Living Scroll
By Mary Gallagher
Participate virtually!
Artist Statement
The need to translate insight and wisdom into action is captured by the Living Scroll Project. As an interactive art project, participants are invited to identify one action-step they would be willing to take on behalf of the Earth and write it on a colorful piece of Thai Mulberry paper. They are encouraged to add a favorite environmental quote from a list of 100 provided, and to doodle and design around the edges of the page. The colorful pledge becomes part of the Living Scroll Project which, thus far, has travelled to two Twin Cities Parishes, and will be shared at a third parish from October 1st to 4th, 2023.
About the Artist
Mary Gallagher received her BA from the University of Wisconsin in Madison with majors in Art and Psychology. She had the privilege of studying sculpture with Debra Butterfield while there. She later received her MFA from the City University of New York at Brooklyn, studying with Philip Pearlstein, Lee Bontecou, & Lois Dodd among others. While in NYC, she exhibited at Westbeth Gallery and Mercer 55 in Soho. After moving to the Twin Cities, Mary exhibited her paintings at Circa Gallery for 6 years. She taught painting, art appreciation and drawing at Century College, Minneapolis Community College, Dakota Center for the Arts, and Wayzatta Art Center. Mary is the founder of Catholic Artists for Environmental Justice, a small not-for-profit comprised of a diverse group of artists who are concerned about the climate crisis. Our website is at catholicartistsforenvironmentaljustice.com Mary is also founder of Elder Murals, a new group of artists working in Memory Care and Assisted Living facilities to discern the joys and challenges of being an elder. The insights shared with us by residents in a group setting are then depicted in a small mural for their facility.