My Artist Voice #4 August 12, 2022

   Welcome to my fourth Artist Newsletter.  Thank you so much to everyone who has subscribed to date.  If you would like to receive this newsletter via email subscription, please contact thechautauqua@gmail.com and ask to be added to the mailing list.  Feel free to share this with friends who may also be interested.  Thank you so much for your support.  

   My second solo art show recently ran from July 19 - August 2, 2022, at the Donalda Gallery for the Arts.  This was a different experience from my exhibition earlier in the year.  My first one was an exhibition only, and highlighted the variety of my daily practices.  This art show allowed me to sell my artwork and featured canvases, and more, that highlighted my journey over the past 5 years as I explored different mediums and what it means to call myself an artist.  

   In addition, there was a hosted Meet & Greet on July 23rd which was a lot of fun as I answered questions about my art, and a solo Meet & Greet on July 27th.  I had hoped to do two more Meet & Greets but my health did not cooperate, and I had to cancel them.

   A HUGE thank you to everyone who saw it in person, attended the July 23rd Meet and Greet, purchased decks, and offered encouragement via Facebook.  Also, a special thank you to Marlene Conibear for inviting me to exhibit and for hosting the Meet & Greet, and to Zoe DeCnodder for all her assistance.  

   If you weren't able to see the exhibit in person, you can view it here: https://www.facebook.com/beth.richardson.10/videos/726948365275943.  This was a fabulous experience and I'm so glad I said Yes.

Celebrations: 

- my 3rd recording session was Friday, July 8th.  The practice recordings I did during the week of my final 4 songs were good enough that I didn't have to record anything new, so we had initial tracks recorded for all 10 songs!!!  

   TJ started sending me the edited tracks back and I decided what I liked and didn't like - an interesting process, but not always an easy one!

   For my 4th recording session on Friday, July 22nd, we took some "behind the scenes" pictures in my "closet recording studio" and we edited 5 of the 6 songs, plus we figured out two more, which just left 2 songs still untouched.  We also started a tentative list of the order of the songs on the album.  

Recently Completed:

Since the last newsletter, I've completed...

(L-R top) "Comfort Food" (8x10 acrylics), iPad mandala representing my gallery show, iPad mandala exploration, Watercolour play (9x12 mixed media paper)

(L-R middle) iPad mandala exploration, "Baked with Love" (8x10 acrylics), 2 more iPad mandala explorations

(L-R bottom) Watercolour play (9x12 mixed media paper), Heart/Body/Mind/Spirit iPad mandala, 5 Inner Circle wisdom stones, Watercolour play (9x12 mixed media paper) 

   As well, I made 6 pints (plus 3/4C) of rhubarb juice, 2 pints of apple juice (from old apples that needed dealt with), and I experimented with making quack grass juice and got 5 cups - the jury is still out on that one, and I want to try again using a different method.

Works in progress:

Currently, I'm working on... 

- a 9x12 page of watercolour play 

- an 8x10 acrylic painting + 16x20 acrylic Inner Circle Muse painting 

- crochet chocolates and candy for my crochet food project [temporarily on hold]

- In Voice of the Muse, we're working on the final 2 songs, edits for the other tracks, and the order of the songs

Upcoming Projects: 

- My 10-song music album (final title still to be determined) is expected to be released/available in October (or maybe even sooner!)

- as I had created the journey idea for my Donalda gallery show, I decided to expand on it and turn it into a 40-page chapbook, which I hope (fingers crossed) will be ready to be printed in September or October.

Thanks for reading,

Beth 

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As a life-long creative, and recently self-taught artist, I endeavour to weave my varied interests and wisdom together in an enlightening and entertaining manner, to make people think, but above all else, bring a smile to their faces and hearts, as my style is almost childlike in its simplicity and playfulness.  While bedridden for much of 2017, I developed 5 – 10 minute practices which allowed me to commit to them daily. I’ve been called the “Queen of Small Steps” because my simple practices – though they may seem small individually – have added up to quite a body of work in a relatively short time period. 

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Thank you so much for your support, and again, if you would like to receive this newsletter directly via email please email: thechautauqua@gmail.com and ask to be added to the mailing list.  Thank you!

Back issues of this newsletter can be found here: https://thechautauquanewspaper.blogspot.com/  under the category "Artist Newsletter"

If you would like to support my artistic journey, please consider purchasing my artwork, select items available online https://thechautauquanewspaper.blogspot.com/p/products-for-sale.html or in person at 4910-47 St, Mirror, AB

or by making a donation via

Mail a cheque or money order (made out to Beth Richardson – Chautauqua) to Box 261 Mirror, AB T0B 3C0 

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   Your support and kindness are always greatly appreciated, and I look forward to continuing to bring joy and inspiration! Thank you so much and have a marvellous day!