“I’ve got people, I tell you.” That’s what I say when ever anyone has a problem. It’s kind of a Kansas City thing. You need a recipe? A place to stay? A job, a doctor, a church, a new car, a ticket, a reference, an interview? People in Kansas City know people. Not like in New York where you pull strings, or in Chicago where you…well I’m not sure really what you do in Chicago. But here we build relationships. That’s really why I got so involved with the Royals games last year. I’m not much of an athlete. My cousins will tell you their little league softball team beat mine every time when we were in elementary school. My love for the Kansas City Royals, it’s about the story, the big picture the long term team relationships.
It’s about character. Kansas City is all over character. You know the story. The winning Royals went to visit the Chiefs and somehow that team character —that underdog; we-are-all-one-team-spirit— kind of rubbed off. The Chiefs haven’t lost a game since. I don’t know enough about football to know if that’s the whole story. I haven’t watched all the football games this season. But I watched a whole season of baseball. Me. The person with three music degrees. Why? Because I love Kansas City? Yes. Because I understand baseball enough to know what’s going on? Yes. But more because of the relationships. Because of the character. I LOVE that guy Morales and his underdog story of leaving Cuba, coming back to win after not doing well. I LOVE that Salvador Perez is a kid from a little village who smiles all the time and is concerned for the guy from the other team when he gets knocked in the head. I LOVE that the winning run comes from that Colon guy who didn’t play for a month and then stood up and delivered in the World Series when he had to. I love all of the stories in between about loyalty, friendship, integrity and good old fashioned depth of character.
How in the world does that matter to the arts? To me, it’s the same kind of team I want us to build into the arts in Kansas City. I used to say that musicians are easier to talk to because you must have at least two musicians in a room to make music. Now an artist can close the door and make art all by themselves, but that is wrong. Artists need each other. They need someone to discuss, evaluate, brainstorm, see with new eyes, and yes, to be an audience for their work. They need relationships with other artists to recognize the value of art in their own life and in the world. Art really does change us, heal us, make us better. We cannot afford to let our artists close the door. We must open the doors and the windows and invite them into relationship with each other and with those who don’t yet understand how much art matters.
At Paper Birch Landing Studio and Gallery we are planing many ways to connect artists to each other and to our community. I’m very excited about building a team with the same principles that have led Kansas City to be recognized as the best in the world. I’ve got people you know. You need art? You need a painter, a poet, a writer, a baker, a candlestick maker? I’ve got people on my team:
Artists like Polly Alice whose fine arts background provides an eye for what is quality and how to connect creative people together. Authors like Tessa Elwood who dreams dreams of other worlds and then takes time to help new writers create their own worlds. Catalysts like Heather Collingsworth who can not only make incredible art herself, but can find and connect the best artists in Kansas City with each other and with new audiences. Designers like Nicholas Clark, artist in residence, whose understanding of what kind of art Kansas City really loves means we are on track for a winning team. Come and hear their story, or let us tell yours. We are opening our doors and windows and you’re invited in. To see how art matters.
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