By RICK MILLER
Olean Star
WEST CLARKSVILLE — It isn’t every day a community gets behind one of its own residents and helps promote his charity dedicated to making sick children smile.
In West Clarksville, that day is Saturday, when the Clarksville Community comes together to honor hometown sculptor Eric Jones.
For the occasion, Jones has created what is probably his largest sand sculpture yet, a 20,000-pound tribute to the Town of Clarksville’s history. It is an agriculture-themed sculpture with many animals and a replica of a barn built by his great-grandfather.
The sand sculpture, along Route 305 in front of the West Clarksville Firemen’s Park, is covered by a tent — mostly to protect Jones, who carves most anything from snow to pumpkins — out of the direct sun this week of temperatures in the high 80s and low 90s.
“I used a lot of sunscreen and even sprayed my face” with water from the sprayer used to dampen the sand for carving, Jones told the Olean Star Friday afternoon. The sculpture is about 123 feet long and eight feet tall.
“Farming is in the origins of this town,” Jones pointed out. “My roots in this town go back to 1837 when all the farms in the town were operated by my family. They were all farmers.”
The barn on top of the sculpture represents the one built by his great-grandfather, but was recently demolished to make way for a new farm on the south end of town.
Jones said the idea for a townwide celebration to recognizer Jones’ accomplishments came from Deb Walsh, owner of Deb’s Lil Deli on Route 305 in West Clarksville.
She went to the town board and said it was time the town did something to recognize their celebrity and do something for Jones’ charity, Sculpting For Smiles. The day was dependent on finding a day Jones was not otherwise engaged in sculpting somewhere. It turned out that day was Aug. 2.
Walsh, who owns the deli, said of Jones, “He’s done so much for the community. We have a celebrity in town. He does so much for charity.”
In four weeks, the community has come together. The Clarksburg Celebration in Honor of Eric Jones kicks off with a chicken barbecue at 2 p.m. There are also basket raffles, craft vendors, ice cream and desserts, hamburgers and hotdogs, and a street dance with a beer truck from 7-10 p.m.
The proceeds from the barbecue and vendors, plus the sale of T-shirts will all go to Jones’ charity sculptingforsmiles.com. If you can;’t make the deliberation Saturday, donations can be made via the website.
The sand came from Giardini Brothers Sand and Gravel in Allegany — two truck loads. The sand is compacted in a wooden mold. After its useful life is over in several months the sand will be headed for the town Highway Department’s sand pile for use on the roads next winter, Jones said.
“One I get sculpting, I kind of forget about everything else,” Jones said. He worked a couple of hours each day, totaling about 14 hours. “I still have to paint it,” he added.
“The sand has just the right amount of silt and clay in it,” Jones said. The recent rainstorm would not have hurt it if the tent had not been in place. “Most of my sand sculptures last several months. This will be up all summer.”
People driving by have stopped while he is carving. If they are not local residents,l they often ask why he’s carving this in West Clarksville. “I tell them it’s because I live here. This is my town. It’s a great community.”
With proceeds going to Jones’ charity Sculpting For Smiles, that means many more sculptures he can make for sick young people. He spends a day with the youth he’s making a sculpture for — while he’s making it.
“I never expected this,” Jones said of the community celebration and the proceeds that will go to his charity.
To top things off, Jones said he plans to give one of his fans one of his “sacred” articles — a signed Josh Allen cleat he wore during the NFL Scouting Combine. Just get a picture at the West Clarksville sand sculpture and tag Eric Jones Studios on Facebook.
“Laughter is the best medicine,” he said. “It starts with a smile. Sculpting is something that I can offer. Come out and have a good time and help support my work.”
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All Rights Reserved. Star News LLC. Eric M. Firkel.
