Dana Souza, In the Distance Daily Painting by JoAnn Sanborn

The loss of Marco Island Parks and Recreation Director Dana Souza is a huge loss to our community. I was saddened by the news that Dana will be taking a position elsewhere. Dana has played a very big role in building our community by touching and including so many different people and organizations with a style that's inclusive, rather than in any divisive way. Dana was also a big friend of the arts, and actively promoted the arts on Marco.

I was on the first Charter committee after the City was incorporated, so I feel a vested interest in what goes on. It's just plain painful that after 10 years we still can't come together as a community and get it right. Some people blame our contentiousness on having too many people from too many different places, that we don't have a shared, common background. Some say that there are too many power frustrated, middle management people retired, with too much time on their hands. Some relish controversy as democracy at work. Whatever the reasons, Dana was a friend of the arts and a community builder, and we'll be sorry to see him go.

Today's daily Everglades painting, In the Distance, is a small version of the palms on the beach series I've been working on. I'll deliver a couple of paintings for display at the Morgan Stanly office today and finish my entry into the Naples Art Association's Founders show. You can see my painting Kindred Spirits in the Naples Art Association's Show of Shows

In the Distance
7" x 5"

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