ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – The family of a local woman killed in a tragic plane incident last spring is honoring her memory through artwork in Albuquerque and they’re looking for more community and property partners to make it happen.
The first mural, located at Sixth and Tijeras, made its debut just a few weeks ago. Now, the Riordan family is already looking for three more locations for three more murals symbolizing each word of Jennifer Riordan’s life motto: Kind, Loving, Caring and Sharing.
“This mural behind me started with the absolutely amazing donations that came in after everything that happened with Jennifer. We’re really looking for community partners. We started with a $10,000 grant to Working Classroom and what spawned out of that is this mural behind us and we just couldn’t be happier with it,” said Michael Riordan, Jennifer’s husband. “What we’re looking for are four total murals around the City of Albuquerque, one kind, one loving, one caring, one sharing, Jennifer’s core values for our family. This is the sharing one behind us here at the Albuquerque Community Foundation, a great community partner for us.”
Riordan was killed in a freak accident on a Southwest Airlines flight in April 2018. Since then, the family and community have honored her memory in different ways around town.
Ideally, her family would like to see the murals in all different parts of Albuquerque. Her husband says the Jennifer Riordan Foundation’s Sparkle Fund will cover the costs; they just need businesses that will let it go up on one of their walls.
“We will work with you,” said Riordan. “What we’re looking for are partners where the foundation is going to fund the actual design and implementation of the artwork, the business would provide the surface for it.”
The family says local artist PAZ, who created the first mural, will likely also take on the other three murals.
“This one came out of a wonderful local artist PAZ who really just took our wishes and the Albuquerque Community Foundation’s wishes and created this behind us. We really didn’t have to tweak much. He really nailed it,” said Riordan. “We’d like to use him again because he did such a great job on this but it would really be working with that local business or that center, whoever wants to sponsor one of these.”
Those interested in helping make the murals can reach the Riordan family through the Jennifer Riordan Foundation. They can also email Michael through the site at michael@jrsparkle.org.
