Art Walk 2021: Our Community Steps Up!

by: Jessie Cartwright

After months of planning, a rain-out, and a rescheduled date with high temps, the first Prairie Village Art Walk was held on June 18 with a small group that took the heat in stride. Mayor Mikkelson, Arts Council Chair Bonnie Limbird, and volunteers, families, and members of the community gathered in the shade at The Homesteaders at 5:30 pm. It was clear from the atmosphere of excitement that social interaction ensuing after months of isolation was welcomed. Following introductions, conversation, handshakes, and photos, our short journey began.

We walked to Fluid Form and demonstrated how to use the QR Code on the placard (at the base of the sculpture) to download Otocast and locate the Prairie Village Art Walk. We then listened to the artist, Jacob Burmood, describe Fluid Form. A few participants were engaged in answering the placard question “If this sculpture was music, what would it sound like?” Some diverse analogies were Beach Boys Good Vibrations, Mozart, or Scott Joplin’s ragtime!  For me, it was Jean-Pierre Rampal and Claude Bolling’s Suite for Jazz and Piano.  
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By 6:00 pm we reached our final destination, Fifties Freedom In The Village, where we were joined by a larger community group including sculptor E. Spencer Schubert and donor Brad Johnson. Also present were artists Richard Lumpkin (Prairie Boy), and Phil and Holly of Syke Style (Connections at Corinth). Members of BikeWalkKC set up an information tent to educate the public about “redefining our streets as a place for people to build a culture of active living.” Deputy City Administrator Jamie Robichaud and Assistant City Administrator Meghan Buum organized the dedication space with a microphone, tent, and bottled water. Mayor Mikkelson provided acknowledgements before the formal dedication and ribbon cutting. By 6:30, we dispersed for air conditioning.

Jessie Cartwright

Jessie is in her second year serving on the Prairie Village Arts Council, and is a full-time art educator in the Raymore-Peculiar School District. "I became a member of Prairie Village Arts Council in February of 2020 with the hope of contributing to and promoting the cultural development of our beautiful community, together with members who share this vision."