I’m the biggest bird!

Time has run away with me, but I don’t want to forget the last heart I created for the Kansas City Parade of Hearts in 2023. This bird was inspired by the state birds and flowers of both Missouri and Kansas. I love how Kansas City is a mix of residents from both states, without realizing the borders. We explore both states with love and excitement for all the adventures hold.

These birds were SO fun to create! I used fiberglass to create the beak and tales, in addition to Magic Sculpt to create softer creative molded textures for the beak and tail feathers. These birds began my newest obsession with birds of all kinds!

I now use the eBird app and listen to see which birds live everywhere I visit!

The Auction!

I am incredibly honored to have a PRINTED spread in the program, as one of the chosen 11 artists for the final 12 hearts to be auctioned live. My husband and I got all decked out in our finest Strawberry formal wear- and had the best time!

I can’t wait for the next opportunity to apply and show another public art piece to be shared by all! Thank you Kansas City and the Parade of Hearts!

My two unique hearts earned a grand total of $15,000 for local charities! I definitely call that SUCCESS!

Thank you KC- Watch out for my next big thing- It’s a coming!

The final chapter

I have had the BEST time enjoying all the posts, smiles, photos, and videos shared of my Parade of Hearts sculptures! I never imagined the process could be this fulfilling. Being part of this group of Heartists has truly changed me and my art forever.

Sweet KC: My Chocolate-Dipped Strawberry Heart was located at Quivira Park in Overland Park. This heart was AMAZING to see from the road. The shiny red ripeness shined so brightly against the green grass background. I was fortunate enough to have a parking lot and endless streams of visitors at this amazing location. Thank you Overland Park for hosting my heart. I am truly grateful.

KC Jazz Greats: My heart showcasing black jazz musicians who performed or lived in KC, making all the difference for music today! This heart was also at an awesome location at the Power & Light District, right outside of Rally House by the T-Mobile Center! This was an incredible place to have these classic musicians shining on the corner. I have loved the awesome responses, videos, sunsets and night images shared with my on Instagram and Facebook. Simply Awesome. I am excited to see this heart as one of the 12 to be auctioned off IN PERSON at the LIVE AUCTION tomorrow, Friday, June 17 at the Midland Theater Gala. Whew! Hoping the money it raises can truly be shared for the best benefit!

FINAL COUNT on the KC Parade of Hearts App of visitors that scanned the QR Code: (Knowing WAY more people saw or didn’t scan)

Sweet KC had 23,067 visitors. Auctioned online for grand total of $9750

KC Jazz Greats had 18,181 visitors Auctioned LIVE at Carnivale for $5250 and will be displayed permanently at the Rooftop Bar at the LOEWS Hotel in Kansas City, Missouri!

Simply incredible! Thanks to all the awesome sponsors. Specifically Rally House who sponsored my Jazz Heart and Overland Park who sponsored my strawberry. Thank you!!

I got interviewed by KSHB!

KSHB Interview in about my KC Jazz Heart

I am SHOCKED and grateful for this opportunity to share my story about my KC Jazz painted heart for The Parade of Hearts KC! Go for your dreams, friends- you never know what may come of them!

Last Dips of Chocolate

I will be sad when this chocolate strawberry leaves our little garage. This berry has brought about conversations with my neighbors, strange looks from the UPS delivery folk, and lots of deep thoughts of how I could do it better.

This berry has been an opportunity for me to share my love of painting and 3-D imagery together! I have always been inspired by Claes Oldenberg and his ginormous renderings of everyday objects in a fun environment to spark conversation and connection. I also love the work of Peter Anton, who creates intricate, amazing recreations of chocolates and desserts on large scales with minute amazingly realistic details.

I have discovered I am neither of those artists. I am me. This berry is a beginning of so much more. I have the deepest desire to learn how to do, make, and create with every tool I’ve never tried before. This berry granted me the amazing opportunity to share my love of art and creating, while challenging myself to learn and struggle.

I am SO grateful my artwork was chosen for both these hearts! Thank you Kansas City Parade of Hearts. I can’t wait to see them displayed in public places for all to enjoy!

One done, KC Jazz!

The delivery date was set. The weather was warming up just enough for final touches. The KC Jazz Heart was the first one I called complete. I decided to decorate the edges all around with a stained glass approach in the paint. I love the bold look of black outlines and brilliant colors, so that was the winner. I debated putting the musicians’ names on the base, yet hope Jazz enthusiasts will be able to recognize their portraits too.

In the end, the KC Jazz heart base was fitted with some fun piano keys and bright paint to match the sides, as there will be a plaque attached to the display at the base too. I decided simple was better than messing it up. I hope you all enjoy it and seek out all the amazing tunes these brilliant influencers created!

Process & Progress

I was chosen for two of my heart designs.

1. KC Jazz Heart: Features amazing jazz musicians who performed in Kansas City clubs in their prime. One of my favorite painting sessions was listening to Ella Fitzgerald’s Christmas album, discovering her awesome songs in my favorite Christmas movie, Elf!

   One side of the heart features Ella Fitzgerald, Big Joe Turner, and Claude Fiddler Williams. The other side includes the Count Bassie Orchestra, Charley Parker, and Mary Lou Williams. Amazing musicians who paved the way for the music of today.

2. Sweet KC Heart: This heart is inspired by the amazing chocolatiers of Kansas City including Christopher Elbow, the Russell Stovers Headquarters, and even the delicious Chocolate Bag dessert I’ve enjoyed with friends. My ultimate favorite dessert is Chocolate covered strawberries. They are the perfect mix of healthy, delicious fruit and decadence on top! I loved making this one and all the new skills and materials I learned to use in its creation!

   The strawberry was a HUGE challenge- working with fiberglass, resin, Bondo, sanding, gelcoating, painting, attaching, and then doing all that again! I am very happy with the final result, knowing all the love, sweat and time that went into its creation. It’s not perfect- but what art is?!

The berry needs a stem

I started off watching a BUNCH of YouTube videos, mainly the Sculpture Studio in UK. These guys are PROS and know exactly what they are doing. My dreams of moving to Scotland make me think I could create a studio with them in my new location someday. Time will tell.

By watching the show, I learned I needed to get Fiberglass Matting, Fiberglass Resin, very thin foil, and some foam that I could mold into the shape of the leaves and stem. This started as a practice version, but by the end, I made that part of the real berry!

I spent days, weeks, months adding more definition and trying new approaches to adding the fiberglass and layers. With such a unique shape and having top and bottom sides to every leaf, I was really testing gravity and the temperature changes in my suburban cold garage. My husband and family would also say the biggest battle was the fumes created by the resin.

I watched a few more videos, and decided I needed to gelcoat the fiberglass- then my lovely stem lived outside looking like a demogorgan for a couple days, as the fumes were WAY too strong for us. That’s when it really came together and started looking like a real thing- but only to me.

My TWINS have arrived!

The day I have been waiting for! No problem- 2 GIGANTIC Fiberglass hearts, larger than me- YES! I’ve painted multiple murals, Tiny Vacation tins, and lots of sizes in between, but THIS… This is new and awesome!

Thanks to my fearless friend and business partner Dan and his mighty F150, I was able to bring these beauties home! If you’re wondering of their actual size, they are 32 inches wide, 67 inches tall, and 60 inches long! They were born at 100lbs each, but will grow to weigh 400 lbs. each in their finished form on sidewalks around Kansas City, Missouri!

My brain has had a hard time sleeping at night, thinking of all the questions:

Where will I store these?

How long will they really take me to paint?

Will my fiberglass sculpture skills grow to be able to make these even more than their primed selves?

What companies will sponsor my hearts and get to house them after March?

Where will mine be displayed?

How much fun will I have actually painting these beauties?!

All I can say is… “I AM ALLLLLLLLLLLLL IN for this journey!”

Thanks for tagging along- I hope I can accurately document this journey of joy!