Illuminating Heritage Through Art and Light
We here at Blingle in Kansas City believe light has the power to tell stories. That belief has never been more true than in our collaboration with artists Leah Yellowbird and Aaron Squadroni, the creative minds behind the Fire Keepers Circle at Heritage Park in Olathe, Kansas.
As part of our Lighting with Purpose initiative, we are proud to share their story and the incredible vision that brought this commemorative space to life.
The Fire Keepers Circle: A Vision in Light
The Fire Keepers Circle honors the Potawatomi Trail of Death — the forced removal of 859 Potawatomi people in 1838. Over 40 lives, many of them children, were lost along the journey. The sculpture memorializes that history while celebrating the enduring strength and spirit of the Potawatomi people.
The structure consists of a curved steel “blanket” that wraps around visitors in a symbolic gesture of protection and remembrance. It features:
- 859 perforated holes, one for each person forced from their homeland
- Community-donated feathers, etched with words of resilience
- Integrated lighting by Blingle, which brings the installation to life each night
Meet Leah Yellowbird
Leah Yellowbird, a First Nations Algonquin-Métis and Anishinaabe artist from Grand Rapids, MN, is known for her deeply layered pointillist paintings and beadwork. Her style blends traditional Indigenous motifs with modern techniques, creating rich visual tapestries rooted in history, spirit, and prayer.
Her connection to Indigenous history — and the emotional weight of generational memory — is woven into every design decision she made on this project. She brings heart, healing, and heritage to public spaces.
Meet Aaron Squadroni
Aaron Squadroni, also based in Grand Rapids, is a multi-disciplinary artist and sculptor with a background in landscape architecture. His work often reflects on nature, memory, and the human relationship to land and place.
His collaboration with Leah was deeply intentional. Together, they crafted a space that is not only visually powerful but also functionally meaningful — a place where people can gather, reflect, and connect.
A Story Told Through Light
Blingle was honored to bring this vision to life through architectural and landscape lighting that accentuates the steelwork, the perforations, and the peaceful nature of the space.
By night, the Fire Keepers Circle glows softly, allowing the story to continue even in silence. It becomes a place where art meets architecture, and light meets legacy.
Visit and Reflect
Come visit the Fire Keepers Circle
- Heritage Park (16050 Pflumm Rd, Olathe, KS – park at the marina).
- Ribbon Cutting: Saturday, July 19 • 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM
- Remarks and performance at 11:45 AM
At Blingle, we light homes every day. But sometimes, we get to light something much more lasting.
This is Lighting with Purpose.