Magnificent March
March has been a magnificent month. The highlight was helping a former student, Kimmy, perform her first solo gig as a worship leader. Felicia from Overflowing Cup in Beloit reached out to me via Facebook and asked if I was a Christian artist and while I do play for church, it has been a while since I played worship music. Then I thought about Kimberly Beckius, who plays with the worship team at Central Christian. I knew one of her goals was to play her own live show. I mentioned to Felecia that I knew someone else that could do it and we could potentially play together. Next, I reached out to Kimmy to find out if she was interested and she was. We practiced a couple of times here at the studio and then performed together on Saturday, March 16th for two hours. She was magnificent. Many of her friends and church family came to support her. They filled the room and joyfully sang. It was truly magnificent.
Then on Saturday, March 23rd, we held our first in-house event, a fashion show with live music.
Antonio Reyes, a student from Fruzen, helped me plan and organize the event. He even helped me bring the studio to a presentable order by cleaning and straightening as best as possible.
One of the highlights from this event was when Beloit Passion Singer, Dorothy Scavera, sang “Help, I’m Alive.” She was magnificent, stepping into the spotlight without the comfort of the lyrics on a karaoke machine and also using a vocal effects pedal in her performance. At the end of the fashion show, Sherry Blakeley and Jody Whittnebel had a delightful time taking their turn flying around with the lighted cape that was featured in the song I wrote, produced and performed, “You Put Me Here.” They truly resonated with magnificent sisterhood.
Also in March, the artist, Talon aka Nick Jansen, that I have been producing in the studio, performed one of his signature themes…”Ass Like Clockwork” for performances in Milwaukee and Chicago. He truly is a magnificent performer and artist. Keep an eye on him. His career is moving forward, despite his struggle with earning enough to survive as an independent creative.
Learn more about the process we took and the producers involved with this project under Ella Miss-Talon.
Lastly, myself, as multidimensional artist Ella Miss, have begun a journey to produce a show inspired by the book “Hagitude, Reimagining the Second Half of Life” by author Sharon Blackie.
The opening scene I, in the form of the archetypal female dragon, invite death, in the form of a cloaked woman, to sit at the table and engage in a conversation, as well as, a little dance. All inspired by Chapter 10 in the book. I will be working alongside local store owner, Shatoria Teaque of Always and Forever Formalwear for the costuming of this project.
It is a privilege to run a creative arts business in what I have coined, “Blooming Beloit.”
More to come in the near future. Watch us grow!
Exponential Growth
Sunday, December 31st, 2023
Stay Focused- What does Lisa want?
Daily remind myself…For Who and For What?
I want a place where myself and like-minded people can come to make art to express themselves. Especially feminine forms of artistic expression.
I want to create expressions that can be performed in public that make a statement and are but are not just "entertainment."
I want to stay free of distractions that disrupt or interfere with my ability to follow through with creating these expressions.
I want to set boundaries with those who surround me so I am able to accomplish my passions and help others achieve theirs.
I want to allow people in to help me because I cannot do this alone. I want to trust that people will not try to take advantage of me.
Most recent lesson learned the hard way.
Someone, who I genuinely believed was trying to support and help me, has already ended up to be only after one thing. I could be wrong, it’s hard to say. I thought we were past this (especially at my age) but I guess we will never be? I'm unsure. What I do know…I can't do this alone and will need help but will have to be more careful about who I allow in to help.
I make beautiful artistic expressions. I don't know how other people receive them. It isn't for me to decide how they are interpreted. If someone thinks they are seductive, they are. Just because I express myself this way doesn't mean I want something from anyone. I haven't figured out how to educate people that what I create is about so much more. It feels like more like an awakening of a self, through art and music, that society hasn't allowed me. My sensual feminine side, which is beautiful and healthy, has been horribly suppressed, causing severe depression throughout my life. Now it's time to allow this side to be safely expressed. It means, first and most importantly, to keep asking myself in every situation and encounter, "Is this what Lisa wants?" A question that, honestly, I have never considered much throughout life. I feel so desperate to please others and to have friends that I lose myself. It is a challenge to set boundaries with people I have been in relationships with for years and also with people I have most recently met. I am getting better at it but still have more work to do. If you are like me, I hope by sharing this, you will find comfort in knowing you are not alone. If you are a very feminine person who likes to express yourself freely without fear of being misinterpreted and without losing sight of yourself, I am here. We are together.
