KansasCityHues
Main Parade of Hearts is a public art experience that celebrates our diversity, unites communities and supports nonprofits by placing hearts by local artists throughout the Kansas City region.
I was fortunate to be a two-time heartist. It was a great opporuntiy to meet some great local artists, raising money for charities, and display a large form of public art within Kansas City.
Download their app, "Parade of Hearts" for a full list of all the hearts, bio's, and videos from the heartists.
My 2023 heart was a collection of iconic Kansas City landmarks surrounding our city.
Front design includes The Scout, Union Station, Roasterie Plane, Kauffman Center, Liberty Memorial, Bartle Hall Pylons, Western Auto Building, Nelson-Atkins shuttlecocks, Jazz guitar player
527 applications were submitted in 2023, 40 were selected from a portfolio and design concept by an appointed board.
Artists that were selected arranged for heart pickups from a warehouse. The form weighs about 40 lbs. but once they are installed, weigh about 400 lbs.
Artists worked in their own studios, public areas, or as I did in my garage for about 3 months to create my heart, "Kansas City in Color".
I thought my nieces might want to help me with painting the base of the heart. Hopefully a lasting memory and a chance to see their work in public!
Once completed, my father and I loaded up the truck to have delivered back to the warehouse. They all will have a final clear weather coating to withstand the outdoor elements.
The hearts were moved to several locations during the public display. Mine was located at Boulevard Brewery, Kansas City Current Headquarters, and finally Kauffman Stadium.
Back design includes The Colonnade, Plaza fountains, Kansas City Museum, Power & Light Building, Nelson-Atkins shuttlecocks.
My 2024 Heart "Garments of Rabbitville" was inspired by the historic Garment District of Kansas City, Missouri. I took a trip through the Garment Museum downtown at 8th and Broadway to learn more about the history of the area, see the clothing on display, and get an overall feel for the concept of the heart's design.
Kansas City's Garment District
Location: Northwestern corner of downtown, 6th-11th, Wyandotte to Washington
Time Period: 1880s-1980s
Many experienced tailors and seamstresses were immigrating to the United States from European countries. Kansas City became an attractive city to early adopters as a central location within the states, lower cost of living compared to popular areas such as Texas, and with the help of Ellen Reed (Nelly Don) a growing worldwide garment industry by the 1920's.
The story of the brand Nelly Don is an expansive and entertaining one that has many twists and turns. Know that Nelly Don became the world's leading manufacturer and designer of women's housedresses with contemporary designs at an affordable price by the 1950's. She was a trailblazer in her time first attending college, to then build a multi-million dollar operation as an entrepreneur right here in Kansas City.
Henry Perry, the father of KC BBQ, got his start selling during lunch hours.
WW1 demand for uniforms pushed the district's growth.
Kansas City Garment District was second only to New York City's in volume.
The heart includes design concepts from Nelly Don, Krest, Bond, Woolf Brothers, vintage delivery trucks and streetcar, various garment tools such as scissors, needle/thread, buttons, tape measure, Petticoat Lane, Needle monument..
