Starting a new art career at 60!
I am 60 years old. Yes, 60. I must admit that I don’t quite understand how I got here. Sure there have been ups and downs, I’ve done a lot, and at times not so much, but it hasn’t been the life I imagined as a child, nowhere near!
I wanted to be an artist.
Since I was small that was all I wanted to do.
BUT, and yes, it is a big but, it didn’t quite happen.
Right now I’m going to say to any budding artists who might read this, DON’T GIVE UP! If that’s what you want to do, do it. Whether you manage to do it in a linear fashion, art lessons at school, passing your art exams, going to college, creating all the time, or whether you stop and start, never take any exams, never go to college, you are still an artist.
To be honest, that previous paragraph is more about me convincing myself that my rather random path to art is OK. I can call myself an artist, and everything that has gone before will feed my creativity.
So, here I am, finally, an Artist!
Actually I have always been an artist, from my OK pencil sketches as a child, through my O level art (which I failed), to knitting, crocheting, making in general, through photography, website design and now, at last, painting!
It’s Over - Photograph manipulated in PhotoShop by BrendaJay
Behind all the creating I have done has been a constant, that of abstract work. I love to see realistic art in all it’s forms, but it has never really been for me. I have tried, as during my life, the impression I was given, was that abstract art was childish, anyone could do it, there’s nothing like skilled realistic work!
Absolute bollocks, if I may be so bold!
Blades - Layer upon layer of acrylic paint embedded with scalpel blades and packing staples (which were then removed!), scraped and rubbed until perfect
There have been 2 triggers in the last 12 months for my finally reaching my dream. First off, I invested in an art course. Louise Fletcher does a truly amazing 3 month art course called Find Your Joy which I did in the autumn of 2023. I’m not exactly sure how it happened, but it released something in me. Suddenly I could create good work. I did have the skills, although I hadn’t been aware of them until I did Find Your Joy. It gave me the confidence to do the work that I wanted to do, with a few “rules” to underpin it. Being given “permission” to do the work I wanted to do was a revelation. I’ve been painting virtually every day since.
The second thing that happened was that I got fired. Not as dramatic as it might sound, I’d been expecting it for some time, but, even so, when it finally did I felt somewhat adrift. I’ve been a website designer for the last 15 years or so, within which I had one major client and a few small ones. The big one was the one that enabled me to live, paying all the bills and giving me a bit extra too. They decided to change the way they managed their business, which involved letting me go. I worked for them freelance, but they were kind enough to give me 3 months notice, so I had time to make decisions and prepare for the next stage.
I am lucky, in that I have a partner who is very supportive. There was never any question that I could now follow my dream. We can live off his income if we’re careful, so the stage has been set.
My 3 month notice finishes on the 31st July.
On the 1st August I will be a full time artist.
It’s going to be a blast!