Episode 10 - Commissioner Patty Sheehan

Finding My Quiet Place

Patty Sheehan, the first openly-gay City Commissioner in Central Florida, takes time out of her busy re-election campaign to talk about the importance of quiet time.

Her "garden of chaos" is a beautiful sanctuary of fruit trees, art, statues, wind machines, and of course, a chicken coop. There are several places to sit and contemplate. It's surprisingly serene, in spite of the fact that she's across the street from Octopus Car Wash.

We discuss the day-to-day challenges of being an elected official, and the importance of choosing how you will react to situations beyond your control.

Her home is filled with artwork, mostly from local artists, and when she's not campaigning, she creates a lot of art herself. We learn the origin story of "Bad Kitty," and get some insight into her difficult childhood.

Photos made with a 1950s Rolleiflex twin-lens camera, using Kodak Tri-X 120 film.