There isn't much to see on Page Avenue in East Cleveland these days--unless, perhaps, you're Darius Steward.
Where passersby might see only dilapidated, vandalized and vacant apartment buildings alongside overgrown fields on the short stretch between Euclid and Elderwood avenues, the 32-year-old can picture his childhood home--since torn down--and recall experiences, both good and bad, that to this day shape his art.
So begins Canvas Magazine's cover story, "Making a Statement," which highlights Fine Arts teacher Darius Steward. Woven into an extensive interview with Steward are copies of some of his paintings and murals, which confront "issues of race, objectification, social placement and social mobility through the lens of Steward's experiences and family."
It's not the first time Steward's art and the conversations it can start have been recognized. Last year, he received a Creative Workforce Fellowship by the Community Partnership for Arts and Culture (CPAC). Also in 2016, Steward was among 19 artists who created individual murals along the Cleveland RTA Red Line.
Canvas Magazine is published three times a year and "spotlights Northeast Ohio’s strong and growing arts and entertainment community and serves as a resource for residents and visitors who desire to interact with and within that community."
The entirety of the profile is available to read online at canvascle.com/making-a-statement/