SUMMARY
In this episode of Painterly Life, host Shannon Grissom interviews Nedra Russ, a multi-talented artist known as the “Harmonica Lady.” They explore Nedra’s creative journey from childhood, her experiences overcoming challenges after her near-death experience, and her unique path in music and art. The conversation highlights the importance of community, teaching, and finding balance in life as an artist. Nedra shares her insights on resilience, inspiration, and the power of creativity to connect and uplift others.
Note: Inquiring about Nedra’s harmonica offer? Click here to contact her directly.
TAKEAWAYS
- Nedra’s childhood was filled with creativity and family gatherings.
- She discovered her passion for art and music at an early age.
- Overcoming a near-death experience transformed her perspective on life.
- Creativity can thrive in any environment, even unexpected ones.
- Nedra’s day job showcased her creative talents.
- She became an ambassador for Hohner Harmonicas through persistence.
- Teaching children music and art has been a fulfilling part of her journey.
- Finding balance in creativity is essential for artistic growth.
- Nedra emphasizes the importance of community involvement.
- Her paintings and music reflect social issues, such as homelessness and the need to save pollinators.
CHAPTERS
00:00 Igniting Creativity: Introduction to Painterly Life
00:50 Nedra Russ: The Harmonious Journey Begins
05:51 Creative Foundations: Childhood Inspirations
9:06 The Art of Resilience: Overcoming NDE
17:49 Harmonica Lady: A Unique Musical Path
23:46 The Power of Community: Teaching and Volunteering
29:52 Balancing Art and Life: Finding Harmony
35:47 Pollinators of Creativity: Inspiring Others
42:12 Conclusion: A Painterly Powerhouse
ABOUT NEDRA
From an early age Nedra has always had a very creative imaginative spirit. Early on in grammar school Nedra was putting together talent shows, dance routines, drawing, singing and was always happiest with her Muse.
Throughout high school and beyond, she was always studying and found her place in the creative arts. Picking up the brush was as natural as picking up the harmonica. Always wild and free, ready to find more adventures that feed the artist’s nature and spirit to create more and push boundaries along the way.
Always trying new mediums and ways to do it differently, a true original from day one. Nedra’s resume is very long and vast which has lead to her getting grants from the California Arts Council for West Point’s local youth center, BMCYF. Always giving back and loving each student, feeling like she learns as much from them as they from her.
Having a major car accident in her late 30s led to an NDE and many surgeries and complications she lives with to this day. However, this fact has only led her to dig deeper and give more. The hardships of such physical pain made her need her Muse even more, adding that spiritual nature to her work that shines light like a lighthouse for herself and many of her students and fans. During her recovery from the car accident, the nursing staff asked her family what would help in her recovery, so while in an induced coma, they put headphones on her with music to ease the pain: the result is she came out of it ready to write and play music leading to her first CD that led to her being listed in the top 100 harmonica players by The World of Harmonica UK website and becoming a representative for Hohner Harmonica Company (now KHS America). Her art also took on more depth and spirit, along with awards.
Nowadays, you can find Nedra in her studio daily, creating new works and getting ready for the many public appearances on her calendar.
Inspired and ready to paint? Check out this link to a great starter set: https://amzn.to/3EkvZrv 149Pcs Deluxe Artist Painting Set with Aluminum and Beech Wood Easel, 48 Colors Acrylic Paints, 24 Colors Oil Paints, 24 Colors Watercolor Paints, Art Paint Supplies for Artists, Beginner & Adults.
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Wanna Play the Harmonica? Check out these great Hohner Harps!
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WEBSITE
SOCIAL
TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@harmonica209411
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/njrmusic
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@NedraRuss
ReverbNation https://www.reverbnation.com/nedraruss
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/nedraruss/
LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/nedra-russ-592a9017a/
BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/njrmusic.bsky.social
Transcript:
Shannon Grissom (00:05.72)
Hi, I’m Shannon Grissom. Are you looking to ignite your creativity? Or how about be inspired by a steady stream of muses? Welcome to Painterly Life, the podcast that celebrates those who create, inspire, and innovate. So whether you’re looking to spark your next big idea, reignite your passion, or simply soak in some creative energy,
This is the place for you. Painterly Life, where every guest is a new muse, just for you.
Shannon Grissom (00:50.222)
Welcome to Painterly Life I’m your host, Shannon Grissom. I’m so excited today to introduce our guest, Nedra Russ. Nedra is, well, they call her the harmonica lady. And she is a singer-songwriter, a visual artist, a musician. Oh my God, she does so much. Welcome, Nedra.
Nedra Russ
Hi, so good to be here with you.
it’s always fun. You are just totally inspiring. So, you know, I looked at your biography and you started basically, you came out of the womb creating. So can you tell me about your childhood and what was that like?
Well, I had a great childhood in a small town called Rodeo, California. And my mom being Italian, the whole Italian family was around. And so we had a lot of gatherings and my dad was from the South. So right away, him and I just loved to sing. I was a little kid and he taught me when them Cotton Balls get Rotten. So at three years old, he has me up on a table singing to the family. And then I
I like the comedic role as well. took on imitating people because I could do sounds. My brain will go, okay, you can mimic that voice. So I wouldn’t and everybody’s mimic me, mimic me. And so I went to school. I used to walk to up on Garrison Street and I go up to school and back each day and I had my little fun stuff to do. And my grandmother was incredibly talented. She put
Nedra Russ (02:30.954)
she did displays for the church, she did displays for her window, her whole house was like a display, which I loved. I thought it was enchanting. I loved going over there. And so I spent a lot of time with her learning creative avenues, outlets for this energy I had that was similar to hers, little teeny Italian lady. And going to school, they put on a production and here I am second grade, second or third grade, I’m not quite sure.
I was hanging out with these two identical twins, the Ballou sisters. And I asked them, hey, you want to put something together for the talent show? And they’re like, sure. And with no coaching and no help, I completely designed the dance routines to Going to the Chapel and I’m going to get married by the Dixie Cups and Stop in the Name of Love by the Supremes. And I had them going, you know, doing the whole thing. And I even made my first sign.
that was creative. drew a big sign with the Dixie Cups and a chapel in the back with music notes. And it went over really big for this little kid doing this thing. And in fact, when we went back to school, people wanted our autograph. And I was like, why not? And so that kind of was where I found that people enjoyed my silly things that I like to do. And I think that was helpful and inspirational for me to move forward. then
We moved, my dad started selling real estate up in Calaveras in Amador County and we moved to Pine Grove, which I have a song about. And I started going to school in Pine Grove and then over to Plymouth and then to Amador High until the end of my sophomore year. And in that time, I really loved choir and art.
So my first painting, I got my first acrylic set, I was so thrilled. And I started painting in art class. My first painting sold to one of the students. Okay, that’s great. You can even make money. So that was great. And then we moved to the south with, it was during segregation and busing, we moved to the Charleston area, a little town called Goose Creek. And there I felt,
Nedra Russ (04:54.956)
I felt a bit displaced because I was used to a small town. And I started playing my harmonica more just to kind of, I took drum and I’d do a skit with my harmonica and I’d walk around kind of playing it. So I was kind of the cool kid that from California that sounded different and played a harmonica. So that made me feel a little bit more natural in that environment. And then we moved to Florida and
I went to college and took art and design, graphic communication in Florida. And then I moved back to California and took plate making and printing and graphic in Stockton at the college there. But I ended up needing to go to work. So I kind of dropped. I wasn’t able to do that. But I found just being creative has helped me every environment I’ve been in.
There’s opportunities and I want anybody out there that’s creative and listening to this to understand even if you’re not in the place that you thought you should be, where you’re at may need what you have. And that might be another step to somewhere, which is always done for me. And so I’m so grateful for that because I’ve been able to take a job that you wouldn’t think would end you up somewhere and end up leaving the department with.
all over people, you know. So I found the creative energy that I have is contagious and enjoyed. So for that, I’m really grateful.
Shannon Grissom
Well, you you really got to use your creativity in your day job at Safeway. I mean, you made tremendous strides there. So tell me a little bit about that.
Nedra Russ (06:44.088)
Well, I was running my, I had my own gallery in Amador City and I had 12 artists there and it wasn’t a co-op. It was more like you rented your space and then I would give you a showcase and you were responsible to bring your people and that kind of thing. And it was doing okay, but it wasn’t, it wasn’t providing, you know, benefits or anything. And I had another job where I was, how I got that, when I was there.
Receptionist bookkeeper, but I didn’t have any experience, but they liked me and kept me anyways. I was like, this is kind of crazy. So I saw an ad for a sign maker and I went to say it was at Safeway and I’m like, hmm, that’s they’ve got benefits. It’s a union job. Maybe I’ll go try that. Well, the owner or not the owner. Good God. Good grief. The manager there, Pat McCully, I brought my portfolio, my artwork and he knew he knew that and
He had people that were sign makers trying to get the job. But what he hired me because he said, you can’t teach people to draw and paint and be creative like you are. can teach anybody to make sign. So that’s how I got that job. So I started and I shined, you know, big time with my production I was doing. was, they gave me my own space, all the supplies I needed. And I ended up catching the eye of the regional director. So I ended up.
lead sign, sign director display builder and I had 20 Safeways. So I traveled a lot and I made large displays and I trained people and I did that for quite a few years which took me from a part-time employee at a lower wage up to a full-time top wage earner just with that creative energy. And it was a fun job because they would give you displays to do with themes and I
I could come up with those. I wanted basically everything that was out there. I was like the number one sign director, sign display artist, and they used to have incentives that the company say it’s Heinz ketchup, for instance, or Corona beer, where you build a display and I would build it all up and then you take pictures and I would even make those creative in a booklet with all of it and they’d send it up and I would win a one trips to Europe.
Nedra Russ (09:06.496)
I which I traded I didn’t want to go to Europe I mean I did but I didn’t want to go to Europe that time and I needed a car so I traded for a car with my manager and he went to Europe. Wow. Yeah I got a little 626 car I could buzz around in and I’d win all kinds of things and they had travel vouchers and I won enough of those to take my son to Disneyland and down which was a dream for him so it each thing led to something better it was just so great and then
I had a car accident. I was 37 at the time. that, it was a major car accident on a foggy night. And I was metaflighted up to Reno and great team of surgeons and care providers there kept me alive. And I had a near death experience, which basically saved my life. The whole team saved my life. It was a miracle. They said it was a miracle. I had a lot of people, a lot of people,
praying for me and by my side and a team that just did a great job at getting me back to health. And I was back to work fairly soon. However, a lot changed during that time that I was off. They stopped having the display contests. And they stopped the sign program. started having computers. Computers, they tell you, automation’s good, but it really does replace you. The computer signs were just, they’re,
all generic, they all look alike. They’re not fancy, there’s nothing that’s eye-catchy. So you had to become boring. But what I did was I became the florist in Jackson. And then I still had nine stores that I would go in and kind of give facelifts every once in a while. So my job was still there. And the thing with the near-death experience, which is a book in itself, there’s so much that goes with that.
What that did for me as far as my art was I came back with a different sense of reality and a different sense of time. And so my work started reflecting a little bit of a deeper perspective, more vivid colors. And also what that did for me was give me a sense of faith and that I can survive and I can help other people get through tough times.
Nedra Russ (11:34.764)
I started facing things that I might’ve tried to avoid before like, that’s tough, I don’t wanna do it. Well, now I know if I look at head-on, I can get through it and be fine. So it gave me courage, I guess, would be a thing. And that’s what helped me take leaps and bounds and go, I can do that. So in a lot of ways, it was empowering, even though it was a lot of recovery, a lot of surgeries and recoveries through the years, but I’m still plugging away.
here at 70 right?
Shannon Grissom
Yeah, you’re definitely plugging away. Hey, I noticed that beautiful painting behind you that’s full of light. So tell me about that. What’s the story behind that?
I was just watching the documentary on the Sunshine Hotel in New York. And I was upset at the time, which I still am, of course, about the level of homelessness in this beautiful country that we have. And I had been in Sacramento and it’s exploded in Sacramento, the homelessness and things like that, you know, touch me. in fact, I do, I volunteer and do the homeless resource fair that’s coming up in Jackson in May. I think I’m on May 19th.
But I’ve gone there and given out harmonicas and donated. The Hohners helped me donate to give out. So I’ve spoke at them and it’s a cause that I feel strongly about. And I was watching the documentary on the Sunshine Hotel and they had a scene, several scenes with these men down there that were playing music up in an area where the lights were coming through and there was a lot of reflection.
Nedra Russ (13:17.292)
You know, it inspired the piece. I just wanted to tell that story. And if you look it up and watch the documentary, it’s really quite something. They rented rooms out by the week or by the day. You had to buy your toilet paper. And it’s not there anymore. They’ve turned it into a tourist attraction now at this point. So it was inspired by Homeless Resource. And I just feel like…
there’s talent, there were a lot of musicians in there and good ones. And some of them were resourceful and they had their little setups and we’re still playing their music and stuff. But musicians really, for the most part, don’t have retirement or benefit plans or they don’t have a lot of resource. And so I just wanted to speak to that through that painting. Though it’s bright, it’s like, looks pretty fun, but.
I love the light and there’s definitely a spiritual quality to it. So we touched a little bit about Hohner So how did you become an ambassador for Hohner Harmonicas and the Harmonica Lady?
Well, that goes back to believe it or not, I went to San Jose in 1999 and took a master class with David Barrett. And that’s on the ceiling. I’m going to put it up so you guys can, well, no, you can’t see it, but I have a poster that I got signed in June 12th, 1999. And that was fun. met some.
people from all over, mostly it was men, like 450 men and three females. So it was a very low woman driven thing. The harmonica’s a guy’s instrument, you it’s Blues, you know, it seems like it’s more for men and a manly kind of thing. And then I waited until, it wasn’t until 2009 that I got to go to the next master class. And between that time I had…
Nedra Russ (15:25.198)
gotten on MySpace and I started researching female harmonica players and men harmonica players and I made a list there. This led into a bunch of stuff, the MySpace, believe it or not, the internet opened doors. so I journaled down everything and I had things in categories that were informational about all kinds of players. So in that 2009, at the end thing, everybody said,
come join our Facebook group. So I went and joined the Facebook group. And then I was online with mostly harmonica stuff. That’s the only reason I really went online. And in 2009, I also attended my first SPAH Society for the Preservation and Advancement of Harmonica. It’s a big organization and I was blown away at the versatility of the harmonica and how many things that it does that most people don’t know about.
And I’ve met some, I met the last living harmonica at one of the spas. I’ve met Charlie McCoy, I’ve met Howard Levy. So I started studying a little bit more online because they were making that more available. Well, I always liked wearing, I had one playable necklace that someone had given me in my travels and I lost it along the way and I thought, geez, I want to start making my own.
I started trying to buy them and I thought, geez, they’re expensive. And I don’t know. So I just wrote a letter to Hohner and said, this is when they were still in Germany. It was Hohner, Germany. And now it is KHS America. And it’s a larger corporation that incorporated Hohner into their product line. So it switched. But my original contract that I signed was with Hohner out of Germany.
And they provided me with things at cost. They give me a lot of things free so I could pass the cost on not so high as well to anybody that wanted to buy them. And then I just started making them and that kind of took off and I ended up going to to spa meeting everyone and to this day I’m still I just signed the KHS contract and
Nedra Russ (17:49.534)
So I promote them, they promote me, it’s a win-win. And I feel really blessed to do that. But that’s what I was talking about, that courage to just, like I probably would have before went, no, that’s not possible. And I probably would never even tried. But I had the confidence to say, well maybe, who knows, the doors could open and they flew open.
Shannon Grissom
Good. Yeah. I’d love to hear. Can you blow a little bit on your necklace?
Shannon Grissom (18:30.67)
that’s great. It has such a wonderful sound.
Nedra Russ
It’s tuned in C. The ones that we get from Japan that are a lot less expensive, they have air that gets through. And some of the things about harmonica when you’re buying one is if it’s airtight, if it’s tuned and it sounds good. And there’s so much to know about the harmonica and the types of harmonica and the special tunings. And this is a diatonic tuned in C.
Now, if you’re really a good player, you can pretty much pick a C up and find a position on it and play with any song. But that’s not every harmonica player. Most have to have the full set and range. And there’s a lot of them. I carry 32 in mine because my husband plays different tunings and styles in his guitar playing. So I have all of them. then going to SPAH I have
I’ve vended a couple of times. I’ve gone as a presenter, a performer, and a vendor, and a representative in vending for Charlie Musselwhite. Being down in the vending area is where all the inventors come. It’s where anything new is, and they all stand around and talk about it. You’re right in the heart of it, which ends up costing me a bit of money because I find things I want to buy. Fortunately, they buy my stuff too. It puts you in a different…
different place within that community if you’re in there. If you go to the event, it’s going to be in San Antonio this year on the Riverwalk. I’m not going to make it. I’m too booked with too many other shows. I’m not going. But they have seminars and performances and dinners. And I have made so many wonderful relationships that I would have never dreamt I would have ever made by going and being involved. Having the courage as they would, as that.
Nedra Russ(20:33.102)
as the I-Ching would say, to cross the great water, you know, to get there. That’s the journey. That sometimes can be the hardest part. Luggage lost, you know what I’m saying? Things on that kind of journey. And we’ve driven a few times too, which is a lot of fun. So I’d say if you’re a harmonica player, go to that at least once. Put it on your bucket list. No matter what, go, because you’ll never lose that experience from your mind. It’s just that.
Good. Yeah. And all of that stuff on MySpace and then Facebook led to, and then the things that I did in MySpace that put together the types of people and the players and stuff caught the eye of someone in the UK that was starting World of Harmonica website and company. And he approached me, could he use my records? I said, sure. And then
He ended up having this large, large network in the UK where I entered my second album and won second place People’s Choice Award for Everybody’s Been Somewhere. And that was kind of an honor because it was a people’s choice and it was great players. wouldn’t even, their music is fabulous. It was great players. So that was neat. And then he
I won that I was in the top 100 players in the world. So I got a few honors from that. That and that didn’t hurt approaching Hohner Yeah. Yeah. So, you know, it was, it was a lot of fun. I’ve met a lot of people through the internet and living in where I live in. I live in West Point in it’s a town of 700 rural, Northern California, foothills, mountain town. And
That’s led into a lot of things as well, know, physically as well. So, yeah.
Shannon Grissom (22:38.327)
So how did you, I heard that you were in the Blues Hall of Fame in Norway. So how did that happen?
Nedra Russ
Internet. was like, I had no idea when I stepped into that arena that it lead anywhere. I just was kind of thinking, well, this is fun. And in fact, it was other players that said, get online, get on Facebook, do this, do that. That it promoted me to do that. And then by winning that second place and being in the top things, Norway asked if they could have for their hall of Blues, Hall of Fame, if they could have all the information.
did an interview and put it up. And in Blues Greece, also the same thing. They approached me to do the same, to send them a picture and write them an article and they interviewed us and they put that up. So that was kind of similar with the internet and not even leaving the house. But this is where I create. So if I’m out running around, I’m not doing the work. So I make everything.
It’s not like I order anything, it’s pre-made and I go, here you go. I have to do it and I need to be here to do that. And there’s a lot of work to understanding mediums when you’re painting and I like them all. I love oils, I like acrylics, I like decoupage, like pen and ink, I like drawing. So the range of work that I have is just, I have a large body of work in different mediums and styles through the years.
My son says, mom, you go through things, it changes your style, you go through some more changes. There’s like eras. And when you’ve been doing this this long, know, I’ve got shoot, I’ve got drawings from high school still here in my portfolio. So I end up with a large body of work. And by putting that out online, it has it brought me those opportunities as well as I was on.
Nedra Russ (24:43.776)
a Disney podcast. that was all through someone looking through the internet and stumbled upon me and thought, well, the show is kind of like Whose Line is it Anyway? They get they get children and they get subjects and then they get an expert on the subject and another person and the child interviews you through through these means like we are podcast except you’re blocked out. They can’t see your face until you win or lose.
the kid the child picks the right or the wrong person and in my case she figured out I was the expert. They asked her why did you pick her and she goes well her answers just sounded a little more reasonable. So that was fun and I met you on the internet so it’s all it’s all good.
Yes.
That is all good. So you definitely have roots in Americana, Blues. Can you tell me the story behind Little Bumblebee?
Well, that one goes back to actually on 420, 2011. I was invited to a party that my friends were having a music party. And I’d never been invited to that party. So I that was kind of strange. I’m like, OK, I’ll go. Well, this guy came named Julio in glasses, Julio Guerra. And we started playing.
Nedra Russ (26:18.83)
Downbeat we were just simpatico. It just was magic. And so he says to me, know, I said, well, I’d like to play music with you more. This is interesting and fun. so he came over during a blizzard from Bear Valley with his five guitars and put them in. It’s like, you moving in? In my front room.
He had also, I’d given him my first CD moving on, he’d learned all my songs. He knew my songs. Which, that’s most people. That’s huge. That’s huge because most bands want to do their songs or do a cover. They don’t want to play your music, original music. So I had recorded it myself and been playing it with backing tracks that shows by myself. It was my music, it was getting out there and same thing. ended up online. so anyways,
He comes up and we start playing and we were actually doing Ain’t No Grave Gonna Hold My Body Down. He was trying to teach me that song. And somehow he started doing stuff with his slide and I went, I’ve got a song. And I hit record and in one take record Little Bumblebee. And I asked him, do you just sound like, what had happened was there was a couple things that happened. I had a 300 year old oak tree go down with a huge
nest in it. And we have people that make honey, so I had them come relocate my bumblebees. And I got to watch all of that going on. And if you watch my video in YouTube, shows that actual event with them and the bees coming in and out. they had to do it at night with the smoke, and there was a sound that just buzzed. It was an amazing sound.
that many bees, right? Just, it had a vibration in the bus. And I said, it sounds like bumblebees. Like my tree that just went down and he goes, I used to work at a bumblebee, a honey farm, and I painted the cages, or I don’t know what you call them. The places where they make the honey. And so I went, wow, that really, so the song just kind of came out because he was making that sound.
Nedra Russ (28:43.394)
that I heard down there with his guitar. And it’s been a favorite of a lot of people. In fact, we just did it a week ago and the whole place was up going nuts over it. And so it’s still to this day, it’s a really popular song. then he was like, that was, he just loved that. And then the whole CD kind of came out in a short period of time with him and I, Fall Before Night, all of the songs.
Rambling Girl. I mean, there’s just a bevy of songs that we recorded on that CD that took the second place. And that was before it really had even gone out there to the world to know the song. And now on my records in Spotify and iTunes and different places, it does OK. know, people enjoy it to this day and we still perform it and it’s always asked to be played. So my message was with that one, kind of like the Homeless Resource was
Hey, save the pollinators, save the bumblebees, think about it, plant flowers that they like. So it ended up having a bit of a larger message as well.
Shannon Grissom
That’s great. We’ll have a listen right now.
Nedra Russ (30:05.71)
you
Nedra Russ (30:16.878)
Hey there little bumblebee, buzzing around me Come over here bumblebee and give me some honey Bumblebee, my bumblebee My little bumblebee
you
you
Nedra Russ (30:58.926)
Hey there little bumblebee, come and land on me Ever so gently, I will set you free Bumblebee, my bumblebee Hey my little
Nedra Russ (31:40.376)
Do you know that you love me?
Nedra Russ (31:47.982)
Hey, my bumblebee Hey, my little bumblebee
you
Nedra Russ (32:23.654)
Bumblebee and give me some money Bumblebee, my Bumblebee Hey my little Bumblebee
Nedra Russ (32:40.494)
you
Nedra Russ (33:12.718)
you
Nedra Russ (33:21.712)
I really enjoyed that. Thank you, Nedra. You know, it’s interesting about saving the pollinators. A friend of mine said that I was a pollinator. yeah, and you know what? I think you are too. You are too. Pollinate, pollinating creativity.
Shannon Grissom
So how do you balance your music and your painting and all the wonderful things you do? Do you just kind of go with the flow with what feels good that day or how do you work that in your schedule?
Nedra Russ
Well, you I’ve watched your other wonderful podcasts with other amazing creators and you’ve asked, you had said, and I felt the same way, I really related to it. I can’t push it if it’s not there. So if I get up today and I just don’t feel like it or I’m upset about something and I come and I just try to push the paint. Well, they’re in the garbage, you know, or they’re not finished. I have some that aren’t finished like,
like this piece, it’s gotten about that far. It’s gotten that far. And I want to finish it, but the juice to finish it hasn’t come. Just like with songs. If I sit down and I go, I’m going to write a song today. And in fact, when I was on Berklee Online and I was doing songwriting, of course, that I passed in modern musicianship, you had to kind of do that. You had a deadline and you had a…
I don’t know that I wrote anything for that class. I scored well that we’ve ever really played or that I good about. Like Bumblebee just came through and I’ve been working on one here right now that you can see from the scratching in the this and the that. So I’ll hear a song. Julio’s guitar may speak to me and I’ll hear words and that’s easy.
Nedra Russ (35:18.984)
Or I’m just sitting in the backyard with this one that we’re working on right now called Fortune Teller. It’s kind of a, it’s really a lot different than any of the work I’ve done. It’s more on the jazz, melodic side. There’s a lot of melody line in it. And it just kind of flowed and I hit record. That is the best work for me. It has to flow. So my third thing that kind of balances me out when I don’t.
have a song or I don’t have a painting is I work on the jewelry and I go in there and that’s kind of like say you’re knitting or you’re sewing and it kind of slows you down and makes you focus and not think about anything except doing that jewelry piece and putting it together. It takes a lot of concentration and so that kind of I would say that that is my balance being. It’s going there or going and doing something or doing a show or working in the yard or walking the dogs or
getting out in nature and just visiting. Like this last Sunday, we went to our bass players, had a party at his house, was all musicians. And everybody played and they were all pros, so we didn’t do anything that was bad. It was all really good. just getting out of myself and my area where I feel pressure to create, that can lift up and rejuvenate me and give me the energy to do some more. So I try not to…
to force it. I go with the river. I have a song, the river and the river’s healing. You go put your feet in the river, throw rocks, fish, know, anything that kind of grounds you. And those type of activities help me. And I love to cook. It’s planning meals, cooking. And so those things kind of help me balance out. And I think that as I’ve gotten older, a lot of things
don’t feel as, gosh, as necessary to do. Like there are things I say no to now where before I’m all, yeah, I’ll be there, I’ll be there. I get myself so overloaded with so much, you lose sight and you lose energy. So as I’ve gotten older, I’ve done better on meditation and prayer and yoga and kind of balancing myself down and saying I have to take time to do something else.
Nedra Russ (37:43.35)
And it always comes back. It doesn’t go anywhere. It’s always with me. My head is always looking that way. I don’t know. You’re probably the same way as pollinators. You’re probably like you’re out somewhere and you’re going, look at how that yellow looks against that blue and that brown is coming through. And look at that man’s, you know, look at that bird landing. And I it goes in and I later it may come out in a painting. And I didn’t even know I was was storing it away.
And being a pollinator had led to, being that way in our little town led to me teaching and volunteering. Children, taught performance training for years. I won the team magic because I volunteered every Wednesday to have my group of kids come in and sing and songwrite. we’d have tea. We’d have throat coat tea with honey. And that would calm everybody down. They’re coming in from school and they’re all rambunctious.
and they’d each get to talk a little bit about their day and then we’d go into their songs and some of them went on to be recording artists themselves. Some of them won our Miss Calavera’s competition with their original song and some were better at speech and they did better in school. So even the ones that wouldn’t get involved that would sit on the couch like, don’t care, don’t care, could sing. the end, even the workers by the end,
My girlfriend, she was one of the people that worked there at the center. she’s, she my voice has gotten better. People don’t tell me to shut up now when I sing. that one’s worth money. My family should send me a check. She was one of my best friends. But that led into us doing a camp, an art camp. then now later in years,
Tara ended up getting a grant for me to be teaching art and music in an after school program called Space to Create. And that led into her getting a grant for public beautification. we put in an art, I was lead artist for an art path. Had some great artists that put projects together. We held the meeting with the town and said, what made you come here and what stands out the most? And everybody was the nature, the wildlife.
Nedra Russ (40:07.992)
the river, the trees. So we incorporated that in the whole theme of the art path. And you can come to our town now and it’s there. You started our library and you go down through the town, you see our murals and our artwork and our sculptures and things on walls, things. So it’s beautiful. And I’m hoping someday maybe we can do it again and add more to it because it’s not much to do in West Point, but come have a cup of coffee, walk around and see the art is.
kind of inspirational. I’m trying, I’m working on that with the Calaveras Art Council to, I’m going to do a solo show in October in the gallery there, hoping to gain interest so people will start coming over and looking at it as an art town. I mean, we have writers and artists that are amazing in the town. So those led to pollinating those efforts and which.
when in directions I never would dream of just by going down there and volunteering.
Shannon Grissom
Sounds great. where can people find out more online? Where can they find more information about you?
Nedra Russ
Well, I’m doing some really great things and I would love to see anyone and you tell me that you watch this podcast and I’m going to give you a free harmonica. I’ve got some little plastic ones that are pretty nice. They’re actually well tuned. So you can go to nedraruss.com or njrmusic.com. In May, I’m doing a solo show in Volcano on Saturdays and Sundays. I have guest artists coming.
Nedra Russ (41:42.604)
So there’s going to be lots of surprises. And on Sundays we do an acoustic open mic. So bring your guitar, bring your song, come sing with us. And also up at Gibson Roadhouse on Highway 88, I’m going to be doing a monthly hosting, a monthly jam as well. We play there. We also have shows. So that changes daily because we’re always booking stuff. So that’s right on the website. It also gives you links to get a hold of me and to see our social networks as well.
Shannon Grissom
Wow, that’s great. Well, thank you, Nedra. Boy, you really are painterly powerhouse.
I want to tell everybody I’m only four foot eight and a half. You look taller on the computer.
Shannon Grissom
You You do. You have a huge presence and it’s a beautiful one. Alrighty, well that’s a wrap. Thanks for being here Nedra.
You bet, I enjoyed it.
Shannon Grissom (42:42.254)
For more information and to watch our show you can find us wherever you listen to your podcasts and definitely on YouTube to see the video version at painterlylife.com for all the backstory, all kinds of links to everything you can think of. Well, that’s a wrap. We will see you next time. Thanks for hanging out with us.