COLUMBUS, Ohio — A community project in Lancaster has turned into a mission to preserve history.

What You Need To Know

  • Gay Fad Studios was in business from 1939 to 1963

  • It's CEO was the late Fran Taylor

  • Their hand painted glassware became the inspiration for the patterns in a new mural

  • The mural can be found in Center Ally in Downtown Lancaster

 Jason Annecy is a Lancaster resident. He owns his own art company, “the Art and Craftsman Company.” He’s worked on several murals around town, but nothing like this one. 

“I honestly feel that we’ve inherited a legacy,” said Annecy. 

Lancaster is known for its rich glass history with Anchor Hocking Glassware, but there was another international glassware company in the area and its CEO was a woman. 

“Their achievements were just so incredible, especially as we think of not only the mid-century design, but also as we think about the CEO Fran Taylor. She was such an astounding individual.”

Gay Fad Studios was in business from 1939 to 1963.

Their hand painted glassware became the inspiration for the patterns in the mural. 

Sherman Rotary Lancaster Chapter President Christa Moody said she needed to come up with a community project and this one took off. 

“This was a piece of almost lost Lancaster history and we brought it back,” said Moody. 

On top of persevering the town's history, she said she hopes the mural serves as an inspiration. 

“She had a way of reaching out to women, empowering women,” said Moody. “So that’s my hope for this mural; that young women will see it and think ‘maybe if I step beyond that little bit of fear, I can do anything,’ and they can.”

Annecy has been working with the late Fran Taylor’s family, who have the same hope for the mural. 

“In working with them, I think they would also agree, the biggest thing we would like to have people take away from this is a sense of creativity, entrepreneurship of inspiration,” said Annecy. 

The mural can be found in Center Ally in Downtown Lancaster.

A second mural to honor Taylor and Gay Fad Studios is also in progress. ​