June is LGBTQ pride month. This year, Cleveland is taking part in a global art campaign to spread awareness and kindness with the help of Ohio City Inc.
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Two local artists were chosen by Instagram. The company spokesperson said Instagram chose Cleveland because of last year's Creative Fusion Mural Project in Ohio City.
The chosen artists, Erin Guido and Joe Lanzilotta, said they were blown away when they found out they were handpicked by Instagram.
“We're really honored to be chosen to complete this mural. It's a great location, and it's been really fun to work on,” said Guido.
On Thursday, they were hard at work, turning the West Shoreway Retaining Wall into a work of art, after getting approval through the non-profit, Ohio City Inc.
“We're out here today painting a mural, call the ‘Love Doves’ unofficially, or maybe officially,” said Lanzilotta.
Their rainbow-inspired mural will feature "kind comments." The Instagram spokesperson said the idea is to promote the opposite of talk show host, Jimmy Kimmel's humorous take on "mean tweets."
“It kind of happened really quickly, they approached us last week, and asked us to come up with a concept,” said Lanzilotta.
MORE: How Instagram is celebrating Pride 2017
Both Guido and Lanzilotta already work together for the non-profit, Land Studio.
“I think we work pretty well together,” said Lanzilotta.
They are now hoping to inspire is what Ellen DeGeneres always says on her show, to "be kind to one another."
“Dove is a symbol of peace, two doves as a symbol of love, so we thought that was kind of a great way to represent the LGBT community,” said Lanzilotta.
In addition to Cleveland, murals from the other chosen artists within the Instagram community will pop up in London, Madrid, L.A., and Nashville.
The two doves will say "I love you" to one another with colorful wings.
The two artists will be paid $4,000 for the mural by Instagram.
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