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.

7 Years

We founded Art x Love in 2015 to make a meaningful and sustainable impact through art and design. We believed that creative best practices could help systemically shift cultural and environmental dynamics, inspire others, and change the perception of art to a necessity rather than a luxury. We hoped this would forge a path for more creative professionals to be paid fairly and respected for their artistic vision. As we celebrate our 7th anniversary, we extend our most heartfelt thanks to our clients, the hundreds of artists we’ve been able to work with, and the many thousands of community members who’ve embraced art as an important part of their lives. Thank you for believing in us, in artists, and in the power of art. We're ready for the next 7!

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.

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!”

Symphony

In 2016, Mac was commissioned by The Historic Warehouse District Development Corporation (HWDDC) to create a new chalk mural underneath Cleveland’s Main Avenue bridge for Ernst & Young. Since 2014, Mac had been creating 10 ft. tall chalk murals at this location across from the main entrance to Ernst & Young Tower, and HWDDC was able to leverage them to raise funds and additional support for their community programs and events.

Ernst & Young’s mural was inspired by brand elements from a range of their marketing materials, and paired with a musical composition to invite multi-sensory consideration and appreciation.

Do you recognize the piece of music?

MAIZE

SCENE Magazine wanted to take their Fall festival fundraiser up a notch for University Hospital's Kids Kicking Cancer. We created a collaborative mural for the 3 day event, inviting attendees to pick a color, grab a brush, and make their mark on Cleveland. More than 300 attendees contributed to the painting. The final work is currently awaiting finalization for installation in a TBD location.

Water Garden

The Schrocks wanted a painting to replace the dark print in their dining room. We reviewed their aesthetic preferences, discussed their aspirational environment, and explored several concepts before arriving at what would become Water Garden. The painting was created in Akron and designed specifically to transport, refine, and install on site in Naples. The Schrocks love it, and have found that the complementary colors and lighting greatly enhance the feeling and movement throughout their home. 

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Barberton for Hillary

Following our mural production and design of Ohio for Hillary’s Akron headquarters, Art x Love was invited to do the same for Barberton.

We created one mural , designed and helped residents and volunteers create four more, and provided creative solutions for use and operations in the space.

Our murals served as an interactive backdrop to reinforce key campaign communications and values during events, and provided an opportunity for the community to share and express their support.

King of Diamonds

The Cleveland Cavaliers won their first NBA championship the year our family moved to Akron. To commemorate the occasion, we created an iconic painting to honor Lebron James and his dedication to the Akron community. King of Diamonds was gifted to Akron's Diamond Deli so that local residents could share in this unforgettable celebration.

Akron for Hillary

In the run up to the 2016 election, Art x Love was engaged to volunteer design and support of the Ohio for Hillary headquarters in Akron, Ohio. Our goal was to provide collaborative design solutions that would allow volunteers and residents to participate in the creative development and expression of the campaign.

Art x Love created one mural, designed and supported production of five others which were painted by volunteers, and developed interactive and interior design solutions for use of the entire space.

5th Street Arcades

5th Street Arcades needed a mural that could engage passersby and bring people inside, so Mac created Kaleidoscope Garden as an interactive painting with colors and shapes with shift with changes in light and perspective. It is an iconic part of 5th Street Arcades, and a frequent inspiration for selfies and children playing. Business has boomed at 5th Street Arcades since Kaleidoscope Garden was installed in 2016. If you visit it, take a selfie, follow @artxlovellc (Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn), post the picture and tag #kaleidoscopegarden you will automatically entered for a chance to win one of Mac’s Kaleidoscope Bloom paintings.

Advance Ohio

Northeast Ohio Media Group needed a new name, identity, positioning statement, brand guidelines, website collateral, and multimedia templates to do justice to their cutting edge digital sales platform. Art x Love created all of it in one month to meet an aggressive new year launch schedule. The new brand communications arrived on time and have been embraced internally and externally with greater recognition and improved sales across digital platforms.