Kansas City Leader Jan Jensen – Artist & Art Enthusiast

[00:00:00.380] – Virginia Huling
Our guest today is Jan Jensen, of Jan Jensen Art, and I’m going to have her introduce herself.

[00:00:17.550] – Jan Jensen
Thank you so much. I am way excited to be here. And yes, I am Jan Jensen from Jan Jensen
Artists. My tagline is All Things Art, which is silly because nobody is all things art, but I’m having a
great time.

[00:00:32.710] – Virginia Huling
So tell us about yourself. Tell us about Jan Jensen Artists. Just a quick intro.

[00:00:37.420] – Jan Jensen
Quick intro. I grew up raised by grandparents. That’s a significant effect on my life, grandparents who
had grown up during the… Who lived during the Depression and were farmers. So big influence. I was
a musician, taught music for 30 years, vocal music. I loved it so much fun. Then did some work in
fashion and then migrated to the art world. Really fun. The trip from Nebraska, where I grew up,
happened because my husband went to med school in Omaha. I was looking for a residency, an
internship, and it was in Kansas City, and there you go.

[00:01:24.300] – Virginia Huling
So with Jan Jensen Artists, I want to give a chance to do a shoutout. Will you give us your social
media channels, like where our audience can find you online?

[00:01:35.070] – Jan Jensen
Yes, we’ve made this very easy. It’s Jan Jensen Artists. There’s an S on the end of it, but that’s
everything. It’s my website, it’s Instagram, it is Facebook, it’s LinkedIn. Fabulous. Jan Jensen Artists.

[00:01:51.790] – Virginia Huling
All right. So tell us a little bit about your background. You guys ended up here with your husband
looking for.

[00:02:01.200] – Virginia Huling
A… -Internship?

[00:02:01.920] – Jan Jensen
-internship and residency.

[00:02:03.030] – Virginia Huling
-internship and residency. What were you doing during those long years?

[00:02:08.020] – Jan Jensen
I was sleeping in the parking lot at KU Med. Oh, wait, that doesn’t sound right. Tom was in doing a
residency here, and I was teaching, and we had one car. For those people who know Kansas City, I
taught in Blue Valley, Indian Creek, which is way south. As I said, we had the one car. I would take
Tom to work. I would, from South Kansas City to the Med Center, go back and teach and then come
back up to pick him up at night and was in the parking lot sleeping. It was really interesting. I’m
excited I’m alive. I’m just going to go with that. It was an odd time back in the day. But anyway, I did
teach vocal music middle school. Loved it. It was great.

[00:03:11.780] – Virginia Huling
How did you get into your current role?

[00:03:14.410] – Jan Jensen
Oh, such a story. As I said, I was a music teacher, did that for years. Loved it, loved the kids. We would
have the kids come over when they were eighth graders in the spring for dinner at our house and
everybody had to dress up. One kid raised his hand and said, I know why you have this dress-up. It’s
so we behave better, isn’t it? Yeah, I wasn’t born yesterday. That is why that is. Then after that, and I
quit teaching… Well, actually, then we had three kids, and I was out for nine years. Went back and did
it again, still loved it, but quit before I was vested because my room had no windows in it. I’m sorry, no
windows. It’s because the music rooms are typically close to the stages and the theater, and so
they’re in the back. I got those wall-y things. Remember those wall-ys? Pasted them on the wall. That
was a window, so I could pretend like there was a window. The last couple of years, I would just get
out of the room as often as I could to go outside. Yeah, I’m done. I did that and then was contacted by
a couple of fashion industries. One was Cavi, Carol Anderson, by invitation, which Carol is a designer
in California, and she had a direct sales business because she wanted her clients to be able to see all
of her clothes. That was really fun. I realized doing that that I was still teaching. I was teaching about
fashion and color and all this thing, and again, getting people together. We’d have a show in the
morning and one in the afternoon at my house. But the fun part for me was lunch when people got
together between and chatted about lunch. So very fun. I eventually got tired of just having, Oh, what
woman has ever said this? I had too many clothes in my house, in my closet. I said, Okay, enough of
that. Then somebody said, Well, why don’t you do something with art? You always have original art in
your homes. You always know who it was. You can talk about it. Why don’t you do something with
art? Well, why not? I started Jan Jensen Artists and had no idea what I was doing. Not being a visual
artist had been in music and fashion, but not being a visual artist, but found there were so many
artists in Kansas City who just wanted somebody to see their work, just to be recognized as an artist.
That was how that thing all evolved.

[00:06:10.480] – Virginia Huling
Came together.

[00:06:11.350] – Jan Jensen
Came together.

[00:06:12.090] – Virginia Huling
At Jan Jensen Artists, you are an intermediary between the artists and anybody who wants to have art
in their home or office, correct?

[00:06:24.110] – Jan Jensen
Right.

[00:06:24.400] – Virginia Huling
Their business.

[00:06:25.410] – Jan Jensen
Right.

[00:06:25.790] – Virginia Huling
Tell me about what you’re creating with that, creating those spaces.

[00:06:33.040] – Jan Jensen
I’m thinking about why I first went into this business. It’s because I would see, again, so many artists
who didn’t have their work out any place. I’m thinking, Well, why in Kansas City with all the walls that
are in homes and offices and buildings, and why are these artists not getting their work? Why don’t
people know? I think there are three reasons why people don’t want it. They just don’t think about it.
It’s not in their culture. It’s something they don’t think about. They go to… There are places you can
buy art that is licensed work. It’s fine, somebody has obviously created it, but you don’t know who it is,
you don’t know the story. There is that. Then the other thing that I found was that people think they
don’t know enough. They aren’t smart enough. They feel like they will be judged on what they choose.
I had learned in the fashion world that all of our brains are wired to like different shapes and colors
and lines. It has nothing to do with being judgy because you like one piece and I like another. It’s our
brain that’s what we do to alleviate that fear. Then the third thing is it might cost too much. Is it in my
budget? We have sold things through Jan Jensen Artists anywhere from $25 to $10,000.

[00:08:12.330] – Virginia Huling
Oh, wow.

[00:08:12.860] – Jan Jensen
There is something for everyone.

[00:08:16.730] – Virginia Huling
What do you find the most rewarding about this?

[00:08:22.380] – Jan Jensen
The most rewarding is finding an artist who doesn’t know they’re an artist. Okay. Just today, we
installed some photographs at a space here in town. The artist is a neighbor, and we were just… We
were just getting together for a happy hour with a bunch of women and walked into her loft and the
wall is covered with these little mixed tiles of photos. Unbelievable photos. Well, she is one who
travels all the time and has taken photos and she just did it for fun. She knew she had thousands of
them on her computer and started having fun with them. I was blown away because she has an eye.
She knows how to do it, she gets colors. I just said, You are an artist, you should do this. No, I’m not.
She has since then really done a lot of study on how to improve her skill. She now says, I am an artist.
I can name a number of people who now say, I’m an artist. How cool is that?

[00:09:41.000] – Virginia Huling
Isn’t it funny how people feel like they have to have permission?

[00:09:43.550] – Jan Jensen
Oh, my God.

[00:09:44.180] – Virginia Huling
You have to be validated by somebody else in order to call yourself an artist. Right. Art is just
composition and understanding and message and connection.

[00:09:55.760] – Jan Jensen
Oh, yesterday I was at an event where I spoke and the question that was asked of people as they
introduced themselves was, What do you think of when you think of art? That was really fun because
it did boil down to this idea of communicating, communicating in a way you can’t do otherwise. Then
one of the gals who was speaking said and reminded us that art is everywhere. Someone has
designed everything that’s in your life and which is some art. Absolutely. In fact, she quoted a statistic
that said there are more occupations, jobs available for someone who is good at art than at any other
industry.

[00:10:52.540] – Virginia Huling
Yeah, and probably at any other point in time. There’s so much- That’s true. -is changing right now that
you’ve got a lot of avenues open in realms that weren’t even there before.

[00:11:02.320] – Jan Jensen
Oh, I know it.

[00:11:02.960] – Virginia Huling
Product design and then app design, and software and furniture and all kinds of stuff.

[00:11:10.860] – Jan Jensen
What the inside of your car looks like? Yeah.

[00:11:13.740] – Virginia Huling
We’ve been seeing just in our own industry, a lot of an emphasis on that customer experience. You
really have to take a second and remember that getting into the car is part of that experience.

[00:11:31.010] – Jan Jensen
Oh, my gosh. I hadn’t thought of that.

[00:11:32.210] – Virginia Huling
Oh, yeah. It’s like unboxing something. You’ve ever opened it? What does it feel like to go through
those layers and reveal this thing that you’re excited about? And so those design elements go into so
many things that we just don’t think about, really. And that’s one of the reasons I’m so excited to have
you here today is because a lot of people, like you said, they need the permission to get to the art and
I see you in the community as a connection for that. I’d like to know, how are you contributing in that
space for Kansas City? Here at KC Leaders, we want to talk about the people who are bringing the
greatness here to Kansas City. I want to know how you bring it in your particular style.

[00:12:22.000] – Jan Jensen
I think I do it going back to that idea, this idea of bringing people together. It’s just I think when you get
people in a room looking at art, talking about art together, it builds a connection not only with the
artist, but also with the other and the art piece, but with each other as you are looking at the art and
what we see in it and what are our possibilities. I also think art can bring us to interesting, tough
conversations.

[00:13:02.470] – Virginia Huling
I’ve heard you say this before.

[00:13:03.590] – Jan Jensen
Yes. One of our artists is a historian, a black man who paints history from the black viewpoint, black
history, which isn’t always seen, and so amazing. We had him come to a networking meeting one time
and talk about his work. It was so fun because it opened up so many conversations as to how we
have no idea how the person who’s sitting next to us grew up or lived or the experience that he had. I
am way excited because one of the next shows that we’re doing at iWerx is… We just finished one
called Voices of Women. It’s way, way fun. In a couple of weeks, we’re putting up voices of men, and it
is three very different viewpoints on life. One is an artist who is a photographer. But again, through the
technology and this thing, he can turn these photographs into unbelievable images. I am here to tell
you that’s art. I don’t care if it is a photograph and if somebody has altered it in some way using some
technology, they are stunning. He is doing a lot with Kansas City, iconic places, so that’ll be great fun.
Another artist who has been in and out of prison for years, learned and practiced his skills while he
was in prison, couldn’t get large canvases. The guards would get him the paint. But if he wanted to
paint large pieces, he would stretch T-shirts and paint on them to get them dry and stiff as they were
canvas and paints unbelievable things that were when he took his work out the first time he was out
to the Art Institute, they said, Oh, my gosh, you are a fifth-year art student. This is amazing stuff. Then
he said, I can share this information. But when he then, instead of going on and doing that, he got
back mixed in with the wrong crowd. I did make a comment about learning curve to him, but you
didn’t figure that out very soon. But anyway, has gotten out and does beautiful work. What a
perspective he brings to the art world and to just the conversation of people who… Really? Then the
third guy is from Baghdad. He was an engineer in Baghdad. He came here and now has an entirely
different job. He was during the COVID epidemic, he was depressed. He just decided I wonder if
painting would help. He did all sorts of YouTube study. Again, his work is so amazing. So won’t this be
a fun conversation and opportunity when these three guys get together with all of us to chat about?

[00:16:22.000] – Virginia Huling
Absolutely. When is the show?

[00:16:23.890] – Jan Jensen
Wouldn’t it be fun if I could tell you for sure?

[00:16:27.020] – Virginia Huling
Okay, well, we will make sure to get that out there.

[00:16:28.390] – Jan Jensen
Keep an eye on it. Yes, definitely. -yes.

[00:16:30.640] – Virginia Huling
How do you approach collaboration and fostering unity within this field?

[00:16:39.730] – Jan Jensen
I don’t know if I am just lucky or there is a lot of unity and there is a lot of collaboration and there are a
lot of artists that say there are more artists per square foot in Kansas City than there are in I think any
other city. That’s wonderful. It is wonderful because of the Art Institute, the Nelson, Hallmark, all of
these things have drawn artists to our area. There’s plenty of space for all of us. I think it’s just like
anything else, if you go in to a situation, I’m sure you have found this, you’ll find people talk about an
organization or a person and they’ll say, Well, that person is really tough to work with. I’m thinking, Oh,
I like him. I think a lot of it has to do with how you approach the situation and the group.

[00:17:38.760] – Virginia Huling
What’s your secret sauce?

[00:17:40.630] – Jan Jensen
Smile, laugh, humor, crazy hair. I don’t know.

[00:17:47.060] – Virginia Huling
It should be approachable.

[00:17:48.710] – Jan Jensen
Yes.

[00:17:49.130] – Virginia Huling
Just put that hand out.

[00:17:53.590] – Jan Jensen
Well, for me, it was really easy because I came from a world and I was not an artist. It was so easy for
me to say, Hey, this is what I think would be fun to do. And I think I’m no threat, not a threat to
anybody. It’s just how could we share and how can I help get these words out about these people?

[00:18:14.330] – Virginia Huling
Well, I mean, from what I’ve seen, you’ve been an asset to a lot of people.

[00:18:17.440] – Jan Jensen
It’s been fun.

[00:18:18.730] – Virginia Huling
Yeah, that’s amazing. I’ve seen some of the artists you’ve showcased come through. And yeah, it’s like
what you said about the conversations, I think that’s one of the… I think that’s one of the things that
people aren’t necessarily expecting, which is for me, one of those things that’s so exciting because
how many opportunities do we have to have conversations like that?

[00:18:42.790] – Jan Jensen
That would otherwise be tough.

[00:18:44.570] – Virginia Huling
Exactly. Or behind closed doors or inaccessible in some way. What unique opportunities or
challenges do you see coming down the track for Kansas City in the next couple of years?

[00:18:58.200] – Jan Jensen
Oh, for the next couple. I am so excited. Can I tell you about the street car? Let’s talk about the little
things. I love that. I live in the crossroads. Tom and I have a loft there. And that has just been such
fun. And we also have had this loft for 20 years. To have watched you are somewhat new to Kansas
City, but to have watched this area over the past 20 years ago. I remember when we first… Where I
was going to move down there and Tom was doing some other work, other places. One of my son’s
friends said, Are you going to let her move down to that part of town? Of course, Michael said, Let?
What do you… I have no control over what she does. But so it’s been fun. The Kaufman Center went
up since then. All those hotels, all those apartments have gone up. It’s fun to see the growth and for
other positive things. I just think our city is being put in the spotlight in so many areas, the sports and
all kinds of sports, well, Royals. But sorry, that just slipped out. You can cut that out.

[00:20:12.390] – Virginia Huling
Got you.

[00:20:12.830] – Jan Jensen
The sports, music is world-class, the Kaufman Center, arts, theater. We are a big theater and now film.
I just think all of that is so exciting for Kansas City. Challenges. Oh, my golly, it’s the same, sorry to
say, the same ones that we always have. We have neighborhoods that are safe, neighborhoods that
aren’t school systems that are great, school systems that are not people who are… Another thing
that’s not only Kansas City, but I’m thinking about mental health issues. You know how sometimes the
universe will just plop some things down on you all at the same time? One day I was reading a
Facebook post from a friend who has been taking care of her mom, who came on her doorstep,
homeless and mentally ill and has been caring for her for the past few years. What a challenge that is
and how hard it is to get help and the state of mental health in our two states and city is scary. The
same time, a friend is talking about her kids who are neurodivergent and have some issues and how
you can’t get anything done on insurance. And then at that very same afternoon, I’m going to a space,
an art space owned by some friends who are transgender, who also then understand the whole
mental health issues and that whole world. We were having a really fun time talking about how to
combine all these things and maybe come up uniting these different people who are interested in
doing something with mental health. Because I know the one who was caring for her mother just said,
I just want people to know. I just want people, the average person, to know what is lacking. And how
can we make… It was fun. We were coming up with some art projects and some music kinds of
things.

[00:22:33.660] – Virginia Huling
I imagine that.. you can find yourself in a lonely position where you feel like you’re doing these
activities and these things and climbing a hill, and yet you still have to maintain like nothing else is
going on in your life. So when somebody can acknowledge that and see it, it’s a little less lonely, it’s a
little less stressful. I feel like you have the most interesting conversations. I feel like you don’t aren’t
afraid to have conversations.

[00:23:05.510] – Jan Jensen
No, some people tell me I should be more quiet. Stop talking, Jan.

[00:23:11.310] – Virginia Huling
Yeah, no. We’re not doing that.

[00:23:12.970] – Jan Jensen
I have met just the most interesting people. Yes, very fortunate.

[00:23:18.500] – Virginia Huling
What’s one initiative that you’re particularly proud of?

[00:23:22.350] – Jan Jensen
I love, and this is funny because I happen to be wearing the Pareto Heart T-shirt, but I love the Pareto
Hearts. And I was fortunate to be involved in it from the beginning and knew where the energy was
from and what the goal was and so many things. But what I loved about it was for one time, the whole
city was involved in art. We all get excited when the chiefs do well. We all get excited when something
city-wide happens. But this was we’re all excited about this art. I am really proud of people. When you
think about people who inspired me, Jen Nusbeck and Mary Woodridge were two women who were
just in charge of the logistics of who do we choose to do the design, who’s going to judge that? Who
are we going to get in charge of putting the hearts where they should be? So much fun stuff.

[00:24:39.790] – Virginia Huling
Do the positions change every year?

[00:24:42.930] – Virginia Huling
Yes. The first year, there were about 150 hearts and there were about 700 entries. I know. So fun.
They were placed all over the city. Then we were chatting about ways that you could see all of them.
Is that a possibility? Just brainstorming. Then this year, they did, I think, 40 hearts. Because I got to
tell you, the 150 is an enormous undertaking, involves so many things. People apply to get a heart in
their space. Oh, okay. Yeah. How do we get them there? But the thing that’s interesting about this year
is that they wanted the 40 to be originally in places where the people would see them coming in for
the draft. While they didn’t want to be in the footprint of the draft because that would not have
worked, but coming in from the airport, if you’re downtown, yes. I saw them on the airport. Yes. Places
that people would be who were at the draft, so they were pretty centralized. Then after the draft, they
were moved out in the city, other places. Then finally, they’re moved now to the Royal Stadium so that
people, I think for about a month, they’re going to be there and then people can see them all.

[00:26:06.390] – Virginia Huling
Yeah, definitely. Very cool. We were dropping somebody off at the airport the other day and I caught it
going in. I found myself going, Oh, there’s a heart. And I’m like, Is this what everyone does?

[00:26:19.490] – Jan Jensen
This is what everyone does. That’s what makes it so fun. That’s cool. And it’s art. It’s art.

[00:26:26.970] – Virginia Huling
Okay. So what’s an actionable idea or piece of advice that you’d like to share with our listeners?

[00:26:35.990] – Jan Jensen
I would say, and this sounds so cliché. Find something that you’re passionate about. I remember we
told our kids, find a job that’s not a job, that is something you love, that you’re passionate about, and
you can get up and go to every morning. What brought this to me was I was first a musician and then
always interested in design and now art. I said to my husband, who is saying and choir and has those
experiences, but I said, What do you do? What in your life makes you think your heart is going to
explode like mine does? If I’m listening to music, that just makes you want to cry at is so beautiful.

[00:27:31.930] – Virginia Huling
Liking opening song.

[00:27:33.350] – Jan Jensen
There. Every time. Everybody has. Yes. I said, Tom, what do you do? He said, I go out in the meadow.
He raised horses and watched the foals run across the field. As I’m telling you this, chills are running
down my back because I know everybody needs to find that thing, whatever it be. I was chatting with
our CPA one time, and I got to tell you numbers. I’m sorry, do not do it for me. But he was so… I asked
him to explain something. I mean, his eyes lit up and he was so excited about these numbers and
what they did. I thought, Oh, my gosh, everybody needs to spend some time every day doing
something that fills their soul and that they are passionate about and find your people who find your
tribe. Because there are others out there who-

[00:28:36.770] – Virginia Huling
They get you.

[00:28:38.010] – Jan Jensen
They get you. It’s in every field. It’s in the equine world. It’s in the CPA world. It’s in the art world. It’s in
the marketing world. There are people that just, yeah, are as passionate as we are.

[00:28:55.140] – Virginia Huling
How do you stay informed and connected and engaged with the Kansas City community? You’re out
and about in the middle of it. What’s your process for it? Do you have a process for it?

[00:29:05.750] – Jan Jensen
You know me well enough to know there is not always a process. You just jump in with both feet.
Right. I just think just awareness. Do a lot of networking, do a lot of hanging out with friends and
people, Facebook, newspapers. I get very frustrated with people who say there’s nothing to do in
Kansas City.

[00:29:32.930] – Virginia Huling
What would you suggest to them?

[00:29:34.460] – Jan Jensen
I would say open your eyes and look around, which is not obviously that. Just get in touch with Visit
KC, those organizations that are… Oh, and I know what else. I have just recently learned about Urban
Hikes.

[00:29:54.920] – Virginia Huling
Okay. Tell me about them. Oh, my God. Because you did something with them, right?

[00:29:59.920] – Jan Jensen
Lisa Pena has started this company called Urban Hikes. She’s an avid hiker, loves to travel, all this
thing. She takes people on hikes throughout the city and teaches them things that we didn’t know
about. The other night, we went on one that she had done uniquely for us, which was fun, but it was
five miles. We started in the river market area, and those people who remember the ’70s when it was
the River Quay and we didn’t go down there because there were bombings and the mafia was there. It
was an exciting time. She knew all of that history and could point out things that had gone on and
places you can go out on a bridge and look over the Missouri River and had no idea. In the process,
we stopped occasionally for food and appetizers and an occasional drink. Libation. Libation. I like
that, libation. But we also ended up on a stairway that went up from Cezar Chavez Avenue, 150 steps.
Look at this body. 150 steps. I made it at the end of the five miles. But to a look out where you can
look out and see all of Kansas City. We’ve lived here for 40 years. Even though we started raising our
kids in O’Lathe because Tom was in this… Worked in the Olathe hospital and we felt like you live
where your patrons are. But our kids were always the ones who knew. I mean, we went into the city all
the time and so our kids were the ones who could drive in from the Olathe because they knew where
to go. We’ve been active in the city for a long time. It is so much fun, urban hikes. Another thing that’s
fun about her, I always am impressed with people who don’t know everything and who are willing to
learn. To go on a hike with her is such fun because she has all this information. Then she’ll say, Well,
what does anybody else know about this? What can we add? There are more stories.

[00:32:14.260] – Virginia Huling
Yeah, there’s another opportunity there for that collaboration. Right. I’m sensing a trend here, Jan.

[00:32:20.550] – Jan Jensen
Really?

[00:32:20.960] – Virginia Huling
You’re a connector.

[00:32:21.830] – Jan Jensen
Oh, interesting. I have heard that before.

[00:32:26.240] – Virginia Huling
Okay, all right. I do have to ask, best barbecue in Kansas City?

[00:32:33.160] – Jan Jensen
Oh, my golly. The perfect would be to go from place to place. You get the beans here, you get the slaw
here, you get the… I like this. But the newest one that we have discovered that’s really fun is Slaps,
which has been around for a long time.

[00:32:50.090] – Virginia Huling
That’s one of the neighborhood.

[00:32:51.130] – Jan Jensen
Ones, right? It’s up in Kansas City, Kansas. Yes. Love it.

[00:32:54.610] – Virginia Huling
Okay, I’ve heard good things about it.

[00:32:56.130] – Jan Jensen
Yeah, it is way fun. You have to go at certain times of day unless you want to wait a long time, but it’s
worth.

[00:33:03.680] – Virginia Huling
Totally worth it.

[00:33:04.420] – Jan Jensen
Totally worth it. That’s a choice.

[00:33:06.270] – Virginia Huling
Okay. What do you love most about Kansas City?

[00:33:10.020] – Jan Jensen
I love the people and this Midwestern willingness to connect, willingness to visit, willingness to share.
That thing is the best little, the biggest city or whatever because you just run into people who are
friendly and just open. It’s fun because when people come here from other places, that’s the thing
they say is, Oh, my gosh, everybody is so friendly.

[00:33:46.050] – Virginia Huling
Isn’t that crazy?

[00:33:47.010] – Jan Jensen
It is crazy.

[00:33:47.780] – Virginia Huling
I’ve said it myself and being newer up here, I’ve gotten the chance to connect with a few people who
are also new up here. Everybody’s just so nice. You sound like you’re surprised when you… I know, I
just realized I sound surprised when I say that out loud, but I think that’s got to stand for something in
2023. What makes it stand out from other cities? Is that unusual? Just that openness?

[00:34:15.900] – Jan Jensen
I’m going to go back to that attitude thing and who you are. But yes, I do think that it is that
Midwestern openness. A lot of us have come from other places, and so it’s that melting pot thing. I
love it. I Love it.

[00:34:30.950] – Virginia Huling
How long have you been here?

[00:34:32.410] – Jan Jensen
40 years. Forty to 40 years. It’s a long time.

[00:34:36.460] – Virginia Huling
You do love it.

[00:34:37.240] – Jan Jensen
It is home.

[00:34:38.380] – Virginia Huling
Let’s talk about the future of Kansas City. What role do you hope to play in that future?

[00:34:43.380] – Jan Jensen
I hope to be alive.

[00:34:44.920] – Virginia Huling
Okay. That’s a good baseline.

[00:34:48.460] – Jan Jensen
It is a baseline. There comes a point in your life when, hey, if I get up tomorrow and can keep doing
what I’m doing, it will be fun. I just want to keep being aware of the joys of Kansas City, how much
good stuff is going on, and being able to share that with other people or help them be aware.

[00:35:12.720] – Virginia Huling
It sounds like you’re doing that. I hope so. Facilitating all these connections and putting people in
spaces where they can resonate with others. That’s a big part of it.

[00:35:23.650] – Jan Jensen
It’s so fun. It is so fun.

[00:35:26.470] – Virginia Huling
What suggestions would you have for somebody who wanted to make a difference or be involved in
contributing to the Kansas City?

[00:35:35.780] – Jan Jensen
I would say, again, and I’m sounding like a stuck record, but do some research. Do your due diligence.
First of all, figure out what your passion is, what you want to do, and then just look, because there are
so many organizations that do the same thing that you do or can head you in the right direction. I’m
always surprised when people say, Well, I didn’t know that. Well, huh, that’s interesting. For instance,
in the art world, there’s Kansas City Art Institute, there’s Kansas City Artists Coalition. There are just
so many arts, Casey, so many organizations and it’s the same in any other industry or any other
entertainment field. Just go out and look for them. You can’t just sit at home and wait for it to happen
and wait for the people to come to you. You have to figure out what your passion is, research it and
get out there and do it.

[00:36:31.730] – Virginia Huling
Go out and meet it head-on. Yeah. Okay. Speaking of meeting it head-on, how can our listeners get
involved in your initiatives?

[00:36:40.750] – Jan Jensen
Well, I’ve got to stick with the art thing because that’s what I love. Again, be aware of the creative
hearts that’s going on. Enter the creative hearts, submit a design. Some of the designs that won or
that were accepted last year were done by grade school kids, by people that hadn’t ever done art
before. That is way fun. Just be aware of what’s going on in your community and go attend the art
openings. Go attend. First Friday is always great fun. It’s a chance to just see what’s available. One of
the things that there are a group of us who are starting a group called All Things Art. It’s to introduce
people who maybe don’t know a lot about the arts, all of them. For instance, one of the things we will
do is meet down in the great house area because people who come in from out of the city, they don’t
know where to park and they say, I don’t know where to go, I don’t know what artists I want to see.
We’ll meet at one of those places for a little appetizer. You can leave your car there, you’re parked, and
we’ll, Hey, it’s like I’m doing an Urban Hike.

[00:38:03.640] – Virginia Huling
Yeah, that sounds like it.

[00:38:05.340] – Jan Jensen
An Art Hike and go to specific places where the artist will be with some different and just an
opportunity to try it. We’re going to have an opportunity. Have you ever been to an opera? And people
go, What?

[00:38:22.640] – Virginia Huling
We were talking about that the.

[00:38:24.720] – Jan Jensen
Other night. I know it. Oh, that’s right. You’re in the group. I remember that.

[00:38:28.230] – Virginia Huling
No, my husband and I were talking about it, how so few people… We were talking about musicals. We
went and saw The Starlight. The Starlight, exactly. And we’re like, How many people really see operas
anymore?

[00:38:40.550] – Jan Jensen
Oh, they are so break your heart. And of course, Tom, my husband goes, Yeah, but everybody dies at
the end. It’s always sad. But they don’t always die at the end. It’s the drama. It’s the drama. It is life
heightened. Maybe they even thought about going at one time and just if there was an opportunity,
Hey, let’s get a group together and just dress up or not. You can go to the opera in your shorts and Tshirt if you want to, it doesn’t matter. But find those opportunities and do that thing.

[00:39:10.720] – Virginia Huling
Go out and carpe diem?

[00:39:11.940] – Jan Jensen
Yeah, for sure.

[00:39:14.040] – Virginia Huling
So, Jan, if I wanted to get a group of people together and have somebody take us around for some
snacks and on location art sites, are you the person for me to call?

[00:39:23.320] – Jan Jensen
Yes, for sure. It’s going to be way fun.

[00:39:25.740] – Virginia Huling
Jan’s Art Walk. Okay. All right. Well, then I do want to thank you for being on the show. Still. Thank you
for coming in, Jan.

[00:39:35.840] – Jan Jensen
My pleasure. I always love chatting with you.

[00:39:39.260] – Virginia Huling
Wonderful to talk to you, too.

[00:39:40.980] – Producer
Thank you for listening to the Casey Leaders Podcast. Please remember to like, share, subscribe, and
leave a review wherever you listen. For more information about this podcast, you can visit
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