Art Exhibits

The mission of the Johnson County Arts & Heritage Center art exhibitions program is to celebrate the diversity and rich culture of our home. It is our goal to create thought-provoking exhibitions that encourage a new perspective of Johnson County’s place within the global community. Exhibitions are diverse in medium and artists with a five-show rotation throughout the year.

Many of the works in the exhibit are available for purchase directly through the artist, and all proceeds are retained by the artist.

Current Exhibition

Place of Peace, April 2019-July 2019

Veteran Artists Reception

Place of Peace brings to light the veteran experience and benefits of the arts to veterans as they transition into a state of well-being and return to civilian-life. Any person, with specific acknowledgement of veterans, who has experienced trauma is unwillingly forced into a processing stage which often involves severe anxiety and depression. It is all too common that this leads to suicide. Prevention is key. Finding a “Place of Peace”, be it a spiritual center, a garden, painting, theatre performance, or spending time with friends and family, we hope you find yours.

Reception: Friday, April 19 at 6:00 PM.

This reception is free and open to the public.

red flowers against grassy background

Sgt. Gary L. Walker, USAF (Ret.) is an Air Force Veteran who served from 1983 to 1990 and was stationed in West Germany and was injured in the line of duty. Years later Walker faced contemplation of suicide, but painting ultimately saved his life. 

Gary Walker, Ready For Spring 2019 (detail), 2019, 12" x 12" acrylic on canvas, unframed

MAJ Kirsten T. Vallinmaki (Hesterberg), U.S. Army (Reserve) is a single mother of two boys, Intelligence Officer in U.S. Army Reserve, OIF/OEF Disabled Veteran, and artist. Her work is about stepping out of the wild and into new growth.

Kirsten T Vallinmäki, Untitled (detail), 2018, 18" x 24", digital media, unframed

blindfolded woman with wings
headstones on american flag

SSG Zeke Crozier, U.S. Army (Ret.) is a retired Chinook helicopter Flight Engineer and founder of Handy-Cappin' LLC. Crozier sustained catastrophic injuries including a TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury). Bottle cap art acted as a bridge back to life. 

Zeke Crozier, Freedom Doesn't Come Without a Price (detail), 2019, 24" x 30", Artist Resin, Acrylic Paint, Plywood, Bottle Caps, Framed

3rd Congressional District State Competition, April 2019

happy girl with hair blowing

Rachel S. Park, Happy Times, 2019, 16" x 20", acrylic on canvas

Each spring, a nation-wide high school arts competition is sponsored by the Members of the U.S. House of Representatives. The Artistic Discovery Contest is an opportunity to recognize and encourage the artistic talent in the nation, as well as in Kansas' Third Congressional District.

The Artistic Discovery Contest is open to all high school students in our District. The winning artwork of our district's competition will be displayed for one year in the U.S. Capitol. The artwork of the runner-up will be featured in our District office in Overland Park. The exhibit in Washington will include the winning artwork from all participating districts from around the country.

You can learn more about eligibility and how to apply by visiting https://davids.house.gov/services/art-competition 

Portfolio Lab Exhibit


Girl measuring to hang artwork on a wall

July-August, 2019

Students in the Fine Arts Installation Camp will be working over the course of a week to curate and install an exhibition of their artwork. This camp will focus on how to curate and art exhibit, mat and frame artwork, and physically install work in the Creative Commons of the Johnson County Arts and Heritage Center. The opening reception for this exhibition will take place on July 12th.

Learn more about how to register your students for this camp HERE.

Sacred Spaces

Allison Bowman

botanical painting with leaves and branches by Allison Bowman


August-November 2nd 2019

Allison Bowman's artwork consists of imagined spaces that her viewers can get lost in. She is planning to create a continuous, immersive space using paintings on canvas, a mural installation, and alcoves of dyed fabric as a continuation off of her paintings. The idea is to create an environment that as soon as someone steps up to it they get transported to a new, unimaginable world. Set in isolation these environments promote self-reflection and discovery. They create an opportunity for one to experience childlike wonder and to escape from the real world, if only for just a little while.

You can learn more about Allison's paintings at www.amaranthineartist.com



Allison Bowman, Spectrum, 2019, 36" x 48", acrylic on canvas

The Whole Person


Thw Whole Person, an art exhibition for people with disabilitiesExhibition Dates TBD, 2019

An art exhibition showcasing artists with disabilities.

JCPRD Employee Exhibition

ArtsKC logoJanuary-March, 2020

Johnson County Parks and Recreation District employees are invited to apply to this exhibition hosted by ArtsKC. Artwork will be on display in the Johnson County Arts and Heritage Center Creative Commons.