Our sunset was first published in 1999, when a local newspaper asked the island city residents what was our favorite about living in Alameda? Our first show was September 9, 2001 Alameda's Art in the Park. Since our first attempt to be published was a success, maybe we had a following, And we did. We met people who had read the feature and knew our work. We are still in our first studio. We filed
our business name on 4-10-2012, April 10, 2012. Participation in our first open studio show began at 6pm on 8/10/12 August 10th 2012. I remember these specific dates because they are associated with significant dates. I do not remember them just for the sake of remembering. UPDATE: We have managed seven calendar fundraising campaigns; 2005, 2007, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017. It has been an amazing experience watching and learning how to make my dreams come true. Using my talents, albeit, originally unexpectedly discovered, has been both exhilarating and more stressful than I ever imagined. Having had a traumatic brain injury, I would never have signed up to take on projects that is so far beyond my capabilities. The apex of my brain injury affects my ability to stay focused long enough to complete anything until the first calendar. Our first calendar, within 10 weeks the calendar idea was conceived, create, executed and delivered to our first partners. It has been a long learning curve. Just because I can dream up ideas, does not necessarily mean I can make it a reality... until the calendar. Without a doubt, this has been joint endeavors. Andy, my husband, who I preserved Alameda at sunset by taking snapshots of what I was watching. I did not have the words to describe what I was seeing. Not sure when I acquired my first camera. I do know one has been in my possession for the past 30 years. My mom had an incredible eye when it came to using a camera so I know where the talent comes from. With all this happening, it fills my heart. I feel so incredibly blessed even though life's challenges have truly been unimaginable, testing me to my core. With my friends slipping over this year, it has made me more vocal about my traumatic brain injury. I want to shout out to the world, life does not end because the unimaginable happens. It means you have been selected to go be a part of another kind of an amazing and different journey than most. Hang on because it promises to be a very bumpy ride. Divine intervention is the new word to describe what I believe about life. Over and over, I see threads in my life that would have gone very different if that person did something different than they did, or I turned the corner the way I did. Caught a show on the TV or a TED series unexpectedly. My first experience with this came the night of my accident. Another moment was again related to my second injury, in 1997. Being at home, only capable of resting, I discovered the Oprah Winfrey show. It was the summer of 1998, the year that the theme became "Change your life TV." No idea those afternoon recordings would have endless treasures and pleasures just for me or so I thought it was.
