Ruthie Messer Wolkey is one of the artists whose work was selected for the Parade of Hearts 2024. The Parade of Hearts is a public art experience that celebrates our diversity, unites communities, and supports nonprofits by placing beautifully designed hearts by local artists around the Kansas City metropolitan area. The hearts are 5’x5′ pieces of art with unique designs, with the artists’ inspiration and story behind them. Some of the hearts are whimsical, some are celebratory, some are thought-provoking, and all are simply beautiful works of art.
There were 436 entries, with 101 being selected for this year, and this is Ruthie’s second year of being a selected artist. Artists submit entries to the Parade of Hearts organization who decide on the selections. Ruthie learned to be an artist by working with her father who designed billboards and, over the years, explored and honed her individual artistic style. She created two hearts, one for blues and one for jazz. The blues heart has hidden elements such as the initials of Robert Johnson (RJ) and Samantha Fish’s logo. It also contains names of blues musicians, and past and present venues around Kansas City. Her hearts are currently located at the Vine Street Brewery. Ruthie can also be commissioned to paint specific pieces of art.
There is a QR code at the bottom of the hearts which contains a video of the artists at work. You can also learn more about Ms. Wolkey by visiting her website.
Editor’s Note: A previous version of this article stated that Ms. Wolkey’s hearts were located in the American Royal building. We apologize for the error.