Growing Kindness: A New Landmark of Art and Generosity at the Arboretum
On Friday evening, August 21, the community gathered at the Overland Park Arboretum & Botanical Gardens for the dedication of a remarkable new work of public art: Growing Kindness, a larger-than-life stainless-steel sculpture inspired by the iconic poppy artwork of beloved Overland Park artist and philanthropist Jeffrey Owen Hanson.
The dedication marked more than the unveiling of a beautiful new sculpture. It celebrated a young artist whose life was defined by creativity, generosity and an unwavering belief in the power of kindness – and a community coming together to carry that message forward.
A Vision Inspired by Jeff Hanson
Jeff Hanson, who passed away in 2020 at just 27 years old, was an internationally recognized artist and Overland Park native. Living with low vision from childhood, Jeff developed a distinctive artistic style filled with vibrant color, texture and oversized floral imagery. But his impact extended far beyond his artwork. Jeff donated paintings to more than 200 charitable organizations and helped raise approximately $7 million for causes across the country. His personal philosophy was beautifully simple: “Every act of kindness helps create kinder communities, more compassionate nations and a better world for all.”
Growing Kindness brings that philosophy to life on a monumental scale. Inspired by Jeff’s signature poppies, the sculpture transforms his two-dimensional artwork into a three-dimensional experience that invites visitors to walk beneath, around and among enormous stainless-steel flowers. Fabricated by Kansas City-based Zahner, the sculpture is designed to become a lasting landmark at the Arboretum.
Growing a Legacy
The Hanson family has said they hope people will see the sculpture and ask themselves, “What can I do to be kind?” What a wonderful question to place at the entrance to one of our community’s most treasured spaces. Growing Kindness will stand at the Arboretum for generations, changing with the light, seasons and landscape around it. And with every visitor who encounters it, Jeff’s message has another opportunity to take root. Because kindness, like a garden, doesn’t grow all at once. It grows one act at a time.
Located near the LongHouse Visitor Center, Growing Kindness adds something entirely new to the Arboretum experience. The Arboretum has always been a place where people come to connect – with nature, with one another and with themselves. Growing Kindness expands that experience by bringing together art and nature in one impressively beautiful setting.
The sculpture’s scale makes it impossible to miss. Its placement among the gardens creates a striking contrast between the permanence of stainless steel and the ever-changing beauty of the landscape. And because the sculpture is inspired by flowers, it feels right at home at the Arboretum.
Help Us Grow Kindness
The Arts & Recreation Foundation is honored to have played a role in bringing Growing Kindness to the Arboretum. We are grateful to every donor, partner and community member who helped make this extraordinary project possible. And we invite everyone who visits the Arboretum to experience the sculpture for themselves – and to carry Jeff’s message with them when they leave.
During the dedication ceremony, Foundation Executive Director, Sonya McLelland, shared the following: “As I was thinking about what I wanted to say on this important occasion, I kept returning to Jeff’s technique of using texture and bold color in his paintings. It struck me that the way he painted was a metaphor for his approach to life; he filled dark valleys on the canvas with vibrant, cheerful colors, and he filled the dark valleys of the world with charity and kindness.
The canvas of the Overland Park Arboretum & Botanical Gardens is now brighter and bolder thanks to the presence of this Growing Kindness sculpture. It represents the legacy of a remarkable young man, and may it continue to inspire kindness for generations to come.”