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Enjoy my Note from the Editor, published in Beautiful Bizarre Magazine Issue 45

Beautiful Bizarre Magazine lands on the moon!

This is our 11th Anniversary issue, and we have much to celebrate this year! On 23 February 2024 [Sydney time] Beautiful Bizarre Magazine officially landed on the moon as part of the Lunar Codex project on board the Odysseus spacecraft. Yes, seriously! “Today for the first time in more than a half century, the US has returned to the moon. Today for the first time in the history of humanity, a commercial company launched and led the voyage. Congratulations to everyone involved in this great and daring quest at Intuitive Machines, SpaceX and NASA.” [Bill Nelson, NASA]. What a truly incredible feeling – this honour is one I could never have imagined!

I am immensely grateful to physicist, author, and art collector Dr Samuel Peralta, the Founder and archivist of the Lunar Codex cultural time capsule, for valuing Beautiful Bizarre Magazine and its contribution to the arts so highly that he chose to include all of our covers from 2017 to 2022 – now permanently archived on the moon.

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A Message-In-A-Bottle to the Future

“The Lunar Codex started as a project to spread hope during a dark time – the years of the COVID-19 pandemic on Earth. The Codex instils the Moon with some of the heart of humanity, our art, so that when we look to the sky, the Moon is a tangible symbol of hope, of what is possible when you believe. The Codex is also a message-in-a-bottle to the future, so that travellers who find these time capsules might discover some of the richness of our world today. It speaks to the idea that, despite wars and pandemics and climate upheaval, humankind found time to dream, time to create art.” [Dr Samuel Peralta]

Artists whose artwork is now on the south pole of the moon: Martin Wittfooth, Jonathan Viner, Tim Okamura, Del Kathryn Barton, Malcolm Liepke, Camille Rose Garcia, Miss Van, Ray Caesar, Hannah Yata, Troy Brooks, Brad Kunkle, Matthew Grabelsky, Omar Rayyan, Yoko d’Holbachie, Camilla d’Errico, Audrey Kawasaki, Jeremy Mann, Julie Filipenko, Michael Hussar and Mary Jane Ansell.

Just think about it for a moment, and let your mind expand to take in the possibilities. When life on earth is no more, and all our museums and galleries are dust, the Nanofiche files on which Beautiful Bizarre Magazine is digitally archived will remain on the moon. Giving alien life or future humans the ability to get a glimpse into our art, culture and lives from this moment in time. Yep mind-blowing! On behalf of all the artists and Beautiful Bizarre Magazine, I am deeply grateful. This legacy is beyond anything imaginable!

Another mission will launch late this year, which will include the magazines in their entirety, from Issue 8 in 2015 to present. This time capsule will archive not only all of the artists/artworks published, but also the writer’s work, and our advertising galleries and artists throughout the years. I will bring you more news on that when the next mission successfully lands on the moon!

Our Curated Exhibitions & the 2024 Art Prize

When you read this our first exhibition of 2024, Fable & Folklore, will have also just closed at Copro Gallery (Los Angeles, CA, USA). If you would like to take a peek at the exhibition you can do so online via the Gallery website. The second exhibition of 2024 will open at Modern Eden Gallery (San Francisco, CA, USA) in November this year. This exhibition will also include the winners of this year’s Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize. So if you haven’t yet entered, please do – this is your opportunity to get your work in front of me, the Directors of Modern Eden Gallery, our esteemed Jury Panel, and of course win some amazing prizes! With $75,000 USD in cash and prizes to be won this year you’d be mad not to enter! I look forward to seeing your work.

So until next time, I hope you enjoy the read of this inspiring issue, and as always thank you for your support of our independent magazine! We couldn’t do it without you.

Much Love xo

Co-Founder and Editor-in-Chief
Beautiful Bizarre Magazine

The post A Note From the Editor: Beautiful Bizarre Magazine on the Moon! appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

Welcome to the March 2024 Issue 44 of Beautiful Bizarre Magazine, Queen of pinup Olivia De Berardinis‘ legendary painting, “Irving Claws (Bettie Page)” on the cover!

The March print issue has sold out, but you can download the digital magazine here.

Enjoy my Note from the Editor, published in Beautiful Bizarre Magazine Issue 44

Happy New Year, and welcome to the 44th issue of Beautiful Bizarre Magazine, with the Queen of pinup Olivia De Berardinis’ fabulous painting of Bettie Page on the cover.

It is with sadness that I start this message to you, but I feel it is important to acknowledge the life and passing of my soul-dog Monty, who died just before Christmas. The last month has taught me the true force of love, through the depths of grief. In my 48 years of life, I have never experienced this kind of pain. Monty was a beautiful Golden Retriever whom I had the pleasure of sharing my life and office with for the last 13 years. He was with me when Beautiful Bizarre Magazine was born, through all the challenges and successes, the tears and the joy.

His sweet, gentle, loving nature brought me so much happiness. From the first moment I saw him as a fluffy golden baby with big black soulful eyes, until his dying breath, I loved him so deeply that sometimes it hurt. I miss him every moment of every day – because he was there with me in all those moments, in all those memories, in all those places and spaces. He was the most beautiful, precious soul and now he is gone. If love could have saved him, he would have lived forever.

Unconditional Love

Grief does, however, make very clear the preciousness and depth of true love, and the privilege we receive from loving a being so deeply that their loss cracks us open. Reveals a part of ourselves we didn’t truly understand until that moment. As Josh Billings so beautifully put it: “A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself”, and I am deeply grateful for the years I received Monty’s unconditional love. Vale Monty, my precious boy.

But life must continue, and my work gives me something important to focus on, and helps to bring the light back into my life – for which I am deeply grateful. So I move into 2024 with gratitude, with love, and purpose.

Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize

When you read this the 2024 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize entries will be open! Once again, we are giving away over $56,000 USD in cash and prizes thanks to the generous support of our amazing sponsors. We also have a brand new Palladium sponsor, Musonium Gallery, who have generously supported the Grand Prize Award – creating even more value for this year’s winners.

So, whether you paint or draw either with traditional or digital media, sculpt or take photographs – believe in yourself and your practice, enter the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize via our website today. The Prize not only provides funding, but also global exposure to a diverse group of art lovers, curators, collectors, and media, along with recognition and career development.

Each year our esteemed artist jurors change, giving artists who enter the best possible opportunity to win. This year I am proud to announce the following artists will be judging their respective areas of expertise: Michael Parkes [RAYMAR Traditional Art Award], Kirsty Mitchell [Photography Award], Erika Sanada [Yasha Young Projects Sculpture Award], and Karla Ortiz [Digital Art Award].

Curated Exhibitions

We also have two very exciting curated group exhibitions this year. Fable & Folklore, our second exhibition with Copro Gallery in Los Angeles, CA, USA in May, and our sixth exhibition with Modern Eden Gallery, in San Francisco USA in November, where the winners of this year’s Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize will also exhibit.

As always, this issue of Beautiful Bizarre Magazine is filled with the fascinating stories of the 50+ visual and wearable artists, I hope you enjoy the read!

Much Love xo

Co-Founder and Editor-in-Chief
Beautiful Bizarre Magazine

All images throughout this Note From the Editor are by Issue 44 published artists.

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Welcome to the December 2023 issue of Beautiful Bizarre Magazine, with Kukula’s fabulous pop surrealist masterpiece “The Attachment” on the cover.

The December print issue has sold out, but you can download the digital magazine here.

Enjoy my Note from the Editor, published in Beautiful Bizarre Magazine Issue 43

This cover offers us the escapism we need right now. A vivid, joy filled world of cute baby octopus friends and adventure. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could all just enjoy our lives without fear of harm? Tragically that isn’t the case for many people around the world at this moment. As wars rage, and many people suffer the effects of this devastation, it’s hard not to feel afraid and insecure. It feels like the world is becoming a more and more dangerous place.

Those that are not directly affected can’t avoid doom-scrolling and absorbing the hurt and suffering into our consciousness. Particularly those of us who are most sensitive, as creatives often are. However artists have a superpower, the ability to create new worlds, to take us outside of our reality and into a new, exciting, joyful place. Art can surprise and delight us in unexpected ways, and offer us the escapism and solace that we need.

Serendipity

This ability to surprise can often come from moments of serendipity, and happily artists are able to embrace and exploit the unforeseen. Serendipitous moments can provide artists with inspiration, influence their creative process, and even shape the final outcome of their work into something beautiful and remarkably unique. Serendipity is the spark that ignites inspiration.

Which brings me to the Beautiful Bizarre Magazine exhibition, Serendipity, which was on view at Haven Gallery in Northport, New York from 4 November to 3 December 2023. This exhibition was our 16th in 10 years – including both commercial and museum exhibitions, and our 4th with the prestigious Haven Gallery.

I am incredibly proud of the work for this exhibition, and all of the artists involved! Over 80 artists from around the world created the most astonishing works in an array of mediums, including painting, drawing, fine art photography, etching, sculpture, and digital painting. This exhibition, of course, also included the brilliant winners of the 2023 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize, some of who exhibited their winning artworks and others that have created new work especially for this exhibition. When you read this all of the work will be available for your viewing pleasure on the Haven Gallery website. I’m sure you will be very impressed with what you see.

It is also that special time of year when we begin reaching out to businesses and philanthropists that are passionate about the visual arts, about sponsoring the 2024 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize. If you are one of these brands or individuals who would like to give back to your community in a meaningful way, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us regarding how we can collaborate to bring real value to your brand and artists globally. Artists, mark your calendar! Entries for next year’s Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize open in February.

Our mission to champion artists

Thank you dear reader for purchasing Beautiful Bizarre Magazine, and thus helping to encourage, grow and promote our community of 1 Million + creatives. It is through your readership that we are able to continue to fulfill our mission to champion artists from all corners of the globe. I hope you enjoy the read and find inspiration for your own practice and collections within the pages of this issue.

Much Love xo

Co-Founder and Editor-in-Chief
Beautiful Bizarre Magazine

All images throughout this Note From the Editor are by Issue 43 published artists.

The post A Note From the Editor: The spark that ignites inspiration appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

The 42nd issue of Beautiful Bizarre Magazine, with Eric Fortune’s evocative painting on the cover has sold out, but you can still download the digital magazine here.

Enjoy my Note from the Editor, published in Beautiful Bizarre Magazine Issue 42

It’s July as I write to you, which is always a super exciting time! We are currently having lots of amazing entries come in for this year’s Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize. This year we have a new Award, the Emerging Artists Award which myself and Richard Purssey, my husband and Beautiful Bizarre Magazine’s Co-Founder, have personally sponsored. We strongly believe that emerging artists deserve their own platform, greater recognition, and the means to take their careers to the next level. This Award gives them this opportunity.

I wanted to once again thank our amazing gold sponsors who have been supporting the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize for several years now: INPRNT, RAYMAR, iCanvas, and Yasha Young Projects. As philanthropists and arts related businesses, their ongoing support of artists from all different countries and cultures is not only deeply appreciated, but is an incredible legacy for themselves and their businesses. On behalf of all the artists whose lives and careers have been uplifted by their sponsorship of the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize over the last 6 years, we thank you!

When you are reading this you will have had your opportunity to vote for the People’s Choice Award from the 140 short-listed Finalists [25 per Award category: Digital Art, Photography, Sculpture; 50 from the Traditional Art Award category; and 15 from the Emerging Art Award category]. I hope you took some time to vote for your favourite artworks. The Winners of the 2023 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize have been announced via our usual channels and we hope you’re as pleased as we are!

A Patron of the Arts

If you are a philanthropist, arts related business, or commercial brand, and you would like to leave a real and lasting legacy – one that will change the lives of countless creatives from all over the world – please do contact our Deputy Editor Natalia at natalia@beautifulbizarre.net, about how you can support next year’s Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize. We would be thrilled to hear from you!

Would you like to leave a real and lasting legacy – one that will change the lives of countless creatives from all over the world?

The exhibition that corresponds with the 2023 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize is being held at Haven Gallery in Northport, New York, in November this year. This exhibition, Serendipity, will exhibit the works of over 80 of the world’s best representational artists, including this year’s Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize Winners. I have already started to see some of the completed work for this exhibition and trust me you won’t want to miss the Collectors Preview! If you are thinking of adding to your collection, please email gallery director Erica Berkowitz at info@havengallery.com, and she will add you to the preview list.

On the Horizon

Of course, we have many more exciting projects in the works including our 2nd exhibition at Copro Gallery, Los Angeles, in May next year, negotiating our 2025 and 2026 exhibitions, and the ongoing pleasure of welcoming new artists to the Beautiful Bizarre Artist Directory. If you are an artist who is looking for community, and doesn’t want to feel alone in your practice, then come join our special community of talented artists and photographers. You will be able to directly connect with me and our amazing community of creatives via a platform where we share ideas, advice, challenges, concerns, and of course our victories! To find out how you can join, please visit the Beautiful Bizarre Artist Directory.

Until we speak again, please enjoy the unique and inspiring stories of 40+ artists and artisan fashion designers in this issue of Beautiful Bizarre Magazine. I hope you enjoy the read!

Much Love xo

Co-Founder and Editor-in-Chief
Beautiful Bizarre Magazine

All images throughout this Note From the Editor are by Issue 42 published artists.

The post A Note From the Editor: Patron of the Arts appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

The 10th Anniversary Issue of Beautiful Bizarre Magazine, with magical realism legend Michael Parkes’ incredible painting on the cover, has sold out! Don’t miss this inspiring, milestone issue – grab your copy today of the digital issue here.

Enjoy my Note from the Editor, published in Beautiful Bizarre Magazine Issue 41

Yep, 10 years! What an amazing and important milestone for the Beautiful Bizarre Magazine team. You can read my interview which discusses the magazine’s challenges and successes inside this issue.

I touch briefly in this interview about my ‘imposter syndrome’ feelings. To better understand where this feeling comes from, even after ten years, it’s important to understand a little about my career before Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

Even though I studied art in high school, I felt lost when it came to deciding on a career. Because of this I decided not to go to University and spend years studying something I wasn’t passionate about, instead I went down the practical route to enable me to get a decent job and earn an OK income. I was a senior Personal Assistant [aka secretary] for my entire working career up until my late 30’s. Working in various industries, doing the same old boring admin work.

You know what it’s like – same thing, different day. None of this inspired me, I just went to work to earn an income and that was pretty much it. I did however always keep my toes in the water when it came to art. I still enjoyed looking at artwork, following artists’ journeys both online and via galleries. In early 2012, this led me to create the Beautiful Bizarre Facebook page, so I could share my love of art with the world in my personal time.

It was so wonderful to be able to engage with artists and art lovers in a direct way! From this group the idea of Beautiful Bizarre Magazine was born. One day the idea just popped into my head – why don’t I start an art magazine? This way I can not only publish the work of artists that I admire and share their work with a global readership, but I can also earn an income from what I truly love. So I did – I worked out how, and just went for it – and in 2013 the first issue of Beautiful Bizarre Magazine was born, and the rest, as they say, is history!

New Beginnings

Much of my and the business’ success has been thanks to serendipity, with opportunities presenting themselves at just the right time, and the rest – hard work, long hours, a huge amount of learning, constantly stepping outside of my comfort zone, and of course creating meaningful lasting relationships with artists, galleries, and my team.

… in 2013 the first issue of Beautiful Bizarre Magazine was born, and the rest, as they say, is history!

When I first started Beautiful Bizarre Magazine I had no idea about the publishing business, but I did have some understanding of business and team management. From my experience as a Personal Assistant, having both good and bad bosses, I knew very well what not to do when it came to managing and working with people. This has served me well. The rest I have made up as I have gone along! Creating my own idea of what publishing can be and what a magazine can encompass.

Deserving of success?

This brings me to ‘imposter syndrome’. “Imposter syndrome is loosely defined as doubting your abilities and feeling like a fraud. It disproportionately affects high-achieving people, who find it difficult to accept their accomplishments. Many question whether they’re deserving of accolades.” [Ruchika Tulshyan and Jodi-Ann Burey]. I know this feeling is quite common in artists as well. Why do we feel this way? What is it about creative people particularly that makes us feel that our success is not deserving? That it is luck rather than our own talent/hard work that has brought us success?

Why after 10 years, and creating a successful business, do I personally still feel this way? Good question! Perhaps it has something to do with my nature, being an introvert. I prefer to just work hard in the background rather than stand up in front of people and discuss my achievements. Perhaps it is because I have no formal education in the arts, or in business? Perhaps I still feel like this is too good to be true? Honestly, I don’t know.

Beautiful Bizarre Magazine, through its people, brings a fresh perspective to magazine publishing, a personal and down to earth engagement with artists and the industry. One built from the ground up without pretence, just love, curiosity, wonder, and an open heart and mind.

However, perhaps this feeling also engenders humility? A real and honest appreciation and gratitude for those that have supported me and Beautiful Bizarre Magazine over the years – perhaps this is what makes Beautiful Bizarre Magazine unique? Beautiful Bizarre Magazine through its people brings a fresh perspective to magazine publishing, a personal and down to earth engagement with artists and the industry. One built from the ground up without pretence, just love, curiosity, wonder, and an open heart and mind. If this is the case, then I think these feelings of being an ‘imposter’ are not entirely a bad thing.

Can you relate to the ‘imposter syndrome’ feeling? If so, have you been able to overcome it? I’d love to hear about your experiences.

Finally, from one art lover to another, please accept my deepest gratitude for your support of our independent magazine! It is through your purchasing the magazine that Beautiful Bizarre Magazine is still in print 10 years on, and I am so thankful.

Much Love xo

Co-Founder and Editor-in-Chief
Beautiful Bizarre Magazine

All images throughout this Note From the Editor are by Issue 41 published artists.

The post A Note From the Editor: 10 Years of Beautiful Bizarre appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

The 40th Issue of Beautiful Bizarre Magazine, with fantasy art Legend Kinuko Y. Craft’s magical work on the cover is on sale now! The print magazine has sold out, but you can still download the digital issue here.

Enjoy my Note from the Editor, published in Beautiful Bizarre Magazine Issue 40

2023 is our 10th year in business – time sure does fly when you’re having fun! I still have to pinch myself sometimes, when I consider how very fortunate I am to be working every day immersed in my passion. To be surrounded by an amazing, dedicated team, and so many inspiring creatives on a day to day basis is both a blessing and a joy, and for which I am deeply grateful.

2023 is our 10th year in business – time sure does fly when you’re having fun! I still have to pinch myself sometimes, when I consider how very fortunate I am to be working every day immersed in my passion.

The Beautiful Bizarre Artist Directory

Our mission is to champion emerging and mid-career artists, by leveraging our global influence and reach across our various outlets including the magazine itself, website, email marketing, our 1M+ social media community, annual curated exhibitions, and of course the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize.

Giving artists the visibility and validation their practice deserves. The purpose that Beautiful Bizarre Magazine serves is to support and enable artists, with this in mind we have launched an exciting new service for artists – the Beautiful Bizarre Artist Directory. The goal of the Beautiful Bizarre Artist Directory is to become the premier platform for discovering and connecting with the most exceptional, innovative, and skilled artists.

The Artist Directory offers a global network that brings together artists, collectors, galleries, curators and media.

Through this comprehensive and curated list of artists we will present the best artwork from around the world. New artists who join the Artist Directory will be included in the new editorial which will print in each issue of Beautiful Bizarre Magazine, launching in the June 2023 issue.

Through the new Artist Directory, artists will also have their profile and gallery on our website, be featured in a special regular email to our mailing list, and have their work shared across our social media channels. The Artist Directory offers a global network that brings together artists, collectors, galleries, curators and media. For more information regarding how you can join the list of cutting-edge artists from around the world on the Beautiful Bizarre Artist Directory, please email my personal assistant at editors_pa@beautifulbizarre.net.

The Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize

The Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize is also open for entries! This year we are giving away over $50,000 USD in cash and prizes thanks to the generous support of our sponsors. My sincere thanks to our Silver, Bronze, supporting sponsors, media and academic sponsors for their generous donations, plus of course to our ongoing major Award sponsors INPRNT, iCanvas, RAYMAR and Yasha Young Projects for their continued support year after year!

Would winning $10,000 change your life? Enable you to take your practice to the next level? I’m sure it would definitely help!

The Grand Prize Winner will receive $10,000 USD cash – would winning $10,000 change your life? Enable you to take your practice to the next level? I’m sure it would definitely help! But prize money isn’t the only reason to enter.

The Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize is a cost-effective way to invest in yourself and your practice. It provides global exposure to a diverse group of individuals, curators, collectors and media, provides recognition and career development, the opportunity to network with gallerists, curators and collectors, and of course will help build your collector base

Over the last couple of years we have received feedback from emerging artists saying how important it was for them to have their own dedicated award – to give them an even playing field – and we listened! Hence this year we have a new category – the Emerging Artist Award. So if you are an emerging artist that works in a representational style, in any 2 or 3 dimensional traditional medium, digital medium or photographic medium, you are eligible to enter the Emerging Artist Award.

Over the last couple of years we have received feedback from emerging artists saying how important it was for them to have their own dedicated award – to give them an even playing field – and we listened! Hence this year we have a new category – the Emerging Artist Award.

I am once again on this year’s Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize Jury Panel, as are representatives from our Award sponsors, and the Directors of Haven Gallery. However, each year the esteemed artist jurors change – giving artists who enter each year the best possible opportunity to win!

This year I am proud to announce the following artists will be judging their respective areas of expertise: Rebecca Leveille [RAYMAR Traditional Art Award], Ellen Sheidlin [INPRNT Photography Award], Ellen Jewett [Sculpture Award], and Laura Rubin [iCanvas Digital Art Award].

Secret Longings & Serendipity exhibitions

We also have two very exciting curated group exhibitions this year. Secret Longings, our first exhibition with Corey Helford Gallery in Los Angeles, CA, USA from March to April. In November Serendipity will open at Haven Gallery, in Northport, NY, USA, where the winners of this year’s Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize will also exhibit. As always, our exhibitions include the best representational artists in their fields, so please reach out to the galleries directly to get on their Collectors Preview lists.

Until next time, please take care of yourself and your loved ones, and please enjoy the unique and inspiring stories of 40+ visual and wearable art creatives in the current issue of Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

Much Love xo

Co-Founder and Editor-in-Chief
Beautiful Bizarre Magazine

All images throughout this Note From the Editor are by Issue 40 published artists.

The post A Note From the Editor: Time flies when you’re having fun! appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

The December 2022 Issue 39 of Beautiful Bizarre Magazine, with Latvian artist Jana Brike’s evocative painting “Dusk In The Garden on the cover” is on sale now! Don’t miss this inspiring issue, grab your copy today via our website or one of our stockists worldwide.

I feel this issue’s cover speaks to the beauty, strength and resilience of the feminine – which is particularly important during these times of escalating oppression and violence against women and female identifying people around the world. The last several years have seen women in many countries losing their bodily autonomy, most recently in the United States with the overturning of Roe vs Wade. People with uteruses in many states across America no longer have the right to control their own health decisions since the criminalisation of abortion, even in the cases of rape and incest, or when the life of the mother is at risk. It is heartbreaking to understand that many young girls and women will now lose their lives because of this decision, and many others will be forced into poverty, or into ongoing relationships with abusive men because they don’t have a choice.

The Beautiful Bizarre Magazine team is largely made up of women and queer folk, and we believe that reproductive health care is a human right, and that forced birth is unconscionable, cruel and dangerous!

Mahsa Amini

Sadly we are also seeing a huge escalation in violence against women all over the world. The United Nations Women reports that “most violence against women is perpetrated by current or former husbands or intimate partners. Globally, an estimated 736 million women—almost one in three—have been subjected to physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence, non-partner sexual violence, or both at least once in their life (30 percent of women aged 15 and older)”. Intimate partner violence is, of course, not the only violence women face globally. Young girls and women of all ages, including the elderly, have been the horrific casualties of the Russian war in Ukraine, with many raped, tortured and killed by their captors. The women of Afghanistan and Iran have had most of their human rights stripped away by their respective religious extremist governments. Right now we are mourning with our sisters in Iran, following the death in custody of Mahsa Amini by the “morality police”, for not wearing her hijab correctly. The people of Iran are rising up against their oppressors, but sadly many more women and men have been imprisoned and killed during these protests. We mourn with our sisters, and pray to the goddess that the people’s voices will be heard, and the oppressive regime is overthrown.

As a 47 year old woman, I am devastated to see our hard won rights being stripped away. It seems the fight is not over, so we continue, even at the risk of their own lives – we can never not be vigilant, we can never stop fighting for our basic human rights – the right to bodily autonomy, to live and love as we choose, the right to education, equal rights in the workplace and in government, and the freedom to pursue the life we choose for ourselves. We stand, and we fight with all of our sisters around the world!

Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize

I feel deeply honoured and grateful that I have a platform that allows me to give female identifying creatives from all over the world the recognition that they and their practices deserve – which of course, includes, participation in our curated exhibitions. On this note, the prestigious annual Beautiful Bizarre Magazine exhibition in the United States, ‘Halcyon Days’ was on view at Modern Eden Gallery in San Francisco on 5 November – 3 December last year. This was the first international exhibition that I was been able to attend in person since COVID began in 2019 – it was wonderful to finally be able to once again connect with our amazing creative friends!

This exhibition included the winners of last year’s Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize. Many of whom were able to attend the opening reception and were presented with their glass art trophies.

2022 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize, Grand Prize Winner: Kristin Kwan

2022 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize, RAYMAR Traditional Art Award Winner: Ron Hicks

2022 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize, INPRNT Photography Award Winner: Jenny Boot

2022 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize, Yasha Young Projects Sculpture Award Winner: Chie Shimizu

2022 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize, iCanvas Digital Art Award Winner: Jennifer Bruce

We are currently reaching out to like-minded businesses and philanthropists regarding the 2023 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize, and will bring you even more amazing prizes this year! Plus we have a brand new Award – but more news on that soon. If you or your business is interested in sponsoring the 2023 Prize, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our Deputy Editor, Natalia at natalia@beautifulbizarre.net – we would love to hear from you. Entries open on 1 February, so mark your calendar!

As we begin a new year, I would once again like to thank you for your support of our independent magazine. I am deeply grateful!

Much Love xo

Co-Founder and Editor-in-Chief
Beautiful Bizarre Magazine

All images in this blog are in the Issue 39 print magazine.

The post A Note From the Editor: beauty, strength and resilience of the feminine appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

The 38th issue of Beautiful Bizarre Magazine, with iconic queer photographer Franz Szony’s magical photograph of Dita Von Teese on the cover is on sale now! Don’t miss this special issue, grab yours today via our website or one of our stockists worldwide.

I could talk about the seemingly never ending COVID pandemic again, but honestly it’s just exhausting, so let’s chat about some of the exciting projects we have on the horizon instead! Over the years I have had the pleasure of working with many queer artists, both for the magazine itself and for our curated exhibitions. Being able to connect with this issue’s cover artist Franz has inspired me to move forward with a wish that the team and I had conceived a little while ago: The September 2023 issue of Beautiful Bizarre Magazine will be our first issue to exclusively feature queer artists and designers!

The September 2023 issue of Beautiful Bizarre Magazine will be our first issue to exclusively feature queer artists and designers!

We are doing our best to provide a platform to represent diversity and identities, and to highlight the voices of marginalised individuals and communities. There is no question that LGBTIQA+ folks belong in the spotlight, and that these kinds of spaces are necessary to change heteronormative and non-inclusive narratives in the arts. The September issue next year will be our contribution to celebrate the brilliance of queer visual artists working across styles and media, along with queer artisan fashion designers.

You may remember that the March 2021 issue was our first specialised issue, featuring all female presenting creatives. The September 2023 issue will be another expression of Beautiful Bizarre Magazine’s deep commitment to stand for and commit to gender diversity, equality, and representation in the visual arts globally.

So if you are a queer artist or designer, a queer artist couple, or have a friend/family member who is a queer creative, please do email our Social Media Manager Helena at helena@beautifulbizarre.net. This will enable us to curate a truly special queer issue next year. Of course this will also be a wonderful resource for all issues of Beautiful Bizarre Magazine. We look forward to hearing from you!

There is no question that LGBTIQA+ folks belong in the spotlight, and that these kinds of spaces are necessary to change heteronormative and non-inclusive narratives in the arts.

Halcyon Days

More exciting news, the next Beautiful Bizarre Magazine curated exhibition, Halcyon Days, opens at Modern Eden Gallery in San Francisco, CA, USA in November. Over 80 of the world’s best representational artists, plus the Winners of this year’s Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize, will be exhibiting in this prestigious exhibition. To ensure you don’t miss out on your favourite artwork from this upcoming exhibition, please join the VIP Collectors Preview list by emailing gallery director Kim Larson at kim@moderneden.com.

For the first time since 2019, myself and Richard Purssey, our Co-Founder, along with Natalia, our Deputy Editor, will be able to travel internationally to the opening of one of our exhibitions! So if you are in San Francisco, or can make it there – please do join us at the opening reception of Halcyon Days on Saturday 5 November from 6 – 9 PM at Modern Eden Gallery. We would love to see you there!

Halcyon Days, opens at Modern Eden Gallery in San Francisco, CA, USA in November. Over 80 of the world’s best representational artists, plus the Winners of this year’s Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize, will be exhibiting in this prestigious exhibition

Until next time, please take care of yourself and your loved ones, and please enjoy the unique and inspiring stories of 40+ visual and wearable art creatives in the current issue of Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

Much Love xo

Co-Founder and Editor-in-Chief
Beautiful Bizarre Magazine

Top image by Issue 38 featured artist Mitch Griffiths. All images throughout this blog are by Issue 38 published artists.

The post A Note From the Editor: A Platform to Represent Diversity appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

Issue 37, the 9th Anniversary Issue of Beautiful Bizarre Magazine is on sale now! Don’t miss this special issue, grab yours today via our website or one of our stockists worldwide.

I hope this issue ignites your creativity, or helps you find new artists to expand your collection. I have chosen Henrik Uldalen’s powerful and emotive painting, “Relapse”, for this issue’s cover because I feel it represents our contemporary times and our shared trauma over the pandemic, the eroding of women’s rights, social and political unrest, the war in Ukraine, and, of course, the climate crisis. I wanted this issue’s cover to speak authentically about the times that we live in, because I feel it is important to acknowledge our shared experience.

I wanted this issue’s cover to speak authentically about the times that we live in, because I feel it is important to acknowledge our shared experience.

As difficult as these last few years have been for us all, at least we know that we are not alone. Many of us feel a deep sadness about the current state of the world. So, how do we try to lift ourselves from this melancholy? How can we proceed with a more positive outlook? Remember, what we think becomes our reality!

I am certainly no expert, but I do recall some excellent advice I was given many years ago which I practiced consistently throughout my 20’s, and during this last difficult period I have taken up again. This is to make a list of five things that you are grateful for each day, whether it be first thing in the morning or last thing at night. Take a few moments to reflect on the things that you are thankful for, and write them down. They can be very simple, for example – a roof over my head, food in the fridge, my dog, waking up and getting dressed; or they can be grander – opening Beautiful Bizarre Magazine’s 2nd Museum exhibition in my home town. There will be days when it is difficult to come up with five things, but this exercise allows for a shift in focus from what we want but don’t have, to acknowledging and being thankful for the things we do have in our lives, no matter how small. When I read back through my old journals it is clear to see when I was struggling, but I am proud that I was able to take some time each day for gratitude, and it is from this place of gratitude that I now try to navigate my life and career.

When I read back through my old journals it is clear to see when I was struggling, but I am proud that I was able to take some time each day for gratitude, and it is from this place of gratitude that I now try to navigate my life and career.

What am I grateful for?

So, on that note, what am I grateful for? I am deeply grateful to still be here bringing you inspiration every quarter after ten years [nine years of publishing Beautiful Bizarre Magazine and one year prior to the first issue’s release]. Dear reader, your support of our independent magazine is so very appreciated! I am grateful for my team who are all incredibly passionate, dedicated, and hardworking people. I am grateful for the opportunity to work with so many brilliant creatives whose work brings me joy and inspires me. I am grateful for my home and garden which provide security, comfort and peace. I am grateful for my precious husband Richard’s love and unwavering support of my dreams. I am grateful for my friends who not only put up with my crazy but rejoice in it, and finally I am grateful for my health.

What are you grateful for?

I am grateful for the opportunity to work with so many brilliant creatives whose work brings me joy and inspires me.

Horizons

I am also grateful for the opportunity to work with amazing private and public galleries to bring the pages of Beautiful Bizarre Magazine to life through our curated exhibitions. This year we have two! The first is our 2nd Museum exhibition Interconnected, which opened at the New England Regional Art Museum in Australia in May, and the second is Halcyon Days, which opens at Modern Eden Gallery in San Francisco in November.

Halcyon Days will also include the winners of this year’s Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize, so if you haven’t yet entered please do – we have extended the entry deadline to midnight 31 July [Los Angeles, USA time]. This is an amazing opportunity to exhibit with Beautiful Bizarre Magazine and Modern Eden Gallery, plus share in over US$57,000 in cash and prizes.

It’s easy, just enter the best work from your existing portfolio, in any static medium at www.beautifulbizarreartprize.art today!

Podcast

I recently had the pleasure of chatting to Kat Hamilton for the ‘My Crazy Artist Life‘ podcast. We covered all sorts of things over a few glasses of bubbles and lots of laughs – including how I got started in independent publishing, what enabled me to grow the business, my challenges and victories, tips for artists, and lots more. You can listen to the podcast here.

Until next time, please take care of yourself and those around you, and stay safe.

Much Love xo

Co-Founder and Editor-in-Chief
Beautiful Bizarre Magazine

Top image by Issue 37 featured artist Daantje Bons. All images throughout this blog are by Issue 37 published artists.

The post A Note From the Editor: What are you grateful for? appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

The 36th issue of Beautiful Bizarre Magazine, with Mary Jane Ansell’s exquisite painting, “Floralia II” on the cover, is on sale now! Don’t miss this amazing issue – grab your today today via our website or one of our stockists worldwide.

I’m a little late publishing this, but Happy 2022! I hope you were able to spend time with friends and family over the festive season, and were not stuck in quarantine. I personally cannot believe that we are now into the third year of the COVID pandemic. I think we are all beginning to suffer from PTSD from the ongoing and unrelenting trauma… are you OK?

COVID cases here in Australia exploded with the onset of the Omicron variant late last year – our once relatively safe part of the world became as disrupted and dangerous as many other countries. So once again I felt the need to hermit at home and avoid the outside world. Luckily I have my job which I love, a beautiful garden that feeds my soul, and friends and family to hold and to cherish during this continued uncertainty. As I write this in April 2022 Australia has now pretty much removed all COVID precautions – I hope our government has made the right decision in this regard!

Of course, we now have another devastating situation, the war in Ukraine. What a nightmare for the 11 Million people who have fled the country and are now refugees. So many have lost their lives, their homes, all their possessions, and for what? The greed of Putin! I also feel for all the Russian people who are against this war and are trying to speak out, but are being silenced. Sadly Ukraine is not the only country who is suffering from the effects of war, terrorism, ethnic violence, civil war etc. It is truly heartbreaking to think the we as a species has not evolved past this violence.

Coming up

I am very grateful that Beautiful Bizarre Magazine continues to thrive despite the pandemic and global supply chain issues. This is all thanks to our print subscribers, for their continued support of our independent magazine!

This year will see a number of exciting milestones for our business: we will celebrate our 9th Anniversary with the release of the June issue which is now available for pre-order, plus the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize is giving away over US$57,000 in cash and prizes thanks to the generosity of this year’s sponsors! The Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize enables creatives from around the world to pursue a life and career in the arts and to help careers grow through funding and increased exposure of their work to galleries, collectors, and media globally.

My sincere thanks to our Silver and supporting sponsors for their generous donations, plus of course to our ongoing major sponsors INPRNT, iCanvas, RAYMAR and Yasha Young Projects for their continued support, and to our new major sponsor ArtStation who have chosen to support the very popular People’s Choice Award this year! It is through their generosity that we are able to provide the winners of each of the five Award categories: RAYMAR Traditional Art Award, INPRNT Photography Award, iCanvas Digital Art Award, Yasha Young Projects Sculpture Award, and the ArtStation People’s Choice Award with cash and product prizes to help support their practice, with the Grand Prize winner receiving US$13,500 cash this year! So if you haven’t yet entered, please do.

The Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize is also a brilliant opportunity to get your work in front of the person that curates each issue of Beautiful Bizarre Magazine, and all of Beautiful Bizarre’s exhibitions – me. So if you work in any static medium in any representational style or genre – this is your opportunity! I very much look forward to seeing your work. Please visit www.beautifulbizarreartprize.art for more information and to enter.

Beautiful Bizarre exhibitions

We also have two very exciting curated group exhibitions this year. ‘Interconnected’, our second Museum exhibition, and the first in my home country, opens in May at the New England Regional Art Museum in Armidale, NSW, Australia. This exhibition is the first in which we are exclusively exhibiting Australian artists. In November ‘Halcyon Days’ will open at Modern Eden Gallery, in San Francisco, CA, where the winners of this year’s Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize will also exhibit.

As always, thank you for your support of our independent magazine! I am deeply grateful. By purchasing the magazine and print subscriptions, you enable us to continue to support our global community of creatives and galleries, and our dedicated staff.

Until next time, please take care of yourself and those around you, and stay safe.

Much Love xo

Co-Founder and Editor-in-Chief
Beautiful Bizarre Magazine

Top image by Issue 36 featured artist Stephanie Rew

The post A Note From the Editor: Are You OK? appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

The 35th issue of Beautiful Bizarre Magazine, with Michael Hussar’s deliciously dark painting on the cover, is on sale now! Don’t miss this amazing issue – grab your today today via our website or one of our stockists worldwide.

As I wrote the December issue’s Letter from the Editor it was mid spring here in Australia, and with spring comes a renewed sense of optimism! My garden is in bloom and the sun is out, enticing me to leave the cocoon I have created for myself inside and venture out into the world again. I know, personally, that getting back out there feels tough, considering I have been in full hermit mode for so long.

COVID fatigue: Our Shared Experience

Then there is COVID fatigue. It is taking a toll on the well being of many of us, and is compounding existing mental health issues. Many of us are feeling worn out, stressed, anxious, forgetful, worried, irritable, unmotivated, exhausted, restless, down, unable to concentrate, etc.

Under prolonged extraordinary stress, it’s completely normal to burn out.

An accumulation of ongoing negative or challenging life events can result in us feeling emotionally drained and may include emotional, physical and performance symptoms (source: Mayo Clinic).

So let’s acknowledge our shared experience, support one another, and take steps to maintain our well being as best we can. Ways we can do this include: reaching out to friends and family who are alone, getting enough sleep, getting out into nature (if possible), exercising, taking time to switch off from social media and the never ending news about the pandemic and its effects, making more art just for ourselves and no other reason, re-discovering the power of reading to both escape and to feed our minds and souls, and of course seek professional help if we feel like we are not coping. I am sending you all positive, healing vibes from across the oceans – I hope you can feel them.

On The Horizon

Australia is finally starting to open back up, both locally and internationally, post the severe lockdowns we have seen here. This is exciting news because it means we can see our families again, and next year once again attend our curated exhibitions! I have very much missed being able to engage with the artists and artwork in person over the last couple of years. Nothing beats seeing an artwork in person, and connecting with the creatives who have brought it into the world. It is one of the privileges of my job for which I am deeply grateful.

We have two exciting Beautiful Bizarre Magazine curated exhibitions coming in 2022, the first in May is here in NSW, Australia at the New England Regional Art Museum. It will be our second Museum exhibition, and our first in Australia featuring local artists exclusively. I can’t wait to share more details with you closer to the opening. Our second exhibition in 2022 will be in San Francisco in November at the fabulous Modern Eden Gallery, and will exhibit the best representational artists from across the world, along with the Winners of the 2022 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize.

Nothing beats seeing an artwork in person, and connecting with the creatives who have brought it into the world.

Show us what you’ve got!

Beautiful Bizarre Magazine ended 2021 on a wonderful, positive note! The Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize received thousands of amazing entries last year across all award categories, more again than the previous year. Plus over 13,000 public votes were received for the People’s Choice Award!

You can learn more about the 2021 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize winners in the special editorial inside Issue 35.

The Winners of the 2021 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize also participated in our prestigious annual exhibition in the United States in October-November. The Animalia exhibition showcased over 80 of the world’s best representational artists and was a resounding success! I am deeply grateful to last year’s Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize major sponsors, INPRNT, iCanvas, Yasha Young Projects and RAYMAR – all of whom have once again partnered with us to give you incredible cash prizes for each Award in 2022. Entries are now open for this year’s Prize, enter the best work from your existing portfolio now – for your chance to share in over US$57,000 in cash and prizes!

As always, thank you for your support of our independent magazine! I am deeply grateful. Through your purchasing the magazine and print subscriptions, we have been able to continue to support our global community of creatives and galleries, and our dedicated staff.

Until next time, please take care of yourself and those around you, and stay safe.

Much Love xo

Co-Founder and Editor-in-Chief
Beautiful Bizarre Magazine

Top image by Issue 35 featured artist Shae Detar.

The post A Note From the Editor: Our Shared Experience appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

The 34th issue of Beautiful Bizarre Magazine, with Julie Filipenko’s beautiful and delightfully bizarre painting, “Lingering Daydream” on the cover, is on sale now! I get such playful positive vibes from this cover, I hope you do too!

It is my firm hope that the visual arts will emerge even more connected, visible, and respected for their significant contribution to society throughout the pandemic.

The last 18 months has seen the global creative community meet the new challenges the COVID-19 pandemic has created, to come together to support and uplift each other in new and exciting ways! It is my firm hope that the visual arts will emerge even more connected, visible, and respected for their significant contribution to society than ever before.

You are not alone

Creatives often tell me that being an artist is a lonely journey, however through social media, and the internet more broadly, you can now build your own communities, engage with your supporters and collectors, develop relationships with media and galleries, and find daily encouragement for your practice! Even with the algorithms making it increasingly more challenging, for the first time in the history of the arts, artists are now empowered to make their own rules, and to create and manage their own destinies.

Creatives often tell me that being an artist is a lonely journey …

Invest in yourself and your practice

To get more visibility for your practice from both galleries and media you need to make time to invest in yourself and your practice – to believe in your work and put it out there. On that note, please know that Beautiful Bizarre Magazine is your support system! The purpose of the magazine, art prize, exhibitions, and our web and socials platforms is to champion the visual arts and the individual artists who each day strive and struggle to bring their own unique vision into the world – to touch our hearts and minds, and inspire us to greater self-reflection and regard for the human condition.

To get more visibility for your practice from both galleries and media you need to make time to invest in yourself and your practice.

Join the tribe

One of the easiest ways is to hashtag your work #beautifulbizarre on Instagram. Each week we search that hashtag and on Sundays from morning to evening, we share our favourites on all of our social media platforms. We also publish eight #beautifulbizarre hashtagged artworks in the special Join the Tribe editorial of each issue of Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

Beautiful Bizarre Magazine is your support system!

Entering the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize is another brilliant way to give your practice the visibility it deserves. Whether you win or not, your work is reviewed by myself and Directors of prestigious galleries in the United States. Each year’s entries provide me with a wonderful reservoir of artists to consider for future issues of the magazine, our exhibitions, and of course for web and social media content. It truly is an honour and a privilege to see some of the most extraordinary artwork from around the world in my role as an ongoing Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize Juror, as well as the Editor-in-Chief of Beautiful Bizarre Magazine. So mark your diary, entries for the 2022 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize will open in February next year.

All the things to come

Excitingly, when you read this, we will have already announced the Winners of this year’s Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize! These amazing artists are participating in the Beautiful Bizarre Magazine curated exhibition ‘Animalia’, which opened last weekend at Haven Gallery in Northport, New York, alongside over 80 of the world’s best representational artists. You can take a look at the entire exhibition online here.

Finally, we have amazing things planned for 2022! This includes our first Australian Museum exhibition, which will exclusively feature local artists working with 2 and 3 dimensional traditional and photographic media. Stay tuned for more information about this exciting exhibition in May next year.

Until next time, please take care of yourself and those around you, and stay safe.

Much Love xo

Co-Founder and Editor-in-Chief
Beautiful Bizarre Magazine

Feature Image: June issue featured artist Martine Johanna

The post A Note From the Editor: Invest in Yourself appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

Issue 33 of Beautiful Bizarre Magazine featuring Jeremy Mann’s spirituous painting, “Martyr”  flew off the shelves, and the print issue has sold out. Thanks so much for your ongoing support of our independent magazine, it means so much to myself and my team! However, you can still download the digital magazine, and enjoy the inspiring stories of over 40 creatives from around the world!

This is the 8th anniversary Issue of Beautiful Bizarre Magazine, and it is nine years since my partner and I launched the business! These anniversaries are wonderful opportunities to reflect on my personal journey, both the highs and lows, and to express my deep gratitude to all of our readers and partners for giving myself and the Beautiful Bizarre Magazine team this incredible gift – the ability to work immersed in our passion every day.

After nine years I am still stopped in my tracks every day by the new work and new artists who touch my soul. It never gets old!

Celebrating The Years

After nine years I am still stopped in my tracks every day by new work and new artists who touch my soul. It never gets old! Over the years we have developed new and exciting ways to engage our community and to further our mission outside of our core business of publishing. I am so thankful to have had the opportunity to curate 13 exhibitions around the world, in my home country of Australia, Asia, Europe and the United States, in both public and private galleries.

Four years ago we also launched the Beautiful Bizarre international Art Prize for representational art across all static mediums. This is yet another way we give the practices of representational artists validation and visibility, particularly in the commercial gallery and museum sector where it is still hard to get representation. Plus of course the winners receive amazing cash and product/service prizes thanks to generous arts champions – our sponsors. This year’s Grand Prize winner will receive US$10,000 cash and many other prizes!

When I do the checks and balances my love and dedication, and passion for my job far outweigh the challenges. I am so very grateful!

Checks and Balances of Dedication

The road, however, has also been very hard at times. Carrying the burden of the financial success of a small business and the livelihoods of my team can be incredibly stressful at times. Having such a massive workload, always managing many large projects at a time can be draining both mentally and physically – it just never stops. Ensuring our customers are happy and are given the support they need can be difficult when certain parts of the supply chain are out of our hands, like the United States Postal Service. However, when I do the checks and balances my love and dedication, and passion for my job far outweigh the challenges. I am so very grateful!

It’s amazing how a pared down life can be all we really need to make us content.

This last year has brought into sharp focus what is really important in my life, and Beautiful Bizarre Magazine is high up on this list, along with my husband and family (including my fur baby), friends, colleagues, my home, garden, reading, a woolen jumper on a cold Armidale day, and of course art! It’s amazing how a pared down life can be all we really need to make us content.

Looking to the future we have lots of exciting projects in the planning. Our first exhibition with Copro Gallery in Santa Monica, LA, closed recently and was a huge success! Much thanks to Directors Gary and Erica for their hard work and professionalism. Our next exhibition, which includes the winners of this year’s Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize, opens at Haven Gallery in New York this October! I am working with a brilliant glass artist to create the glass trophies for the winners as we speak.

Next year our first Museum exhibition in Australia opens in May, showcasing for the first time only local Australia artists and photographers. I can’t wait!

Until next time, please take care of yourself and those around you, and stay safe.

Much Love xo

Co-Founder and Editor-in-Chief
Beautiful Bizarre Magazine

Feature Image: June issue featured artist Lucio Carvalho

The post A Note From the Editor: Celebrating the Eighth Anniversary Issue appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

Issue 32 of Beautiful Bizarre Magazine flew off the shelves, and the print issue has sold out. Thanks so much for your support of our independent magazine, it means so much to myself and my team! However, you can still download the digital magazine, and enjoy the inspiring stories of over 40 creatives from around the world!

I’m sure many of us gladly farewelled 2020 – let’s hope that this year sees the COVID pandemic contained via mass vaccinations worldwide so we can return to our lives, largely as they were before the pandemic. I personally hope that last year was a turning point, which honed our vision and enabled us all to take stock of what is truly important to us and our lives. So we can finally make the changes that are required now to halt climate change, and the tragic mass extinctions that our precious plant and animal species are experiencing. 

A Celebration of Women in the Arts

For Beautiful Bizarre Magazine 2021 gives us much to look forward to, this issue being one of them. For the first time we have chosen to publish an all women artists issue, in celebration of International Women’s Day in March. 

I feel very strongly that the gender disparity in the visual arts must be acknowledged and addressed, and it is up to all those who have a platform to take positive steps to raise the bar and work toward equality. 

Did you know that, 51% of visual artists today are women, but art by women artists makes up only 3-5% of major museum permanent collections. Only 13.7% of living artists represented by galleries in Europe and North America are women. Of the $196.6B spent in artwork auction sales worldwide between 2008 – 2019, just 2% of this figure is made up of work by women artists. On average, women artists earn 80 cents for every dollar made by male artists, and the top three museums of the world, the British Museum, the Louvre and The Metropolitan Museum of Art have never had female directors. Stats from: Women in the Arts, Art Girl Rising, artnet.

You can see from these stats that we still have a long way to go to reach gender equality in the arts. So so let’s keep on fighting, and demand change! I am personally deeply honoured to be in a position where I have the platforms, and the ability to be able to make these proactive decisions and support women creatives globally.

Beautiful Bizarre Magazine is staffed by a very passionate and dedicated team, most of which are women. Of this, I am very proud! I feel very strongly that the gender disparity in the visual arts must be acknowledged and addressed, and it is up to all those who have a platform to take positive steps to raise the bar and work toward equality. 

The Passion to Make a Difference

Beautiful Bizarre Magazine, for instance, ensures that half of all covers each year are by women artists [anyone whom identifies as female], that the number of editorials in the magazine each year are spread evenly between male and female artists, and that we proactively invite the participation of a large number of female artists from all ethnic backgrounds to our curated exhibitions. 

Take a peek at the covers from 2020 below [L – R]: March 2020 issue cover by Matthew Grabelsky, June 2020 issue cover by Omar Rayyan, September 2020 issue cover by Yoko d’Holbachie, December 2020 issue cover by Camilla de’Errico.

I am so proud that through my work as Editor-in-Chief that I can give female artists’ wings, and help them soar, by elevating their profile in the arts community globally!  

2021 Prestigious International Exhibitions

We also have two exciting curated group exhibitions this year: ‘Lucid Dreaming’ at Copro Gallery in Santa Monica, CA in April; and ‘Animalia’ at Haven Gallery in Northport, NY, USA in October, which will also include the winners of this year’s Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize!

As always our exhibitions include the best representational artists from around the world, so please reach out to the galleries directly for sales enquiries.

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A Creative Counterpart

Finally, the 2021 international Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize is now accepting entries across all static mediums including: Traditional Art media, Digital Art media, and Photographic media; and all styles from realism and hyperrealism, to pop surrealism and lowbrow. I am deeply grateful to this year’s major sponsors, INPRNT, iCanvas, Yasha Young Projects and RAYMAR, along with our silver and supporting sponsor for their generous donations, which have enabled us to offer over US$45,000 in cash, service and product prizes this year – the overall winner receiving US$10,000 cash!

The Prize enables creatives from around the world to pursue a life and career in the arts, and to help careers grow through funding and increased exposure of their work to galleries, collectors and media globally. So don’t forget to submit your entry – I can’t wait to see your work!

Finally, I would like to acknowledge the devastating situation happening right now in India due a 2nd wave of COVID. New cases now number in the hundreds of thousands each day, and on Tuesday surpassed 20 Million. Their hospital system is overwhelmed and supplies of oxygen are running out! My own Government has refused to allow Australians to return home from India. This appalling decision makes me so angry! So if you can, please help our brothers and sisters in India by donating to one of these charities in Australia, or, of course, other international organizations that are providing humanitarian aid during this devastating crisis.

Until next time, please take care of yourself and those around you, and stay safe!

Much Love xo

Co-Founder and Editor-in-Chief
Beautiful Bizarre Magazine

Feature Image: March issue featured artist Sandra Chevrier

The post A Note From the Editor: The Passion to Make a Difference appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

The 31st issue of Beautiful Bizarre Magazine, featuring Camilla d’Errico’s beautiful and evocative painting, “Vitae Arcu” is on sale now! This work perfectly reflects how many of us are feeling at the end of 2020 – the sadness and struggle, mixed with resilience and feelings of hope. 

The December 2020 Issue 31 of Beautiful Bizarre Magazine flew off the shelves, and the print issue has sold out. Thanks so much for your support of our independent magazine, it means so much to myself and my team! However, you can still download the digital magazine, and enjoy the inspiring stories of over 40 creatives from around the world!

Resilient Through Change

As I write this in late October we are into our 7^th month of the COVID pandemic and I hear so many voices saying “I’m so tired”. This year has been relentless, and the constant change and challenges, as well as the worry, fear and loss has left us weary. Yes we are tired, but we are resilient! And now we can turn our faces towards the future, and move forward with hope of a brighter 2021. That is what I wish for you, may the blessings of the holiday season sooth and re-energise you. Just know that your feelings and your struggle is valid, and if you are in a dark place please reach out to a friend or a counselling service, you don’t have to do it alone.

Beautiful Bizarre Magazine ends 2020 on a wonderful positive note! The Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize received thousands of amazing entries this year across all award categories, with entries up 100% since its launch in 2018, plus over 17,000 public votes were received for the People’s Choice Award. Learn more about the 2020 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize winners, in a special editorial inside this issue. Plus we speak at length to the Winner of the 2020 Prize, Phillip Singer, in a fascinating interview, which delves into his inspiring practice.

The Winners of the 2020 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize participated in our prestigious annual exhibition in the United States in October-November. The ‘Midnight Garden’ exhibition showcased over 90 of the world’s best representational artists and was received with resounding success! I am deeply grateful to this year’s passionate Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize sponsors, INPRNT, iCanvas, Yasha Young Projects and ZBrush, along with Modern Eden Gallery for their continued support of the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize by hosting the exhibition at their beautiful gallery in San Francisco. We have already begun to reach out to like-minded businesses and philanthropists regarding the 2021 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize, and hope to bring you even more amazing prizes next year. If you are interested in sponsoring the 2021 Prize, please don’t hesitate to reach out, I would love to hear from you. Entries will open on 1 February, so mark your calendar! 

A Note with Gratitude

Sadly, for the first time since Beautiful Bizarre Magazine’s first curated exhibition in 2015, one of team was not able to attend our exhibition. COVID has closed Australian borders and we were unable to fly to the United States. I know we are all missing pre-COVID exhibition opening receptions with their large gathering vibe and artists and curators in attendance, and hope we can get back to that in 2021! I am, however, incredibly impressed with how Modern Eden Gallery and many others have adapted to the COVID restrictions and facilitated exciting new ways for collectors to engage with the artwork and exhibitions. It is wonderful to see the adaptability and resilience of our community.

It is wonderful to see the adaptability and resilience of our community.

As always, thank you dear reader for your support of our independent magazine! This year has been tough, but through your purchasing the magazine and print subscriptions we have been able to get through it and continue to support our community and our staff. 2020 has seen many large media corporation funded magazines go bust, but I am very thankful that Beautiful Bizarre Magazine continues to thrive in this difficult climate.

Finally, I would like to end this note with gratitude. I have been blessed to have been able to touch the lives of thousands of creatives this year through Beautiful Bizarre Magazine, the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize, and our web blogs and social media platforms. To give support, encouragement, and to acknowledge the unique practices of so many. I am deeply grateful to be in the wonderful position to make dreams a reality. Thank you, for enabling myself and my team to live our authentic lives, and continue to do what we are passionate about – supporting the visual arts through our unique, beautiful and inspiring magazine.

“Gratitude turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity…it makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.”

Melody Beattie

Until next time, please take care of yourself and those around you, and stay safe!

Much Love xo

Co-Founder and Editor-in-Chief
Beautiful Bizarre Magazine

The post A Note From the Editor: The Power of Positivity appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

Our 30th Issue of Beautiful Bizarre Magazine, with Yoko d’Holbachie’s super fun painting “Flowers” on the cover is on sale now! After the year we’ve all had, I think this cover is just the right amount of beautiful, bizarre and positive uplifting energy that’s needed.

The September 2020 Issue 30 of Beautiful Bizarre Magazine flew off the shelves, and the print issue has sold out. Thanks so much for your support of our independent magazine, it means so much to myself and my team! However, you can still download the digital magazine, and enjoy the inspiring stories of over 40 creatives from around the world!

WOW, I can’t believe that I sit here again in July and write to you about the same global concerns that I have discussed in the previous 2020 issues. Now with rising anxiety levels, since it has been ongoing for so long. Like I keep telling myself, I hope you are taking some time for self-care during this surreal period in history!

That human connection with the artwork, the ability to sit and digest the work, to see all the layers and texture, and how the light hits the work just so – cannot be replaced by your tiny screen. So please support the artists and galleries you love and buy some art, your unique and beautiful soul will thank you for it!

Wading through the Pandemic

I don’t know about you, but I have found the first half of 2020 very challenging both in regards to my business – Beautiful Bizarre Magazine and my personal life. With significantly reduced income from retail which closed in March, some of which are still closed, some re-opened just to close again, and a few tentatively open again but at reduced hours, it has been a stressful time. We decided to release the June issue in digital magazine format only due to the disruption of global shipping routes. And thank goodness we did, I would have hated to have printed thousands of copies of the magazine only to see them shredded and become landfill because they didn’t reach retailers in time, or were lost in transit. However all of this combined has meant that the Beautiful Bizarre Magazine team has had to tighten our belts, as have most small and large companies globally in order to do what we must to survive the effects of COVID. We excitedly re-opened magazine sales with the September issue pre-orders and are very grateful to all our amazing customers who have purchased a print subscription or picked up a copy of this issue via our webstore. It is because of your support, that Beautiful Bizarre Magazine can continue to champion the arts and artists globally – thank you! Myself and my team are deeply grateful for your support of our small business during this difficult time.

Sadly, it’s not over yet. I think the effects of COVID will be felt well into 2021, and the nature of business will be changed significantly going forward. I believe the “new normal” will see many of us continuing to work from home, as the value of this model becomes apparent. So while you spend your days in your home and home office, please do consider filling your walls with inspiration – buy yourself some original artwork and support artists who are doing it tough. Don’t forget, galleries are vital because they enable us to see artwork in person. That human connection with the artwork, the ability to sit and digest the work, to see all the layers and texture, and how the light hits the work just so – cannot be replaced by your tiny screen. So please support the artists and galleries you love and buy some art, your unique and beautiful soul will thank you for it!

Beautiful Bizarre Magazine is my love letter to the arts: a celebration of the creative world…

2020 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize

I am personally so grateful for all the bright spots over the last few months! The Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize has given me so much joy this year. Seeing all the wonderful entries come in has filled me up with inspiration for future editorials in Beautiful Bizarre Magazine, all of which I can’t wait to share with you in this issue and beyond. When you read this, we will have begun to announce the winners and each of these artists will be preparing their work for the ‘Midnight Garden’ exhibition, Beautiful Bizarre Magazine’s prestigious annual exhibition in the USA. The winners across all Award categories will be exhibiting alongside 80+ of the best contemporary artists from around the world. We will of course be sharing more information about the exhibition and the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize through all our usual channels, so keep an eye out!

We have great things planned for 2021, and I can’t wait to share them with you at the right time!

Until next time, please take care of yourself and those around you, and stay safe!

Much Love xo

Co-Founder and Editor-in-Chief
Beautiful Bizarre Magazine

The post A Note From the Editor: We Will Get Through This Together appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

Issue 29 of Beautiful Bizarre Magazine, with Omar Rayyan’s incredible surreal painting “Chrysanthemums” on the cover, is on sale now! This issue is filled with inspiring personal stories and amazing artwork from around the globe. I hope this issue lifts you up and transports you to your happy place.

Lessons from a Pandemic

As I write this, we as a species are in the midst of a global pandemic. The situation is truly surreal – I often feel that perhaps I will wake from a strange and frightening dream. But sadly this is real, in just 2 short months the world has changed completely. We can no longer visit or hug our loved ones, millions are infected, hundreds of thousands dead, and even more live in fear and isolation as the COVID-19 virus spreads across the world. We are all heartbroken!

No one is exempt from the change that has been forced onto us by this pandemic. Businesses have closed their doors, entire systems and countries have shut down and closed borders. I just hope that we will emerge from this painful transformation a changed species; one that can now see and value those members of our communities that are most important – doctors, nurses, teachers, cleaners, farmers, people who make and prepare our food, and, of course, artists across all fields whom inspire us and uplift us in our time of sadness and fear. To all the people that take care of us and sustain us, thank you – I am deeply grateful.

We must also finally realise our dependence on nature, let us hope that part of our transformation as a species will be to honour our home and all the creatures that share this world with us.

I think the poem below by Kitty O’Meara best describes my hopes for the world post COVID.

And the People Stayed Home

And the people stayed home,
and read books, and listened, and
rested, and exercised, and made art, and
played games, and learned new ways of being,
and were still.
And listened more deeply.
Some meditated, some prayed,
some danced. Some met their shadows.
And the people began to think differently.

And the people healed.
And, in the absence of people living in ignorant,
dangerous, mindless, and heartless ways,
the earth began to heal.

And when the danger passed, and
the people joined together again,
they grieved their losses,
and made new choices, and dreamed new images, and
created new ways to live and
heal the earth fully,
as they had been healed.

By Kitty O’Meara, the poet laureate of the pandemic.

Being Strong and Resilient Together

The shutdowns and closure of global shipping routes has forced businesses around the world to take hard decisions, and Beautiful Bizarre Magazine is no different. It was with a heavy heart that we decided to release this special 7th anniversary issue in digital format only, because at this moment it is just impossible to get our magazine to galleries, newsagents, bookstores, and homes all around the world. I do, however, understand how important reading is right now, being able to escape into other worlds when we must stay at home and find inspiration for our own practices at a time when creativity seems expected and therefore feels forced. So we have made this issue easily accessible via direct download from our website, so you can access the magazine instantly via any of your devices, no matter where in the world you are quarantined.

Both artists and galleries are doing it tough right now, so please, if you can, buy an artwork or a print through your favourite gallery. Support the arts community now, so that we can all survive this tragic situation – we can get through this, we are strong and resilient!

I am personally deeply grateful for our readership’s support of our independent magazine during this very difficult time. If you can, please purchase a 12 or 24 month print subscription from the Beautiful Bizarre Magazine website, because it is our loyal print subscribers that enable us to publish Beautiful Bizarre Magazine. Without this support we cannot continue to pursue our own passion – championing our global community of over a million creatives!

The Joy of Discovering

Happily the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize is receiving many wonderful entries, it’s a thrill to see all the amazing work coming in! It is a task that has brought me much joy during my self-isolation. I never get tired of discovering new artists and seeing inspiring artwork of all different mediums and styles. Don’t forget to get your entries in before they close in July 2020!

The 2020 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize is accepting entries in the following Award categories: INPRNT Traditional Art Award, iCanvas Photography Award, ZBrush Digital Art Award and Yasha Young Projects Sculpture Award. Why not use some of this time while you are stuck at home to enter, for your chance to receive global exposure for your work, plus share in over US$35,000 in cash and prizes? The grand prize winner will receive US$10,000 thanks to this year’s generous sponsors, US$1,500 worth of art photography and/or Fine Art archival print reproduction from Static Medium, editorial in Beautiful Bizarre Magazine and much more. All winners will also have the opportunity to participate in the prestigious Beautiful Bizarre Magazine curated exhibition at Modern Eden Gallery in San Francisco later this year. Visit www.beautifulbizarreartprize.art for more information, along with a full list of prizes.

Take a peek at some of the amazing entries we have received so far below.

For a deeper look at whats inside Issue 29, click here.

Black Lives Matter!

EDIT: The above was written in April, however much has happened in the world since. A powerful uprising #blacklivesmatter has seen millions of protesters gather across America, and many other countries around the world to demand an end to racism! I stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in America and all people of colour, including our Australian First Nations people. It’s time to speak out and speak up – silence is no longer an option!

In a racist society it is not enough to be non-racist. We must be anti-racist.

Angela Davis

Black Lives Matter! As artists, collectors and curators, we take our inspiration from many aspects of the world, and of course the pain and hurt of others affects us and our community deeply. In the past few days, we have seen Americans fighting for justice and equality after the murder of another black man at the hands of police, through protests, amplifying voices on social media and fundraising. We see the plight of our black brothers and sisters and cannot remain silent in the face of this outpouring of grief and calls for justice #justiceforgeorgefloyd

We recognize the influence and the responsibility of our platform to amplify this important work. As such we are asking that our followers and collaborators speak up and actively participate in anti-racism work however they can. Beautiful Bizarre Magazine believes in equality, love, respect, justice, opportunity, freedom and security for all people, and we stand in solidarity with our American friends.

We also recognise that Australia, where we are based, has an appalling record regarding the way that people of colour, particularly our indigenous peoples, have been treated. We also stand in love and solidarity with those in our own country who have been, and continue to be marginalised and mistreated.

We send our deepest condolences to George Floyd’s family, friends and community at this incredibly sad time.

Instagram accounts to donate and ways you can get informed and help are listed below:

@blklivesmatter, @blackvisionscollective, @george_.floyd._, @audrelordeproject

posted on our social media on 3 june 2020

Until next time, please take care of yourself and those around you, and stay safe!

Much Love xo

Co-Founder and Editor-in-Chief
Beautiful Bizarre Magazine

Feature image: “Adrift” by Julio Reyes, featured in Issue 29

The post A Note From the Editor: Strong and Resilient Together appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

The release of my 28th issue of Beautiful Bizarre Magazine is a little over a week away now, so if you haven’t yet pre-ordered your copy or renewed your print subscription, please do before midnight 15 February so you don’t miss out on this inspiring issue! Plus, of course, 20 lucky print subscribers will win a gorgeous print of “Hello Kitten” by our March issue cover artist Matthew Grabelsky.

Australia burns

Excerpt from Issue 28 Letter from the Editor: As I sit and write this personal message to you in early January, we are facing our fifth month of horrific and terrifying bushfires in Australia, the effects of anthropogenic climate change made real. Over 1 billion animals killed, over 10 million hectares of forests burnt, 28 lives lost and many, many, more who have lost their homes or been displaced after having to evacuate towns in the face of fire fronts so massive as to warrant a national emergency. In Australia, we are seeing the first Western climate change refugees and many species of animals now face extinction. As you can imagine, we are all suffering from a deep sadness.

I think Julia Roberts’ narration as Mother Nature in the powerful and chilling YouTube video Nature Speaks, produced by Conservation International, says it far better than I can express:

“I don’t really need people, but people need me. Your future depends on me: when I thrive you thrive, when I falter, you falter, or worse. I have been here for eons. I have fed species greater than you and starved species greater than you. How you choose to live each day, whether you choose to regard or disregard me, doesn’t really matter to me one way or the other. Your actions will determine your fate, not mine – I am nature. I will go on. I am prepared to evolve, are you?”

Nature Speaks, produced by Conservation International

Global climate emergency

I don’t mention this to add to the sadness, but to help wake us up and to stir us into action. We need to reflect on how we got here, and demand change! We have a responsibility to every living creature on this planet, as well as to the future generations of the human species, to take real action to tackle the global climate crisis now! 2020 is the start of a new decade, one in which we as a species will have the power to heal or destroy our precious blue planet. Let us choose correctly!

To understand the staggering scale and depth of this crisis, please take a moment to read Brigid Delaney’s brave article “Fire raining on beaches, red skies and a billion animals killed: the new Australian summer” published on The Guardian website, excerpt:

“Climate change has stopped being something to argue about. When you breathe in the ash and feel the pain in your heart, you can no longer deny it…. It’s the first summer of this new decade. Welcome. It’s the summer of ash washed up on the beaches, like a long, deranged message unfurled from its bottle. It’s the summer of a billion animals killed by flames and starvation, it’s collapsed biospheres, charred forests, epic dust storms, hailstones and racing clouds carrying fire.”

Brigid Delaney

As the fires continue to ravage my beautiful country, and the forest, animal and human losses continue to build – there is a way that you can help! Please consider giving a donation to one of these excellent organisations: WIRES Wildlife Rescue, RSPCA, Australian Red Cross, NSW Rural Fire Service.

Count our blessings

That being said, the new year always brings into sharp focus not just our challenges, but also our blessings. I personally feel so privileged and deeply grateful to do what I do through Beautiful Bizarre Magazine and the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize! To make so many dreams come true on so many levels each day – it truly is a precious honour. So, thank you – because it is through your support our dear readers and subscribers, that I am able to give so many representational artists globally the visibility and validation their practices deserve.

Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize

Exciting! The 2020 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize entries are now open! Once again I will have the pleasure of seeing lots of amazing work entered; it is always such a huge thrill to see the diversity, uniqueness and talent of representational artists from all corners of the world! Entries are open until midnight 17 July – so don’t miss your opportunity to join the esteemed alumni of the international Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize. I am deeply grateful to this year’s major sponsors, INPRNT, iCanvas, ZBrush, and Yasha Young Projects, who have allowed us to provide the overall winner of this year’s Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize with a cash prize of USD$10,000 + lots of other amazing prizes. The prize pool currently stands at over USD$35,000 – so don’t miss your chance to share in the amazing cash and product prizes. There are also Beautiful Bizarre Magazine editorials to win, and, of course, your chance to participate in our prestigious annual curated exhibition, along with 80+ of the world’s best contemporary artists at Modern Eden Gallery in San Francisco later this year. For more information about the 2020 Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize, including the four Award Categories (the INPRNT Traditional Art Award, iCanvas Photography Award, ZBrush Digital Art Award, and Yasha Young Projects Sculpture Award), the jury panel, a full list of prizes and more please visit www.beautifulbizarreartprize.art.

In closing, I would once again like to sincerely thank our new and existing print subscribers. As an independent magazine we would not exist without you! So thank you for your support, it means the world to us.

Much love xo

Danijela Krha Purssey, Editor in Chief
Connect with me on Instagram @danijelakrhapurssey

The post A Note from the Editor: When you breathe in the ash & feel the pain in your heart, you can no longer deny it appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

Issue 27 of Beautiful Bizarre Magazine with Brad Kunkle’s sublime painting, The Near, Far and Leading on the cover is on sale now! Grab yourself a copy, and take some time to nurture yourself while you sit back, relax and immerse yourself in the inspiring stories of 40 incredible creatives from across the globe. I hope they inspire your own practice or of course your collections.

As you read this issue the festive season will almost be upon us and another year will have flown by. I am not sure if it is age or busyness that makes each year rush past faster than the one before! Regardless, it is the perfect time to stop, be present in the moment, and reflect on the challenges and successes of the year that is coming to a close. To consider our work life balance and evaluate what worked for us and what didn’t, so we can recalibrate in the new year and move forward making our self-care, not just our careers, a priority.

This year has been one of incredible achievements for Beautiful Bizarre Magazine! The 2nd Annual Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize was a huge success with the number of entries doubling from last year and our prize pool increasing to over USD$20,000 in cash and prizes. Plus of course my “inspiration” cup now runs over with amazing creatives to feature in the magazine, on the website and our socials over the coming months and years. So thanks again to all the artists whom entered, to our amazing sponsors INPRNT and Stocksy United, our esteemed Jury Panel, and of course congratulations again to all the Award Winners, and the incredible overall 1st Prize Winner Annie Murphy Robinson, with her winning charcoal drawing, Emily and the Ram (conjuring).

As I write this letter, the 1st Prize winners of all Award categories are currently working on their pieces for the Beautiful Bizarre exhibition ‘Ritual’ which opens at Haven Gallery in Northport New York on 14 December. I looking forward to seeing all the amazing works in person and of course presenting the specially commissioned glass sculpture Awards to the winners at the opening reception. I hope to see many of you there so we can celebrate together! Below are the Winners in each Award Category as well as Annie’s winning work.

As you can imagine all of the various projects Beautiful Bizarre Magazine manages on top of our business as usual, publishing the print magazine, puts huge pressure of our small team. I know as artists you can relate to the late nights, the weekends spent working, and the stress attached to the need to regularly meet targets and deadlines. So I would love to hear how you practice mindfulness. What kinds of self-care rituals do you regularly practice? Do you give yourself enough time to relax, unplug? How do you avoid feeling burnt out?

How do you practice mindfullness?

I read Soey Milk say recently on Instagram that she has a date with herself each morning (at the gym!), where she gives herself time to care for and nurture/strengthen her body before she begins work for the day. I love her attitude! I personally try and get out into my garden and walk my dog as much as possible. I practice yoga and pilates weekly, and set aside one night as a date night with my husband so we can focus on our relationship. I also don’t work on Saturdays unless there is a hard deadline that cannot be moved. On this day I try to stay off my screens all together. Instead I enjoy reading a book, sipping some wine, and basking in the spring sunshine.

It is the small things practiced regularly that focus on the self: mind, body and spirit that together build resilience for our busy lives.

Much love xo

Danijela Krha Purssey, Editor in Chief
Connect with me on Instagram @danijelakrhapurssey

Feature image: “Where no one can wake me” by Happy D, featured in Issue 27.

The post A Note From the Editor: Making Self-Care a Priority appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.

Issue 026 of Beautiful Bizarre Magazine with Troy Brooks’ incredible colour pencil drawing  Cherrybomb on the  is on sale now! Grab yourself a copy, and take some time to nurture yourself while you sit back, relax and immerse yourself in the inspiring stories of 40 incredible creatives from across the globe. I hope they inspire your own practice or of course your collections.

I can’t believe that it has been over six years since I first began publishing this independent magazine! Over this time many artists have shared their struggle with me, and Brian Mashburn’s interview in this issue reminded me how important the truth is and that it should be told.

The struggles of being an artist

Being a full time artist, when looking from the outside in, can seem quite glamorous: setting your own hours, working from home, doing only what you want/love, living the dream! However in actuality being a full time artist is very challenging. Like any other small business, artists are under a huge amount of pressure to produce and make enough money from their creative product to survive and support themselves. However most emerging and mid-career artists in the current art market are not able to sell their work for particularly high prices. This means they have to say “yes” to all those group shows and solo shows. Produce more, hopefully sell most of them, and make enough to get by. But even if all the works sell, most artists could, as Brian states, “make the same amount of money managing a grocery store or waiting tables.”

Sharing your creative soul

Artists work very long hours, often seven days a week to produce work. But the life of an artist is not just physically challenging, it is also a mental and emotional roller-coaster. The anxiety that manifests when an artist releases into the world that small part of their heart and soul which they so delicately blend into each new artwork. Will others like it/hate it? How many likes will it get on Instagram? Will the result be validation or humiliation? Then of course the associated depression that often comes with these overwhelming emotions. Being an artist is not always, or sometimes ever, glasses of champagne at sold out openings.

For all those creatives who wish to pursue a life and career in the arts, sharing this with you was not intended to deter you. Because nothing truly special is brought into the world without some pain and struggle. Sharing this is my way of acknowledging that the struggle is real, and my way of expressing my respect for all living artists, I see you, I hear you and I appreciate your struggle! So as you start to consider what you would like to buy your loved ones for Christmas this year, please forget mass made fashion, and boring gadgets. Buy your loved one something truly unique for Christmas – buy them an original artwork! And of course a print subscription to Beautiful Bizarre Magazine. By doing so you are supporting the arts and artists you love.

So please sit back, put your feet up and enjoy some non-screen time as you immerse yourself in the unique and fascinating stories of over 40 creatives from across the globe.

Much Love xo

Danijela Krha Purssey, Editor in Chief
Connect with me on Instagram @danijelakrhapurssey

Feature image: by Issue 26 featured artist Roberto Ferri.

The post A Note From the Editor: The Challenges of Creating Full-time appeared first on Beautiful Bizarre Magazine.