Kansas artist pays tribute to Kamala Harris in a larger-than-life ‘earth portrait’

Kansas artist Stan Herd is no political newbie.

The self-proclaimed “politics junkie” has been lending his artistic talents to campaigns and cultural celebrations in the U.S. and overseas for years, rendering the likes of Joe Biden, Texas’ Beto O’Rourke and others. But he recently got some good news about one of his longtime favorite politicians: She’s running for president.

“I have been a huge supporter of Kamala Harris, including back in the day when she was running for president in 2020,” Herd told The Star. “I just think she is the future — she is such a strong leader, and I really feel it’s the time for women to take power.”

That’s why, more than a week before President Joe Biden announced he was dropping out of the presidential race, Herd embarked on one of his signature “earthworks” on a farm near Lawrence — this time featuring the vice president. These larger-than-life artworks use natural materials like compost, mulch, sand and soil to “paint” massive portraits on the ground.

“I had a very good feeling about (Biden dropping out) even before it was announced,” Herd said. “We were about 90% done with the portrait, and on the day that Biden stepped down and passed the baton to Kamala, we finished the portrait within 24 hours.”

Herd’s earthworks are best viewed from high above, meaning anyone flying their drone over the Lawrence area might be able to catch a glimpse of the huge artwork. Since the portrait is on private land, Herd isn’t revealing its exact location to shield the landowner from harassment.

The work, which features Harris’ face looking pensively into the distance, is underscored with the words “The Biden Legacy.” Herd picked the slogan because he sees Harris’ rise to prominence as the logical outcome of what he feels was a successful Biden presidency.

“Everything that happens moving forward in the Democratic Party really is Biden’s legacy, because he chose (Harris) as his VP and now is passing the torch to the next generation,” he said.

Herd also laid the groundwork for an accompanying portrait of Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer right beside Harris before realizing how crowded the field is for potential vice-presidential nominees. Now the space next to Harris’ portrait features a blurry outline and a question mark, which will remain there until her pick for vice president is announced.

While Herd will be traveling the country to complete other earthworks in the coming months, he has committed to completing this piece with an accompanying portrait of Harris’ running mate. He and his assistants will also work to maintain the work, at least in the coming weeks, by delicately mowing and trimming any plants that start to sprout on the site.

But this style of artwork isn’t meant to last forever. By the time the election rolls around in November, Harris’ face likely won’t have the crisp lines it does now — instead, it will be getting slowly reclaimed by nature.

“I don’t like to be very political with my work, but when you have a talent and the ability to send a message, we want to do everything we can to protect our democracy,” Herd said.

“I’ve gotten only a few comments on my social media from people who aren’t very thrilled about the piece. But you know, haters gonna hate.”

Do you have more questions about arts and culture in Kansas or Missouri? Ask the Service Journalism team at kcq@kcstar.com.