The River Connects Us
Photographs by Pete Mutschler & Poetry by Tom Gillaspy

Opening Reception:
Sunday / January 19, 2025 / 1:00pm – 4:00pm
Exhibit Dates:
January 19 – March 2, 2025

The Mississippi River is the backbone of the United States. Its waters carry our grain, our ore, our history, our dreams. Creations of music, art, and stories are deposited on the flood plains of Old Muddy. Pete’s images explore the unique and sometimes hidden culture that flows from this Great River, from the headwaters in Northern Minnesota to the delta south of New Orleans. Tom’s poetry provides a sensitive and sometimes powerful reflection inspired by the images. While each photograph/poem pair provides a single snapshot in time of a small piece of the river experience, the viewer is connected through the shared experiences of everyone who lives near the river. The overall goal of this exhibit is to show how the Mississippi River experience is powerful, making us stronger than the divisions that are receiving so much attention these days.

Pete Mutschler is a Winona MN based photographer and Tom Gillaspy is a Stillwater MN poet.

WAC activities are made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Southeastern MN Arts Council thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.