With his own freedom a dwindling hope, the artist and musician releases his work for open hi-res download.
At the age of 72, Bobby BeauSoleil continues to languish in prison, where he has been since 1969 – this despite being granted parole in 2019. The decision was overturned by the governor of California, after public outrage orchestrated by Sharon Tate‘s sister Deborah. BeauSoleil was not involved in the murder of Sharon Tate – in fact, he was already in prison at the time – but his mere association with the Manson Family remains enough to ensure that he will spend longer in prison than anyone else convicted of a similar crime. This isn’t to whitewash the fact that he killed Gary Hinman – but other people with less high profiles who have committed equally violent drug-centred crimes and worse have been released. There really ought to be an even playing field when it comes to parole, and the notoriety of the people you used to hang around with fifty years ago should not be used as an excuse to treat you differently.
BeauSoleil has not twiddled his thumbs while incarcerated. If anyone could be said to have become a productive member of society, it’s him. As well as the impressive music that he has produced – including the soundtrack to Kenneth Anger‘s Lucifer Rising – he has become an accomplished artist. BeauSoleil has been selling both his music and his art – something that was used against him in parole hearings, even though he was doing so with the blessing of the authorities – but has now decided that with people facing financial downturns due to the pandemic, that he will make the artwork free for all. As he explains, “sharing my artistic works with people in the greater world community has always meant much more to me than any money I’ve made from selling it. My desire to continue sharing my work during a time when few people have disposable income for buying art has moved me to make alternative arrangements for how I go about sharing it.”
You can now download full size, print resolution copies of his artwork, suitable for having printed on high-quality paper, canvas (or anything else for that matter). There’s some gorgeous work here, so it’s well worth a look. You can also stream all his music free from the same site.
http://bobbybeausoleil.com/gallery-page-1.html
Like what we do? Support us on Patreon so that we can do more!
Bobby BeauSoleil has made some amazing music over the years … Mantra is an album I come back to regularly … He really is greater artist than he is given respect for … And he’s created all this work hardly under the best physical or mental conditions … I have great respect for the guy