With a passion for curating a collection of beautiful artwork in their Downtown Overland Park gallery, Prairiebrooke has built the reputation as a go-to source for art and custom framing for residential and corporate clients. The gallery represents a variety of artwork, from abstract, representational, photography and landscape. They exclusively represent all of their artists in the Kansas City area.
“It's always a special thing to see how our clients emotionally connect to Kansas Prairie-inspired artwork,” says owner Megan Hoban. “People love the Flint Hills, and collecting art that captures its essence creates a window into our treasured landscape. Every artist interprets the majestic skies and landscape from a different lens. The varied perspective changes with the light, angle, weather and mood. Our clients enjoy those unique perspectives and stunning colors our artists create in their works.”
Enjoy a glimpse into the "Window into the Flint Hills" through the eyes and brushstrokes of five Prairiebrooke artists.
Kim Casebeer was born and raised in Kansas on a family farm. As part of a fourth-generation farm family, she has been connected to the land for a long time. Kim lives in Kansas and draws her inspiration from the Flint Hills.
“It’s a simple landscape,” says Casebeer. “You have to spend some time and let it speak to you. I think the simplicity of the Kansas landscape has helped me find the essence of other places. I’m able to focus on what’s important in a composition.”
Cristine Sundquist is originally from St. Louis and has studied drawing, painting, and photography since the age of 12. Her appreciation for the uniqueness of people, as well as landscapes, is conveyed in each portrait or landscape painting. She has a constant fascination with solving the problems of light, composition and color in each painting and drawing endeavor. Each year she has participated in invitational shows, including 30 Women Artists Paint Kansas at the Coutts Museum and often has worked in the auction at Symphony in the Flint Hills.
Nathan Novack is a native to the extreme corner of the Midwest where he grew up with his parents and 13 siblings. After receiving his Bachelor of Fine Arts and Bachelor of Science in Education from Fort Hays State University, Nathan entered the art education world. He has taught at the high school and middle school levels for 16 years. Intrigued by the untapped talent of students, Nathan believes that there is art for everyone.
“Within the location, I can confidently say that I'm truly compelled by the array of variously composed visions,” says Novack. “The borders of the states seem to not be enough to justify the lines of differences among us, nor our lifestyles. Instead, the terrain with all its variables helps dignify my creative endeavors. Through these observations, there is an artistic compassion, an inspiration within that revolves into a conceptual display resolved onto the surface. These include the agricultural structures of the Midwest—they all share a relevance that magnifies from my perspective, embedded as a oneness to their surroundings. With encounters, I want to articulate the majestic beauty that is naturally integrated.”
Kelly Yarbrough is an artist based in Manhattan, Kansas. Her practice is rooted in an ecosystem that includes mixed media drawing, arts administration and creating meaningful opportunities for humans to engage with their environment. She enjoys unexpected collaborations, transdisciplinary conversations and continual learning.
“My work is rooted in the prairie ecosystem and presents views of place through an ever-expanding library of my lived experiences,” says Yarbrough. “The tallgrass prairie is called the most altered landscape on the planet, yet grasslands tell incredible stories of human history and their re-establishment can offer hope for the future of life in the Great Plains. I want to contribute to the growing body of knowledge and research seeking hopeful solutions to issues of the climate crisis and rural depopulation in the places I call home.”
Allan Chow has built a daring body of work for nearly two decades. Born and raised in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Chow’s creative journey began when he moved to the States as a teenager. Inspired by his Malaysian and American culture, Chow’s natural instincts as a painter are manifested through his exuberant colors, bold paint strokes and irresistible textures that set him apart from his peers and made his paintings one of the most preferred and collected in the country today. Chow paints with a palette knife, applying thick impasto in brilliant colors found only in dreams. His emotions and passions pour through his spontaneous yet controlled brushstrokes, creating a three dimensional experience for his audiences. His sophisticated style and obvious passion for painting have helped him establish a global following. Chow's original paintings belong to prestigious Kansas City-area collections such as H&R Block, the Kansas City Chiefs, the Kansas City Royals, BKD, Lewis, Rice and Fingersh Law Firm, Overland Park Convention Center, University of Kansas Medical Center, University of Missouri-Kansas City, Russell Stover Candies and the Kauffman Foundation.
Prairiebrooke is located at 7900 Santa Fe Drive in Overland Park. Stop by the gallery to see more of their work in person, or visit pbarts.com.