First Fridays at Casual Animal are like your favorite mixtape. Thoughtfully curated, it’s that perfect mash-up of local art, food, craft beer, and community spirit. Support our current Local Motive, WeCode/KC, browse the staff art booth, savor tacos from Cerberus KC, indulge in Whaley Sweet cookies, and kick back with a pint (or two). It’s everything local, creative, and feel-good — served up in one eclectic Crossroads evening. See you here for beer!

You are invited to our June Art Gallery Show!
Show runs thru July 3rd.
First Friday hours on June 6th. are from 5 till 8pm.
All are welcome and always free to see, thanks!
Regular Gallery hours are by appointment,
from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Closed Sunday
Jones Gallery 1717 Walnut, KCMO. 64108
816 – 421‑2111
https://jonesgallerykc.com/ 

Studio Above is a working artists studio/gallery. First Fridays are an opportunity to view and purchase different styles and mediums of original pieces of art.

On Friday, June 6, Kansas City audiences are invited to experience a rare visual exploration of the Underground Railroad. Through Darkness to Light: Photographs Along the Underground Railroad will be on view at the Culture Lab at Mid-America Arts Alliance in the Crossroads Arts District. Photographer Jeanine Michna-Bales, whose work documents real locations tied to escape routes from slavery, will be present during the event.

Through Darkness to Light, a traveling exhibition of ExhibitsUSA, showcases over a decade of Michna-Bales’ research and travel to document a roughly 2,000-mile route from Louisiana to Canada. Her dramatic nighttime color photographs are accompanied by historical context, helping visitors imagine the courage, risk, and perseverance of those who sought — and those who helped others seek — freedom. The exhibition is part of M‑AAA’s anniversary celebration of 20 years in Kansas City’s Crossroads Arts District.

“The photographs pull viewers into the shadows, making them feel the urgency of the journey to freedom. It’s a visually arresting, emotionally charged experience that lingers long after you leave,” said Kathy Dowell, director of arts and humanities programming at Mid-America Arts Alliance. “It’s an honor to share ExhibitsUSA’s longest nationally touring exhibition with our Kansas City community, especially during our 20th anniversary year in the Crossroads.”

Because of the secrecy necessary, there is little visual documentation of the Underground Railroad, making Michna-Bales’ work all the more culturally important for reflection and education

Jeanine Michna-Bales is a visual storyteller working in the medium of photography. Her work explores the impact of cornerstone relationships on contemporary society — the bonds with ourselves, others, communities, and the land we inhabit. Her work sits at the crossroads of curiosity and knowledge, combining documentary, fine art, and activism with disciplines such as anthropology, sociology, and environmental studies. Learn more at www.jmbalesphotography.com.

Belger Arts is pleased to present More Than Meets the Eye, an exhibition of two- and three-dimensional artworks that push the boundaries of perception. The exhibition opens Friday, June 6, at the Belger Crane Yard Gallery (2011 Tracy Avenue, Kansas City, MO) and continues through September 6, 2025. An opening night reception will be held on June 6, 2025, from 6 to 8 PM.

More Than Meets the Eye features artworks by Cortney Boyd, Eriko Kobayashi, Dylan Martinez, Stephen Morrison, Gina Pisto, and Logan Reynolds. In addition, works from the Belger Collection by artists such as Charles Bell, Paul Dresang, Misty Gamble, Marilyn Levine, Bonnie Seeman, and Renée Stout will also be on view, providing a historical context to the realism movement, creating moments of connection and conversation throughout the exhibition that span time and material.

In a world where perceptions shape beliefs, More Than Meets the Eye serves as a reminder that all is not what it seems. From Charles Bell’s photorealistic painting, Gumball No. 6, to Dylan Martinez’s hyperreal glass sculptures, Water Bags, the exhibition encourages careful consideration and invites viewers to carefully inspect, question, and meaningfully explore.

In conjunction with More than Meets the Eye, the Gallery will host a pop-up series in the vein of the “Is it Cake?” Netflix television show where bakers create hyper-realistic replicas of objects. Three local culinary artists will create “replicakes” (replicas in cake form) of specific works from the exhibition. The public is invited to view and taste these “replicakes” and purchase tasty treats at the culinary artist pop-ups held on the following First Fridays during the run of the exhibition:

• Friday, June 6, 6 – 8 pm: Natasha Goellner, owner of Mulberry and Mott.
• Friday, August 1, 6 – 8 pm: Pastry chef Nichole Taylor.
• Friday, September 5, 6 – 8 pm: Kannika Costello, owner of Mooyuei Baker.