© 2025 Kansas City Public Radio
NPR in Kansas City
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Kansas City Artist's Glittery Portraits Transform Face Masks Into Symbols Of Hope

Brian Key is a Kansas City pastor who submitted a masked selfie for Mortimer's series that proves it is possible to express personality in a mask.
Dylan Mortimer
/
Facebook
Kansas City pastor Brian Key submitted a masked selfie for Dylan Mortimer's series, which proves it is possible to express personality in a mask.

Kansas City Art Institute graduate Dylan Mortimer has had the respiratory condition cystic fibrosis all his life. He used his years of wearing face masks as inspiration for a portrait series called "Masked Like Me."

Stay Connected
As a host and contributor at KCUR, I seek to create a more informed citizenry and richer community. I want to enlighten and inspire our audience by delivering the information they need with accuracy and urgency, clarifying what’s complicated and teasing out the complexities of what seems simple. I work to craft conversations that reveal realities in our midst and model civil discourse in a divided world. Follow me on Twitter @ptsbrian or email me at brian@kcur.org.
As senior podcast producer for KCUR Studios and a host of A People’s History of Kansas City, I interview everyday people and dig through old newspaper articles to unearth stories of the visionaries and renegades who created this region. I focus on bringing the past to life, so we can all better understand the city we live in today. Email me at mackenzie@kcur.org.
Michelle is a reporter covering race, identity and culture and is an assistant talk show producer.
As culture editor, I help you embrace what makes Kansas City fun and vibrant, whether it’s a championship sports franchise or a little-known wonder. I work with reporters to ensure KCUR stories on art, culture, and race fully reflect our diverse home so readers and listeners can take full advantage of what the metro has to offer. Email me at luke@kcur.org.
KCUR prides ourselves on bringing local journalism to the public without a paywall — ever.

Our reporting will always be free for you to read. But it's not free to produce.

As a nonprofit, we rely on your donations to keep operating and trying new things. If you value our work, consider becoming a member.