Celebrate Your Special Life Events on the Celebration Wall

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When Kathleen Cash made a purchase from Gulfport artist Brenda McMahon during the first COVID spike in 2020, a friendship ensued that neither suspected would result in installation of the beautiful 20-foot-long ceramic and glass frieze that now brings the beauty of Florida flowers and fauna to the peaceful tree-shaded sitting area at the Senior Center.

Kathleen and her husband Frank had made a donation to the Foundation for a tile to honor her parents and she would stop to visit the Wall on her daily walks. “It was a happy place,” Frank said. After Hurricane Irma destroyed the artwork originally installed by another Gulfport artist, Jonathan Schork, “it was so sad and plain.”

It wasn’t long before Kathleen, Frank and Brenda started talking about the possibility of a new art installation for the Celebration Wall. It was a natural fit. Kathleen’s parents, William and Roberta Cord, had been actively involved at the Senior Center for many years, her father until his nineties. Brenda’s mother is also a Senior Center member and was part of the telephone Reassurance and art programs.

Senior Center Supervisor Rachel Cataldo introduced the Cashes to the Foundation Board and Brenda was invited to make a proposal just over a year ago, in July 2020. Kathleen, Frank and Brenda worked together closely as the project progressed, to create just the right design, including the swath of blue glass that emulates sparkling water.

“I am so grateful to Kathleen Cash for being inspired enough by my work to rally the Gulfport Senior Center Foundation board behind the idea of a commission for the Celebration Wall. Her dedication to the Senior Center and her love of art has brought two of Gulfport’s loves together,” Brenda said.

“When we first began the project, we wanted to create an homage to the Senior Center and honor the gifts from the community to the Senior Center Foundation,” Brenda said. “When designing it, I incorporated the flowers & fauna of our area and celebrated the dawn and dusk of our beautiful Florida days.”

Brenda said the bird of paradise, heliconia, bamboo and the greenery of our area guide the eye across the mural. On the far-right end, a blue heron sits in the bayou. The tree to her very right reflects the real one shading the sitting area.

This reminds me of “the life we all lead,” Brenda said. We are each “on our own path,” alternately soaring and then resting. “We support the Senior Center by supporting the Foundation and then many of us take advantage of its offerings. Full circle.”

“I appreciate the opportunity to create this project to be displayed at the Gulfport Senior Center. Creating this project has been inspiring, challenging, intriguing fun! It’s a great way for me to help support the Foundation and the Senior Center which has been a wonderful oasis for my 84-year-old mom. I am so grateful for the services that the Center provides to our community with support from the Gulfport Senior Center Foundation.”

Now their creative process has come full circle and will be celebrated at a ribbon cutting event.