Speaking Personally: Bailey Legacy Park: Part Three

 

After an initial false start with a different artist, I sat down with Tammy in December. We were urgently hoping to finish Bailey Legacy Park, and my ask was an enormous one. I wanted a twenty-foot mural dedicated to Wendell’s life, inspired by photos I had collected or taken myself. And I wanted it done as soon as possible. 

 

Tammy’s involvement in the project can only be described as a Godsend. From the first minute, she was committed. As the kids say, she understood the assignment, and she threw herself into it with energy, emotion, and breathtaking talent. 

 

“The Bailey family means a lot to me, so it was an honor to be part of this project,” Tammy wrote in a thank-you note to me. 

 

A total of nineteen portraits make up the mural. Tammy presented Wendell with a concept sketch in January, and in all this time, Wendell has had only one request for the mural: he wanted his dear wife, Jane, to be in it. Wendell’s son John requested a white crayon, inspired by a Bailey family-favorite speech from Wendell’s days in politics.

 

Jane Bailey isn’t hard to find in the mural, but the crayon is cleverly concealed. I encourage you to look for it. 

 

The central portrait is adapted from Wendell’s official portrait as State Treasurer. There’s Wendell in his school days in a Bears basketball uniform, and Wendell with Ronald Regan and George Bush. There’s a little vignette showing Wendell with the first car John Bailey sold, a Pontiac Bonneville. 

 

My favorite portrait is based on a photo I took of Wendell at his 80th birthday party. He had just been presented with a street sign proclaiming Wendell Bailey Way in West Plains, and he is roaring with laughter. I snapped the photo and published it in the paper. Tammy adapted a Lions Club vest to the portrait to honor his work with that worthy organization. 

 

In fact, I encourage you to set aside some time to appreciate the mural as a beautiful piece of public art. It’s masterfully executed – from the landscapes to the portraits to the many tucked-in details. 

 

It’s clear this massive piece was painted not only with overwhelming talent, but also with overbrimming love. 

 

If you can believe it, this mural isn’t the only one Tammy painted in the park. She’s also the mastermind behind the Willow Wings mural, painted directly on the bricks. All I told her was I wanted a pair of wings that look like willow tree branches, and Tammy *delivered.* That’s exactly what the mural is. Try standing in front of it to snap a picture. The mural was barely dry before I tried it for the first time. 

 

This mural is another example of the loving care Tammy has poured into this project. It was her idea to show up with the sun one Sunday morning and complete the Willow Wings mural before Hannah Harper Day in the hope that visitors would use it. She and her husband worked all day long and finished it before they went home. 

 

Both murals are worth close inspection, and I sincerely hope you’ll make the time to appreciate them this summer. 

 

Thank you, Tammy, for your time and talent. The park just wouldn’t be the same without you. 

 

As I’ve mentioned in the previous two installments, I would love to hear from you if you have a suggestion to make Bailey Legacy Park serve the community better.  If you would like to volunteer to paint the flower path or maintain the garden, please reach out. Call 417-252-2123 or email editor@howellcountynews.com

 

Work on the walking path is not done, and fundraising is ongoing. Your tax-deductible donation can be sent to the Willow Springs Community Foundation, 127 E. Main, Willow Springs, 65793. Please note: Bailey Legacy Park in the memo line.