Dear beautiful bizarre friends,
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.
The last month has taught me the true force of love, through the depths of grief.
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.
