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Graham Smith
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Graham Smith
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Graham Smith
Anita Marron loves living in Akron. She has lived other places, like Pittsburgh and Wooster, but this is home for her. A graphic designer with a talent for making murals, she has embraced her home throughout the years, even helping start a staple of the Highland Square neighborhood—Porch Rokr. “I was one of the original group that used to put on a festival called Art in the Square,” she says. To help raise money for the festival, Marron and company put on a fundraiser featuring local bands performing on porches. After the successful event, the city took over the original arts festival and Porch Rokr became the local event. “It just took off. People really responded to it.”
What do you like about this area:
AM: I think it has everything. It has water; you’re only a 30-minute ride from a beach. You’ve got the changing seasons. It’s lush. It’s hilly. It’s got everything.
Is there a band that you really want to stop and listen to during Porch Rokr?
AM: Well, I’m biased because my husband plays in a band that plays every year, and he also conducts the music for the guitar orchestra. So those are things I always make sure I stop and listen to, even if it’s only for a couple minutes.
How do events like Porch Rokr build a strong community?
AM: It forces people to interact in ways that they would normally not do just living in a neighborhood. You are walking down streets that you would never normally walk down. This opens up possibilities. There are all these really cool little alleyways that you don’t know about. It’s kind of amazing what’s out there that you have no idea about.
What are three traits that come out when you’re working on an event?
AM: I’m creative. Patience: You really have to let things evolve and not force things. The ability to put your ego aside and let other people shine is really important. I think my last trait was energy, but that is wearing out!
What’s one skill you wished you had?
AM: Math. I wish I could do some math. As an artist, that isn’t always the best.
When asked to describe yourself in one sentence, what’s the first thing you say? AM: I think funny. I like to laugh, and I like to make people laugh.
What’s the most memorable place you have ever travelled to?
AM: That was just this summer. We went to the village my dad grew up in, in Austria. It’s a little town called Traunkirchen.
What was the best thing you ate while you were there?
AM: You didn’t really have a lot of choice. It was schnitzel or goulash. So, let’s say schnitzel.
If you were a super hero, what would your power be?
AM: Being invisible. It’s just easier.
What fictional character do you most closely identify with?
AM: I’ve always loved the character Scout in “To Kill a Mockingbird.”
How do you let your hair down and relax?
AM: I curl up and read a book.
What are you currently reading?
AM: I’m currently reading “The Fact of a Body” [by Alexandria Marzano-Lesnevich].
Do you have any nicknames?
AM: Neeter. My old UPS driver and friend, James, always calls me Neeter.
What’s the best movie you’ve seen lately?
AM: We saw one at the Nightlight where if you don’t find a mate in time they turn you into an animal. It’s called “The Lobster.” I’m also a big documentary watcher.
Is there a talent you wished you had?
AM: I wish I could play an instrument. My husband and my kids all play instruments, and that’s the one thing I don’t do. I wish I had stuck out those piano lessons.
What’s a fashion trend of the past you wish would come back?
AM: I think they’ve all come back. I’m 50. I’ve seen them all come back at some point.
Who’s your favorite local band?
AM: I think right now it’s Punch Drunk Tagalongs. I like them.
