Resurgence [ ri-sur-juhns ] n. the act or fact of rising again or returning; revival
People of a certain age undoubtedly remember the game of jacks from their childhood with great fondness. It was one of the myriad activities played during recess or the summer months, or maybe while on punishment.
Local artists Darius Steward and Ron Shelton are helping Clevelanders rediscover the joy of playing jacks, a game once popular in African American culture during the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. The anticipation of new public art being unveiled later this summer at the new Skyline on Stokes, a mixed-use apartment complex development located at the corner of Stokes Boulevard and Cedar Road.
The game of jacks is a piece of childhood nostalgia for Shelton, who often played with his mother and siblings. It was a family tradition handed down by Ron’s great-grandmother.
There can be renewed excitement about the game of jacks. I shared this game during family game night at PNC Fairfax Connection. The adults familiar with the game displayed child-like excitement, which stimulated curiosity in the youth. The game could bring us back to analogical thinking and community. The youth can strengthen basic skills in math and strategic planning, while developing eye-hand coordination. Sometimes we need to go back and relearn the simpler things. artist Ron Shelton
Shelton hopes to launch a series of jacks tournaments at local community centers and libraries. Early incarnations of the game of jacks date back to ancient Egypt, where it was known as Knucklebones, using the small bones from sheep’s toes as jacks.
During his research for the project, which depicts a young girl playing jacks, Shelton noticed that the shape of a jack’s shadow is nearly identical to that of the Andinkra Tabon (also known as Tabano) symbol. This West African symbol represents a paddle or oar and signifies strength, confidence, and persistence. The artwork is a collaboration between Darius and Ron. Darius designed the central, four-foot bronze sculpture, drawing inspiration from his daughter.
“Ron reached out to me because he wanted to bring a sculpture element to the piece,“ said Steward. “I’ve done a few sculptures around the city over the years, and I was excited by this project. I’m all about legacy and having things around town for my kids to see. Having the opportunity to create something that will outlive me – I couldn’t turn down the offer!”
The central four-foot bronze statue will be placed on the South corner of the property, and a large three-foot red powder-coated steel ball will be on the opposite North corner of the complex. An array of concrete engraved Tabono symbols (shadows)etched into the walkways will connect the art installation’s north and south corners. There will be ten 21-inch steel jacks dispersed throughout the complex, with two jacks located in front of the young girl and eight positioned outside the pedestrian walking path.
We had a fantastic opportunity to visit the foundry while they were pouring the second phase of Darius’s work. You can only imagine how hot it is in the foundry during the pour.
This unique public art project wouldn’t be possible without the involvement of other key players, including Christy Gray, owner of Gray Haus Studios, who serves as an art consultant.
“My role is to help coordinate and curate, keeping everything in the balance between the artwork from the artist and the client,“ said Gray. “This project is one of three proposals received for this space. The client then selected the one that best accented the development.”
And Landscape Architect Andrew Sargeant, who was contacted by the architects for the development.
“I was introduced to Christy during the artist search. I was able to talk to her about the possibilities for the site,“ said Sargeant. “From the client’s perspective, they wanted something long-lasting, which is why we’re using a bronze sculpture as a focal piece. Once we spoke to Darius and Ron and we understood their vision, we then studied how the landscape would support not just having a bronze sculpture placed on the site, but also what are some things we could do to make it more cohesive and welcoming.”
While the modernization of the Fairfax neighborhood with something that’s not hospital-related is long overdue, some longtime residents view the Skyline on Stokes development as another step towards gentrification, especially given the handful of units that will be available to low-income tenants.
The Grand Opening of Skyline on Stokes is October 2025.
featured art rendering: Darius Steward, usa
Born and raised in East Cleveland, Nate Paige has contributed more than 30 years to local journalism. He got his professional start at the Cleveland Call & Post and spent over 20 years at Cleveland.com. He currently handles social media for the city of Shaker Heights and writes for their quarterly magazine, Shaker Life. He also freelances for several local publications.
