I often make the mistake of thinking
that something that is obvious to me
is just as obvious to everyone else.
- Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
email: thechautauqua@gmail.com
Monday 26 February 2024
From TEA for the Bitter Times Created by Beth Richardson ©2022
email: thechautauqua@gmail.com
to purchase decks: https://thechautauquanewspaper.blogspot.com/p/products-for-sale.html
Saturday 24 February 2024
Friday 23 February 2024
Transformation? That’s what the amateurs chase.
The pros are after evolution. If the first step is just showing up,
committing to doing something each day,
then the next step is finding something to focus on getting better at each day.
- Ryan Holiday
email: thechautauqua@gmail.com
Wednesday 21 February 2024
Doing things badly
does not give you the right to demand
haste from the person who does them well.
- Juan Ramon Jimenez
email: thechautauqua@gmail.com
Monday 19 February 2024
From TEA for the Bitter Times Created by Beth Richardson ©2022
email: thechautauqua@gmail.com
to purchase decks: https://thechautauquanewspaper.blogspot.com/p/products-for-sale.html
Friday 16 February 2024
February 16, 2024 Chautauqua
The summer of 2022, as part of a session in Inner Circle (creative mentorship I belong to), I created a Basket of Possibility with all of my dreams, goals, projects, items I wanted to purchase, and other “some day” items. It quickly expanded to two baskets, even though last year, for instance, I managed to complete 13 items without even trying.
A couple of weeks ago, I went through EVERY single item and decided if they were still something I wanted to do. There were 50 goals/dreams I really don’t want to put any effort into completing, which was a surprise, but also a huge relief, and got rid of more UFO’s!
We need to allow our long-term dreams to evolve, and sometimes to let some go completely. I’m keeping the ones in the basket on the left.
Beth
Read the complete issue of The Chautauqua here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/10jF0wjAVYGS6sEsr5oATP2D-VN-FbBSM/view?usp=sharing
Whether you've enjoyed reading The Chautauqua from the first issue 22 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 14 February 2024
Research has shown that the best way to be happy
is to make each day happy.
- Deepak Chopra
email: thechautauqua@gmail.com
Monday 12 February 2024
From TEA for the Bitter Times Created by Beth Richardson ©2022
email: thechautauqua@gmail.com
to purchase decks: https://thechautauquanewspaper.blogspot.com/p/products-for-sale.html
Saturday 10 February 2024
Friday 9 February 2024
My Artist Voice #22 February 9, 2024
Welcome to my 22nd Artist Newsletter. Thank you so much to everyone who has subscribed to date. If you would like to receive this newsletter directly in your email inbox, 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.
Celebrations:
- On February 3rd, I completed my 1,600th sky drawing on the ipad since April 26, 2021!
- (left) PATH painting (watercolour pencils, acrylics, Posca paint pens on 9x12 mixed media paper) based on a process by Whitney Freya
- Shiloh Sophia's Wild Card Oracle class - still not sure if I will make more cards or not.
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.
Not sure if was the weather (the Polar Vortex followed up almost summer-like weather), my general rebellious nature, or something else, but I have not felt like doing any "planning" for the year, or figuring out what projects I will do. As I said last month, my theme is meandering and my word is simple/simplify/simplicity. So I spent most of January and the beginning of February decluttering my life by decluttering my computer files, but some items around the house too.
Then I discovered that my Human Design (you'll have to look it up as I don't know much about it myself yet) type is Generator. That means I'm highly creative (surprise!), but also I'm the type that tends to "wait and see" before doing something, and it has to be a full on Hallelujah-type Yes for me to really get excited about it. Finding that out made a lot of sense, so using that criteria, I went through my Baskets of Possibility that I started in 2022 and looked at EVERY single item as I journaled how I felt about it - I was really shocked at some of the projects and goals that I had ZERO desire to actually put any energy into, even though my "mind" said it was a good idea! Long story short, I had 50 items that I don't want to pursue and that not only gave me a HUGE sense of relief to admit to myself, but also will eliminate a large number of UFO's from my life! And made it way easier to know what files to delete off my computer. I kept the ones in the left basket (below).
- I published two more comic strips in the paper and posted them online.
- I attended the Bashaw School production of "Frozen" (Jr version) on January 21st. The kids did a fabulous job and it's so much fun watching them blossom on stage. While I was there, I also purchased 4 children's books published by our minister, Robin King.
Recently Completed:
Since the last newsletter, I've completed...
- (middle) Watercolour play (on 9x12 mixed media paper)
- (right) MOON painting (watercolour pencils, acrylics, Inktense pencils, Posca paint pens on 9x12 mixed media paper) based on a process by Whitney Freya
- on January 12th and 13th, I made a baked oatmeal.
- I completed my 27th cartoon comic booklet and you can view it here https://www.facebook.com/beth.richardson.10/videos/689549163055746
- Heart Cards in watercolour pencil/Posca paint pen on mixed media paper. I got them all cut out, and while I don't know that they are "done," I'm calling them done as I'm not sure what the next step is for them.
UFO (UnFinished Object) Update:
- still deleting old PDF files that I no longer need. In the past month (or so), I've gone from 700+ in my "to deal with later" file, to just over 300. I'm making progress!!!!
Courses and Challenges (free and paid):
- Laura Rose's Honey Pot (embodiment) self-paced online class - going to start the 3rd unit soon.
- I'm practicing my drum playing daily, and hope to view the next lesson before the end of the month (fingers crossed).
- Recipes, Remedies, and Rituals Ayurveda course: I watched an online masterclass she offered as a way to ease myself back into this class.
Works in progress:
Currently, I'm working on...
- a 9x12 page of watercolour play
- based on Whitney Freya classes, I'm working on a word painting (not sure what word yet) and a Laughing Buddha painting (in my personal smashbook)
- an 8x10 acrylic painting (a UFO)
- a 16x20 acrylic painting
- I completed some more mini collages (4.5 x 6) each day
- Something else I'm doing differently this year is that I am following the moon more with Yasmin Boland's Moonology Diary. Let me tell you, writing in a book was a STRETCH for me as I was taught NEVER to write in books, and being a librarian for 20 years reinforced that. So to ease myself into the process, I'm answering the prompts in pencil. I also ordered Virginia Rosenberg's 2024 astrology journal to follow this year as well, but it hasn't arrived yet. Fingers crossed it comes soon.
Featured Items for Sale:
If you want to start the new year off on a positive note why not get an inspiration deck or two? They also make great gifts! I have the following items for sale (prices include GST). Go to https://thechautauquanewspaper.blogspot.com/p/products-for-sale.html to view samples.
Books:
"The View from My Window" by (Peeping) Thomasina (2020) $10
"Exploring My Artist Voice: a journey without a map" (2022) $15
Card Decks:
"Traditional Wisdom: proverbs for everyday guidance" (2020) $25
"Daily Wisdom: proverbs for living life to the fullest" (2020) $25
"BEEing" (2021) $20
"Deep Truths for Remembering and Reclaiming Yourself" (2021) $40
"TEA for the Heart & Soul" (2021) $75
"May I" (2022) $25
"TEA for the Bitter Times" (2022) $45
Planners and Journals:
"Creative Daily Planner: for the unconventional, non-conformists, creatives, rebels, and other out of the box personalities" (2022) $30 or from Amazon https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0BMJM1SD3
"Magical Moments in my Day Journal: for the extra special moments all around me" 6x9 lined journal (2022/2023) $15 or from Amazon https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0CJLKZ3KB
Music Albums:
"Just Show Up" (fall 2022) https://linktr.ee/beth.richardson CDs $15
Please contact me at thechautauqua@gmail.com or phone 403-352-3837 to make an addition to your collection.
Upcoming Projects:
- I offer Pay-What-You-Can Distance Reiki/Energy Healing sessions. Energy healing works great from any distance and I've sent Reiki healing as far away as Queensland, Australia. Please, contact me to set up your healing session.
"I have been suffering with Long COVID for over a year and have tried every healing modality in the book to get my energy back. Beth has been gifting me with healing Reiki energy for quite some time now and I have, for the first time in over a year, started to feel like myself again. Much of my weakness has dissipated, and the dark cloud that I have been stewing under has lifted. Thank you Beth. ♥️" - Carla, Esthetician, Nova Scotia
Thanks for reading, and as always, feel free to share with anyone you think might enjoy it.
Beth
~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~
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, items available 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 7 February 2024
Eventually, you get to the place in life
where you are moving toward what you want
faster than you are away from what you fear.
- Mark Austin Thomas
email: thechautauqua@gmail.com
Monday 5 February 2024
From TEA for the Bitter Times Created by Beth Richardson ©2022
email: thechautauqua@gmail.com
to purchase decks: https://thechautauquanewspaper.blogspot.com/p/products-for-sale.html
Friday 2 February 2024
February 2, 2024 Chautauqua
I have been openly
rebelling against doing any 2024 planning so far this year.
Not because I’m
against planning, and not because I don’t have ideas and possible goals to
accomplish this year, but for other reasons.
First, I personally
find it very difficult to get excited about planning anything when my health is
a rollercoaster, as it’s been for the past couple of months. Also, I still have so much from 2022 and 2023
to wrap up and integrate before I can move forward. Plus, I’ve also been spending time
decluttering my house (ongoing!) and my computer (even more ongoing) of items
and files I no longer need.
In
2022 was a pretty
momentous year for me as I “showed up” and was able to fulfill a number of
dreams I’d had for years - and some dreams that I didn’t even know I had till I
accomplished them and realized they had been percolating in the back of my mind
and heart for ages.
2023 was a bit of a
recovery year from the intensity of 2022, but at the end of the year, I felt
even more worn out than at the start of the year!
So, I’m not in a
hurry to start filling up 2024 yet. In
fact, my theme for the year is “meandering,” and the thought of slowing down
and leisurely following what catches my attention and lights me up sounds like
a delightful way to experience the year, rather than rushing from one thing to
the next, ticking items off a never-ending to-do list.
Today is the Celtic festival of Imbolc - the midway point between the winter solstice and the spring equinox - or Groundhog Day here. A time when the Goddess Brigid brings more light to the world, and we decide what seeds (literal and metaphorical) we want to plant when spring arrives. We can’t rush spring, so slow down and look at your “seeds.”
Beth
Read the complete issue of The Chautauqua here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1nxEGtMZ3OgnMwcymk4HQpYbsbBl6zf-u/view?usp=sharing
Whether you've enjoyed reading The Chautauqua from the first issue 22 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
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