The Times of Tampa, Florida reported that The Artwork of John Lennon: Music for the Eyes which took center stage at the Sheraton Grand Hotel February 7 and 8, 1998, was the third and largest presentation of John's work exhibited in the Tampa Bar Area. The show included more than 100 pieces created by John from 1968 through 1980 as well as limited editions of John's manuscripts of Beatle songs. Proceeds went to the Divine Providence Food Bank in Tampa.

In a newspaper article titled "Getting to Know Yoko," Times staff writers Helen A.S.Popkin and Gina Vivinetto wrote, "Stop hating Yoko Ono. Stop blaming her for breaking up the Beatles. Stop buying into that tired myth that she's a no-talent hanger-on who ruined John Lennon's life. Start seeing her, as Lennon did, as a genius in her own right. A philanthropist who has donated more than a million dollars to AIDS research. An influential musician who, at age 65, collaborates with current cutting-edge artists such as Cibo Matto, Ween and Beastie Boys. A woman who has survived poverty, World War II, a husband struck down at her side and decades perceived in racist, sexist and ageist terms.

"Start seeing her dedication to her late husband - that of a widow and an artist who knows the importance of Lennon's legacy. Consider Ono's 'attack' on Paul McCartney in a recent BBC interview where she referred to McCartney as the pragmatic one and Lennon the Beatles' 'spiritual leader.' Consider it not the snipe of a bitter shrew, but the truth."

Yoko and Sean In a phone interview with Yoko, writers Popkin and Vivinetta elicited the following quotes from Yoko:

On John's Art - Yoko: "In a way, I see his art as an outsider's work, from outside the art world. He was always an outsider in that sense and I was a rebel, too. We had a lot of the same feelings toward his work in that sense. He used the animation style before the graffiti artists like Keith Haring, Kenny Scharf, people like that came out."

On Inspiration - Yoko: "I think I inspired him and encouraged him and, of course, I was inspired and encouraged in return. I think it was a very fortunate meeting. He was creating these things. Nobody was giving him the encouragement that he needed, so he cherished the dialogue with me and of course I cherished the dialogue with him. My work was experimental and not accepted at all - except by the New York avant garde. There was the loneliness of two artists - really not being understood. We were sort of a mutual admiration society.

On Sean's Parentage Resulting In Creativity - Yoko: "He's very good, but forget the fact that he's good or not. He's in love with music. You cannot stop someone from loving something. And if you love it, you do it. The same with me and John."

On Sean's Hair Color - Yoko: "EHHHHH! (laughs) You know he was going to dye his hair in a bright color, but first he bleached it and said, 'Ah, that's not so bad.' So he stopped there. I think that's the thing now, they change their hair color. That's okay by me. He's a person who enjoys life."

On Positive Thinking- Yoko: "I feel depression and anger, but I really have to think that sort of negative thinking only hurts yourself. You have to rescue yourself from that kind of emotion - count your blessings, the fact that you're breathing. You have to release yourself from that kind of thing."

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