7 minute read
Where Art Takes Root
The Tallgrass Artist Residency invites creators from around the globe to find meaning, stillness and inspiration in the Flint Hills of Kansas.
ARTICLE BY Lucas Shivers
PHOTOGRAPHY BY Nick Krug and courtesy Kelly Yarbrough
Welcoming artists, musicians, storytellers and poets from around the world to the unique Kansas ecosystem, the Tallgrass Artist Residency features the tallgrass prairie to foster connection and conversation. In its 10th year, the program has drawn hundreds to the region to learn and create art of all kinds.
“I had an idea that the tallgrass prairie was something special, but I didn’t know how much I would fall in love with it,” says Kelly Yarbrough, the Tallgrass Artist Residency’s lead administrator. “I felt the need to create an opportunity for more artists to visit the Flint Hills and be close with the last remaining pieces of the tallgrass prairie.”
In 2016, while pursuing her graduate degree in drawing at Kansas State University, Yarbrough turned her vision for the program into a reality.
“The residency is a program of the Kansas Arts Commission with a consistent budget, so we can focus on the program instead of fundraising,” Yarbrough says. “We host only about 10 artists per season, and they typically come one at a time. We try to connect each artist with resources that can help further their research or work.”
Residents stay at Matfield Station in the small town of Matfield Green and travel throughout the area. Applicants possess a strong body of work showcasing a unique voice, selfdriven dedication to learning about their surroundings, and an interest in engaging in contemporary dialogue. The residents each present a final showcase to highlight their work.
“Many artists deepen their understanding of a topic, expand definitions or highlight the under-recognized or under-represented,” Yarbrough says.
Resident Highlights
Past residents include composer and musician Susan Mayo, who created a four-part composition for her string quartet inspired by the prairie in 2017.
“The music was incredible to hear at the closing event for the residency. Susan has performed that piece many times in other communities,” Yarbrough says. “She has also gone on to collaborate with another resident, photographer and filmmaker Cyan Meeks, on a number of projects, including Flint Hills Counterpoint.”
Common themes include a focus on the interconnectedness of life and community.
“Many artists are interested in specific ecological topics, but others are more interested in social or historical topics, and many are exploring expressions of personal or familial identity,” Yarbrough says.
Another musician, Ben Cosgrove, a pianist and composer from 2021, produced his album Bearings in 2023 and returned to the Flint Hills multiple times to perform along cross-country tour routes.
“I work with each artist ahead of their arrival to learn what they are interested in exploring or learning while they’re in residence,” Yarbrough says. “I do my best to connect them with local folks or regional resources. We work with local organizations and building owners to host artwork.”
Art Tells the Stories
Based in Kansas City, 2023 resident Sandra ScottRevelle learned of the opportunity on Facebook.
“I was very interested in seeing the Flint Hills,” Scott-Revelle says. “I saw it and said, ‘Yes, that’s what I want to do.’ It was a shock to get in, and I was so excited. I was a fairly new artist at that point when I was putting feelers out for art opportunities, so I was just thrilled to death.”
The ecosystem of the prairie pulled Scott-Revelle into learning more about the people from the region.
“The last few years of my life have been complicated, complex and cluttered,” Scott-Revelle says. “The Flint Hills is where I love to be.”
Scott-Revelle is a self-taught artist who works with fabrics and textiles. She also creates short stories that accompany her art. During her residency, she researched Exodusters who came to Kansas after the Civil War.
Many of Scott-Revelle’s inspirations and sources come from historical narratives.
“I discovered a historical figure named Sarah Taylor (1807–1872). The eager people at the historical society were so kind,” Scott-Revelle says. “The whole community works so well together with gracious hearts to make everyone feel welcome, even a city girl like me.”
“I got an image for this project in my mind: I saw a woman standing next to a rock looking over the Flint Hills,” Scott-Revelle says. “When I learned about Sarah, the art all came together.”
The final artwork turned out to be large, with lots of hand stitching, and she finished it the day of the display.
“I loved how it turned out,” Scott-Revelle says. “Many of my works are not for sale as I’ve noticed such a difference (in having) the original when I share with others … since the (original) art is alive, and people respond so much more to the depth of the stories.”
Her work on Sarah Taylor will be featured in the 2025 Symphony Flint Hills Field Journal
“I was so thankful for the experience to see how my work touches people all across the ranges of life as the stories get into the heart,” Scott-Revelle says. “It’s so encouraging to continue on, thanks to the residency.”
Mark the Calendar
Come to the Fall Gathering in Matfield Green on Saturday, October 4, 2025! Follow @TallgrassArtistResidency on Facebook or Instagram and sign up for emails at www.tallgrassartistresidency.org for notifications about artist events.
A Prairie Season: Songs, Stories & Seedlings
Singer Brian Johannesen, 2024 Tallgrass Artist in Residence, initially heard about the opportunity from a songwriter friend on Instagram.
“I spent time working in three areas: fleshing out lots of writing for a new music album, learning about prairies at several area preserves, and being in the Flint Hills environment I was writing about,” Johannesen says. “There are no places like the wideopen prairie where I live, so I was inspired by the landscape to be productive.”
Based in Iowa City, Johannesen started in music 16 years ago. The residency helped him get serious with a new album.
“It was a good fit and time, because during the pandemic, I lost work in booking bands for venues,” he says. “So I went back to school to get a sustainability certificate. I worked with several businesses in Iowa and then went back into the music industry.”
His new album explores human effects on climate change, effectively drawing attention to this issue through music.
“The time got my wheels turning again,” he explains. “Statistics and numbers can’t always connect, but stories matter so much more.”
As a part of the residency, Johannesen played a show at the Dusty Bookshelf to try out some of the songs he had been working on to see how the music landed with locals.
“I needed space, and the folks in the community took me in to share what was going on,” he recalls. “It was so nice to have the context of the region. I was validated that it all sounded right to them. It all resonated with them.”
The Residency allowed for productivity and solitude to take the beginnings of ideas to completion.
“I walked out with complete songs and seedlings of others,” says Johannesen. “Going back to a busy life with a job and kids, it was so helpful to map out the whole project as a destination rather than loose ideas.”
