Tucked into the historic Union Hill neighborhood, Buttonwood Art Space operates with a quietly ambitious premise: what if an art gallery existed not to profit from artists, but to amplify them, and local non profits, too? The gallery’s model is to let artists keep half of the proceeds from any work sold, while the other half goes directly to a featured non-profit partner. The gallery itself takes nothing.
Buttonwood Art Space sits inside a late-19th-century building Buttonwood Financial Group purchased about two decades ago. Its history stretches back to the 1880s, and at one time it even housed the Union Hill Art Gallery. When the current owners, Wendy and Jon McGraw, acquired the property, they saw an opportunity to revive this creative legacy in a way that would reflect Kansas City’s arts community. “Jon and Wendy, instead of having cookie cutter or commercial art on their walls, wanted to create a space with and for local artists,” Kristy Wieland, Buttonwood Financial Group, said. “They’re always asking how they can give back.” The result of this empathy is a gallery that feels intentionally welcoming. There’s no barrier between casual visitors and the art itself. “Walk-ins are welcome here,” Kristy said. “It has an open, relaxed feel.”
The owners’ community-minded approach runs through everything the gallery does. Buttonwood rotates quarterly exhibitions connected to a different non-profit organization. Artists submit work through an open call, and the scale of the response demonstrates just how wide the gallery’s reach has become.“We get about 180 pieces from more than 100 artists,” Kristy said. Those works span nearly every imaginable medium. Oils and pastels hang beside photography, sculpture, jewelry, and other three-dimensional work. The range reflects the gallery’s goal of representing the full spectrum of the local creative scene.
Buttonwood’s exhibitions are also structured as social events designed to benefit their non-profit partners. Each show launches with a First Friday opening, but the gallery also hosts a special VIP evening tied directly to the featured organization. Those gatherings help non profits deepen relationships with their supporters, while introducing them to local artists whose work directly benefits the cause.
The current exhibition, Patterns and Perspectives, on display through June 24th, explores the visual rhythms that shape how we see and interpret the world. As with previous exhibitions, the show brings together a wide range of artists and mediums, offering visitors a layered conversation about pattern, both literal and metaphorical. Proceeds from this exhibit benefit Pathway to Hope, a local non profit committed to providing support and education for individuals and families navigating mental illness.
Patterns and Perspectives gathers an eclectic mix of voices and mediums, but the overall quality is striking. For example, mixed media pieces by Alicia Stott assemble painterly squares into compositions that reward close inspection, while vintage collage works by Sarah Taylor layer imagery in ways that feel both nostalgic and contemporary. Digital artist Wendy Delzeit contributes kaleidoscopic mandalas that pulse with color and symmetry, while Wanda Tyner offers evocative glass works. Also in the mix are the playful yet visually arresting geometric pieces of Tony Butler, works that channel a childlike sense of discovery while maintaining a careful compositional balance. What becomes clear while moving through the exhibit is the range of approaches artists bring to the central theme. Some lean into repetition and structure, while others explore patterns in more intuitive or emotional ways. Together, the pieces in Patterns and Perspectives underscore the depth and diversity of the regional artists who continue to find a home at Buttonwood.
Looking ahead, Buttonwood Art Space may be poised for an even larger role in the city’s cultural ecosystem. As the KC Streetcar continues expanding and strengthening the corridor between Midtown and the Crossroads Arts District, Kristy sees opportunities for deeper connections with Kansas City’s most visible arts hub. In a city known for its collaborative arts scene, the gallery continues to foster a space where creativity and generosity don’t just intersect, they share the same frame.
Featured in the April 4, 2026 issue of The Independent
By Willie Plaschke
