Dragonfly Fountain

We were engaged by the Akron Zoo to create a mural for the fountain in the Lehner Family Zoo Garden, a beloved local landmark and sanctuary that first opened to the public in 2003.

Art x Love inspected the fountain, researched materials, explored several creative directions, and developed a series of mural concepts that were refined and expanded with the executive team’s feedback. We aligned on the concept of the dragonfly for its crucial role in pollination and cross-cultural symbolism.

Dragonflies have been around for more than 325 million years, have 360º vision, can fly in any direction, migrate across oceans, and currently under threat with the loss of wetland environments. “To me, dragonfly’s represent an urgency for life and conservation,” says Mac. “They live for 5 years, and spend less than 70 days as adults. It’s remarkable to think about how highly evolved and important these ancient species are.”

Dragonflies commonly represent transformation, change, new beginnings and fresh starts. Native Americans believed they represented souls passing into the realm of the nonphysical. In Japan, they symbolize courage, happiness, and rebirth. In India, they are believed to help people receive intuitive guidance from their higher self. And in China, they represent prosperity and good luck.

“Dragonflies are a crucial pollinator with approximately 164 species native here to Ohio,” said Doug Piekarz, president & CEO at the Akron Zoo. “Our gardens have always held an emphasis on pollinators, with a butterfly maze and caterpillar centerpiece. Now with the addition of the dragonfly mural, we can represent wetland pollinators as well. Mac Love did a fantastic job and we are honored to be able to showcase his work here at the zoo.”

Mac painted the mural in 100 hours over the course of 10 days. He freehand drew the composition after cleaning the walls and priming them with a special marine epoxy. The paint we used is specially formulated for masonry in seasonal conditions, and designed for long-term aquatic immersion. Because of the industrial nature of this material, Mac only had 4 hours to work with each color before it hardened like taffy.

“I had an absolute blast working on this mural,” said Mac. “I got to experience the awesome Akron Zoo and staff on a daily basis, and found a tremendous amount of peace and inspiration in the Zoo Gardens. The one thing that I will always remember from this project is the exuberant exclamations from approaching families and campers. The positive impact this mural has had on them brings me a lot of joy, and I think that’s reflected in how others will feel when they see this for themselves.”

Akron Speaks

Shammas Malik is running for Mayor of Akron, and we are excited and encouraged by his style of leadership, vision for the future, and plans for the city.

To support the campaign, we developed the worksheets and brochure for Akron Speaks – a series of community conversations inspired by the World Café method for simple, effective, and flexible group dialogue. Four events were organized in each geographic region of Akron, and dedicated to the core issues facing Akron. Dozens of residents attended, sharing their voice and vision for an informed and better future for the city.

The worksheets and brochure give people a flexible and safe space to share their thoughts, insights, and vision for the future – regardless of whether they could attend.

Thousands of insights and ideas have been collected from residents, all of whose voices and vision are informing Shammas’ campaign. Together, we can be the change that Akron needs!

Click below to download the worksheet and share your vision!

Click here to learn more about Shammas Malik and why we support him!

Photo by Shane Wynn

GSM Silent Disco

Grace Church’s Student Ministries (6th-12th grade) used our @PLAY silent disco headsets for their “Whiteout” blacklight dance party. Everyone wore white shirts, put on a headset, danced, gathered, and glowed with friends through the night. Live DJ’s, food, music, and games kept the party going – it was a blast!

To learn more about our Silent Disco Headsets and book a reservation, click the button below.

Libation

In 2022, Mac was commissioned to paint a new mural for R. Shea Brewing’s location in Canal Place. He presented the owner with a range of stylistic options, and then developed the preferred concept as a black-and-white rendering with a range of color options for their preferred budget.

Mac worked on the mural during off-business hours to avoid disrupting customers, and completed the mural in 14 days over a span of 10 weeks. The final design is fully hand-painted, and extends from edge-to-edge across the three walls of the entrance, including around pipes and hardware.

“This kitchen is HAWT" was written by a customer on a note to staff, and saved by the owner. This served as the original point of inspiration for developing the mural. Mac painted a selection of menu items and ingredients for the kitchen’s wall, and used a combination of linear shapes to celebrate R. Shea’s irreverent spirit, pride, and unconventional excellence.

The main entrance wall was reserved for R. Shea’s logo, and was expanded to unify all three walls with rays of light that beam from the left and right. A series of icons were also painted over the top to highlight the brewer’s ingredients, food, beverages, and amenities.

The “Welcome” wall celebrates R. Shea’s brewing process, community, and creative culture. The woman depicted on the wall is inspired by Aleksandr Rodchenko’s untitled portrait of the writer and socialite Lilya Brik. Rodchenko used this photo as an element in the iconic graphic design of his advertisement for Lengiz, and Leningrad-based state publishing house. In that original graphic design, Brik’s profile is embedded in a Constructivist collage with her shout amplifying the slogan “BOOKS in all fields of knowledge.”

Mac chose to use the same profile and angular exclamation to celebrate the diversity of human expression, values, and beliefs that so commonly resonate around the bar and a good beer. The R. Shea logo is also prominently featured on this wall, and captured in an arrowhead-like shape to add energy and momentum to the powerful striped lines that flow and encourage people forward.

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.

Northwest Akron Branch

Akron-Summit County Public Library engaged us to produce a collaborative mural for the Northwest Akron Branch Library’s 20th Anniversary Celebration. We LOVE libraries, and were thrilled to have this creative opportunity to work with our community and celebrate one of its most cherished and important resources.

Mac created the design, which features the three buildings that have been home to the library over the years. He then transferred the design to holographic paper collage on two 4 ft. x 8 ft. panels for kids, community members, and staff to paint and color in. We also created a series of marketing graphics to raise awareness of the event and get people excited.

After the celebration, we brought the mural back to our studio, where Mac added more layers of paint while preserving the community’s marks, and then finished the piece with a high-grade polyurethane. The mural was then delivered and installed at the Northwest Akron Branch Library, where it proudly hangs above the entrance to the children’s books section.

Holographic paintings are a signature of Mac’s work, and have colors and shapes that shift with changes in light and perspective. Mac intentionally developed this technique to create art that is both great to photograph, but also best experienced in person.

This painting holds a special place in our hearts, not just because our kids contributed to it and see it every time we visit the library – but because we know that libraries are vital resources that inspire, empower, and serve all people.

Silent Disco Dustup

In 2017-2018, our @PLAY Akron project explored every street in Akron’s 24 neigborhoods and interviewed more than 2,000 residents. Our research revealed many different neighborhood priorities, but cleaner streets, neighborhood festivals, and stronger neighborhood identity were commonly sited interests. We asked ourselves, can we do all three?

The Silent Disco Dustup was conceived of as "the most fun neighborhood cleanup imaginable.” Participants received silent disco headsets, pedometers, cleaning gear, and were accompanied by two DJs and a supply vehicle for refreshments and additional tools.

We designed 1-mile routes through neighborhood corridors that have a high degree of litter but are not frequently targeted for cleanup. Each route featured signs with historic anecdotes and little-known-facts about the neighborhood. Participants were encouraged to dance and clean their way through the corridor(s), and those who racked up the most steps received prizes, including hand-made gifts and coupons to local businesses.

Some people travelled 50+ miles to participate for these unique silent disco experiences. Everyone had a great time, made new friends, and learned a lot about the community.

WoodRaven

Art x Love created the new brand identity for WoodRaven, an advisor to startups that implements digital strategies, optimizes workflows, and prepares organizations for growth. The new logo suite, marketing collateral, and brand guidelines reflect WoodRaven’s impactful leadership and charismatic approach to tackle business challenges with creative solutions that lay a foundation for future growth and stability.

Will you marry me?

It’s wonderful thing when your work inspires someone else to do something creative for love. In 2016, Mac was contacted by a person who admired his Believeland chalk murals, and wondered if hr could help out with a marriage proposal.

Mac drove up to Cleveland the night before the proposal, cleaned the wall, and created this Will you marry me? chalk mural, including the ring to kneel in. We’re happy to report they said “Yes!”

Northside Jazz

In the mid-20th century, Howard Street was the center of black culture in the bustling Rubber Capital of the World. It was home to many of Akron’s black-owned business and entertainment establishments. In 1920, George Mathews opened his barbershop in Howard Street, and in 1925 opened the Hotel Matthews next door. The hotel became an anchor for the neighborhood, and an iconic destination for the era’s most famous black entertainers, who came to town to perform at many of the “whites only” clubs and hotels, but could not stay there. In the 1960’s, the Howard Street District began to decline and was eventually razed for “urban renewal” in the 1970’s and 1980’s.

Art x Love was engaged to create a mural honoring Akron’s jazz heritage in the old Howard Street District of the city. The mural faces the former site of Hotel Matthews, and depicts Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie, nightclub dancers, Cab Calloway, and Louis Armstrong playing together. The vision for the mural remains incomplete, but it still serves as a strong reminder of Akron’s past.

Diamond Deli

The Diamond Deli is one of Akron’s most famous sandwich shops and eateries. Their menu is legendary, and on any given day of the week you may find a smoothly moving line of people stretched out the door and around the corner. They’re that good.

In 2016, Mac created The King of Diamonds for the back wall of the dining area. Based on the overwhelming response the painting received, the owners asked if Mac could do a drawing of their business for a new t-shirt. He sat outside one fall morning and created the sketch that became this ink drawing. Although the art was never used for a t-shirt, it is prominently featured opposite the register and helped inspire our creation of the Akron on Deck playing card set to support local businesses and artists through the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lose Your Marble

Akron kicked off the Civic Commons project  in conjunction with GEHL to collaborate with local leaders and residents to learn about, strategize, and develop innovative solutions for the city center's most pressing challenges. Our team was tasked with "Making Main Street More Fun Between Events," or more specifically, getting students and the local workforce to spend time downtown during off-peak hours. Inspired by Akron's history as the former marble capital of the world, we created Lose Your Marble, an interactive kinetic piece of art that would require teams of individuals to move from station to station in the downtown area. We created two prototypes to see if people would be willing to engage in the activity and were pleasantly surprised by the response. With plans to further develop the concept with an incentivized structure to attract more people, and to use higher quality and more reliable materials, we are confident Lose Your Marble can become a signature team-building feature of the Akron.