Elizabeth Sohnle Returns Home after a Wonderful Three-Month Stay in Cedar Key, Florida
Wauwatosa, WI (PRWEB) July 10, 2013 -- Elizabeth Sohnle, owner of LizArtGallery, a leading independent fine art photography studio, announces her return home to Wisconsin after a three-month working working visit to Cedar Key, Florida. While in Cedar Key, Elizabeth spent time photographing daily life and nature’s wonders in this small island community.
Rich in small-town atmosphere and old Florida history, Cedar Key is a quiet island community nestled among many tiny keys on the Gulf Coast. It is surrounded by more than 80,000 acres of wildlife refuges that isolate it from the hectic life of twenty-first century Florida. As a refuge for birds and wildlife, one of Florida’s oldest ports is home to many artists and writers.
“As a professional photographer, I have always looked beyond the image I see first,” said Elizabeth. “A place like Cedar Key is replete with beauty and tranquility, but that only scratches the surface. Rich in history, it is a community of fiercely loyal and proud residents “
Elizabeth spent a great deal of time during her stay learning about the town and its rich history. “The town’s residents really welcomed me into the community, taught me a lot, and I feel I’m much better for it.”
While in Cedar Key, Elizabeth became a member of the town’s Chamber of Commerce. “We need to preserve this slice of old Florida and protect its ambience,” she said, “but on the other hand, there is a need to increase tourism in the town.” Elizabeth shared some ideas for marketing strategies that would attract more visitors while still preserving historic Cedar Key.
At Cedar Key School, the relationship between students and teachers is a combination of mutual respect, admiration, and care. Elizabeth’s friend, a local science teacher, told her many times how proud he is of the kids and how hard they work each and every day.
She spent time learning about the local school and their Future Farmers of America program. For being the smallest school in the state, they are known for having one of the best FFA programs in the country. Future Farmers of America provides opportunities for students to study and learn about our natural world and then to present their findings on local, state, and national levels.
Each class has its very own vegetable garden, beginning in kindergarten. The kids tend their gardens from the seed stage till they have plants ready for harvest. Their vegetables are then donated to the local food pantry. Science class also involves raising tilapia, which they also donate. The students then volunteer as staff at the food pantry. “Cedar Key School is unique,” said Elizabeth. “Their tasks are of the real world. They help and work with the community they belong to. They also make their opinions known and their voices heard. They are confident, respectful, and caring members of this small town. They each have a job and are proud of what they are doing.”
“A child’s eye sees clearly, without the baggage that we accumulate as we grow up,” say Elizabeth. The students at Cedar Key School are taught to be more focused and self sufficient than those from other places. Cedar Key School is known as the Home of the Sharks. They have a saying that “Pride runs deep when you are a Shark.”
“My time in Cedar key was special,” said Elizabeth. “I learned more in those three months than I could ever have imagined. The feelings of love and community I found there were beautiful and overwhelming. Words cannot do them justice. They defy expression.”
While Elizabeth enjoyed her time in Cedar Key, Florida, she is happy to return home and eager for the projects and adventures to come.
For more information on Elizabeth Sohnle and LizArtGallery call (414) 870-1610 or visit http://www.lizartgallery.com.
About Elizabeth Sohnle and LizArtGallery:
Elizabeth Sohnle is a freelance photographer based in Wisconsin. She photographs and exhibits all over the United States. Elizabeth worked for years as a critical care nurse where she became an acute observer of life. Now she is able to integrate her past experiences into her photographs to help achieve the most resonant response from the viewer. She has learned to be a keen observer of the world we live in, including the people and various creatures that inhabit it.
Elizabeth Sohnle, Liz Art Gallery, http://www.lizartgallery.com, (414) 257-1743, [email protected]
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