Recently, I got the urge to explore the countryside of the Wild and Wonderful West Virginia. The counties of Ritchie and Doddridge were the subject of my exploration. Ever since my move to West Virginia from New York, I was intrigued by these places by the stories I have heard about them.
The countryside is nothing less than gorgeous. The rolling hills covered with the lush green colors of summer remind me of my native country, Bulgaria. The small towns of Pennsboro, Ellenboro, Harrisville, West Union, Smithburg and the rest of the towns that I drove through brought to my mind the description of small American towns by Steinbeck. In my opinion, the small towns are the real America. The big cities like New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, etc., are big impersonal clusters of big dreams and even greater disappointments.
During my trip outside of West Union, I stumbled (figuratively speaking) into a wonderful place, Boyce Art Glass. The beautiful glasswork that Kevin Boyce creates in his small studio is amazing. Every piece is handmade, thus every creation is unique. The details on each and every complete item is nothing short of exquisite.
I do not like the fact that Fenton Art Glass is no longer the creator of fine glass objects. My wife enjoys and cherishes many of Fenton's creations. But if one wants to enjoy the creations of another master creator of beautiful art, then Kevin Boyce is the one.
Nikolai Dimitrov
Parkersburg
