Third Friday Art Walk with Andy Lozano, New Art, Artists and Beth Gulley Poetry Reading

Polly Alice McCann
Aug 19
6 min read

Cautionary Tail, Our Stories

I'll never have a bird bath,I always said.

Not because I didn't want one-

Why do we always say never to

what we want the most?

I'll never have a porch swing,

I always said

a trellis neither

a pumpkin patch that grows 13 pumpkins

like it has magic soil.

Did you know if you

slice an apple crossways

it holds a star inside?

Because what if all it took was for

us to find our dream was

to turn sideways and open our

hearts?

Today it's hot outside

so I go to fill the bird bath with water

just like grandma used to

and even that is already done for me

by the rain. Why did all my never-wills

come true? Why did my dearest

heart's desires break open?

Last year at this time

I went to the thrift store

and found a little cream and sugar

set in stoneware. They had

blue painted flowers on them

a little clumsy, a little chipped,

but I took them saying,

this is what my life could look

like. I could have a cream

and sugar life someday.

I put them in my bedroom

and twelve months later

I'm here drinking coffee

on a porch swing swirling

the sugar with my spoon

a whole world has appeared

beneath its tiny chipped lid

and here I am in a new life

where my never-wills have escaped

and become evers. Where

the never-wills were prayers

with tiny wings of sugar

'til the bitter and sweet

are on my tongue, both good

days and bad.

A story that starts with never

is a cautionary tale. A tale that is cut

short will beg to speak

until it is a much longer one. So I will

celebrate each never like pink

flowers growing. I will celebrate

the hummingbird who drinks from them

under the beautiful trellis arched by

the road on Lake Avenue.

The water in the bird bath

catches the light of this day

the same water that was once in

rivers, in glaciers and clouds

was once in me. You know

we are part rainstorm.

Part mountain.

Part ocean wave. No wonder we feel everything.

No wonder we see ourselves

reflected here and find joy.

Third Friday Art Walk & Saturday Urban Sketchers

It's the Cautionary Tail show of animals and illustrators, featuring Andy Lozano & Tylee Hanson along with over 15 artists and poets. This weekend is special because we will have the gallery open on Friday night, Aug 21st for a Third Friday Art Walk with live music by Michael Whitty. Tour the new show, 8 art studios, and a solo show by Gabriela Franco Perez. Read more below.

We are Creative Spark Gallery at Englewood Row in the Englewood Arts District in Independence, MO.

Saturday: Join us for a day with Urban Sketchers. Draw and maybe go out to lunch with new and old art friends. 9 to 11 am. 10922 E. Winner Road hosted by Rebecca Tombaugh.

Sunday 12noon to 5 pm- Parkviille Days (and Sat 10 am to 10 pm). Thank Heather Collinsworth our creative Director for spearheading Parkville Days this year with a small and mighty team. Enjoy any or all of the three day weekend in beautiful downtown Parkville, MO.

Tuesday Noon- Gentle Yoga in the gallery with Tasjha Dixon.

Friday 28th 7 pm- Open Mic featuring poet, Beth Gulley. Come to her book launch party!

My Substack is coming out starting next week. If you loved reading my newsletter in the past, enjoyed my personal poetry or art, consider supporting my work by subscribing for new art, poetry, snail mail prints, podcast links, creative meditations, stickers, and more. If just 120 of my 1200 readers subscribe, I can do all sorts of amazing things like support more artists, show more art, and order new glasses to help me see my way to new creative work!

At the gallery, I'm starting phase two where we find local businesses to show art. They hire our art service to bring in quarterly artists, art receptions, food and music for their community. Contact me for more info. We are also launching our online classes and in-person classess for September in a couple of weeks.

Message me if you'd like an editor or mentor for your poetry, short fiction, kidlit, artist statements, and more. I have three more client spots open. Schedule a session on our website creativesparkgallery.com or text me for an appointment

816 507 4193.

xoxo

Polly Alice

Buy Polly's Animal Art Prints!

Friday July 17, 6 pm to 9 pm

Gabriela Franco Perez is a Missouri artist who paints in oil. Through her work, she evokes the emotions of solitude and the idea of place. These exquisite still lives are not mere florals; they depict a sense of mood and presence, an acceptance of loneliness through comfort in a safe and gentle environment. Quiet, intimate, melancholic, yet strongly present, these pieces explore internal and external landscapes in both mood and palette. Gabriela studies fine art at Johnson County Community College, and you can find more about her work on her Instagram @gab1per3zz.

Give an Artist a one month solo show!

Give an Artist a one year residency!

Artist featured above is Tylee Hansen

Classes Fall 2026

Yoga at noon and 4:30 on Tuesdays. The afternoon class begins soon.

Classes: 12-week semesters –Sept to Dec and March to May

Yoga Tues noon Tasjha, Tues 4:30 pm Yoga Katie Coen
Tuesdays 6-8 PM Writers Critique Group Rebecca Tombaugh
Wednesdays 7 PM Kids Drama Class c/o Jeannine with Marin City Players
Thursdays 6-7:30 PM Short Stories to publishing. Get your story published in 12 weeks in our anthology, 4 seasons x 3 Rebecca Tombaugh
Fridays 1 PM Carole Pomeranrz’ Art School Class 4 wks each each of drawing, watercolor, painting.
3rd Fridays: Receptions and Live Music
4th Fridays 7 pm Poetry Circle Open Mic
Saturdays 9 to 10:30 AM: Painting Plein Air with Rebecca class & critique 11 to 12, drop-in critique
1st Saturdays 2 to 5 PM Plant and Sip Terrariums with Martha
3rd Saturdays 11 AM to 4 PM: Open House & Art Demos
2nd Sundays 3 PM: speaking your truth workshop with guided meditations c/o Within by Jen
Sundays: KE’s Make and Take Quilty Party by appointment

Coming soon.

Glass Bead Bracelet class by Vicki Jones from Hot Glass

Family Art Class by Kitty BK

Color & Texture class with Angie Prindle

Class Bookings

New Studio Artists, Welcome

JOHN HILL, VETERAN, BASQUIET- INSPIRED John Hill is a disabled veteran who has recently taken to painting after being challenged by his VA therapist to try something different. He studied creative writing at UMKC. John is a third-generation Marine Corps veteran, and his ability to lean on his experiences in the corps to take on this challenge head-on has been beneficial. John was born in Independence, MO, and lived most of his young life here until a move to Newport News, Virginia. His travel in the service allowed him to live in Southern California, North Carolina, Saudi Arabia, and Tulsa, Oklahoma. John’s inspiration for his work comes from many sources, especially his love of music. Jazz, rock and roll, and especially punk/hardcore fuel his style and motivation. He’s definitely adopted the DIY style of punk in his creations. Plus, his intense admiration of Jean-Michel Basquiat and Picasso allows him to freely attack each project. John is very happy to have been taken in by the family here at Creative Spark! Our own Parisian Salon in Independence!

REBECCA TOMBAUGH, JOURNALIST, ARTIST visit her studio full of Inkies, Textiles work, Spices and more...Join her with Plein Air and Urban Skethers. With near four decades of writing and publishing experience, Rebecca Tombaugh is an award-winning investigative reporter, writer, former managing editor of The Kansan and owner/publisher of The Johnson County Business Ledger magazine. She has also

published numerous short stories, poems, and four books, and served as president of

the Kansas City Press Association.

Twice, she gained national attention when she was taken to court for refusing to turn over sources and documents to the Wyandott County government and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department.

Take her short fiction to publishing class and come away with a published work this fall. Or come to pein air. Hang out with artists and get some critique or feedback on your art and writing with Rebecca and friends.