i like the cat tail in the photo

Thanks to Alex Johnson and John Brecher for telling this story. New Orleans wasn't the only place devastated by Hurricane Katrina, although you'd think by the news coverage that Katrina didn't affect anyone outside New Orleans.

I had a conversation with a philosphy professor once , over the relevancy of art, and it's importance to society. Ms. Veglia shows the strength aendurance and the need for art - giving hope and vision to people. What a nice gift to the people of Waveland.

This WONDERFUL....and the mosaic is too! Someone should create the Katrina Survivor Art Tour in time.

What a true testimony to the greatness of our land and it people. Truly God uses all things for the good for those who love Him!

My son, daughter in law and grandchildren live in BSL. They are determined to rebuild the city and continue living there. They are the Anderson's and their house was left standing 2 blocks from the beach. All around them in distruction, but they are back in their home (upstairs) and happy to be there.

hi my name is emily. i am from waveland and i helped with the mural on the wall in the big e parking lot on washington st in bay st louis. i noticed that the wall that was left after the hurricane was taken out. i got photographs of it before they took the remains away. for those who were lucky got to see how beautiful it was. it was designed by chris hill and he enlisted me to help with the painting. i wasnt lucky enough i lost all of my art work in the storm. that is really the only thing that im upset about loosing. things can be replaced my art cant. i did find one painting and sat on the eight foot section of my roof and cried like a baby. i am now starting over and have begun to paint new things and ive even decided to go to art school. things will get better and i want to be apart of that. i want to get better. the art that has been saved and the art to come will be fantastic. good luck to us all.

Yeah! a kitty! Loving the cat tail! What's his/her name?

people, that is not a cat tail, dont you recognize the Loc Ness Monster??

We were so thrilled to stumble on this story especially because Elizabeth is a friend of the family. Thank you for telling a little piece of her story.

I sure hope the cat attached to this tail is OK. A few years ago we survived a house fire because our dog woke us during the night to alert us that we had a BIG problem. You might imagine that there is a big place in my heart for our companion animals. You take care of them and they will take care of you. Don't think I could survive this storm and losing the house we rebuilt if it was not for our two dogs and two cats - they keep us going when we want to quit.

This tail with a cat attached survived the hurricane. He came from across the street to put in his two cents as we were shooting. Elizabeth Veglia

hey thanks for making a story that to most of us on the coast is important a joke. bay st louis and waveland is made up of mostly artist. have yall seen a cat before it has four legs and yes a tail. grow up!!!!!!go make fun of the camera man. why dont you take a look at the mosaic that elizabeth created. it was and still is beautiful. it was a part of everyday life and something i saw everyday i am sad that these things are gone they were my landmarks. they were the little things that made my home beautiful. thanks im glad that yall are enjoying the cat. how shallow can you be. goodbye

don't be ridiculus, That's an otcopus arm ^^P

art, religion, the care of those unaffected (directly)inspire all of "US" to be better "People"

I, too, appreciate news about the devastation in MS and not just N.O. My sister and her family live in Ocean Springs just north of Biloxi. Even though their house was untouched except for losing a few shingles, they have friends and neighbors who have lost everything. Their daughter's school was flooded and has been condemned. Her husband's casino is gone and his job may be gone soon. They are transplants originally from Texas and love living in Ocean Springs. They would love to stay there forever.

I did the "shellseeker" in the bottom of the Waveland mural. It was a fun project, and I am so glad at least one thing beautiful remains, even it is broken. It brings hope and is a good place to rest the eyes these days, amid all the destruction. Somebody said they thought the missing piece of the mural held a depiction of a storm or hurricane? That's amazing, if correct.

Art should comfort the soul and for you to find it amid the ruins is a testament of your courage.

Peaches, so sorry that anyone just trying to see something to smile about during these horrible times upset you. You are certainly not the only one that got smashed, we all lost our towns, the Pass in no longer there. I'm very concerned about what material things we no longer have but I am MORE concerned about the lives, both human and animal, that have been made to suffer so badly. I love the Bay/Waveland area and everything it stood for. Seeing this little cat's tail made a lot of people smile, the photographer did a super job selecting this picture.

We all lost our towns, the Pass in no longer there. I'm very concerned about what material things we no longer have but I am MORE concerned about the lives, both human and animal, that have been made to suffer so badly. I love the Bay/Waveland area and everything it stood for. Seeing this little cat's tail made a lot of people smile, the photographer did a super job selecting this picture.

hey i dont hate the cat in fact i have three of own and wouldnt be the same without them. they are my babies, the cat did make me smile but to me the art is the story not the cat. i am glad that the cat is there and i hope his owners took him with them and he didnt see the horrors of that night. to me the material things are not important they can be replaced. what i created with my hands and my mind cant. these were things that documented my life from a child to adulthood, my art. not photographs not clothes and not jewlery. the point of the story is the art not the cat. i dont mean the cat any harm.

I was wondering when someone would do a story on this. I have several pictures of this Katrina "survivor". I also wonder how many of Elizabeth's other projects around the Coast and in New Orleans survived.

I missed the cat's tail and had to go back twice to see what everyone was talking about. Yes, it did make me laugh. That is a great picture! I have cats and so does Elizabeth. I am one of her many sisters. Thanks, Vicky, for sending the link.

Hey Elizabeth, I knew you were famous, talented and and beautiful. So glad that the mosaic survived as much as it did. I'll forward this to Helen and Doris (our wildwomen). Love the cat tail!!! It is a symbol of survival. Altho I lost my house and some of my artwork in Bay St. Louis, I did not lose my friends and my memories of the fun times like our Virgo Parties. Maybe there will be more, altho I won't be in the Bay.
Are you going to be able to repair the mosaic? Hope so, it is a part of you and the history of Bay/Waveland. See you soon.

I haven't been back to the Bay since we attended the 2nd Sat. art walk in October. Hope to get back there very soon, I want to get there earlier this time so there is enough light that I can take pictures. Even if something is badly damaged doesn't mean that I can't remember how it use to look and these pictures might show a new kind way of looking at things. There are some very touching stories and pictures to be found at katrina.passchristian.net, femaforgotwaveland.com, operationeden.com and arloandjanis.com. For those that are concerned about the welfare of the lost domestic animals see hssm.org and there is always info. to be found at wlox.com and sunherald.com.

Yes! I am loving the cat in the picture. It made me laugh and think about what crazy my cat is.