Attitude of Gratitude

Hello Beautiful People!

It is with immense gratitude in my heart, that I go joyfully into 2016. I am embarking (and sometimes barking!) into my second year of being a full-time self-employed musician/artist/educator. I have loved the freedom and discipline of working with so many groups of people this year including homeschoolers, adults with intellectual differences, traditional musicians from many cultures, elementary school children, tweens and teens, adult guitar students, children of African refugees, senior citizens, sound engineers and stage crews, arts educators and administrators, my visual artist and musical peers, and visionary souls from all walks of life.

Special Thanks to The Greenbelt Community Center, The City of Greenbelt, Art Works Now, The Brentwood Arts Exchange, The ARC of Prince George’s County, Fillmore Arts Center, Carpe Diem Arts, The National Council for Traditional Arts, The Smithsonian Institution, The American Folk Festival, and friends, family, and nature. Thanks for the employment, the opportunities, the challenges, the encouragement, and the inspiration!

Cheers and Gratitude,

Rachel

June 16 Goddess Show

Jason Walker and I will be presenting a version of “The Goddess is Alive and Well and Living in a Thrift Store” as Part of the Oasis Lifelong Learning Program, Tuesday, June 16 from 1-2 PM. Be prepared to sing along with the Thrift Store Goddess!

Tix: http://www.oasisnet.org/Washington-DC/Classes

OASIS is located at Westfield Montgomery Mall

Macy's Home Store (2nd floor)
7125 Democracy Blvd
Bethesda, MD 20817 Map
(301) 469-6800, x211

The Story Behind "The Goddes is Alive and Well and Living in a Thrift Store" and pretty much most of my art and music <3

The Back Story

Eight years ago, Rachel and Henry Cross lost their home and most of their stuff to a devastating house fire. That experience, profoundly changed Rachel’s relationship with material things. After the fire, she could hardly stand to be in a store where everything was new. The only place where she felt comfortable shopping was in a thrift store. The clothes, art, books, and other treasures she encountered at the thrift store helped to inform and inspire her artwork, her music, and ultimately helped to heal her spirit. However, the people and culture of these stores fascinated her too. She would encounter mostly women. Women from all over the world and every walk of life. There were immigrants, art students, bargain hunters, senior citizens, teen moms, drag queens, the poor, the wealthy, and everybody in between. The one thing they shared was an understanding that this was a place to find treasures, bargains, and materials for the everyday and the special occasion.

From ancient times, the market place has been a woman’s space. It could even be viewed as a sacred space where ancient and modern Goddesses meet to transform and beautify the world around them. These ideas and experiences are the inspiration for this show.

http://www.atlasarts.org/event/rachel-ann-cross/

Dancing into 2015

February 2015

Hello Beloveds!

I am feeling so blessed with opportunities as we head into 2015.

My ARTful MUSICal show, “The Goddess is Alive and Well and Living in a Thrift Store”, will be debuting at the prestigious Atlas INTERSECTIONS Festival.

Join me and my band The Sparks, on March 1, 7 PM

Tickets on sale now http://www.atlasarts.org/event/rachel-ann-cross/

Five-time WAMMIE winner Rachel Ann Cross and her band The Sparks will take you on a multimedia musical journey to discover “The Goddess” where you least expect her. Inspired by contemporary thrift stores and their kinship to the ancient marketplaces of old — a place where cultures meet and exchange wares, news, and ideas — Rachel’s performance will feature repurposed junk guitars, playable works of art, and other musical instruments created from recycled materials and thrift store treasures. The audience will be invited to contribute the lyrics to a song that will debut at the concert. Enjoy an evening that celebrates the creative energy of not only this uplifting multi-disciplinary artist, but of the divine feminine that takes many surprising forms in today’s world. The Washington Post says,” Rachel’s lyrics are meant to inspire listeners to laugh or dance or to witness the breadth of her imagination.”

I am also thrilled to announce a new project which is a collaboration between the Brentwood Arts Exchange and The ARC of Prince George’s county. I will be facilitating the creation of murals with a population of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. http://www.thearcofpgc.org/index.html

http://arts.pgparks.com/Our_Facilities/Brentwood_Arts_Exchange_Gateway_Arts_Center/About_Brentwood_Arts_Exchange_at_Gateway_Arts_Center.htm

I am loving being artist-in-residence for the City of Greenbelt and all that that entails. This new incarnation has literally given me a space to create music and art. I also love working with my Greenbelt elementary school students, my homeschoolers, and the adults in my strum and sing classes.

Thanks for your continuous love and support!