MaryBeth Garrigan

The Bus Grew Wings #1
Acrylic on canvas

Mississippi River Story* that Inspired the Art:

“It was in 2007 in August that many of the children in this neighborhood, that we knew from our programs at the church, were on the Waite House bus that was on the Mississippi River bridge, 35W, when the bridge collapsed, including my daughter. And that was such a terribly tragic day. And yet out of that came this kind of river of love that brought that community, especially the kids and the parents of families of those children, together. And so many times as I am walking along the river by there, I’ll remember that day and how scary it was, and then how grateful I was that the kids were alright and that my daughter was safe. And also the power of the river. The river this year, the water has been extremely high much of the year because of all the rain we’ve had, and the power of the river is just amazing and yet there’s a peacefulness to it too, as that water rushes by, especially in the fall as the leaves turn. I’m grateful for what happened, I’m grateful for what didn’t happen, that our children made it out safe, and I’m grateful for that river, thank you.”

Contact Information:

Email: marybird@uglydaisy.com
Phone: 651-564-1026

*Note: This is not the artist’s own story, but a story gathered through a collaborative research project. Learn more.