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Discarded and scrap airplane wings have been transformed into gleaming, vibrant, and colorful pieces of public art on display at the Akron-Canton Airport. The free-standing pieces of painted metal, unveiled at a small ceremony, depict Northeast Ohio imagery and greet those arriving and exiting through the atrium and exit lane.

Two local artists, Tracy Dawn Brewer and Jessica Travis, were selected out of more than 30 artists to create the art pieces. Brewer painted images of 23 species of birds native to Ohio to represent the 23 counties in the region. Travis incorporated scenes and symbols of the region, including the Pro Football Hall of Fame, cornfields, railroad tracks, Lake Erie, blue sky, roadways, hot air balloons, and recognizable buildings from the skylines of Canton, Akron, and Cleveland.

Brewer’s artwork includes augmented reality, using the Artivive phone app to enhance the art piece with animation and sound. It took her around eight to 10 hours to come up with the concept and another 36 hours to paint the mural. One side of Brewer’s artwork features images of the birds, while the other side identifies them and names the corresponding counties.

The MAPS Air Museum, located near the airport, provided the scrap airplane wings and assisted with their restoration for use as the canvas and base material for the artwork. David Regula, the airport’s vice president of customer experience, credited the museum staff for their incredible support.

The art pieces aim to give visitors a sense of place and showcase the beauty and uniqueness of Northeast Ohio. The use of repurposed airplane wings adds a creative and meaningful touch to the airport’s atmosphere. The artists hope to inspire viewers, especially the younger generation, to think outside the box when it comes to art and embrace its interactive and technological aspects.

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