check on the progress of the building(s) as the complex promises to be spectacular. It is said: "Gehry’s design included six twisting, metal-clad pavilions arranged around 26 ancient live oaks on a four-acre site. The gallery "pods” are like curved silos, and the rest are boxy pavilions with overlapping curved-metal roofs. Gehry used elements found in local architecture, such as porches and open-air belvederes, on each pavilion."

Katrina lifted and rammed a casino barge into the buildings, doing considerable damage at mid-construction. It still has a way to go with no opening date as yet but workers were active on the Saturday we were there so there is promise.

Looking toward the gulf with the four pods in center. This will house the Ohr potter collection.

The view from the highway. The building on left was most severely damaged by a casino barge lifted by a Katrina surge. The pods show lesser damage which may have already been repaired though there are still plenty of dents. The oaks seem to have lost a lot of branches but will be fine... so important to the essence of the whole.

A few more photos:

The beach beyond...