One of the first Snellville Days, May, 1976. I made the sign for the float and my kids costumes
Recently I participated in a festival locally and I started to think about the process of visualization and how it can have such a profound effect on our lives long-term. This was not a new thought process for me, maybe because as an artist I tend to picture things visually. I also realized the importance of visualization when I taught in inner city schools. Many of the students were very limited in their perspective of their future and imagining a life of abundance and happiness because of their current struggles in everyday life. It is the way I think, but what was different this time was that I began to think how visualization can have such a profound effect if we stop to think how our actions might grow over many years. What brought this to mind for me was where the festival was held, in Snellville, Ga, a suburb of Atlanta, and where I had lived for 18 years. The park where the festival was being held was once a forest. I had been on a committee to help organize the planning of the park. I vividly remember picking up sticks as group effort for our organization on the property so that the construction could begin. My thought at the time did not go further than the visualization of having a nice, safe, outdoor environment for my children and those of others in our community. Our committee was thrilled when we received a federal grant that would match any funds we raised. The result was the creation of this Snellville Days festival which has now been held every May for the last 40 years. It made me feel very proud when I saw how the festival has grown and how the park has been improved to even a higher standard of recreational pleasure for that community and all that visit.
Snellville Days , 2014
Briscoe Park, Snellville Days, Snellville, Ga, May 2014
Briscoe Park, Snellville Days, Snellville, Ga, May 2014
Briscoe Park, Snellville Days, Snellville, Ga, May 2014
Briscoe Park, Snellville Days, Snellville, Ga, May 2014
The Bonnie Rose Gazebo
Snellville Days , 2014
I pondered the thought that sometimes a visualization process is necessary to motivate for current planning and progress to set goals for new ideas, but many times it is overlooked the benefits of the plan long-term in 10, 20, 30 or more years in the future. It is a reason to stop and think about the long-term benefits of every action taken.
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