In 2023, the building next to Akron Honey caught fire and burned to the ground. In the wake of this tragedy, we partnered with Akron Honey on an ArtsForward grant application to transform the demolished building cavity into a vibrant marketplace and beloved local landmark.
Art x Love explored and developed creative directions for this placemaking transformation to inform and guide Akron Honey’s vision. Once aligned, we hired an outstanding team of local artists to develop concepts for Akron Honey’s mural and collaboratively bring the select vision to life. Our team consisted of Mac Love (project lead), Maliyah Clark (lead artist), Makaylah Clark, Nichole Epps, and Dray Evans.
The first phase of work required extensive wall preparation. Our mural surface used to be an interior facing wall, and after several meetings with contractors and coating specialists, we aligned on our approach and materials to prepare the wall for painting. This included scraping away old plaster and wallpaper, power-washing the surface, and patching various holes and cracks with cement. Once complete, the entire surface was double-primed with high-grade masonry paint. We then projected the mural onto the surface to draw the outline of the composition.
A key component of this project was the opportunity to mentor and learn on the job. This proved to be an invaluable experience for team members who had never worked on a project of this size, patched a wall, used a power washer, operated a paint sprayer, set up scaffolding, or climbed a 30 ft. ladder to paint. In each case, best practices were shared and each team member was given multiple opportunities to practice and hone new skills. We also met with community members to share the mural concept and vision for the space.
It took approximately 14 days across 4 weeks to complete the mural from site prep to final stroke. Throughout the process, neighbors regularly passed to admire the mural’s progress, honk their horns, and cheer our team on. Lighting was also installed as we neared mural completion, giving us all a clear look at how this space would appear at night. Once the main wall was finished, Mac painted the rooftop edges and re-painted the Akron Honey logo and family logo over the main entrance.
We are deeply grateful to the artists, collaborators, and neighbors who continue to support Akron Honey’s vision for transforming this neighborhood corridor into a bustling marketplace. From the start, we said we wanted this to be a place that raised people’s spirits and made them want to linger. That is was Akron Honey’s Yellow Brick Road District is becoming – we look forward to seeing you there!
