Wednesday 30 November 2022

Let yourself be silently drawn
 by the strange pull of what you really love.  
It will not lead you astray. 
 - Rumi

Friday 25 November 2022

Listen carefully.  
The answers to our deepest questions 
are often whispered. 
 - Wayne Gerard Trotman

Wednesday 23 November 2022

Friday 18 November 2022

November 18, 2022 Chautauqua

Beth's Ponderings

   I was asked an interesting question the other week.  I was asked what my dreams for my life were back in 2020, pre-COVID.

   Well, truthfully, I was still very much in survival mode 24/7 and trying to get healthy, so while I did have dreams, I had zero energy to think about them, or even try to make them come true, as everything in my being was focussed on just getting through each day.

   Fast forward to now, and I joked with my two Aussie buddies that I took a decade’s worth (or more) of accomplishments and squeezed them all into this single year.

   While I’m still in the midst of online course work, and getting ready for the Christmas issue of The Chautauqua, what I really want to do is just curl up and do nothing.  (The snow and bitter cold temperatures the beginning of November sure added to that desire).

   More often than not, the best way to accomplish what you need to do is to rest more, not less, so I’m off to savour a mug of hot chocolate.

Beth

Read the complete issue of The Chautauqua here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1t-8Gdd6V1MpVI7YObD3OyKqGUWl5xQjY/view?usp=share_link

 Whether you've enjoyed reading The Chautauqua from the first issue 20 years ago, are a brand new reader, or somewhere in between, I sincerely hope that The Chautauqua has enriched your life, as much as it has enriched mine publishing it.  If you would like to help ensure it continues to enrich others like yourself, I ask you to please consider making a donation to The Chautauqua. There are three methods available:   

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

E-transfer to thechautauqua@gmail.com 

PayPal at https://paypal.me/thechautauqua (note: you will need to sign into PayPal first, and then specify the amount) 

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


And, if you are looking for a unique gift idea, please visit: https://thechautauquanewspaper.blogspot.com/p/products-for-sale.html

Contact The Chautauqua via email: thechautauqua@gmail.com or via Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheChautauqua     

Wednesday 16 November 2022

If you believe it will work out, you’ll see opportunities.  
If you believe it won’t, you will see obstacles.
  Dr. Wayne Dyer

Friday 11 November 2022

My Artist Voice #7 November 11, 2022

   Welcome to my seventh 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.  Please share this with friends who may also be interested.  Thank you so much for your support.  


   Thank you SO MUCH to everyone who attended my Album Release Listening Event on October 23rd.  I'll admit I was very nervous as I played the album songs, alternated with reading excerpts from my book, "Exploring My Artist Voice: a journey without a map." I was also asked to do an ipad drawing demo, which is always fun.  And, I sold my first painting ever!!!!!!!!!!!!  Thank you to Terry Holdstock for her help with the set up and the event, and thank you to Ferne Gudnason for taking the pictures.

  You may still purchase CDs, books and more directly from me, or listen to the album online.  
   I plan to have a table with the CDs, books, and decks at the Mirror Christmas Market on Saturday, November 19, from 11 - 3 pm. I hope to see you there!

Celebrations

- So much has happened lately, it's hard to remember it all!  Besides the release event, I also completed my Reiki Level 2 attunement on October 17, 2022 and received my certificate!  Now I have lots of practicing to do.

- on October 26th, I tried an experiment and figured out how to publish a 6x9 basic lined journal with KDP and I now have a paperback and hardcover version of "Magical Moments in My Day Journal: for the special moments all around me" available on Amazon!  By the time you read this, I hope to have a daily planner available too (fingers crossed) 

Recently Completed:

Since the last newsletter, I've completed...
(Top L-R) Rose hand-drawn mandala (paint pens on 9x12 mixed media paper), "Savour" (8x10 acrylics), Watercolour play (9x12 mixed media paper)
(Bottom L-R) "ABC" (8x10 acrylics), Rose hand-drawn mandala (paint pens on 9x12 mixed media paper), Rose hand-drawn mandala (paint pens on 9x12 mixed media paper)
- I've also been having fun in my Pattern Design Academy online program and have completed a number of patterns with my teacup images, and made variations with different background colours. 
- I completed a freebie course which was a month-long series of prompts (it took me more than a month with everything else going on) and you can see my completed journal here: https://www.facebook.com/beth.richardson.10/videos/588766313023700

- I brought in the last of the garden produce and chopped/froze 3 cups of peppers.  I had a LOT of grapes this year and my niece wanted to make wine - as a compromise (she's only 12!), we sugar-fermented a pint of grapes and made a "mock wine" which turned out better than I expected!

Works in progress:

Currently, I'm working on... 
- a 9x12 page of watercolour play 
- an 8x10 acrylic painting 
- mandala on 9x12 mixed media paper 
- crochet chocolates and candy for my crochet food project (temporarily on hold again)
- I am still working (slowly) on my pages in the self-paced online art course called "Painting with Words

- We are entering the final weeks of the Pattern Design Academy course, with our graduation set for November 21.

- November was the start of the Attuning to the Animal Kingdom online course - we started with the "gentle ones" - bunnies, sloth and golden retrievers.

- I'm learning lots in the online Awaken Love Yoga Teacher Training course - especially about Kundalini yoga, which I've never experienced before and includes a lot of breath work and mantra chanting.

- the 2022 Unleash Your Voice 10-Day singing/songwriting immersion started on November 7th (https://www.unleashyourvoice10day.com) and our first song was to be a one-liner - you can view and listen to mine here: https://www.facebook.com/beth.richardson.10/videos/5543405355766331 For Day 2 we were to create a melody for a poem or written selection.  I chose to sing a poem by Maria Aleandra (mainly because when she had sent it to her email list back in September I had replied that it sounded like a song, and she had asked me to sing it how I "heard" it, and I hadn't gotten around to it before now) You can view/listen here: https://www.facebook.com/beth.richardson.10/videos/498545575554632  Last year's immersion was completely life-altering for me, so who knows what this year will bring!?

Upcoming Projects

- I will be at the Mirror Christmas Market on Saturday, November 19, 2022 from 11 - 3 pm, with my CDs, books and more for sale.  Please come check out my table. 

Thanks for reading,
Beth 

~~~~~~~~

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. 

~~~~~~~~

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 

E-transfer to thechautauqua@gmail.com 

PayPal at https://paypal.me/thechautauqua (note: you will need to sign into PayPal first, and then specify the amount) 

   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!

Wednesday 9 November 2022

Friday 4 November 2022

November 4, 2022 Chautauqua

Beth's Ponderings

   My album finally released!!!!!!  I had a wonderful release event on October 23rd, and a HUGE thank you to everyone who attended, and to Terry Holdstock for her help that day.  You can purchase CDs from me, as well as my newest book, “Exploring My Artist Voice: a Journey Without a Map (40-page, full colour).

   It feels like I’ve been talking about this album FOREVER, but it hasn’t been that long at all.  The whole process started last November with the 10-Day online singing/songwriting immersion, but that actual album wasn’t even a possibility in my life until I joined Voice of the Muse in April!  The recording of the songs was finished the end of August, so all in all, this has been a rather quick process.

   You can listen to my album online, just go to https://linktr.ee/beth.richardson or use this QR code.

   If you would like to join this year’s Immersion, please go to https://www.unleashyourvoice10day.com/

Beth

Read the complete issue of The Chautauqua here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PJOYe1_I5LHlMmWJMIamRwaIbadW9xca/view?usp=share_link

 Whether you've enjoyed reading The Chautauqua from the first issue 20 years ago, are a brand new reader, or somewhere in between, I sincerely hope that The Chautauqua has enriched your life, as much as it has enriched mine publishing it.  If you would like to help ensure it continues to enrich others like yourself, I ask you to please consider making a donation to The Chautauqua. There are three methods available:   

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

E-transfer to thechautauqua@gmail.com 

PayPal at https://paypal.me/thechautauqua (note: you will need to sign into PayPal first, and then specify the amount) 

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


And, if you are looking for a unique gift idea, please visit: https://thechautauquanewspaper.blogspot.com/p/products-for-sale.html

Contact The Chautauqua via email: thechautauqua@gmail.com or via Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheChautauqua     

Wednesday 2 November 2022

I want to sing like the birds sing, 
not worrying about who hears or what they think.
  - Rumi