Main Street Kent announces new public art pieces

Derek Kreider, Ravenna Record-Courier
·2 min read

A walk along the Cuyahoga River in Kent will reveal the city's newest public art pieces installed by Main Street Kent.

A series of banners showcasing the works of local artists Catherine Lentini, April Bleakney, Susan Hazel Rich and Lauren Green have been placed in four locations along the river, resulting in a walking tour showcasing a variety of styles, techniques and processes.

According to a release Thursday from Main Street Kent, local design studio Each+Every was instrumental in the development of the installation. The studio also had a hand in the creation of the "Kent" sculpture on North Water Street.

Lentini's work is featured at the John Brown Tannery Park on two banner panels. Her paintings are optical illusions, a blue and yellow motif of repeating rectangular shapes appearing to invert or protrude, depending your point of view.

Catherine Lentin's optical illusions are located at John Brown Tannery Park, part of a new public art installation placed by Main Street Kent.
Catherine Lentin's optical illusions are located at John Brown Tannery Park, part of a new public art installation placed by Main Street Kent.

At the Haymaker and Franklin Avenue path — just off Franklin Avenue under the Haymaker bridge and near the Haymaker Farmers' Market — are three panels showcasing Cleveland-based screen printer and muralist Bleakney's talents. Her contribution focuses on themes of abstraction, nature, and water because of the central role of the river in Kent.

Cleveland-based screen printer and muralist April Bleakney work is showcased along the Haymaker and Franklin Avenue path. The piece is part of part of a new public art installation placed by Main Street Kent.
Cleveland-based screen printer and muralist April Bleakney work is showcased along the Haymaker and Franklin Avenue path. The piece is part of part of a new public art installation placed by Main Street Kent.

Rich, owner of Hazelmade, created the work filling the two panels on the Portage Hike and Bike Trail. Using over 20 years of experience in design, illustration and print making, Rich created brightly colored illustrations of native flora, including information about where they can be found in Kent.

Hazelmade owner Susan Hazel Rich's illustrations of native flora can be found on the Portage Hike and Bike Trail as part of a new public art installation placed by Main Street Kent.
Hazelmade owner Susan Hazel Rich's illustrations of native flora can be found on the Portage Hike and Bike Trail as part of a new public art installation placed by Main Street Kent.

Near Bent Tree Coffee, at the intersection of Portage Street and North Water Street, Green crafted a depiction of familiar objects representative of Kent: park benches, coffee cups, acorns and more. Her design was derived from a modular typographic system allowing the blend of bold, bright typography with images that represent Kent.

Lauren Green's contribution to the new public art installation placed by Main Street Kent can be found at the intersection of Portage and North Water streets.
Lauren Green's contribution to the new public art installation placed by Main Street Kent can be found at the intersection of Portage and North Water streets.

Viewers are encouraged to use the QR codes located at the bottom of each banner to learn more about each artist. For more information about Kent’s public art, visit https://mainstreetkent.org/things-to-do/art/.

Contact reporter Derek Kreider at DKreider@Gannett.com

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Banners in Kent showcase local art in new installation