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| Four Seasons Hemet Herald | SEPTEMBER 2017 | 23 My creative spirit sprung alive after we retired, then moved to Four Seasons 10 years ago. My prior life was fulfilled. Bob and I have had 53 wonderful years of marriage to date, raised four children, and we are currently spending time with nine grandchildren, ages nine to 21. For the first time since I could remember in 2007, I had precious time on my side. I took an acrylic painting class from Barbara Kenyon for four years. I found myself joyfully emerged in painting happenings in my life that I was emotionally attached to: scenes and people of varying cultures, animals and birds from our world travels, various family members' dogs, and, of course, our grandchildren. Having been diagnosed with macular degeneration and glaucoma in 2010 and realizing that my eyesight was deteriorating, I then emersed myself in Ellie Rosenbaum's memoir writing class. Having taught English for 33 years, I knew how to write, but I needed direction. That class helped me write, organize, then publish my memoirs in 2012. In the meantime, our family cabin in Idaho has been our perpetual home for 37 summers. My passion for glass mosaicing in Idaho grew, so in 2013 I took a class in stained glass for 10 months from Trina Reber in Sun City, CA, bought all the necessary tools for cutting and grinding glass etc., then branched into more creative forms of glassworks: windows, tabletops, Lazy Susan's, mirrored art, bowls, birdbaths, and four-paned windows. I've loved this 10 year exploration of art during my retirement here. I hope that you will appreciate my artwork displayed on the Lodge gallery walls and showcase here at Four Seasons in September and October. Artist of the month Sandy St. John