When it comes to the hours she spends reading, researching, and making her mixed-media artwork, Rene Richetts uses a wide range of techniques.
Despite being a qualified nurse and a San Diego County Arts and Culture Commissioner, Richetts is most recognized for her work as a book artist. She is a voracious reader who extensively studies her books before starting to write her own works based on the narratives. When appropriate, she incorporates her friends and family into the story and fills her pages with important facts from the tale. She also uses a little bit of everything in her designs.
literally.
Richetts use a wide range of materials that many people might not consider traditional creative tools, such as canvas, cardboard, paper, fused glass, clay, and a variety of recycled items like computer chips, COVID masks, comic-con bags, and Nespresso pods. She is really passionate about her mixed-media title.
“It’s easier to say what isn’t recycled than what is,” she remarked, adding, “because I will recycle if I can.”
She also repurposes things in addition to recycling materials. She perceives a distinction.
For me, repurposing differs in that you use something that was designed for one purpose but for another. Recycling indicates that it will either end up in the landfill or in electronic trash. “I’m moving it into art and keeping it out of that supply chain,” Richetts stated.
Richett’s recycled and repurposed artwork is now on exhibit at the Rancho San Diego County Library. The event will continue for two months, ending on July 30. Although some will be added to Richett’s collection, the majority of the artifacts are for sale.
Inspired by Beyond the Betrayal, the story of a Japanese-American conscription resister during World War II, 63 Nos is the centerpiece piece in the summer art exhibition. In addition to the title of the book that served as inspiration, each piece of Richetts’ book art has a unique moniker.
She has written numerous pieces about prejudice, race, and resistance, including 63 Nos.
She claimed that in a post-election turnabout last year, she canceled roughly half of the event.
I started looking for resistance-related novels to read to see if there were any that inspired me. According to Richetts, there were many options for coming up with a fresh concept for the program.
Richetts prepared a significant amount of the present program beforehand, but in reaction to events in the outside world, he chose to take a different approach. She is still planning, and she has tentatively decided that coming together will be the topic for next year. On the other hand, the theme could shift quickly. She is always aware of what motivates her, but she is not always sure if it is appropriate at that particular moment.
Although Richett is accustomed to dealing with stressful political environments, the current political climate has a significant impact on her work. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, when lesbian health discussions were considered taboo, she was an advocate for lesbian health care and sponsored the Lesbian Health Project and the Lesbian Health Fair.
Richetts was honored with a community service award at the 1994 San Diego Pride parade for her work with lesbian health. That year, she was joined by two community service recipients Tony Atkins and Christine Kehoe.
Since Richetts is a registered nurse, she had an advantage when it comes to promoting lesbian health. Because nursing allowed her to serve people, have a flexible schedule, and earn a consistent salary, Richetts concluded it was the ideal career choice for her.
She claimed that although it required time away from her art, she managed to find time to produce. She was able to dedicate herself more to art after she quit working as a full-time nurse. She claimed to have booked more performances and produced more pieces the year following leaving nursing.
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Richetts discovered her passion for comics on her own, but creativity flowed in the family. She struggled to learn to read when she was younger because of vision issues. Before discovering comics, she fell behind in her reading.
She leaped to a fifth-grade reading level when she started third grade, and by the conclusion of that school year, she claimed to be testing at an eighth-grade level. She said that it was comics.
To showcase her passion for comics, Richetts is teaching others how to create their own comic book at the Rancho San Diego County Library during ComicCon month. Even if the drawings aren’t perfect, Richetts will help participants construct their own story for just one hour on July 29.
“Let’s get started on that,” she suggested, explaining that comics are all about telling stories.
