Window dressing

Back in the seventies, Cleveland was home to a public art campaign that included über-cool murals at various downtown locales. There was a giant electrical socket, a collection of modsters seated on a park bench and the baddest one of all, Batman and Robin.

As a kid, those larger-than-life creations filled me with awe.

Although the murals are long gone, another dynamic duo, Robert Carillio and Joan Smith of Cleveland Storefront Art, is bringing back the same sort of magic to my fair city. I wrote about this hip new downtown phenomenon for this week's issue of fresh water.

Meeting Joan and Robert was an elixir for my soul. In a world of bellyaching, complaining snivelers, these two shine above it all, making stone soup out of nothing and going one step further by turning it into Cleveland chowder.

The above photo depicts one of Cleveland Storefront Art's most ambitious installations. It features Apama, also known as "The Undiscovered Animal." The Cleveland comic book hero is the brain child of Ted Sikora. To my delight when I chatted with Ted for the story, he brought up those great old Cleveland murals.

"When I was a kid growing up, I'd see that big mural of Batman and Robin," Ted told me, "and my face lit up every time. When they took it away, it was a bummer."

Ted is exactly right. The demise of the murals was a bummer for the whole city.

But thanks to Apama, Ted, building owner Joseph Ditchman and Cleveland Storefront Art, local kids have something to swoon about once again.

Cool, man.

Apama is just one of the creations dressing up downtown windows these days. For a more complete peek, check out Cleveland Storefront Art's Flickr pages and don't miss the fresh water article.

* * *

Today's photo courtesy of Joan Smith.

* * *