MONA artist

Courtesy photo

Violet Stevens’ painting will represent Red Willow County in a work featuring each Nebraska county in the Museum of Nebraska Art in Kearney when it reopens following an extensive remodeling and expansion project. A seventh grader, she is the daughter of Michael and Andrea Stevens of McCook. She was selected for the honor after teacher Deb Goodenberger was contacted by MONA for the project. Her painting includes a red dogwood, plus a prairie chicken, the Republican River and signs pointing to the county’s various communities. Why a red dogwood? Because “Red Willow” is believed to be a mistranslation of the Dakota Indian name, “chanshasha wakpala,” which literally means “Red Dogwood Creek.”