Michael Weiss Joins Three NE Ohio Artists in Final Round of CrossCountry Mortgage ‘Paint the District’ Competition

14, July, 2022

Canton-Based Illustrator Tops Round 4 Voting in Yearlong Competition; Finalists to Submit Proposals for Installation in CCM’s New Headquarters

Weiss' winning article titled So Many Dreams Unlocked Headshot of Round 4 Winner Michael Weiss

Cleveland, Ohio, July 14, 2022…Illustrator Michael Weiss of Canton has been selected by online voters as the winner of Round 4 of the CrossCountry Mortgage (CCM) “Paint the District” competition, a yearlong showcase that will award one area artist the opportunity to create a work for permanent display in CCM’s new corporate headquarters in the Superior Arts District of Cleveland.

Weiss joins three other Northeast Ohio artists – Scott Goss, Pam Spremulli and April (Ape) Bleakney – in the final round of competition. Each has been asked to submit a proposal for a commissioned work to be installed in CCM’s new headquarters in Cleveland’s Superior Arts district. The winner will receive a $5,000 grand prize. CCM will also cover the cost of materials to create the finished piece.

Weiss, a professional artist who also is employed as creative services manager at Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens in Akron, is a visual storyteller whose works combine drawings, photography, painting and digital artistry to create surreal worlds and whimsical journeys. His Round 4 entry, “So Many Dreams to Unlock,” is a digital photography/mixed media image representing the difficult choices one must make in the quest to fulfill their dreams and ultimately find happiness.

Final Round Details

Each of the four Paint the District finalists has been invited to tour CCM’s new headquarters, spanning East 21st and East 22nd streets along Superior Avenue, to view prospective spaces for the commissioned work.

The winning proposal, which will carry a theme of “Celebrating Cleveland” and connect to CCM’s Passion and Community values, will be selected by a CCM employee panel and be awarded this fall.

“Paint the District has enabled CCM to celebrate our upcoming move into downtown Cleveland and immerse ourselves in our new neighborhood,” said Laura Soave, chief brand officer, CCM. “Area artists and art enthusiasts have responded to the competition as we knew they would – with the energy, passion and creativity that make Cleveland such a great place to live and work.”

Paint the District is part of CCM’s larger commitment to the arts community and the Superior Arts District. The company is a lead sponsor of the FRONT International 2022 Cleveland Triennial for Contemporary Art, which is bringing work from more than 70 artists to dozens of venues in downtown Cleveland, Ohio City, University Circle, Akron, Oberlin and other areas across Northeast Ohio. CCM also is presenting this week’s FRONT 2022 opening gala, Thursday evening at The Madison on Payne Avenue.

To learn more about Paint the District, visit www.PaintTheDistrict.com. For more information about CrossCountry Mortgage, visit www.ccm.com.

ABOUT CROSSCOUNTRY MORTGAGE

CrossCountry Mortgage (CCM) is one of the nation’s largest retail mortgage lenders, with more than 8,000 employees operating more than 600 branches across all 50 states. Our company has been recognized eight times on the Inc. 5000 list of America’s fastest growing private businesses and has received many awards for our standout culture. We offer more than 100 mortgage, refinance and home equity solutions – ranging from conventional and jumbo mortgages to government-insured programs for Veterans and rural homebuyers – and we are a direct lender and approved seller and servicer by Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae and Ginnie Mae. Through our dedication to getting it done, we make every mortgage feel like a win. Visit crosscountrymortgage.com.

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