The Design class at Center Academy for Success (CAS), led by teacher Jay Colhour, has been selected to participate in the Parade of Hearts in spring of 2022. The mission of the Parade of Hearts is to unite our region through a public art experience. Heart-shaped art pieces created by 123 local artists making 154 pieces will be displayed in neighborhoods throughout the Kansas City area starting in mid-March through mid-June. Following the display, the finished pieces will be auctioned off to raise funds for sectors of our local economy most impacted by the pandemic.
The CAS entry is a silver heart adorned with over 2,300 decorative band-aids. The band-aids represent the healing power of community as everyone deals with the challenges that have come our way over the past two years. Mr. Colhour has long been known for a creative collection of band-aids kept in his classroom to help heal wounds, both physical and emotional, experienced by students and staff.
When Mr. Colhour learned of the opportunity to submit ideas for a heart, he worked with his design class to come up with ideas. They submitted three concepts with the band-aid design being selected by an independent jury as one of 154 winners out of over 700 entries.
The piece was created by the first spray painting the base to look like stone and the trim in silver. Next came the painstaking application of the band-aids. A protective covering of multiple coats of clear coat will protect the band-aids as they will be displayed in an outdoor setting (location to be determined) around Kansas City. Students and Mr. Colhour spent about 120 labor hours creating the heart.
A kickoff event is planned for March 4th to unveil the winning entries. Shortly after that they will be installed in neighborhoods throughout the Kansas City area. After being on display for about 2 months, the pieces will be auctioned at a live event in June. Proceeds from the auction will be donated to six charity organizations representing sectors of the economy severely impacted by the pandemic. The sectors include Health & Wellness, Education, Hospitality & Tourism, Small Minority-Owned Businesses, and Arts & Culture.