Now through May 2026 | First Floor Gallery, Miller Nichols Library
Beverly Rehkop (b.1938) is a native Kansas Citian and self-taught photographer.
“From an early age I designed homes and clothes and loved taking photos, as well as an interest in music,” said Rehkop.
She attended Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas, earning a dual major in Teaching and Interior Design in 1960, and then a master’s degree in Textiles. Rehkop taught sewing at Hillcrest Jr. High in Overland Park during the late 1960s, but after the birth of her children, she was a stay-at-home mom until a divorce in 1981. She then utilized her design and textiles skills in a 35+ year career in sales of office and healthcare furniture.
But with her divorce came an opportunity to explore photography. “I honed my skills with my Nikon FM camera as that was something creative, I could do with my sons, with friends or alone. My friends, my sons, and various pets let me practice on them. I loved taking photos of Kansas City scenes, the fountains, statues,” said Rehkop.
She used slide film and learned how to photograph with existing light, even at night. “You can’t manipulate the lighting by making prints from slides like you can with film.” Her work was used by a local stock photo agency and several of her photographs were used in magazines, textbooks and marketing.
“The KC jazz scene was developing around that time and when I had an evening without my sons, I went to the City Lights Jazz Club in Waldo. I felt vulnerable so I began to take my camera and take photos,” she said. “Around that time, I learned about the faster Kodak T-MAX P3200 film which has a fine grain at low light. With good spotlighting I didn’t need to use a flash.”
“I wanted to capture the personality and emotion of the musicians as they are performing while at the same time presenting them in interesting compositions to increase the impact on the viewer. My goal has always been to promote our local musicians and produce photographs that I like rather than considering commercial success.”
Along with gallery exhibitions of her work, Rehkop’s photographs were displayed at the Phoenix Jazz Club (both downtown and the Station/Ameristar Casino) and Jardine’s Restaurant and Jazz Club. Rehkop also served as the photographer for the Folly Jazz Series for many years.
In 2025, Rehkop donated her photographs to LaBudde Special Collections at UMKC. She said, “I felt that was the best way to use my photos to ‘immortalize’ our dedicated and talented musicians.”
Statement by the artist, edited by UMKC Libraries staff. The displayed photographs are selected from the Beverly Rehkop Collection, donated to LaBudde Special Collections at UMKC University Libraries. The accompanying album covers are from the Marr Sound Archives at UMKC University Libraries.
View the exhibit during library open hours. Metered parking is available in the parking lot north of the library, located at 800 E. 51st Street, Kansas City, MO, 64110.
