UPCOMING EVENTS
Tuesday, September 21, 6:30 – 9:00 p.m. Art in the Dark will be back!!! We are excited to be back and in person for this year’s event at the beautiful La Villita Assembly Hall. 

Join us for an unforgettable, unique evening celebrating “The Touch”…”The Sense”…”The Feel”… of art. We will have fabulous local artists, potters, sculptors, and jewelry designers in San Antonio who have donated their artwork to this event. Guests will have the opportunity to bid on the art throughout the evening while enjoying wonderful food and beverages from local restaurants and businesses.

This year we have a very special guest, John Bramblitt a very talented and skilled painter that just so happens to be blind! John will have a demonstration of his painting skills which is truly phenomenal. Rick Cavender will also be joining us to perform with our Lighthouse Choir.

Tickets are $60 in advance and $75 at the door. All proceeds will benefit the San Antonio Lighthouse for the Blind & Vision Impaired – rehabilitation programs!!
COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS
The Newest Addition to Art in the Dark, John Bramblitt!
At Art in the Dark this year, we have some very exciting additions to the event agenda. John Bramblitt, an artist who is blind will be at Art in the Dark this year to demo what it is like for him to create a painting.

John's story is very interesting and captivating, and we are so excited to have him at this year's event. More about John:

John Bramblitt is an artist whose work has been sold in over one hundred and fifty countries and he just so happens to be blind. Besides appearing on numerous television shows, print media, and doing numerous workshops and appearances, Mr. Bramblitt is also the author of the award-winning book, Shouting in the Dark. He currently works as a consultant for museums in developing programs that are designed to include everyone – no matter their ability or disability.
 
Prior to his blindness, John studied at the University of North Texas in Denton, Texas, where he graduated with honors. When Bramblitt lost the last of his vision in 2001 due to complications with epilepsy and Lyme's disease, his hopes of becoming a creative writing teacher were shattered and he sunk into a deep depression.
 
But then something amazing happened-- he discovered painting. He learned to distinguish between different colored paints by feeling their textures with his fingers. He taught himself how to paint using raised lines to help him find his way around the canvas, and through something called haptic visualization, which enables him to "see" his subjects through touch. He now paints amazingly lifelike portraits of people he's never seen--including his wife and son.
 
While art was always a major part of John’s life it was not until he lost his sight in 2001 that he began to paint, and it was then that he says, “Art reshaped my life.” John’s paintings are intensely personal and are mostly taken from real people and events in his life. John’s workshops are unique in the art world in that they not only span the gap between the beginning and professional artists but also include adaptive techniques for people with disabilities. According to John, “Everyone has an artist somewhere in them; sometimes they just need a little help letting it out.”

If you are interested in learning more about John Bramblitt, visit his website linked below.
EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT
Highlighting Our New Low Vision Store Volunteer
Rachel Pina is the Lighthouse’s first Low Vision Clinic volunteer! Rachel is a senior at UTSA and is studying Medical Humanities with a pre-med concentration and a minor in Biology. She will be graduating in Spring 2022. 

Rachel chose this degree because it focuses on the humanities and holistic view of patient care, not just on the biology side of things. "The Medical Humanities Major emphasizes the importance of patient-physician interaction," said Rachel.
"Over time, medicine has changed its focus and is treating patients as biological systems, ignoring the human side of patients. I liked the idea of rebuilding the patient and physician relationships into one where the physician treats patients as people composed of complex systems and not just as a biological object that can be “fixed," much like how a mechanic fixes a car."

After graduating from UTSA Rachel hopes to pursue higher education at the Rosenberg School of Optometry at UIW and her goal is to specialize in Low Vision Therapy. Rachel was drawn to volunteer at the Lighthouse because she wants a career in Optometry and believes that volunteering at the Lighthouse would give her insight on visual impairments that will help her in her field of study. 

So far she has learned about many tools that help the visually impaired and has assisted many patients. Being a volunteer at the Low Vision Store has brought her satisfaction in the help she has been able to provide and she is excited for what she can do in the future. Rachel has been enjoying her time at the Lighthouse because of the friendliness of the staff. She loves being surrounded by visual aids and has even started to learn braille during her downtime at the store.

When asked about her favorite part of being at the Lighthouse, Rachel responded: “The best part about working in the Low Vision Store is being able to help the patients that walk in. They are sometimes unfamiliar with the help that the Lighthouse offers or even with the equipment and technology that can assist their needs. One time I introduced a patient to the Color Detector and the smile on her face was enough to make my day.” 

Thank you Rachel for all you do. We're happy to have you on board!
BOARD MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
An Encouraging Word From Lea Ream
Last year was unprecedented in so many ways. The death of George Floyd and other similar tragedies have led to many thought-provoking, and sometimes heated, conversations with family members, colleagues, and friends. Of course, no one can think of 2020 and leave out the global pandemic. COVID certainly highlighted the frailty of life, how precious good health is and how quickly it can be jeopardized. 
 
These events raised my personal consciousness and sensitivity to the challenges that others face. They caused me to contemplate how I might be more empathetic to the experiences of others and reflect on my own subconscious presumptions or bias. Ultimately, this also led me to contemplate how I might be more thoughtful in the choices that I make. These can range from simple everyday choices like the words I choose in my interactions with others, to the choices I make when making a bigger life decision. No matter how great or small, all choices matter and can make a difference to someone else.
 
While these events have in some instances created a divisiveness among us, they have also enabled us to reconsider and embrace values that are important to us individually and collectively. As we begin to return to normal interactions with each other, with or without masks, we have a unique opportunity to reconsider and reset our relationships to create a more welcoming, diverse, and inclusive environment in all aspects of our lives.
 
As a board member, I am excited about the future of the Lighthouse and the endless possibilities that are on our horizon. In the words of former President Jimmy Carter, “We have become not a melting pot but a beautiful mosaic. Different people, different beliefs, different yearnings, different hopes, different dreams.”