The Wedding Song by Mia Warner

‘The Wedding Song’ is about the accident my grandparents had on their 50th wedding anniversary. Poppy fractured his kneecap after falling down the backstairs of his Ashgrove home, onto Nanny, who fractured two vertebrae in the back of her neck while setting up for their party. As my brother and I watched them being taken to the ambulance, it was impossible to feel any comfort as we could do nothing to help the people who had done so much for us.

The painting depicts my brother watching the scene unfold, with the flashing lights of the ambulance reflecting onto his worried and concerned features. During the ambulance ride, the paramedics played Nanny and Poppy’s wedding song, bringing a joyous moment to an event filled with extreme anxiety, stress, and pain.

This work aims to show appreciation for the services of ambulance workers throughout Brisbane who make it their mission every day to improve the livelihoods of the vulnerable. It is a symbol of how grateful my family is for the compassion and humanity that they showed my grandparents on that day.