Rochester is proud to support local artists First Fridays and every day, which is why we feature a different artist monthly in our Crossroads event space. And on First Fridays, let us buy your first beer * when you mention our First Fridays featured artist post or ad!
This Month’s First Fridays Featured Artist: Piper Ruwe
As we celebrate Pride Month, we are thrilled to shine a spotlight on our featured artist of the month: Piper Ruwe, an interdisciplinary image maker whose work beautifully honors queer history, resistance and the transformative power of art.
Piper Ruwe, based right here in Kansas City, recently graduated from the Kansas City Art Institute’s Photography/Film program and currently serves as a gallery intern at the Charlotte Street Foundation. Her work draws deeply from the well of queer experience centering themes of identity, community and intimacy. Through her use of symbolism and historical reference, Piper creates a recognizable visual language that resonates with honesty and intention.
Her artist statement reads:
“Piper Ruwe is an interdisciplinary image maker based in Kansas City Missouri. A recent graduate from the Kansas City Art Institute Photography/Film program and a current gallery intern at the Charlotte Street Foundation. Piper’s works reference queer history, the importance of community resistance, and the intimate nature of creating with the queer body. She utilizes symbolism to create a recognizable visual language while re-exploring history. Through the making of objects, she is able to find an outlet for encounters with queerness through a more interactive and personal means of creation.”
We are proud to showcase Piper’s work on our walls throughout June. Her pieces are not only visually compelling, they are part of an ongoing conversation about visibility and representation.
At Rochester, we are committed to being a space where all are welcome and valued. Our commitment to inclusion and equity extends far beyond June. This is a space where every identity is respected, every story matters and every guest is greeted with warmth.
Follow Piper on Instagram @pipergregan or reach out via email at piperthepansy@gmail.com to connect and learn more about her art.
Past Featured Artists
Children’s Mercy Patients
As part of Make a Difference May, Rochester’s Crossroads featured a special exhibit of artwork from the talented young artists of Children’s Mercy Hospital. These incredible pieces reflect not only creativity but the courage and hope of the children behind them. As part of this special exhibit, on Saturday, May 3, Rochester hosted a special Children’s Art Carnival that celebrated art, family and community.
Teagan Thompson
In Teagan’s own words, “I am an illustrator who embraces simplicity, whimsy, and joy. I published my first coloring book in September 2024 and have been an independent illustrator and portrait artist since 2018. My favorite subjects are the ‘little guys,’ whether it be animals, bugs or tiny people.”
Teagan’s charming artwork features animals and nature, and she recently added jewelry to the mix. She also is the artist who created the beautiful painting of Rochester’s Parkville coffee shop/brewery. You may have seen it hanging there!
Teagan will be setting up a table for First Friday and selling some art prints, coloring books, earrings, etc. On First Friday (April 4), she will be at Rochester’s Crossroads location from 6-10 p.m. Stop by for a chance to meet Teagan and purchase art.
Instagram: @teag_art
Edward Cavazos
Quoting Edward: “Being a self-taught artist, I’ve immersed myself in various artistic disciplines, finding employment elsewhere to supplement my income. While working nights at Tyson, I feverishly drew in a freezer between pallets. As a conductor for Union Pacific, I spent sleepless nights drawing in a locomotive, turning my hotel room into a studio at the other end of the road. Working in a cabinet shop allowed me to experiment with woodworking tools, creating art boards and frames using old longboard decks. I currently work as a welder with nearly a decade of experience. The skill of welding has made an interesting crossover into my creative practice. Using industrial fabrication equipment, I’ve made lighted sculptures out of discarded nuts and built chairs with metal scraps. My art has never taken a backseat to my other commitments, but because of the circumstances of working on the road or in warehouses, I have been most prolific in my sketchbooks. They travel with me wherever I go and reflect on my life.”
You can find out more about Edward on Instagram: @edwardleecavazos
Taylor Fourt
Taylor Fourt is a green-thumbed artist with dirt under her fingernails. Her gouache and oil paintings are recognized for their charm, whimsy and spirit; they may illustrate complex regenerative agriculture systems, or simply rejoice in the meditation of colors, form and composition.
She has devoted the better part of six years sharing her skills with Manheim Gardens, a collaborative urban community garden located in midtown KC, and currently flexes her abilities both in art and in horticulture as Content Development Specialist at ISED Solutions, where she creates visual guides on organic farming techniques. In all places in life, she aims to cultivate positive feedback loops, where one art can enhance another.
Taylor’s art will be on display the month of August, and she will be hosting a meet-the-artist event on First Friday, August 2, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Crossroads location.
Instagram @t.fourt
Website www.Taylorfourt.com
*One per customer, please. Valid on the first Friday of each month only.
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Rochester Brewing and Roasting is Kansas City’s first craft beer brewery and coffee roastery under one roof. We’ve created welcoming spaces to gather for the best of both worlds – a Kansas City brewery and Kansas City coffee shop – all in one place. Our head coffee roaster sources the best quality coffee beans, roasting each batch meticulously to bring out the coffee’s unique character. Our head brewer blends the art and science behind brewing beer to create a rotating slate of beer styles, focusing on tradition with an eye on innovation. You can find local KC coffee beans for sale here, and our current beer tap list online.
We would love to see you in person to pour you a cold one or whip up one of our popular specialty coffees. We also have a rotating menu of delicious sandwiches, breakfast burritos and fresh-made-in-house pastries and donuts. Stop by our spacious Kansas City brewery and coffee shop, located in the city’s vibrant Crossroads Art District. Or check out our charming Parkville coffee shop and brewery, located inside two vintage train cars. We also host public and private events at the Crossroads location ~ details on our spacious Kansas City event space can be found on our website. Both locations are open day and night, so come early for the coffee, stay late for the beer!