'BONDING THROUGH LIFE' Purdue Charles J. Lynn Hall of Veterinary Medicine ... BEYOND THE DOUBT One day an email landed in my inbox. It was from the Dean of Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine asking if I could do a community mural there about the bond that develops between people and animals. My childhood love of animals flashed images before me, and I felt the familiar warmth of inspiration moving through my body. I imagined walking down the 90ft. hallway seeing large images of beautifully depicted animals and people from different cultures around the world on the wall. I was eager to show the rich cultural fabrics and colorful garments; exotic animals, production and domestic alike. It would be a merging of people and animals in a beautiful tapestry woven with the bond of human-animal caring that transcended cultures. When I first visited the campus in the small town of West Lafayette, Indiana, it struck me as a very rural small town. At least, t...

The Light of Cooperation  Community mural installed at the Lewis Hospital for Companion Animals ... THE JOURNEY We often  move in siloed spaces, and if you're like me, you'll notice this everywhere you go. This fact stands out to  me in spaces where people are intensely focused in a specific area of interest, whether it be their career, research, or specialized tasks that require a lot of focus and concentration. The things that set us apart from each other can make us strong in those areas, but when it comes time for interacting with one another sometimes it makes it difficult. When I was first contacted about this project by the college's Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, what initially sparked my interest was our very first conversation. It struck a chord because there was a genuine desire for an art project that could pull people together, honor the native land of the area, and celebrate the college's strengths and aspirations. Like many institutions, th...

By Tia Richardson This article was first published by Visionary Viewpoints, a New Age newsletter dedicated to igniting ideas to change the world. I am deeply inspired by the veterinary community and the people who are part of it. Over the last couple of years I’ve had the chance to work with several of their communities and institutions as an artist. That journey has opened my eyes in a new way to the work they do and what they’re about. As we embark on our journey into the Aquarian Age, I wanted to share a little of what I discovered in that light.  Before my journey, the image that came to mind when I first thought of the word ‘veterinarian’ was a person with a stethoscope checking out a dog or cat patient in a clinic. I knew they loved animals, sure, but not much else about their interests or values as professionals. If you’d have told me then how much I would come to appreciate them now, I probably wouldn’t have believed you. But did you know they are also scientists, educato...

FORWARD INTO THE HEART OF NURSING 'Forward Into the Heart of Nursing' Signe Skott Cooper Hall, 701 Highland Ave. Madison, WI The UW-Madison School of Nursing is a remarkable beacon of light for intellect and heart, science and caring. 'Forward Into the Heart of Nursing' was created in collaboration with over 150 faculty, staff and students as part of celebrating their 100-year anniversary. The dean of the nursing school, Linda Scott, reached out to me to commemorate their centennial history and a vision of where they are going.  Trying to capture such a long legacy presented a challenge and a unique opportunity. I felt that there was much info to gather about what makes the school legacy unique or special to its community; while searching for what lies at the heart of it. At its heart or its spirit, it stays the same despite having gone throug...

 Mural: "Growing Together/Crecemos Unidos" La Escuela Fratney Elementary School, 3255 N. Fratney St. Milwaukee, WI Photo Credit: Amanda Seppanen   This mural was created in collaboration with over 300 students, parents, faculty and staff of Fratney Bilingual Elementary School. The participation and enthusiasm of teachers and kids alike, grades pre-K through 5th, made a lasting impact that can be seen in the expressive, vibrant imagery depicting the school community's values. Among them include children's rights, environmental stewardship, and symbols inspired by the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of the Child. For example - a right to an education; inclusivity, and stewardship for the environment. Fratney was one of if not the first bilingual education (English/Spanish) schools in Wisconsin. It is a diverse and multicultural community, whose parents and families came out to support the celebration of the mural completion on May 31st, 2024. It was ...

Saturday, September 30th 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. Southwest Library, 7979 38th Ave, Kenosha, WI 53142 Stop by the Southwest branch of the Kenosha Public Library between 11am - 4pm to purchase a copy of 'Caring All Around Me' and get it signed by the author! Tia will be there the whole day to meet folks interested in learning more about the book and accompanying workbook and ways it can help young people learn about healthy relating. Free coloring pages from the workbook will be available at her table. She will be participating in the 5 minutes with an author at 3:15pm. 25+ authors spanning genres will be present to meet guests and sign books. Activities between 11am-4pm unless otherwise noted. Browse author booths from 11am - 4pm, check out workshops and panel discussions, and family-friendly activities for all ages - kids and adults alike!  

Opening Receptio n and panel discussion   FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 15, 4:30pm - 8:00pm panel discussion begins at 4:30pm ART AND CULTURES GALLERY Alexia Hall, 3441 South 39 th Street Free and accessible lot parking is available. Map: https://goo.gl/maps/9cshZMQuHsPEqmWFA Title: Illuminating Our Future as One Community by Tia Richardson   Panelists: Blanche Brown, Susan Falkman, Roxane Mayeur, Tia Richardson WOW! is a Directors invitation exhibition featuring the work of 26 women artists from all media including painting, photography, sculpture, metal work, mixed media and ceramics. The opening reception on September 15 begins with a panel discussion at 4:30p...

PEAK Community Mural unveiling 4:00pm - Program (speakers, participants, artist statement) 4:30pm - 5:30pm - Community Dinner   Join us to celebrate the new mural completed this year at PEAK Initiative! PEAK initiative inspired me with its 4 core values, including “the community is better when everyone contributes”. True to its spirit, the mural was completed with ideas and painted by many PEAK youth & Midtown community members. A short program at 4:00pm and community dinner to follow from 4:30 - 5:30pm! Their website states: "PEAK is a year-round program that offers a series of carefully designed activities to cultivate a deep sense of belonging and help youth explore their innate capacity for leadership at all ages. From building fires to leading community service projects, PEAK offers a wide variety of experiences that spark young people's curiosity and uncover their strengths. Our youth commit to participating in activities year-round for the most impactful ...

Ashley Valentine, President and owner of Rooted MKE Bookstore interviews Tia Richardson about her new children's story 'Caring All Around Me' and its recently launched accommpanying workbook 'Caring All Around Me Workbook: Coloring and Exercises for Healthy Relating'. ABOUT ROOTED MKE BOOKSTORE Rooted MKE Bookstore seeks to provide BIPOC youth a reflection of themselves through our curated selection of titles. We aspire to be a community space where families gather, appreciate shared experiences centered around literacy, and nurture Milwaukee’s youth in a safe, inclusive space Learn more at https://www.rootedmke.com/ about

A new podcast is in town! Hosts Shelly Roder and Meagan Shultz highlight the work of women entrepreneurs and makers in the cream city, Milwaukee, WI. Episode 8 sheds light on the magic of making murals together as a community. Listen here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1969604/10861651-tia-richardson-of-cosmic-butterfly-design "Get inspired by this important conversation about the place of art in creating the kind of city and world we want to live in. And then be sure to look up and around next time you’re driving through Milwaukee to find some of her pieces across the city." ~ Meagan and Shelly  

Iverson Bell Midwest Regional Diversity Summit 2022 “From Talk to Action: Becoming a Change Agent on your Campus.” "Healing Through Art" - May 20, 2022 Dejope Residence Hall Artist Tia Richardson was invited by Richard Barajas, Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion as a keynote speaker and to present her work. Part of the invitation was to offer veterinary school students, staff and faculty a chance to participate in a collaborative mural they could help paint as part of the conference. Her keynote includes a screening of the short film 'Rockford Taking Flight' and photos of her collaborative art efforts in southeastern Wisconsin and Illinois.   The Iverson Bell Summit is named for the first African-American veterinarian to hold the position of Vice President in the American Veterinary Medical Association. The primary goal of the summit is to promote diversity and inclusion in veterinary medicine, with special attention to academia.   For more info and c...

Adapted from Pulpit Speech  Sunday June 12, 2022 Unitarian Universalist Church West, Brookfield, WI 'Milwaukee Gaia Buddha' Recently, I was thinking about the fact that we live in a multicultural society. In honor of this Juneteenth, I'm thinking about the principle of freedom, specifically the efforts by many to gain it throughout our nations history. And - having made gains - the challenges that comes with it in a society where we interact daily with people who have different histories, cultures and traditions from the group or groups we belong to. In my journey I've had the chance to interact a lot with different cultural groups abroad, locally and around the U.S. For many, including myself, it's the experience of traveling and getting to know different cultures that makes it fun. There's things I value, and other things not so much - for example, the foods that might not agree with my stomach. But, being an artist and traveling is great. What's better ...