LAND’S LOOK AT CLEVELAND’S
Gordon Park’s transformation to revitalize lakefront green spaces
A LANDMARK PROJECT COMING TO ST. CLAIR SUPERIOR
Gordon Park South, a lakefront park in Cleveland’s St. Clair Superior neighborhood, will soon have a new look. Gordon Park South is part of the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Foundation’s recent investments in neighborhood greenspace and lakefront projects in Cleveland, which total just under $29 million. This funding will spark new economic activity in St. Clair Superior and will aid in creating a more connected lakefront.
A Lakefront Working Group, including the Mandel Foundation, St. Clair Superior Development Corporation, LAND studio, Cleveland Metroparks, Western Reserve Land Conservancy, and community stakeholders, is working to improve access to high quality greenspace along Lake Erie and foster a more unified lakefront.
The grant awarded to LAND studio focuses on revitalization efforts in St. Clair
Superior, including a community-driven process for a redesigned Gordon Park South. After a national request for proposals, SmithGroup, a renowned planning and landscape architecture firm, was selected to lead the design and community engagement effort to remake Gordon Park South. The SmithGroup has worked across the nation in transformational waterfront projects including Toledo Glass City Metropark,
Detroit Riverwalk, and the Euclid Lakefront Master Plan. A key part of the SmithGroup team are local community engagement specialists Andrew Sargent of Layer Cake Design and Whitnye Long Jones of Organic Connects. Jones and Sargent will guide the public process to ensure that park designs are reflective of the community. We look forward to sharing the community’s vision for a renewed Gordon Park with you soon.
celebrating talent and creativity through our work at LAND studio
Art is more than just aesthetics; it’s a way to bring people together. Our projects are designed to foster connections, encourage dialogue, and celebrate the unique character of our community.
By focusing on both local and national talent, we believe we can create a richer and more diverse creative landscape for everyone.
Our Summer Newsletter celebrates new artwork in St. Clair-Superior and Downtown realized by talented local artists Dayz Whun, Kasumi, Aaron Williams, and Lacy Talley.
we provide a platform for local and national artists to share their stories
By partnering with local artists, we provide a platform for them to share their stories and connect with a broader audience.
In addition to our focus on local talent, we also collaborate with artists and designers from across the country. This brings fresh perspectives to our city and also creates opportunities for artistic exchange and collaboration. We are thrilled to work with nationally recognized SmithGroup, with offices
highlighting backyard wildlife
Birds in Bloom, a new mural located at E. 65th St. and Saint Clair Ave., was designed and painted by neighborhood-based artist Dayz Whun. Dayz’s mural adds vibrancy to the streetscape. “This piece honors the wildlife we have in our backyards,” says Dayz. “Northeast Ohio has some of the most beautiful species of birds and the painting honors our featherly friends of flight.”
new art brightens the streets of St. Clair-Superior
LAND studio, in partnership with St. Clair-Superior Development Corporation, and with support from the Mandel Foundation, Councilman Hairston, Councilwoman Howse-Jones, community members, and stakeholders, is excited to bring a series of artworks to the St. Clair-Superior Neighborhood.
This work expands on other existing investments in the cultural and geographic landscape of the St. Clair Superior neighborhood, including the redesign of Gordon Park South.
Dayz Whun’s latest work, featured above, joins From St. Clair with Love, a new mural in the neighborhood, located at
6517 Saint Clair Ave., created by local artist Aawful Aaron, aka Aaron D. Williams. Aaron was selected for this project because of his familiarity with the neighborhood and his ability to convey a myriad of concepts through a single artwork. Aaron states, “The mural embodies the power of unity and collaboration, and it celebrates our capacity
in Cleveland and across the US, on developing conceptual designs for Gordon Park. By working with nationally recognized talent, we aim to inspire and energize our local landscape.
Thank you for being a part of our journey at LAND. Your support and engagement are what make our work possible. We look forward
for resilience and progress when we choose to join hands and work together.”
Look for new work at 6225 St. Clair Ave, too, where local artist Kasumi presents Emergence, a new contemporary project that seeks to reimagine how and what we memorialize, aiming to bring to light previously hidden or unspoken histories.
to continuing to bring you exciting projects that celebrate the best of both national and local talent.
GREG PECKHAM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
ON THE COVER
IMAGES C/O BOB PERKOSKI
Kasumi
Aaron Williams
Dayz Whun
IMAGES C/O BOB PERKOSKI
2519 Detroit Avenue, Suite 100
216.621.5413 |
Summer 2024 THE
SPACES BETWEEN
IN THIS ISSUE I Fresh murals the community : A catalytic plan aims to reinvigorate a lakeside park : Providing a platform for a spectrum of creative voices
dynamic new artwork explores reinvention on Public Square
LAND studio is excited to present I Am Resetting, a new work by artist Lacy Talley, on view now at the Café Art Wall on Public Square. Lacy is a dynamic artist and graphic designer from Cleveland, celebrated for her vibrant acrylic
paintings blending Afro-Futurism and Surrealism. “To redefine, one must reset and evaluate,” Lacy says, reflecting on her current work. “This process often involves consciously resetting behaviors, beliefs, and
priorities. Stepping back from the familiar, I took the time to reflect on what truly mattered and aligned my actions with core values and goals…” To the viewers she asks: “In what ways would you like to redefine yourself?”
SUPPORT PUBLIC ART IN CLEVELAND
LAND studio is supported in part by the residents of Cuyahoga County through a public grant from Cuyahoga Arts & Culture, the Ohio Arts Council, a state agency that supports public programs in the arts, The Cleveland Foundation, the George Gund Foundation, and our individual donors.