Bryan Stalder
Contributor

The Trap Gallery in Columbus Park will once again celebrate the beauty of oxidation during its annual Love Rust art show on Friday, October 17, from 6 to 10 p.m. The event, hosted by artist and gallery owner Dan Frueh, has become one of the neighborhood’s most distinctive traditions—blending visual art, live music, and a welcoming community atmosphere.

“The Love Rust celebration will showcase 14 artists from around the region who find beauty and inspiration in a process that most ignore, or even actively try to prevent,” Frueh said. “I am once again excited to host Love Rust.”

The show began more than a decade ago as a collaboration between artists who shared a fascination with rust—its colors, textures, and the natural process of decay. What started as a small dual exhibition has grown into the Trap Gallery’s signature event, attracting artists and visitors from across Kansas City each fall.

One newcomer this year is Theresa Scott, best known as the lead singer of Pamper the Madman. “Theresa approached me after last year’s show and told me being a part of it was on her bucket list,” Frueh said. “It’s not often one gets the opportunity to grant someone’s wish like that. I’m excited to see what she brings to the celebration.”

Many of the other artists have become fixtures of Love Rust, with Mary Fasone, John Marak, Charles Ray, Ann Reckling, Peter Warren, and Dan Wayne having participated since the show’s inception in 2011.

Visitors to this year’s Love Rust can expect a lively evening both inside and outside the gallery. Rust-themed artwork will fill the walls, while a DJ spins music indoors and a honky-tonk band performs outside near the fire pit. The event also features pop-up art and plant sales, offering guests an opportunity to take a piece of the experience home.

Located at 525 Gillis Street, the Trap Gallery has long been a cornerstone of Columbus Park’s art scene. Even as many nearby galleries closed in the late 2000s, Frueh kept the creative spirit alive through regular Third Friday events from April through October.

Now, after more than 20 years of hosting monthly shows, the Trap Gallery is shifting gears. “We’ve decided to limit ourselves to two shows per year,” Frueh explained. “For proXimity, a group show of Columbus Park artists, we’ll collaborate with other venues in the neighborhood each May to showcase the depth and breadth of talent of people living right around us. And, of course, Love Rust will happen on the third Friday in October.”

This new schedule, Frueh said, will allow him to pursue other creative uses for the space while continuing to “bring passion and energy to the neighborhood and keep art in Columbus Park alive.”

Love Rust is more than just an exhibition—it’s a celebration of the neighborhood’s enduring artistic energy and the community that continues to support it.

For more information, visit the Trap Gallery on Facebook at facebook.com/trapgallerykc.