Sonja Hamner says yes to opportunities to grow, to experience wonders, finding beauty and nature truly lifts her spirit, as she has been moved through the changes of life as a military spouse, adoptive mother, and home loose traveler for 7 years until arriving in Sarasota in a pandemic.

New to area, looking to make connections I replied to a FB posting to come help artists paint the sidewalk for centennial. I brought my teen for a mother/daughter outing to have fun. We went to be a helper, then led to our own sidewalk!!! WE were asked for our theme and now fully responsible to paint?!? I could be all in, or back out. Said yes, then heard my teen had strong opinion to do her own square. Instead of getting to support an artist, or even collaborate together with my daughter, I was challenged to pivot my energy so I could flow into the opportunity to do something creative. I wouldn't have chosen to do this, but fell into it, meanwhile my daughter was bold, decisive, and fearless in her choice to paint a horse. She freehand painted it. She had the challenges of a canvas of cement for the first time. Elle used personal imagery with purple representing being an epilepsy warrior, the horse a symbol of freedom to make choices even with autism, as well as illustrating a part of the Circus tradition that helped build Sarasota as a city.

I love words and lettering> in my quick search as I stood on the sidewalk, I chose something that captured the essence of changes that have happened here on the beachfront-
"Ladies must wear bloomers on the beach."

My daughter did the ellie_on_the _move
circus horse with purple backbround.