Parade of Hearts.
2024 Parade of Hearts
Parade of Hearts is a Kansas City region-wide celebration brought to life through a magical, free public art experience featuring one-of-a-kind heart sculptures by local artists. It amplifies tourism, cultural pride, and connection while inviting all to feel the spirit, creativity, and generosity of the heartland.
Proposal + Submission
"The Gallery Lawn"
Moving to Kansas City for the first time, I lived on campus as a student at the KC Art Institute. The Nelson was next door neighbors and became a second home, whether it be wandering through the gallery itself, or sitting on the lawn to draw inspiration. The year before graduation, Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen gave a lecture where they revealed the installation that has become an icon of Kansas City.
My heart was hand painted, capturing the broad brush strokes found in my canvas pieces, bringing the spirit of the Nelson-Atkins lawn and those iconic shuttlecocks to life.
Design Process
I photograph my own references and then work on the composition digitally. From there it is off and running. First a sketch, then a wash of an underpainting to get the canvas ready. I work colors dark to light with the goal of final brush strokes being the highlights of the piece.
Final Design + Installation
I was honored to be selected as one of the local artists to create a heart sculpture for this celebration, with my piece titled "The Gallery Lawn" installed at the Overland Park Arboretum & Botanical Gardens.
Overland Park Arboretum & Botanical Gardens
July 6, 2024 (Facebook)
Have you seen the Parade of Hearts installation right outside LongHouse Visitor Center yet? 💙 📸 Don’t miss your chance to enjoy this incredible art by Wayne Wilkes (Fine Art by W2), surrounded by the beauty of the Arboretum. Hearts will be removed from public display August 18-21, so come snap a pic while it's still here. Starting August 14, the annual Heart Auction will go live online with proceeds supporting local nonprofits.
Final Thoughts
I was honored to be a part of the 2024 Parade of Hearts, and it was so exciting to visit in person my heart and witness others becoming excited about it. Spoiler alert: stay tuned for the 2026 Parade of Hearts—I have another in process!