Art

Merriam offers imaginative and inspirational art around every corner. Thanks to a five-year placemaking initiative designed to enhance public spaces in downtown Merriam, we're now home to many new beautiful sculptures that visitors and residents can enjoy, plus a host of other pieces and collections across the city. Plan a self-guided tour one day to see Merriam's artful offerings.

Hearts Across Merriam

To celebrate Merriam's 75th birthday, local artist Dierk Van Keppel with Rock Cottage Glassworks has crafted 75 beautiful, custom-blown glass hearts, each unique and full of character. From January through October, we’ll hide these hearts in various public spaces across Merriam, encouraging residents and visitors to explore the city’s parks, landmarks, and trails in a fun and engaging way.

Each month, a new batch of hearts will be tucked away, waiting to be found. If you stumble upon one of these treasures, take a moment to snap a photo and share it on Facebook or Instagram. Be sure to tag @exploremerriam and use the hashtag #HeartsAcrossMerriam to show off your discovery and share what you love about Merriam. Then, you’re welcome to take the heart with you as a keepsake.

This initiative not only highlights the creativity of local talent but also inspires people to discover the beauty and charm of Merriam. From hidden corners of parks to unexpected city landmarks, the hunt for these handcrafted hearts will take you on a journey to appreciate Merriam’s landscape, history, and artistic spirit.

Join the heart-hunt adventure, share your finds, and be a part of Merriam’s 75th birthday activities year-round!

This program is sponsored by Merriam's Public Art Committee.

Public Art Tour

Otocast App Logo Listen to insights from the artists, see pictures, and learn more about Merriam's public art and other works of art around our community.

Download the Otocast app for Android or iOS to have your guide to Merriam's public art!

Name	Artist	Location	Description
Celebration	Michael Walsh	6040 Slater St.	This piece was inspired by Flags 4 Freedom, an annual event in downtown Merriam during the week of Independence Day. The event features a field of more than 1,000 U.S. flags in perfect rows of patriotic pride. Celebration was commissioned in 2021 by former Merriam City Councilmember Nancy Hupp in memory of her husband, Ron. Both Nancy and Ron were instrumental in the creation of Flags 4 Freedom. Learn more about the artist's process on his website.
My Heart Resides in Strawberry Hill	Kate Burke	5740 Merriam Drive	With both sides covered in strawberries, it’s only fitting that this heart lives at the Merriam Farmers’ Market! Artist Kate E. Burke said this piece honors the Strawberry Hill neighborhood with the image of ripe strawberries packed inside the heart. “There is a thriving and engaging art scene growing in the Strawberry Hill neighborhood,” Burke said. “Along the edge and bottom is a nod to the Croatian immigrants who began settling the neighborhood back in the early 1900s.” The City of Merriam purchased this piece from the 2024 Parade of Hearts auction and it will permanently reside under the marketplace pavilion.
Hmmm...	Joshua Weiner	5191 Merriam Drive	This sculpture features a nine-foot tall caterpillar standing next to a 12-foot cairn (stack of river boulders) with a butterfly perched on top. This fun art piece was created to playfully explore place-making and identity and is located at Merriam's beautiful Waterfall Park.
Trinity	Dierk Van Keppel	9100 W. 74th Street	Suspended in the main hospital atrium, this massive sculpture features glass fixtures that were cast and blown by Rock Cottage Glass Works, the studio of local Merriam artist, Dierk Van Keppel.
Still Time	Dan Maginn, DRAW Architecture + Urban Design	Johnson & Merriam Drives	This sculpture features an 8x8 limestone and steel tower with a large wind chime inside. The wind chime sounds counterpoint the busy intersection with a sense of calm. The work celebrates the timeless presence of wind on the site, tying into the memory of the original settlers of the region, the Kanza Tribe, which were known as the “People of the South Wind.” The artist team worked closely with UMKC composer Paul Rudy on the sound component of the piece. Once the tower was in place, the team performed an analysis of the resonance of the chamber, which allowed Paul to suggest the five exact notes that would resonate the most, and provide the richest sound experience.
Motherhood	Kwan Wu	6304 E. Frontage Road	This bronze sculpture and water fountain was dedicated in 2006 at the Merriam Historic Plaza & Visitors Bureau. The mother bear with her cubs celebrate one of the most popular features of historic Merriam Park, a 40-acre amusement park greeting thousands of visitors daily in the late 1800s.
Prairie Wildflowers	Sage Vaughn	6121 Slater St.	This outdoor metal sculpture installation features four prairie flowers, some reaching taller than the building itself. The flowers are Mexican Hat coneflowers and sunflowers. Vaughn’s goal was “to take some of those flowers that are common and make them remarkable, with the idea being that it's a public space, that it is something that can help inspire memories and kind of make things locatable even for the very, very young people who access that space.”
Merriam Roots	Emily Alvarez	6121 Slater St.	This 360 degree mural located inside Merriam Plaza Library uses vibrant colors and raised plexiglass. The mural expresses on how prairie organisms, roots, and community are intertwined. It features the Webb family, Merriam residents, and leaders of the 1940s movement to desegregate schools.
Kansas City Mural	Mike Elder	5541 Merriam Drive	This mural reps all of KC's favorite sports teams, iconic attractions, and landmarks across the region. Inspired by the artist's love for KC, Mike tries to connect art to what is his favorite part--the community! This mural was meant to brighten the view in downtown Merriam at Hurricane Allie's Bar & Grill, while inspiring civic pride.
Planting the Seeds	Christopher Weed	5740 Merriam Drive	This stunning sculpture was inspired by nature. Each sphere's brilliant mirror finish with organic variations suggests a large, sprouting seed. The piece transforms the viewer to another realm--muting the outside distractions while providing an opportunity of reflection.
Downtown Merriam Mural	Michael Young	6040 Slater Street	This mural by Michael Young shows a replica of downtown Merriam, circa 1940. The stylized image was painted from a photo taken by Dr. Fawks who had family ties to Merriam for over 50 years. The mural hangs in the Merriam Community Center.
Bask	Blessing Hancock	6040 Slater Street	Bask is located in the courtyard of the Merriam Community Center. Using the sun and pools as inspiration, the artist created this series as it relates to the surrounding environment and community activities. The sculptures incorporate words collected from Merriam residents describing their community, and come alive with color-changing lighting at night.
Seasons of Merriam Mural	Charles Goslin	9001 W. 62nd St (inside City Hall, 2nd level Community Training Room)	This mural hangs in the Community Training Room at Merriam City Hall. It depicts much of Merriam's early history including Merriam Park, David Gee Campbell, the Quaker Mission, American Indians, a covered wagon and trolley car, the first permanent school building, and many other homes and businesses from the 1860s to the 1930s. The mural was dedicated in 1986.
Slater St. Antiques	Melissa Feris	5905 Slater Street	Explore Slater St. Antiques' vibrant murals just east of I-35, north of Johnson Drive. While you're there, pop in to peruse their delightful array of antiques, decor, collectibles.
Tim Murphy Art Gallery	Rotating Exhibits	6040 Slater Street	Featuring monthly exhibits by local and regional artists, and the host to the annual Heartland Artist and High School Visual Arts Exhibitions, this gallery is located inside the Merriam Community Center. Free to the public, many art pieces are also available for purchase. Learn more about the Tim Murphy Art Gallery and view the 2024 gallery exhibit schedule(PDF, 1003KB) .
Uplift	Tyler Kimball	Merriam Grand Station, 8715 Shawnee Mission Parkway	Uplift is composed of 81 large blown-glass elements mounted on a stainless steel armature. The is glass by Kansas City glass artist Tyler Kimball, and the armature was designed and fabricated by Leopold Gallery. Tyler and Leopold collaborated on the overall design. Inspiration for the piece came from the botanical world as well as from the shape of a campfire. The viewer can see in it whatever they choose. The piece is meant to have a distinctive voice during daylight hours, when sunlight shines through it, and a different voice when it is lit at night.