Cleveland: Circle Our City With Love

Cleveland Mandala

I’m so excited to have an art piece in Willoughby’s “The Art Gallery” this month! It’s part of an art show for the Northern Ohio Illustrator’s Society (NOIS) called “All Things Cleveland.”

My inspiration for the piece was an event that occurred on the eve of the Republican National Convention here in Cleveland. After the attacks on police officers in Dallas and Baton Rouge, People around Cleveland were very worried that riots would break out big time for the week of the RNC.

I discovered that week that there was a special event called “Circle the City with Love” in which a huge group of people gathered on Cleveland’s Hope Memorial Bridge to hold hands and pray silently for peace. This was a non-political movement, all about spreading the message of peace and love to the city of Cleveland.

I was amazed to hear that people came from as far as Columbus to participate in this peace movement. Thousands gathered. There were no signs of protest… just an endless line of people on the Hope Bridge holding hands and showing their support of love to the city and its officers.

It it merely a coincidence that the week was without incident? The only harm done to anyone for that entire week was when someone accidentally scorched himself while attempting to burn an American flag. A couple officers were bruised up during the tussle while trying to protect the guy from lighting himself on fire!

I decided this “Circle The City With Love” event was going to be my subject of inspiration for my Cleveland piece. I’m looking forward to the show’s opening on September 9th, 6:30-9:00pm. I’ll be thrilled if the piece sells! I had so much fun creating it! I took out all the stops, adding sparkling gems, colorful yarn and ribbons, a dangling angel charm, and a handmade charm made of Angelite gemstone.

I call it my “Cleveland Mandala: Circle Our City With Love.”

Cleveland Mandala: Circle Our City With Love