**Since 2000

Mona's Art Gallery ( www.MonaXuna.com ) was inaugurated in April of 2000. Many canvasses have been on display.  Since then, this website has had thousands of visitors.  I feel that my paintings are getting good international exposure and that I do not need to exhaust myself with constant exhibition efforts, as I have done in the past.

In July of 2000 we sold our lakeshore home in South Dakota, and relocated to South Florida. Before doing that -though- we spent August and September visiting relatives in Spain and Portugal.  On our return from Europe we left for Brazil where we stayed during the months of November and December visiting my siblings and my mom, in Rio. After the Reveillòn of 2000 (New Year's Eve) we returned to the USA.

In January of 2001 we moved to a beachside apartment complex in Hillsboro Beach (about 40 miles north of Miami). A few weeks after the tragic 9-11 events, my husband -Juan- decided to embark on a political campaign. He ran as a "non affiliated" candidate (or NPA) for a seat in the US Congress (2002 - General Elections).  He qualified by gathering thousands of petitions from registered voters.  To say the least, it was a very interesting experience for all of us.  Some vestiges of that effort can still be seen online at www.Xuna.com, his main political website.  During that period I helped him as much as I could.

On January 2003 we moved once more, this time to Viera, not far from Cape Canaveral. We miss that beautiful beach in Melbourne (Indialantic).  We miss -as well- Cocoa Beach and those cozy bars on its pier, where we danced Country... a lot of times.

On September of 2003 we left the country for Vigo, Spain, birthplace of my husband.  Portugal is nearby, therefore I felt right at home as well. We had decided to leave America "for good", and yet -exactly one year later- we came back to our "adopted" country. After a while in "bucolic" Spain we realized that we had become more "engrained Americans" than we had thought we were.  Honestly, we missed too many things.

On arrival to the USA we settled in Cape Canaveral first, then -a year later- we moved to Okeechobee city (bordering that huge lake with that same name), my husband now a high school Science Teacher in a Juvenile Detention Center.

In July of 2006 we bought a new house in Wellington, FL, Here we plan on staying for a longer time.  Palm Beach County is a great place to live and to grow a family, good schools, good quality of life, and ... excellent clientele (provided you enjoy painting horses, and ... I can do that :-). 

These last 7 years have been full of interesting experiences that someday I would express on canvass, but that will have to wait, I do not want to cut short the enjoyment I am having taking care of my daughter.  I am planning on reactivating my artistic career soon, and participate in more exhibitions.  But ... no rush!

**In 1999:

In spring of 1999 we moved temporarily (8 months) to Overland Park, Kansas.  My husband was working on a project for Sprint, the telephone company.  My baby daughter, Alana, absorbed all my attention during this year.  We loved Kansas City!  At the end of the year we returned to our home in Wall Lake, Hartford, South Dakota.

**In 1998: 

From winter of 1997 and up to the spring of 1998 we lived in South Florida ( Hallandale Beach).  We loved that town. There my daughter was conceived, and when she was born we decided her middle name would be Florida.  We had to leave, but we made plans to return to Florida, and we did.

Due to my husband’s professional obligations we left sunny Florida for St. Cloud, Minnesota. I was admitted as a full-time student at the University of Minnesota, Saint Cloud, Visual Arts Department, where I concentrated in ceramic art... until Thanks Giving day when I gave birth to my daughter, Alana Florida Xuna.

**In 1997:

During the summer of 1997 we took a two-month inspirational vacation through Western Europe.  We visited thirteen countries, including a month stay with relatives on the picturesque fishing towns of the Rias Bajas on the NW part of Spain, near the Spanish-Portuguese border (where my husband grew up) .  We came back to America just to depart again, this time for a month stay on my native country, Brazil.  Upon return to the USA, we relocated to Hallandale Beach (Presidential Towers), near Hollywood. That was just before Thanks Giving.

**In 1996:

On February of 2006 I established residence in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
On Christmas Eve of that same year I got married to John "Juan" Xuna; a Software, Telecommunications, and International-Business Engineer. We had met in my native Rio de Janeiro a year earlier during one of his business trips. At the time I was exhibiting in Copacabana Beach, Rio, participating in a city-sponsored event.

During 1996 and half of 1997 we lived near Sioux Falls (Hartford's Wall Lake) and did participate in several exhibitions promoted by the Artists League of South Dakota.

Exhibit Theme: "Brazil: My Country, My Love"
Venue: Sioux Falls Civic Fine Arts Center.  Exhibition from August 9 thru Sep 15  Sioux Falls, South Dakota, USA

Exhibit Theme: "A Brazilian in America"
Venue: Rapid City Arts Council, State Fair. Sponsored by ‘Dahl Fine Arts Center’  Rapid City, South Dakota, USA

Exhibit Theme: "A Brazilian in America"
Venue: ‘Opryland Hotel’, & downtown Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee, USA

Exhibit Theme: "A Brazilian in America"
Venue: Annual Horse Trail Ride
Sisseton, South Dakota, USA

TV Spot: "Brazilian Artist in Sioux Falls"
KELO TV, Channel 3.
Sioux Falls, South Dakota, USA

Exhibit Theme: "Country Dancing"
Venue: Kickers How-Down, Country Dancing Competition. Exhibition Hall, ‘Ramkota Inn’ Hotel
Sioux Falls, South Dakota, USA

Exhibit Theme: "Country Dancing"
Venue: ‘Craft Town’ at Western Mall
Sioux Falls, South Dakota, USA

Invited to provide opinion on a future display of oil paintings.
Venue: ‘Lindo Montejo’ Restaurant.
Mexico City, Mexico