Marie Smeznik, an active Parkinson's advocate but not yet a member of this
list, asked me to post the following message:

[Do visit this gallery if you can, before March 12!   Representing our
Shakers 90210  group were wonderful photographs by Millard Tipp and Richard
Bohn.  And listmember Susan Kline ("Wolfwoman" who charmed/captured 5
congresspersons for Udall) and the inspirational Rod Preston  have two
paintings in this elegant, juried show.  I hope Muhammad Ali's striking
blue on white drawing of a river will go to a good Parkinson's-friendly
home!]:
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Friday night, as we pulled up in front of the VSA Gallery in Beverly Hills,
someone in the car said, "I see your art -- on the wall right there."   I
spun around and there, through the all glass front of the Gallery on Canon
Drive, right off of Wilshire Blvd., I saw my colorful fabric designs
displayed in plain view.   It was then I was struck with the magnitude of
what was happening.   I had driven from my home in Santa Barbara to this
Beverly Hills art gallery exhibit opening night, and my artwork is right there!

Friday night, Feb. 12,  1999, was the opening of the "Strength of
Greatness" art show/sale at the VSA Gallery West, for persons affected by
Parkinson's, and I spent that night in an altered state of reality.  If
someone had told me 5 years ago, "You have Parkinson's Disease, and in the
future your needlework art will give you a high point in of your life"  I
would not have believed them.   But it's true.  I was diagnosed with
Parkinson's in 1994, and now my needlework fabric art has been chosen to be
on display in an art gallery in Beverly Hills, right across from Mulhammed
Ali's sketch, surrounded by the artwork of highly accomplished artists, and
I had a high point of my life.   I was surrounded by people who were there
to view and enjoy the high calibre of artistic work created by PWP.

The gallery was already full of people when I arrived at the opening.
Light and music filled the gallery, along with the buzz and hum of people
talking and laughing and enjoying the wonderful displays around them.

The artwork is varied and impressive:  Beautiful, intricate bead work;
incredible photography; wonderful oil portraits and landscapes, and
watercolor florals, to name a few.   This is a high calibre art show with
work by artists from all around the country.

I was welcomed by Rachel Schneir, Manager of the VSA Gallery, and given the
warmest reception by the other members of the VSA staff.  My thanks to each
and eery one of them.

Thanks also to Millard Tipp (LA NPF), a very special person and a true
gentleman, for his work in getting this show for People with Parkinson's
put together.

And, since I find myself so touched and moved by the response to this event
in my life, I ask your indulgence to say some additional public "thank
you's."   Thank you to all the following for your support, encouragement
and affection:

  *To Bev Steward also from Santa Barbara, whose wonderful watercolors hang
at theVSA Gallery in this show.  Bev was the first PWP I ever spoke to
after I was diagnosed 5 years ago, and she has been a friend ever since.

  *To my longtime friends Barb & Tony, Linda  Ward & Kikka, Kara & Terry
who all
traveled from Santa Barbara or distant points to share my opening night
with me.

  *To Mary Yost, who has been a wonderful "sister'" along our individual
paths through life together with PD.

   *To Kathryn Stahl, new President of the Parkinson Association of Santa
Barbara, and an
artist in her own right.

  *And, of course, to Shannon Kelly, for 26 years of love and continuity
through otherwise always changing life.

I appreciate everything each of you (and all those I have not individually
named) have done for and to encourage me.

And to any and all of those who can, I urge you to go see the show -- it is
a good art show in its own right, and sale proceeds go to Parkinson's research.

MARIE SMEZNIK
SANTA BARBARA
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