At Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City (Blue KC), our pride for Kansas City runs deep. And, our commitment to the health of our community is why we’ve brought Spira Care to the Crossroads, to offer a new, personalized healthcare experience.
Blue KC’s passion for Kansas City was the inspiration for the mural on the side of Spira Care Crossroads (1916 Grand Boulevard) by local artist Dave Douglass.
We officially unveiled the Spira Care Mural on Friday, June 7 at our inaugural First Friday celebration at Spira Care Crossroads as we welcomed more than 150 members of the community to enjoy food and drinks from The Rockhill Grille, art exhibitions by local artists, lively music, and a giveaway of a framed print of the Spira Care Mural.
Douglass, a digital designer who recently moved back to Kansas City with his family after living in Los Angeles for 13 years, said he was excited to make a larger impact on Kansas City and knows he made the right decision in returning to our community.
“I tried to capture every important landmark in Kansas City that everyone knows and loves while keeping the shapes as simple as possible,” Douglass said of his the Spira Care mural design. “I was thinking about the ‘idealized Kansas City’ from my memories of the city when I lived far away in Los Angeles.”
While Douglass designed the mural, Ami and Jason Harrington of Rif Raf Giraffe were tasked with bringing it to life on the Spira Care Crossroads building.
“As the designer, I had to be aware of the irregular shape of the wall and create the art in a way that would allow it to fit properly,” Douglass said. “Ami and Jason had the challenge of projecting the design – at night – onto the 80-foot wall, tracing the lines, then painting it over the course of a week.”
Douglass is a Spira Care member and says that he looks forward to being greeted with friendly faces, beautiful art, modern design and quality care each time he walks into one of the Care Centers for an appointment.
“I don’t feel like I’m in a clinical, boring environment,” Douglass said. ”Spira Care has absolutely helped me to look forward to doctor visits for me and my family.”
Show us your hometown pride by snapping a photo featuring the mural, tagging Spira Care Mural as the location, or using the hashtag #SpiraCareMural.
About Spira Care
Spira Care, developed by Blue KC, combines integrated primary care and coverage in one place, simplifying the healthcare experience to make it more personal and affordable. Blue KC members enrolled in Spira Care have access to convenient Care Centers located across the metro area, the expertise of our Care Guides to help them on their health journey, and all the benefits of the BlueSelect Plus network. To learn more, visit SpiraCare.com.