Gateway at Meadowbrook Park

Based on the Kansas state flower, the sunflower, “Gateway” is designed to not only be striking and dynamic, but also an engaging and interactive art piece. Standing over 12 feet tall,  the center of the flower creates an archway that beckons visitors to walk through. Inside the arch, illustrated panels stretch up the interior sides and feature imagery that represents the history of the park and surrounding city, including Native American history, Immigrant history, and Jewish History. Artists from each of these communities were commissioned to contribute illustrations for the panels. Behind the illustrated panels, the rest of the archway is covered with mirror polished stainless steel that reflects the visitors below and represents the present and future of the community.

​Each petal is internally lit so that the piece lights up at night.

The goals of this project were to create a site specific sculpture that has a direct relationship to the community and park, activate the space, and enhance the feeling of civic pride and place among the residents.
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Location: Prairie Village, KS
Size: 12.5'x17'x3.5'
Materials: Powdercoated steel, corten steel, stainless steel and cast glass. 
*Glass by Dierk Van Keppel of Rock Cottage Glassworks

​Installed October or 2022
Illustrated Panels Contributing Artists: 
Jennifer Tiger from the Osage Nation (4A)
Ruth Blalock Jones from the Shawnee Tribe (4B)
Issac Tapia, Mexican-American Artist (5)
Laura Bolter, representing the Jewish community (8)

The panel illustrations represent: 
1. The prehistoric indigenous tribes referred to as a group as the "Hopewell" , represented by a hand symbol often found in Hopewell archeology.  

2. The many large rivers that converge in the  area that have attracted settlements throughout history. 

3. The bison that were once so numerous in the land and important to the livelihoods of the indigenous people. 

4a, 4b, 4c - Symbols of the native tribes that once owned the land the park sits on today, designed by Jennifer Tiger and Ruth Blalock Jones. 

5. The incoming of the railroads that changed society so greatly, built mainly by immigrant workers. Designed by Issac Tapia

6. The era in which the land was mostly farms until development in the 1960s

7. The homes and families that occupy the land today

8. A group of people dancing the Hora, a traditional Jewish celebratory dance, representing the era that the park itself was owned by the Jewish community, ran as a country club and golf course. Designed by Laura Bolter.

9. Modern day Kanas City skyline to the left (as Prairie Village is a suburb of KC) and Prairie Village down town area to the right.