How to Make an Album and Hundreds of Exquisite Paintings with Sandra Taylor
Sandra Taylor is a wildly talented painter, singer-songwriter, and pianist. Her watercolours bring us exquisite explorations of nature, (shout-out to the birds), and truly unique abstract designs. In 2024, Sandra launched her album “Life Beautiful Life,” which combines down-to-earth, whimsical lyrics with her soothing voice and impressive musicality. Sandra was also my first-year university roommate, back when we were almost as young and full of promise as we are now. It is such a gift to have kept in touch after all these years, and a true dream to have her on the show. Thank you, Sandra!
(And please listen to the end for a beautifully special surprise!)
Sandra Taylor on the interwebs
Follow Sandra Taylor on Instagram: @sandrataylormusic
Buy her album Life Beautiful Life on bandcamp.
More on Sandra’s watercolours and music at sandrataylormusic.com
All excerpts from Life Beautiful Life were used with Sandra’s permission. Life Beautiful Life was produced by Chris Stringer and engineered by Darren McGill.
Erica J. Schmidt on the Interwebs
Instagram: @erica.j.schmidt
Substack: @ericajschmidt
Website: ericajschmidt.com
If you would like to be a beta reader for one of Erica’s two manuscripts, please get in touch! THANK YOU SO MUCH!
Timestamps for Life Beautiful Life: Music, Watercolours, and Creativity with Sandra Taylor
00:00:00 Theme song and Sandra Taylor’s bio
01:52:11 How Erica and Sandra Taylor met (at the cool kids residence, Solin Hall, Mcgill University, 2003) Their moderate approach to cleaning routines lined up great. Erica was trying to make her boobs grow with 2% milk.
00:04:30 How did Sandra’s creativity start? When did she start being creative? As a kid, Sandra loved running around outside, putting on plays with her siblings, and writing stories. But she also got really far in the Royal Conservatory of Music. Her Bach is lit!
00:08:43 But did the Internet take over your life in grade eight or nine? What about MSN messenger and ICQ? Sandra doesn’t let her life revolve around a device. Erica does her best.
00:12:32 Erica and Sandra are McGill dropout twins. Does Sandra have advice for people hoping to go to university and become an artist?
00:18:47 Now Sandra is back at university finishing the music degree she started when we first met. How is that going?
00:20:23 Special excerpt of Sandra’s music video LIFE BEAUTIFUL LIFE. Watch and listen to the whole thing here!
00:21:27 How Sandra keeps the faith and how she keeps making things.
00:24:14 It’s time for Sandra Taylor’s routines! Hurray! Starting with her morning routine.
00:25:44 Erica and Sandra discuss yoga routines of yore.
00:29:36 Sandra Taylor’s creative routine. “A lot of this stuff is just putting the hours in.”
00:32:44 The value of setting a specific goal, like when she tried to work on her portrait skills.
00:32:18 Special Bach Surprise. More where that came from here.
00:37:45 Sandra Taylor’s Cleaning Routine
00:41:17 Special excerpt of “Downhill Too Fast” from Sandra Taylor’s album, “Life, Beautiful Life.” Watch the whole video here!
00:42:29 Listener Question from I.T. GUY. APPARENTLY.
00:52:46 Sandra Taylor’s spectacular TED talk
00:58:11 Where people can find Sandra Taylor online. The hyper-free links: https://www.instagram.com/sandrataylormusic/
https://sandrataylormusic.com/shop-music
https://sandrataylor.bandcamp.com/album/life-beautiful-life
00:59:53 If you enjoyed this episode, you will also enjoy Hot Dates and Frenching withLou Laurenceand Singing for Bliss with Kathy Kennedy
01:00:16 Wrap-up and Thank yous
01:01:26 Modern Life by Sandra Taylor mixed with miscellaneous video clips. Listen to the entire album, Life Beautiful Life. Thank you for listening to this episode of This Is Your Strange and Beautiful Life. LOVE YOU, BYE!
