In this first newsletter of 2023, I wanted to do a bit of a reflection on 2022. I thought 2020 and 2021 were transformative years for me, since the years prior were predominantly spent in bed as I was so sick, but 2022 blew them completely out of the park.
It all started with my theme for the year..."Just Show Up." What that meant was that I was to say Yes to any opportunity that came my way that my "only" excuse for saying No was a default "I can't" and not a real No.
Looking back at 2022, I had some projects and opportunities I knew in January were going to happen...
* 20th Anniversary of owning the Chautauqua
* crochet food
- cookies + 2 cake slices completed in Jan
* exhibition at Corridor Gallery Jan 10 - Feb 28
- extended 7.5 weeks!!!!
- picked up artwork Fri, Apr 22
* applied for Stampede lottery home artist in Feb (not accepted)
* Voice of the Creatrix program Jan 20 - Mar 17
- finished song, sang and posted it!
* Inner Circle renewed Mar 16th for 3rd year!
* labyrinth path
- rock ordered/delivered and first layer down May 13 - May18
- gravel in sidewalk edging completed Sept 5
- along west side of garage completed Sept 27
* May I & BitterTEA decks
- ordered May 27 and picked up June 8!
* garden/harvest
- 36 cups tomato/pepper soup
- 6 pints rhubarb juice
- 13 quarts + 1 pint crabapple juice
- froze 6 cups raspberries
- froze 13 cups cherries
- froze 6.5 cups chopped onions
- froze 3 cups chopped peppers
- 3 pt refrigerator pickles
* three dressers, glider rocker, & chair donated to Alix thrift store Sept 23 - landing clear for first time in 2+ years!
* car windshield finally replaced Sept 28
* 1,000th sky drawing on Oct 5
* Unleash Your Voice 10-Day Immersion Nov 7 - Nov 23
- 10 songs written/sung/posted
* paintings completed
- daily painting since Jan 4
- completed 33 canvases + 26 watercolour play pages - both sides
* biked 577 kms (9 + 10 consecutive weeks, to Nov 1)
* 26 puzzles completed
Then, there were the projects and opportunities that came my way during the year that I didn't plan for or anticipate...
+ Voice of the Muse album program May 3 - Sept 6
- wrote 3 new songs!
- recording sessions June 11 & 17 + July 8/22 + Aug 11/26
- CDs ordered Sept 12 & arrived Oct 13
- streaming setup started Oct 4 & finished Oct 21
- album release/book launch party Oct 23 - sold 1 book & 1st painting!!!!!
+ solo art show at the Donalda Art Gallery July 19 - Aug 2
- installation July 18/19
- Gala July 23 - 6 people + 4 decks sold
+ published monthly Artist Newsletter
- first one May 13!
- June 10/July 8/Aug 12/Sept 9/Oct 14/Nov 11/Dec 9
- 9 official subscribers!!!!
+ FB shop set up and Square set up - started August, still not done
+ online Reiki Level 1 training - attunement Sept 9
+ submission to Viewpoint Gallery, Red Deer
- sent Sept 9 - not accepted
+ chapbook of artist voice journey
- files to Ember Sept 13 and picked up Sept 28!
+ signed up for Joyce van der Lely's free 30 Gentle Nudges
- Sept 22, and did Oct 12 - Oct 31 - completed journal
+ took decks to Wholistix Fri, Sept. 16
- to see if they'd carry them in the shop (they weren't interested)
+ Micro-Memoir weekend writing course with Dawn Montefusco
- Oct 1 & 2, wrote 5,200 words
+ Recipes, Remedies & Rituals Ayurveda course with Siva Mohan
- self-paced, started Sept 18
+ Hillary Faye's Attune to Animal Kingdom course Nov 2 - Nov 30
+ online Yoga Teacher Training October 16 - April 27/23
- Reiki Level 2 Oct 17
- Reiki Master Dec 5
+ signed up for Hillary's Kundalini Reiki training - January (Nov 14)
+ Miriam Schulman's Painting with Words online course started Sept 24
+ Anne LaFollette's Pattern Design Academy Sept 30 - Nov 21
- 91 patterns created
+ joined Anne LaFollette's yearly membership Nov 14
- 192 patterns created!
+ applied for 2023 Cowboy Kicks Boot project (Oct 22 - no response)
+ applied for Morgan Le Fay Mystery School Sister Sibling Year full scholarship (Oct 22 - no response)
+ signed up for KDP account
- published 2 basic 6x9 journals on Amazon (Oct 26)
- published creative daily planner (Nov 11)
+ signed up for Hillary Faye's 8-week Abundant Heart program (start in Jan)
+ Demi's Morgan Le Fay mini bundle (Nov 24)
+ Anahita's Beauty Codes holiday special Dec 18
- coaching call Dec 28 with her hubby
+ signed up for Sue Crites's Qigong Level 1 training (Jan 14 &15)
+ free hr clarity call with Natalie Silici (Dec 22)
+ created 10 hand-drawn mandalas (posca paint pen)
+ Niece here lots!!!!!
- Jan 14, Feb 11, Sept 4 & 5, Dec 10 & 17, Xmas day with Sis
- Baking, cleaning, board games & more
+ Zoom with Elizabeth Foley Dec 30
- she requested feedback on her upcoming projects
+ original painting and set of felted penguins from Zoe DeCnodder (Aug)
+ 3 card decks online from Hay House (Sept)
+ Amber's book "Creativity Unleashed" on Amazon Oct 19
+ a new wallet (Oct 6)
+ pre-ordered Miriam Schulman's Artpreneur book on Amazon (Oct 28) + ordered Virginal Rosenberg's 2023 Cosmic calendar (Dec 1)
+ Maida's F*ck It book on Amazon (Dec 1)
+ pre-ordered Jessica Swift's Radiant Rainbow book (Dec 23)
Celebrations:
- the whole of 2022 is a celebration!
- my niece was here two different days before Christmas and we had a massive baking marathon both days, played board games and cleared off the dining room table, as well as cleared up my kitchen table studio space.
Recently Completed:
Since the last newsletter, I've completed...
(Top L-R) Watercolour play (9x12 mixed media paper), "Nature's Joy" (16x20 acrylics), Watercolour play (9x12 mixed media paper)
(Bottom L-R) Rose hand-drawn mandala (paint pens/Tombow markets on 9x12 mixed media paper), 2023 Inner Circle Vision Board
- I also completed more patterns - still using my teacup motifs. One of the gals in the membership suggested a brown background so I experimented with that on each of my patterns (not all worked), and then a grey background (again, not all worked). Then just as I was starting to create new patterns, I accidentally clicked on something I wasn't supposed to (oops!) and turned the pattern I was working on into a silhouette! It was such a neat effect, that I started converting my previous patterns into silhouettes (not all worked).
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
- I'm learning lots in the online Awaken Love Yoga Teacher Training course - especially new meditations and mantras. I've also had a chance to practice with a couple of the gals.
- I am still working (slowly) on my pages in the self-paced online art course called "Painting with Words"
- I'm making progress through the Recipes, Remedies, and Rituals Ayurveda course.
- I'm going through the Morgan Le Fay Dark Moon course for a second round.
- Anne's Atelier pattern design membership: I'm still converting my previous patterns to silhouette versions.
- Hillary Faye's Kundalini Reiki course: I completed Level 1 on January 10 and am sending Reiki to a cousin and my yoga angel for practice before I start Level 2
- I have completed Week 1 of Hillary Faye's 8-week Abundant Heart Kundalini yoga course and am starting Week 2
Upcoming Projects:
- I signed up for Sue Crites Level 1 Qigong which is this weekend on January 14 &15
Thanks for reading,
Beth
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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
E-transfer to thechautauqua@gmail.com
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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!
