Tessa Fuqua Artworks 2024

WOW 2024 has flown by! It has been a very full year of creating and showing art. I know I haven’t sent out a newsletter in awhile, but I would like to share what I have been doing and hope you like it and support me in this art life.

(I am using a different newsletter platform and imported addresses from the old one and from my artist email. So if you were on one of those lists you are on this one! You can unsubscribe if you don’t want to receive art news from me🙂)

The first couple of months of 2024 I spent planning and recuperating from last year! 2023 was mostly full of acting. I had a principal role in a theater production and did several commercials. I also painted 7 murals! Near the end of 2023 I spent some time in the ICU due to a gastric reaction to some food. So fun. NOT!!!

Check out the full gallery of the year here!

March through May I did a couple of commercials and two documentary videos. The documentaries were a new experience for me. The first was regarding retirement and finances. It is called The Psychology of Retirement and is currently in theaters. The second was about sustainable agricultural practices and consumers for Ardent Mills. Part of that one was actually shot at our home. It was fun to see the whole film crew and all their equipment in our house. Moving furniture around, getting artistic shots in my art studio, chasing the dog in the backyard… I am always intrigued about all the little technical jobs that go into filming.

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May through September turned out to be the Summer of Chalk Art. I usually do the Denver Chalk Art Festival and maybe one other, but this year I booked 6 chalk art festivals! I thoroughly enjoy the interactive aspect of street art - I love “performing” so chalk fests are like giant live painting sessions where I get to talk to the spectators. Each festival has its own vibe, but every festival was fun and the people involved were great. Thank you to those of you who came out!

My summer festival season provided some fantastic times creating on the streets both in my town and in different communities. My “Summer of Chalk Art” included 

Chalk Lines and Vines - Arapahoe County Fairgrounds

Denver Chalk Art Festival - Golden Triangle/Civic Center/ Museum area

Prairie Arts Celebration - Plains Conservation Center, Aurora

Salida Chalk Art Festival - Downtown Salida

7/20 Memorial - Aurora City Center and Memorial Garden

Walk the Chalk Art Fest - Historic Main Street, Littleton

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September and October I completed two community/public art pieces. I am super stoked because I really have been wanting to have public art as a bigger part of my practice.

I am also part of Broomfield Out Loud, which is a storyteller project. I created a piece that visually tells the story of one of their community members. The pieces (which range from painting to songs to film) were showcased at their opening reception on October 18 and are now displayed at the Broomfield Depot Museum and the library. I enjoyed getting to know my subject and the heart of the art and history community there.

I also painted a mural as part of Glenwood Springs Community Convergence Project Sept 28 and 29. I am honored to be chosen to make something that represents their city and the waterways and life. This was such a fun project. It is located on the corner of Sayre Park. The weekend we were painting was full of families and kids and folks from the neighborhood chatting with me and expressing their gratitude for the art. It is me who is the most grateful to make something for such a welcoming community.

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I also managed to do a couple of commercial shoots in October. It is funny that I don’t really watch regular TV so I often don’t see the final commercial! But if you happen to see me, let me know😜

As an artist I am always wanting to create something that brings joy, is beautiful or thoughtful, or makes you feel connected to it somehow. As an artist I also have to ask myself why do I do this? I think I create things because that is what I was made to do. I feel compelled to create and share things with people hoping it brings good, opens our minds, and lifts us somehow. Even just for a moment.  My life is based on faith: faith in myself and faith on One higher than me. I believe “doing art” is my purpose in life, the art itself then speaks and has its own further purpose. Moving on to this last part of the year and beyond, I plan on continuing to create, to grow and share with you all.

Who knows what else is on the horizon? Grateful for every new opportunity.

Tessa