Painting recalls WMPD's contribution after Katrina
by Ron Watson, Jr. - posted Friday, May 5th, 2006 @ 10:00 am

Monroe artist Adam Davenport knew instinctively that it was an incredible image, but he didn't realize his oil version of a Hurricane Katrina rescue would immortalize a slice of West Monroe history.

Davenport first saw the picture of Sgt. Tim Zeigler and Officer Mike Tully rescuing two men from the Carrollton section of New Orleans as The Ouachita Citizen was preparing to go to press two weeks after Katrina's flood waters inundated the city, trapping thousands. After that, the artist's creative juiced started to flow.

"It is such a striking image of such a horrible and historic event that I knew I had to do something about it," said Davenport. "It was only later that I saw what this would mean to the men and women from this area that responded to the need in New Orleans."

Davenport was on hand Tuesday at the West Monroe Police Department to hand over his 4 ft. by 3 ft. canvas, entitled "Boatman's Call," to Chief Christopher Elg.