Eggshelland creator, Ronald Manolio, passes away

Ron Manolio; Lyndhurst, OH 2010

(Story and photos courtesy of Fred Scruton)

For over 50 years Ron Manolio cheerfully hand-painted the (real) eggshells for Betty Manolio’s Eggshelland graph paper designs.  I’ve truly never met a person who exuded such giddy delight over bringing pleasure to other people.

The immense regional following that Eggshelland has earned no doubt brought Ron great, and well-deserved satisfaction.  During the couple of weeks the annual display lasts, there is a constant stream of visitors, and Easter Sunday brings hundreds and hundreds of often generational admirers.  Ron and Betty made me feel like just another member of their big Italian-American family from the (unannounced) first moment I showed up with my big camera at their suburban Cleveland front yard in 2005.  According to the articles below, Betty intends there to be one final goodbye display for Easter 2013.

http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2012/08/ronald_manolio_creator_of_lynd.html

http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/news/local_news/oh_cuyahoga/eggshelland-creator-ron-manolio-of-lyndhurst-dies-from-blood-infection

Ron Manolio; Lyndhurst, OH 2012

(above)  Ron taking pictures of visiting posers .         (below)  Ron and Betty in 2010.

Ron & Betty Manolio; Lyndhurst, OH 2010

Eggshelland 2012:

Ron and Betty Manolio's Eggshelland; Lyndhurst, OH 2012

Eggshelland 2011:

Ron and Betty Manolio's Eggshelland; Lyndhurst, OH 2011

Eggshelland 2012 installation:

Ron and Betty Manolio's Eggshelland; Lyndhurst, OH 2012
Ron and Betty Manolio's Eggshelland; Lyndhurst, OH 2012
Ron and Betty Manolio's Eggshelland; Lyndhurst, OH 2012
Ron and Betty Manolio's Eggshelland; Lyndhurst, OH 2012

Thank you Ron, Betty, and the Manolio family.

Ronald Manolio; Lyndhurst, OH 2010
Previous
Previous

KY Folk Artist, Ronald Cooper 1932-2012

Next
Next

Montrose, S.D., sculpture park puts one man’s fertile imagination on display - KansasCity.com