We loved him as a man, respected him as an artist, revered him as a teacher and are indebted to him for his vision as an arts entrepreneur.
The art world mourns the passing of Jim Leedy in late December at the age of 91, following a 70-year career that enriched and transformed Kansas City in innumerable ways. “KC Studio” readers can get a sense of Leedy’s impact and influence in the current issue’s Artist Pages, showcasing the dynamism of his art and remarks from those who knew it best. Sincere thanks to photographer Gary Rohman for allowing us to use his striking portrait of Jim, and to E. G. Schempf for his remarkable image of Leedy’s monumental “The Earth Lies Screaming.” Our hearts go out to Leedy’s family, which plans to hold a memorial service in coming months.
As this issue goes to press, the COVID-19 tide appears to be turning, instilling great anticipation for the day when performing artists go back to singing, dancing, and playing without masks. On that score, February brought a heroic effort by the cast of KC’s Black Repertory Theatre, who despite the encumbrance of plastic face shields, delivered an inspiring and strenuous performance in their White Theatre production of “Memphis,” the story of a white DJ and his drive to promote Black artists in racist 1950s Memphis, Tennessee. The entire ensemble was terrific, with standout performances by Tyler Rowe and Valerie Chamberlain in the lead roles, and Robert Vardiman’s command of the role of “Bobby” establishing him as an artist to watch.
In addition to our regular coverage of new developments, the current issue of “KC Studio” features several columns and stories reflecting on social history. In conjunction with the 50th anniversary production of “Jesus Christ Superstar” coming to the Kauffman Center, Nan Chisholm reports on an extraordinary 1971 performance of the rock opera by Kansas City’s Lyric Opera in advance of its appearance on Broadway. Robert Trussell interviews iconic DJ Bob McWilliams about a career that included the establishment of the groundbreaking West Side Folk in Lawrence; in his column, Steve Paul shares a love of Joni Mitchell and Bob Dylan that has sustained him for almost 60 years. In their historical novel, “We the House,” reviewed in this issue by Calvin Wilson, architect Warren Ashworth and composer Susan Kander reveal their considerable talents and insights as authors.
As usual in Kansas City’s ever-renewing art scene, new ventures and projects abound. Julius Karash reports on the opening of the impressive Belger Glass Annex, located not far from the Belger Crane Yard Studios ceramics complex; in the Crossroads Art District, watch for the opening of a new animation academy, as Brian McTavish reports in his profile of career animator and Overland Park native, Gavin Dell.
In other news, “KC Studio” welcomes Ruki Neuhold-Ravikumar as the new president of the Kansas City Art Institute, Rick Truman as executive director of the Folly Theater, and Gonzalo Farias as David T. Beals III Associate Conductor of the Kansas City Symphony. And we join the family in mourning the passing of longtime Kansas City artist J.R. Hamil, whose distinguished career is chronicled in this issue by Randy Mason, with thanks to photographer Julie Denesha for providing the wonderful shot of the artist in his studio.
