If you’ve seen Michael Moore’s latest deconstruction of our contemporary incarnation of capitalism, than you may have some sense of the world’s ostensible opinion of Cleveland, Ohio. Mid-way through Moore’s Capitalism: A Love Story, the director rolls a mock “tourism” commercial extolling the city’s virtues, sung as a catchy if sub-rate jingle: “under construction since 1868… see our river that catches on fire… our economy’s based on Lebron James… it could be worse though at least we’re not Detroit!”

The sentiment may be apropos of the widespread dereliction of the many Mid-Western cities that once formed the industrial backbone of America, yet there’s a flipside to the anthem, one that sings of auspicious re-appropriation of function, creative integration of existing infrastructure, and a sustainable ethos based on local production. Cleveland’s very own 4walls exemplifies the latter; the company is rightly proud that their every product is “designed, manufactured, and shipped from our one location—in a renovated century old factory building that now houses artist’s lofts, warehouses, and digital manufacturing.”

Calypso Forest. Designed by 4walls.

Local Production and Inspired Art Create a Great Kids’ Collection

Lest you think this post is brought to you by the Greater Cleveland Chamber of Commerce… there’s a So-Cal connection here as well. 4walls’ latest collection, “Kids Portfolio Vol. 1” may be designed by Cleveland native Diana Robinson and the creative team at DLM Studio, yet the series features among its 40 some distinct styles the work of LA artist Spencer Starr of Chalk-Chalk.

Mr. Starr custom builds diminutive chalkboards (8″x8″x.75,”) of 15 ply baltic birch and chalkboard paint, then creates original chalk drawings of many-a-mode of curious human-powered conveyance: from the ubiquitous 1982 Schwinn Sting BMX, to the 1950 Barra Randonneur, to the iconic Radio Flyer Wagon, to the absolutely elegant if somewhat misconceived late 19th century Penny Farthing. True to the spirit of the original drawings, 4walls has incorporated the art as “Sidewalk Chalk,” wallcoverings as full-scale murals or mural-style borders, any of which are available in the original white on black, or in different color combos of cotton candy pinks, sepia browns and grays, and cheerful blues and oranges.

One World. Designed by 4walls.

Sidewalk Chalk. Designed by 4walls.

Original Chalk drawing for Sidewalk Chalk.

Original Chalk drawing for Sidewalk Chalk.

What a Hoot. Designed by 4walls.

The bicycle-inspired art is a superlative example of how to create a child-appropriate decor adults can live with, as this particular style transcends the parent/kid divide. Indeed, among the Kids Portfolio Vol. 1 you’re sure to find more than a penny farthing’s worth of imagery to get excited about. To my imaginative mind’s eye, other standouts include the eclectic “Calypso Forest,” the Warholian “Top Dog,” the whimsical “What a Hoot,” and the cartographic “One World.” Each of these designs—and many more besides—are at your disposal in different color palettes and varied formats: from the traditional-style installation of a pre-pasted mural, to the convenience of “Easy-Up” murals (can be removed and re-installed in perpetuity), to the creative potentiality of pre-pasted borders or peel and stick accents. The Kids Porfolio Vol. 1 collection is brand spanking new, so don’t expect to find it on the 4walls website just yet–contact 4walls for further info.