what value do I give in exchange for time?
It is important to ascertain the value I give people who spend their time on BeverlyClaridge.com and on my YouTube channel.
First, its important to know my own value. I believe I was created for a purpose by a transcendent Creator. It is the foundation of how I live my life.
What do I value and by who’s values do I live? These inform my search for purpose.
Deciphering the value I give the world, the universe, if you will, in exchange for the gift of my time on earth is my value proposition. It’s a term I learned in almost 7 years of owning a brick and mortar business.
What I value hugely impacts what I create in the studio.
highschool years
I abandoned a creative career after showing my accurate and colourful watercolour of my viola to my high school art teacher, Mr. Sanderson. Dutifully, I’m sure, he advised that the realism I loved was no longer relevant in 1973.
My loving and terribly practical parents urged sensibility, too. I earned a science degree at University. I valued the advice of my parents and teachers.
Marriage, work and Motherhood
I worked in hospital surgery, a chemistry laboratory, and did a stint in industrial real estate out in California after I married. I valued use my science training in a career. In the end I decided I was not a scientist.
As a stay-at-home mum, I pursued art again with a vengeance. Between diaper changes and chasing babies, I launched a fledgling art portraiture business, creating colourful and accurate coloured pencil portraits. I valued pursuing what I really wanted in my heart.
Then, life happened. I moved with my young children back to Kansas to be near my parents.
solo parenting years
As a solo mother, working days as an assistant project manager at a construction company, I set up an easel in my bedroom to create art at night after my children were in bed. I valued creating no matter what.
Thrilled with the developments on my easel, I initiated an arts ministry at church. What a grand time. We had two successful shows featuring several artists within the large congregation. I valued sharing creative joy with others.
I would have happily continued working these exhibitions, but then love intervened.
New Country, new Life
In 2001 I shifted with my kids to New Zealand to be with my new Kiwi husband, Bill. My aim was to blend our two families and pursue art full-time. Well, almost full-time. We, renovated two homes, planned a big wedding, and made trips back and forth to the United States. Life happened! I valued pushing through to make art no matter what!
I managed to create two big solo exhibitions, a duo exhibition and co-found an active area wide visual arts group. Whew!! I learned to value time managment.
Business Owner
Then I invested seven years of creative energy owning a picture framing and gallery business. We closed it in 2019. I probably won’t fully recognise the values I learned for a few years. The impact is too fresh.
my value proposition
My value proposition is this: I’m back full-time into my arts practice. I’m able to share knowledge and wisdom gained from over 30 years of Creating Art Around Life. I am an expert in Creating Art Around all the richness contained in a full and eventful life.
I have tenacity and a strong will to create. I’ve stuck in there for a long time, when it would have been easier, and arguably wiser, to simply give up. But I didn’t and I won’t.
I believe that our creative nature is a tremendous gift. Nearly as precious as the gift of life.
Bill at the Grille
Click the image to watch Part 4 of a time lapse video of me creating this latest work fresh off the easel.
Watch the video
Coloured pencil works
Coloured pencil works
No Regrets
2006 solo exhibition
Noble People Treasured Land
Anderson Park Art Gallery.
Handle with Care
2010 exhibition
Out of Hand
with Anna Claire Thompson
