Dorri Partain

Managing Editor

A flurry of new artistic endeavors were unveiled and completed this past week — showcasing the talents of a local artist, students and anyone willing to pick up a paint brush — bringing a colorful flair to multiple Northeast neighborhoods.

Roll Out the Barrels

A unique project, which involved 55 gallon lidded barrels — created for four Northeast neighborhoods by artist Frederick Crawford —- was unveiled on Oct. 10 during the Northeast Kansas City (NEKC) Chamber of Commerce’s Coffee, Culture and Conversation gathering. Crawford specializes in portraits and caricatures of notable persons and has also created barrel murals for the Washington Wheatley neighborhood on the city’s eastside.

Participating neighborhoods —- Indian Mound, Pendleton Heights, Paseo West and Scarritt Renaissance — selected the images that Crawford applied based on an association to each neighborhood.

Indian Mound selected Native Americans of the Osage tribe, Black Dog and Pawhuska, for its barrel. Pendleton Heights chose founder of the Northeast Community Center John B. Bisceglia and his son-in-law Judge Charles Shangler — who later founded Scuola Vita Nuova Charter School (544 Wabash Ave).

Historian and author Dory DeAngelo, children’s author Frances Royster Williams and composer Edward Harry Kelly were selected by Scarritt Renaissance and the home of Sarah Rector at 2000 E. 12th St. is represented on the barrel for Paseo West. No authenticated photos of Rector exist; This home is currently under restoration.

Crawford stated the only difficulty with painting on a curved surface is to maintain the dimension without distortion. “You don’t want to lose the essence, the degree of power of that person,” he said.

Each barrel can be used as a portable art piece or placed in a permanent setting. Crawford uses oil-based enamel paint that will last outdoor weather for several years. Funding for this project was provided by the NEKC Chamber of Commerce and the Independence Avenue Community Improvement District.

Red, White and Blue Renewed

As trains rubbled overhead, volunteers rolled red, white and blue paint to cover the support pillars of the railroad overpass at the intersection at Hardesty Ave. and Ninth St. to complement the adjacent patriotic mural completed over two decades ago.

Spearheaded by Sheffield Neighborhood Association president Mark Morales, this community-driven project offers a refresh — painting over graffiti, brightening areas that have faded over time and adding new elements in a continued patriotic theme.

Morales was joined by 10 others from Northeast and beyond on Saturday, Oct. 12, during this second session. The previous Saturday, 13 volunteers offered their assistance — including Jackson County legislator Manny Abarca — who donated toward the cost of paint and brought his young children to add red and blue handprints to the design.

In addition to Abarca, NEKC Chamber of Commerce donated funds for paint and Morales was appreciative of a 25% discount from Westlake Hardware, where the paint was purchased.

If time and weather permits, Morales said he’d like to do one more session — possibly next Saturday (Oct. 19) — to paint the underpass’s center pillars. To complement this mural project, the Sheffield Neighborhood Association applied to the city’s PIAC (Public Improvement Advisory Committee) to request LED lighting under this bridge, which would increase visibility for drivers and reduce crime and graffiti.

Ballerinas and Fairy Lights

Within the Pendleton Heights neighborhood, Sage Alley saw a flurry of activity on Saturday, Oct. 12 as students, their mothers and neighbors grabbed brushes and applied paint to fill in the final details of two murals.

Now in its second year, PH neighborhood association’s Alley Murals & Fairy Lights project tackled the alleyway between Wabash and Olive Avenues to Pendleton to St .John avenues. Vegetation was cleared away to make way for a 56-foot long mural along a 6-foot-tall fence and a 50-by-11-foot-tall mural along a concrete retaining wall.

Earlier this year, students from Kansas City Art Institute (KCAI) met with neighbors to garner ideas for the two mural areas. Led by instructor and Pendleton Heights resident Héctor Casanova Cinderhouse, 12 students were broken into two teams — five for the fence mural and seven for the wall. In addition to compiling ideas into final designs, each team member had an assigned task.

Within each team, the project manager oversaw the project’s steps, while others documented with photos, social media posts, copywriting and served as the media spokesperson.

After the surfaces were prepped and primed, students started with a “doodle grid” to assist with placement and scale of the design elements. Work days on-site lasted from five to six hours, on weekends and afternoons.

Sage Alley’s mural designs were selected based on the interests of nearby residents — a gardening theme for the retaining wall where an avid gardener resides and a ballerina theme  along the fence for a young dancer.

The final push to complete this project included applying two coats of a clear varnish, which will protect the murals and ensure they will be enjoyed for years to come.

Lastly, neighbors will add the “fairy lights” — solar lighting that will increase visibility and safety for those who drive this alleyway after dark.

To celebrate the project’s completion, neighbors, artists and guests will gather in Sage Alley on Saturday, Oct. 19 from 5 to 7 p.m., with a variety of food and drink for all to enjoy, while they admire this outdoor art gallery.