Southern Johnson County: A Parade of Hearts Drive Through the Southern Suburbs

Hearts Across the Southland  ·  Part Three of Three

Southern Johnson County: A Parade of Hearts Drive Through the Southern Suburbs

Seven sculptures stretch from Overland Park to the southernmost edge of the metro.

By Kristina Light

Cross the state line south of Ward Parkway, and the Parade of Hearts continues without interruption. Seven sculptures are placed across southern Johnson County this year, from 95th Street in Overland Park to 199th Street at the far southern edge of the metro.

OVERLAND PARK

SUNRISE / SUNSET

by Julia Morris

8771 W 95th St, Overland Park, KS  ·  In front of Johnny’s Tavern

 

Julia Morris has spent nine years at Hallmark designing and illustrating around one hundred greeting cards a year. On the side, she illustrates children’s books. She is trained to create small, detailed, and precise pieces of art, spending most of her professional life thinking about what fits inside a rectangle. The Parade of Hearts gave her something new. Never afraid of a challenge, she was excited to create on a large scale, and the heart sculpture that barely cleared the front door of her Brookside home was the perfect artistic playground. The piece sat in her dining room for three months while she worked on it. “There is something about large-scale art that feels fun and free to me,” she said, “like murals and things like that.”

Sunrise/Sunset is Julia’s love letter to the natural beauty of her home region, which does not always stop people in their tracks. She wanted to invite locals and visitors to stop and appreciate the natural beauty of the Midwest. For the project, Morris researched native animals, flowers, plants, and prairie grasses specific to Kansas and Missouri, then divided the sculpture by state: the orange side is all Kansas, the green side all Missouri. Most of the species depicted are quiet, common, and easy to overlook. That was the point. “I wanted to encourage people, and encourage myself, to regain the childlike ability to notice small things,” she said. “Most of the animals and plants on the heart are not flashy or spectacular, but they are still beautiful and worth noticing.”

The title carries a geographic argument. Morris originally hoped the heart would land on State Line Road, where a viewer could look toward the Kansas sunset on one side and the Missouri sunrise on the other. The placement did not work out that way, but the concept held. “I love that Kansas City is a portal between the east and the west,” she said, “the sunrise and the sunset.” The materials are paint and gold leaf, a combination that shifts in different light, fitting for a piece built around a sky changing from dusk to dawn. Morris’s portfolio is at juliammorris.com.

While you’re there

• Johnny’s Tavern, a Kansas City institution since 1953, has burgers, pizza, and a wall of TVs. The heart is steps from the door. (8719 W 95th St)
• Fuzzy’s Taco Shop is right next door to the heart, a casual spot for Baja-style tacos and frozen drinks.
• Painting with a Twist, a paint-and-sip studio steps from the heart, a fitting companion stop for a sculpture by an artist who credits these kinds of classes with reigniting her love of painting.

Growing Light
by Melissa Kozakiewicz
6000 College Blvd, Overland Park, KS

Melissa Kozakiewicz moved to Kansas City five years ago, in April, from New York City and cried every single day. Not from homesickness. From the grass. “I am from New York City,” she said. “I did not know that you could live like this. It is the greenest of green. It took my breath away.” The density of the city she came from had not allowed for green grass or for the vibrant blue sky. Here, both were everywhere, and she could not get used to it. She still has not entirely gotten used to it. “I was staggered,” she said, “and continue to be staggered and amazed by it.”

She quickly fell in love, not only with the natural beauty of Kansas City, but with the people. When her basement flooded, the neighbors showed up. “Everyone pitched in,” she said. “Everyone pitches in and cares and shows love.” She had not known you could raise children in a place like this. She had not known about Kansas City at all. Coming from NYC, with her husband from London, England, Kansas City was entirely new and fresh.

“Kansas City has a shyness,” she said. “It doesn’t boast about itself. People don’t know, and then, as our friends and family come to visit, they are surprised and amazed and wonder why they never knew.”

Growing Light is her attempt to give that feeling a form. Two things anchor the design: “The people in KC care about their outside,” she said, “they express it in flowers, windchimes, a love for nature, but most of all through flowers. I see flowers everywhere, in landscaping, in front of businesses, in nature.” And the sunsets,  which she talks about with true love and awe. “I don’t know who thinks they can compete with a KC sunset, but no one else can,” she said. “If you can’t find anything else that is beautiful in our city, you can always find a sunset. It shows up every single day. It is always gorgeous and will turn your day around.” Her heart conveys the beauty of native wildflowers blooming across the sculpture beneath a radiant Kansas City sky. It is a love letter from a transplant who still cannot quite believe her luck.

It was also her first heart sculpture; in fact, it is her first work at anything near this scale, and her first real proof of something she had not known about herself. “I did not know I could do this,” she said. “It felt a little intimidating. Any time you scale anything, it takes more energy and intention.” When she was selected, she was beyond thrilled. When the heart went up and she began watching people respond to it, she felt something she had not anticipated. “I love watching social media and seeing how much everyone loves and enjoys my heart,” she said. “It feels like the gift that keeps on giving.” When asked, she said she would do it again without hesitation.

Find her work on Instagram.com/msmel1979.

While you’re there

• South OP Trail System: Miles of paved multi-use trail connecting southern Overland Park neighborhoods. Flat, accessible, and a good way to end a long day of heart-hunting on foot.

MISSION FARMS & LEAWOOD

KC LOOKS GOOD ON YOU

by Nathan Bennett

W 119th St & Roe Ave, Leawood, KS  ·  In front of Urban Egg at Hawthorne Plaza

Nathan Bennett is a graphic designer and photographer whose work leans toward bright colors and a retro aesthetic. He had applied to the Parade of Hearts before without success, so when he was accepted this year, and his heart landed at 119th and Roe, the moment felt significant. He grew up in the area, and Urban Egg is his fiancée’s favorite breakfast spot. The two celebrated her birthday there specifically to see the heart he designed in person. “As a kid, I lived near my heart placement,” he said. “It’s like a full circle moment.”

KC Looks Good On You features six vintage-style Kansas City postcards scattered across the surface, a nod to the FIFA World Cup visitors coming to the city in 2026. “People come from all over for the World Cup, and like to send postcards,” Bennett said. “It’s a dying thing, but some people still do it.” The center of the heart is routed from mirrored acrylic, so visitors can capture a selfie with the full sculpture in frame. “Some of the World Cup visitors won’t speak English,” he said. “They can take a selfie with the mirror and carry home a digital postcard from their visit. I want everyone to feel welcome when they see my heart.”

This was Bennett’s first accepted Parade of Hearts sculpture, and the logistics were a challenge from the start. “It was a 6-foot sculpture,” he said. “I had to figure out where to store it, but thankfully, my former boss stepped in, offering shop space and tools. That was a huge help.”

The heart is built from sign-grade material wrapped with his postcard design; the lettering is hard plastic PVC, and the center mirror was routed out of mirrored acrylic, just like a sign on a building would be built. The selfie technique, for the record: set the camera to 0.5 or 0.6 wide-angle, squat until your face lines up with the center of the mirrored heart, and snap. The wide angle captures the full sculpture and lettering without the funhouse-mirror distortion Bennett wanted to avoid. Bennett is available for freelance design and photography at imnathanbennett.com.

While you’re there

• Urban Egg  Brunch spot known for creative eggs Benedict and fluffy pancakes. Expect a wait on weekends; it is worth it. (4921 W 119th St)
• Summer Salt Ice Cream Co. offers gluten-free, dairy-free, and Vegan options. This gourmet ice cream shop is a summertime favorite.
• Town Center Plaza  Walkable upscale outdoor mall about a mile away, good for a stroll and window shopping after brunch.

FLOWERS OF THE HEARTLAND

by Gabrielle Betzel

10521 Mission Rd, Overland Park, KS  ·  In front of Blue Koi at Mission Farms

Betzel’s design draws on the botanical richness of the region. The placement at Mission Farms puts it in the middle of one of the south side’s most pleasant stretches of walkable retail.

While you’re there

• Blue Koi  Order the Kung Pao Tofu or the Peking Duck noodles; both are signatures. The patio is lovely on mild days. The heart is right out front.
• Mission Farms  Upscale outdoor shopping plaza with local and national boutiques. Walkable, well-shaded, and easy to spend an hour in.

PRAIRIEFIRE & 151ST STREET

BEYOND THE FAIRWAY

by Amanda Reece

13500 Nall Ave, Overland Park, KS  ·  Prairiefire, in front of 808 by Made in KC

Amanda Reece spent two decades as a graphic designer before she ever tackled public art. Now an assistant communications director at a private country club, she paints dog portraits, house portraits, and wine glasses on the side. When the Parade of Hearts opened applications, she applied. Her piece, Beyond the Fairway, is on display at Prairiefire, the Overland Park entertainment district home to the Museum at Prairiefire, Chicken ’N Pickle, AMC Dine-In Theatres, restaurants like Brass Onion and Grimaldi’s Coal Brick Oven Pizza, and shops including Made in KC and Fat Brain Toys.

The concept came directly from her day job. “I wanted to create a golf heart due to working at a country club,” she said. One side of the sculpture depicts a close-up golf ball; the other shows a golfer mid-swing. “When I saw the new design of the heart, I knew one side had to be a golf ball, and the other side to be a golfer,” she explained. “I wanted it to be more interactive.”

Reece drew an unexpected parallel to anchor her vision. “Degas had ballerinas; I will take on the golfers,” she said. Though not a golfer herself, “I am not a golfer, but I am around it constantly with my job,” that proximity gave her a clear sense of what the piece should feel like. She sees it as a nod to the sport’s growing reach. “It is exciting to see how popular golf has become in Kansas City,” she said. “We have a huge Jr. Golf program. I hope that when people see it, they feel represented, and I am acknowledging the enthusiasm for golf, even if it’s just mini golf.” She noted the sport is catching on the way pickleball has, with scholarship opportunities opening up for young people.

Getting the design onto a curved, three-dimensional surface was the most demanding part of the process. “It was not easy to transfer the design from my initial design to the heart,” she said. Reece projected her sketch directly onto the sculpture to trace it, front-loading the work before the cold arrived. Once the tracing was complete, the painting went quickly. “The most challenging part was transferring the design from mock-up to the sculpture,” she said. “I’m a fairly fast painter.”

The experience changed how Reece moves through the city. “I’ve never been one to go find them all, I’ve just enjoyed seeing them in the wild,” she said. “Now, I’m obsessively refreshing the map and checking them off.” She is energized by the attention the Parade of Hearts is bringing to smaller parts of the metro. “I love the attention this is bringing to some of the smaller towns and businesses that are included this year.” With the World Cup approaching, she expects the hearts to find an audience well beyond Kansas City. “I’m excited for the World Cup and the traffic it is bringing to the city.”

Beyond the Fairway is on display through August, with an online auction planned for early autumn. Reece accepts commissions and can be reached at AmandaReece.art on Instagram.

While you’re there

• Museum at Prairiefir.e This natural history museum features dinosaur fossils and traveling exhibitions from the American Museum of Natural History. Educational programs and classes for children are offered throughout the week for just $5 per child. Free passes for up to four people are available through Cass County, Johnson County, and Olathe libraries; regular admission applies without a pass. (5801 W 135th St)
• Prairiefire Prairiefire in Overland Park features attractions including the Museum at Prairiefire, AMC Dine-In Theatres, 810 Entertainment, Chicken ‘N Pickle, Pause Studio, and the Wetlands walking trail; shops including REI, HomeGoods, Fat Brain Toys, Made in KC, Threshing Bee, and Toner Jewelers; and restaurants including Dutch Bros Coffee, Brass Onion, Grimaldi’s Coal Brick Oven Pizza, Rock & Brews, RajMahal, Andy’s Frozen Custard, and Veritas Whiskey and Wine Bar.

FESTIVAL OF CONNECTING AND CELEBRATING CULTURES

by Michelle A. Davison

8018 W 151st St, Overland Park, KS  ·  Stanley Square

Michelle A. Davison is not a professional artist. Though she originally started at the University of Kansas in graphic design, she pivoted to nursing, then stepped away because of health issues. She found her way back to art through recreational classes at The Artisan Market on Historic Liberty Square in Liberty, where her instructor grew confident enough in her work to display it in an exhibit. When the Parade of Hearts application came around, she felt confident enough to pursue it.

Her heart, Festival of Connecting and Celebrating Cultures, on display in Stanley Square in Overland Park, draws from her identity as a first-generation Filipino American. Both of her parents were born in the Philippines; she was the first in her family born in the United States. For 25 years, on and off, she has danced with Sinag-Tala Performing Arts Troupe in Overland Park, performing at local ethnic festivals. “That inspired my heart,” she said. “The inspiration for the heart was letting people know there is a lot to Kansas City beyond what folks know.”

The front of the sculpture captures dancers and food from Filipino, Irish, and Hawaiian traditions represented at Kansas City’s annual Ethnic Festival at Swope Park. The back carries a parade of flags. The theme reaches beyond any single culture. “I want the heart to celebrate community and that we all come together, tolerate, and enjoy one another despite our differences,” she said. “The heart is also a celebration of heritage and culture.”

That heritage is something Davison has worked to reclaim. Joining the Filipino Association has helped. “They are inspiring young ones to learn,” she said. “It’s okay to understand and acclimate to America and also hold on to your heritage.” She also pointed to the Filipino Cultural Center Foundation in Overland Park, which began as a small space and has grown into a center where classes, dances, and exhibits take place.

For Davison, the heart was a true labor of love. In fact, completing the heart nearly broke her. Working on the sculpture over Thanksgiving, she ended up in the emergency room and had an appendectomy on Thanksgiving Day. Despite the obstacle, she pressed on, finishing in January and logging roughly two hundred hours of work. The logistics alone were formidable: she stored the heart in her garage, had to tilt it to load it into a U-Haul, and climbed a ladder to paint the striped perimeter, working into awkward positions to reach every angle. She tried gridding the design first, then switched to a projector to hand-draw it before underpainting and finishing the surface.

When asked, she said she would do it again. “It’s a bucket list type of experience,” she said. “I would do it again just for the experience. Meeting all the artists and their KC connection was truly special.”

Follow Davison’s work on Instagram at @meemsmakes.

While you’re there

• Chettinad’s A local restaurant serving South Indian cuisine.
• Conroy’s Public House An Irish pub set in a converted late-1800s church, with what locals call the best Guinness pour in Johnson County. (6995 W 151st St)
• Ethnic Enrichment Festival at Swope Park. The annual festival inspired the heart’s design, celebrating cultures from around the world each August in Kansas City. Free and open to the public. The heart is not geographically near Swope Park, but the link to the event is important.

This concludes the three-part Hearts Across the Southland series.

In the Series:

• Route 1: Red Bridge, Martin City, Grandview, Belton and Raymore
• Route 2: Waldo, Brookside & South KC
• Route 3: Southern Johnson County

The Parade of Hearts runs through August. An online auction follows in early autumn. Find the full map at paradeofhearts.org.