Locala Magazine, January 2022

Happy New Year! Welcome to a world of fresh starts and new possibilities! Do you set goals for yourself in the new year? Do you look in on that bucket list?

In 2017, I had the opportunity to check off an item on my bucket list. The photography series, Wonderland by Kirsty Mitchell, was scheduled to be at a museum in Wisconsin only a few hours from where I was staying at the time. I couldn’t believe my luck! It was an opportunity to see the work of an overseas artist, whom I had been following for about five years.

The experience was once in a lifetime, or so I thought, but in February 2020, the show came to Florida—again, only a few hours away from me. This show filled my cup in ways I can’t even explain, and the joy of experiencing it twice on its tour was unbelievable for me. It was also the first time I could say I completed a bucket list item!

This got me thinking about other people who have purposely or inadvertently checked items off their bucket list. In this issue, we have stories from Blake Spires, who traveled to 30 countries before he was 30 years old; at 60 years old, Gary Robles started a new, thrilling hobby; and Angie Lewis climbed the highest peak for a breathtaking view with her family.

Since the world is beginning to open and traveling rules have drastically changed, due to COVID-19, we turned to travel expert Kristine Palmer for some guidelines for traveling in a post-pandemic world.

In addition to these and other stories from the Artist Corner and The Chews Letter, I sat down with Lisa Midgett. Surrounded by the art of Grace Netanya displayed in NOMA Gallery, Lisa opened up about what she has done, who she is as a person, and some of the dreams she has for the future. You don’t want to miss it.

Thank you for all the support you have shown us since our first issue in June of 2021. May this year bring you good health, great joy, love, and the opportunity for wealth.