Medford's Smudge Pot Pourri

It isn’t Cows in Chicago, its not Kows in Portland and it certainly isn’t Pigs in Seattle. Its Smudge Pots in Medford! A perfect fit for a town rich with its agricultural heritage as the “Pear Capitol”.

For the first Art in Bloom Festival in 2001, Flora Henningsen master teacher of the local Ikebana Society directed the local group in sprucing up old rusty smudge pots with flowers and plants. Inspired by the transformed pots a few folks began to wonder…Could these old smudge pots become objects d’arte?  And through a group of volunteers calling themselves the "Smudgettes" (Emily Mostue, Jean Boyer Cowling, Judy Barnes, Kathy Young & Sue Naumes) Medford’s Smudge Pot Pourri was born.   

To make the project work local artists were commissioned to “create a work of art” from a smudge pot and sponsors have stepped forward to financially support the project. The event has grown and now artists & businesses participate with great enthusiasm.

In 2008, the Smudge Pot Pourri officially moved to the Rogue Gallery & Art Center.  A new group of artists creates the new “crop” of art pots each year which will be exhibited at the Art in Bloom Festival (Mother's Day weekend) and the ones not sold at the Festival will be on display at the Rogue Gallery & Art Center and sold at the Gallery's annual benefit auction in September 2009. 

Everyone has seen the rusty orchard heaters along the roads in the pear orchards, but seeing them transformed by area artists who invest hours with paint, clay, fabric, welding torches, glue and fiberglass will change one’s perception of these cast-offs for all time.

 Come by the Gallery and enjoy the pots, and/or request an invitation to our next auction!