Mural

ARISE/ASPIRE

In 2022, LAND studio received grant funds from the Ohio Arts Council and Arts Midwest, and commissioned Mac for a new mural on the corner of E. 120th & Buckeye Road, in Cleveland’s Buckeye-Shaker neighborhood.

Mac worked with residents of all ages to create a mural that reflects the voice of the community. ARISE/ASPIRE is inspired by more than 2 years of collaborative work with residents and students in Buckeye-Shaker, and is informed by our Steps to Equity and Village Activity Book projects, as well as the work of Elevate the East and many others.

"Having walked every sidewalk in the neighborhood, interviewed hundreds of residents, designed and distributed more than 3,000 neighborhood activity books, and vetted community ideas and concepts for improvement, I can confidently say that we have created something that is not just unique to Buckeye-Shaker, but to any neighborhood in the world. As an outsider, I take the responsibility for these opportunities very seriously, and am highly cognizant (and hopefully) respectful of the historic challenges and legacy of trauma that these communities (and the artwork’s audience) carry. I believe the work we created recognizes that burden and will provide people with a sense of hope, empowerment, and visibility that has not been present in that immediate area for some time."

– Mac Love

Watch the News 5 Cleveland story about the mural on A Better Land.

Leading Fitness

In 2022, Art x Love was engaged by the Akron Area YMCA to create a mural for their new Octagon Fitness Area, which used to be a racquetball court. Mac developed several concepts that were strategically designed to maximize the impact of the mural while complementing the space that the equipment would occupy. Most importantly, the mural had to be consistent with YMCA brand standards, and pass an upcoming audit by the YMCA’s national facilities and design team.

Mac completed the mural in one week, and developed all aspects of mural production to minimize disruption while staff and members used the nearby fitness areas. The new Octagon Fitness Area has opened to rave reviews, and the mural passed YMCA’s audit with flying colors.

Joy of Voting

In 2018, Art x Love was approached by Juleeah Vang and Asian Services In Action, Inc. (ASIA), to help Mai Lor with fulfilling her Joy of Voting grant project. The goal of the Joy of Voting project was to educate people about our election process, and to encourage and empower more people to vote. The multilingual text of the mural was created by Asian Americans Advancing Justice, and the imagery was sourced from ASIA’s events, and feature residents from across northeast Ohio.

In addition to the VOTE mural, Art x Love made 8 double-sided sandwich boards with painting kits for ASIA to use with residents at various Joy of Voting community and cultural events. The mural panels were brought together and unveiled at a special celebration at Asian Services In Action’s new headquarters on East Market Street, in Akron’s University Park neighborhood.

The VOTE mural is permanently installed in ASIA’s offices, where familiar and new faces are always welcome.

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History in Chalk

In the summer of 2019, Art x Love created the "Who is Levi Johnson?" chalk mural for Cleveland’s Take a Hike program in the Historic Warehouse District. Our work included cleaning and repainting the vandalized walls, and working with the Historic Warehouse District Development Corporation to create an iconic mural to support tourism and local events. The mural was designed to last for several weeks, was embraced by the community, and remained unspoiled for 2 years.

Levi Johnson came to Cleveland in 1809 and was famous for building ships and homes for early settlers. In 1812, he built the first courthouse and jailhouse in Cuyahoga County, on the northwest corner of Public Square. In 1830 he built Cleveland's first lighthouse, and is remembered as an outstanding ship builder who contributed to the growing trade business throughout the Great Lakes. By the time of his death in 1871, he had continuously lived in Cleveland longer than any other person. He is buried in Woodland Cemetery.

“We’ve got such a positive response. It draws awareness and pride to historic aspects of the neighborhood”

– Eileen Cassidy, Historic Warehouse District Development Corporation

Following the success of the “Who is Levi Johnson?” chalk mural, Art x Love was engaged again to create a "Rockefeller Snow Scene" mural for the Historic Warehouse District’s winter programs.

John D. Rockefeller, the famous industrialist and philanthropist, came in Cleveland in 1853 and was an assistant bookkeeper who rose to become one the wealthiest men in the history of the United States. Rockefeller organized and directed Standard Oil Co., and was involved in numerous local business ventures including the Cleveland Arcade Co. and the construction of the Rockefeller Building in 1905 (pictured in the mural). His charitable donations were extensive and include more than $865,000 worth of land donated to the City of Cleveland for use as parks. The mural depicts Rockefeller with his grandson, Fowler McCormick, walking through the streets on a snowy night.

“You feel good when you walk by it.”

– Eileen Cassidy, Historic Warehouse District Development Corporation


Dawn Revisited

The University of Akron's Art Bomb Brigade and ArtsLIFT programs selected Mac Love as team leader for their Freedom Trail mural project for Summit Metro Parks. With nine months to prepare, we surveyed Akron's 2-mile stretch of trail and identified 24 areas for mural development. Recognizing the opportunity to create a unique experience in Akron's recreational corridor, we proposed a strategic plan that would include designs for all walls. We aligned on a literary mural concept that would celebrate and feature the work of Rita Dove – an Akron native, Pulitzer Prize Winning Poet, and Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress.

Art x Love reached out to Rita Dove, who graciously offered a selection of poems specifically for the Freedom Trail. The Art Bomb Brigade selected "Dawn Revisited," which was then developed for several locations to accommodate construction. The final design was hand illustrated directly on the wall for the final location on southeast side of the Mill Street Bridge and underpass, in downtown Akron. Mac Love led the team of 25 college and high-school students in the production of the mural, working in collaboration with Elisa Gargarella and Dan Coffield, to paint everything in two weeks.

Dawn Revisited has since been prominently featured in local news, tourism, marketing, and social channels as a reflection of Akron's emerging identity as a national leader. We greatly look forward to the opening of the Freedom Trail so that visitors can safely and easily explore all that Akron and Northeast Ohio has to offer. 

Triangle Park

Goodyear Heights is a historic American neighborhood that was designed by the famous urban planner, Warren H. Manning. It is distinguished with classic architecture from Akron’s rubber era, plentiful parks, and recreation spaces. Art x Love was engaged by the R.I.G.H.T Committee (Residents Improving Goodyear Heights Together) to create a paintscape for Triangle Park (aka Gazebo Park) and reinvigorate this once flourishing community gathering place on Goodyear Boulevard.

The Triangle Park project was conceived before the COVID-19 pandemic struck in 2020, and evolved as a safe and responsible community initiative. Local artists Mac Love and Lindsey Jo Scott organized two days of socially distant collaborative painting with residents. Creative production of the murals was aided by neighborhood students from the Miller South School for the Visual & Performing Arts.

The Triangle Park paintscape features seven sidewalk murals that celebrate key points of neighborhood distinction:

Warren H. Manning
One of America’s most famous urban planners.

Neighborhood Streets
Named after Goodyear’s famous engineers, rubber plants, dirigibles, and innovators.

Parks
Beautifully integrated throughout the neighborhood

Steps
Providing quick access throughout the residential and recreation corridors.

Roses
Honoring the famous rose garden that was signature of Triangle Park in its heyday.

Water & Fruit
Celebrating the neighborhood’s natural springs and many private fruit trees.

Knowledge
An open book between Akron’s past and future.

To see more examples of Art x Love’s paintscape projects, click here.

Black Lives Matter

Video produced by Studio ONe23

Art x Love was engaged by Akron City Councilwoman Tara Samples to coordinate production of Akron’s Black Lives Matter mural in response to the murder of George Floyd. Art x Love organized a team of local artists to lead mural creation and guide volunteers. Nichole Epps, April Couch, Alexandria Couch, and Gyasi Jones worked together with Councilwoman Samples to develop the creative vision for the mural. Art x Love served as the liaison between the artists and organizers, secured all materials, staged a COVID-safe collaborative production, and advocated for responsible and equitable practices across all phases of implementation.

Akron’s Black Lives Matter Mural was the first to be painted in Ohio, and is one of many that express the public outrage, cry for justice, and call for systemic change to combat racism. This important and highly sensitive project holds a deep meaning for our community and the nation as a whole.

The artists, organizers, and volunteers created the mural in solidarity and in memory of those whose lives have been taken by the public health crisis of racism. Days before the mural site was selected by the City of Akron, Na’Kia Crawford was shot and killed at the nearby intersection of North Howard and E. North Street, in Akron’s Cascade Valley neighborhood. Our faith and thoughts were with those whose lives have been, are, and will continue to be effected by the scourge of racism. We will continue to speak out against injustice, embrace diversity, and equitably invest in our communities to overcome society’s past and systemic failures.

Art x Love donated its time and services to support and complete this project. We are deeply grateful to all of the volunteers and community members who came out to peacefully protest and creatively express themselves at this pivotal time for our country and culture. Thank you!

P.S. I Love You

In 2019, Art x Love was engaged by the Kohl Family YMCA to create an interactive mural for the P.S. I Love You 5K Walk/Run. Mac Love came up with the idea of a mural created with the footprints of participants.

An 8 ft. x 8 ft. foundation was laid out with eight colored platforms for people to step on and paint with. Hundreds of participants, including kids and pets, left their mark on the P.S. I Love You mural. It is currently installed on the East Market Street side of the Kohl Family YMCA in Akron, Ohio.

Wind, Water, & Sails

Art x Love produced a collaborative mural that was painted by hundreds of attendees over 2 days at Cleveland's Tall Ships Festival. Participants were invited to pick a color, pick a brush, and paint whatever the wind, water, and sails inspired. The mural was finished as a creative performance on day 2. Our team of local artists featured Nichole Epps, Dray Evans, Lindsey Jo Scott, Amy Day, Brett Drummond, and Mac Love. Attendees made the most of the opportunity to create, inspire, and capture memories as the mural evolved with the elements.