ART- FIRE'd artistic practice

[FrugalAussie]

I FIRE in three weeks (25thMarch), aged 56, from a 25 year career as a Social Worker/Counsellor. I'm close to finishing a Post Graduate Diploma in Creative Arts Therapies, taking this semester off to finish work and decompress. The course has really taught me the value of art to process emotions and I'm using it (mostly collage) to process my mixed feelings about leaving work (this is my second attempt at retirement).

I also attend a weekly pottery group, which I enjoy.  The group situation meets several needs - expressing creativity, challenging me to learn new skills and socialising with the other potters.   

I'm curious to hear about other peoples' experience of engaging in creative arts when retired.

[FreshlyFIREd]

I'm 62. I retired 4-5 years ago. I've been busy doing lots of retired things ... but I wanted some nice large, colorful, abstract paintings.

Up to this point, my exposure to art was a college level 'art appreciation' course, a wine/paint outing, and a weekend long water paint course.

About 4-5 weeks ago, I moved the cars out of the garage, laid down some plastic, spent hours on you tube and the web, ordering supplies, and slopping the paint down on canvases.

I have to say that the experience has been very enjoyable. Unfortunately, I don't see that art has a future for me. Art takes up space, I don't want to sell my art, and I certainly don't want to create art that I just throw in the trash. So (temporarily), I am setting up shop, creating my abstracts, and after my pieces are complete, I'm reclaiming the space in my garage. I am already better from the experience, but it is just a temporary thing for me.

[citizen24128]

@FreshlyFIREd, are you pleased with how your paintings turned out? I have thought of trying a similar project.

If there were YouTube videos or other online resources that you found especially helpful, I would love any recommendations you could share.

[SwordGuy]

I enjoy my art and the company of artists.   I doubt I'll ever make enough pieces to make it worth turning into a business because that seems like work.  So I just give things away.   I suppose if I get good enough I'll find someone else -- already selling items -- to sell them for me.

It's good therapy and good fun.

[FreshlyFIREd]

@FreshlyFIREd, are you pleased with how your paintings turned out?

If there were YouTube videos or other online resources that you found especially helpful, I would love any recommendations you could share.

I like Pollock type paintings. They seem easy for me. I spent hours and hours looking at numerous videos. My first step was looking at finished paintings that I liked, and then trying to recreate that 'look'. I practiced on smaller throw away canvases using the least expensive paint I found and got terrible results. I moved onto raw (unstretched) canvas and better paint (Sherwin Williams High Gloss) and the results are amazing. I mix my own paint. I just finished a 5'X6' piece that perfectly fits a wall.

One problem that I have is that every time I finish something, I want to start over because I am always learning new tricks. So if you continue with the hobby, then that's not a problem.

I'm moving onto poured painting. My goal is to do a large piece also doing a 'poured painting'.

[davisgang90]

I was big into photography before I retired and I've continued to expand my areas of interest in this art since retiring nearly 4 years ago.

I've had some of my work hung in our church (we have a new Beauty and Arts ministry I volunteer with) as well as in a rehabilitation center and soon a new community center (where I will be teaching a photography course as well). Before Covid I did a one week photography summer "camp" for kids at our local community college. Finally, I'm participating in our city's Year of the Artist campaign which has opportunities to have custom pieces made to hang in City buildings as well as larger projects out in the community to increase our flourishing art community.

[Loren Ver]

DH and I have always been Art-y and crafty, but not like normal people doing normal people things. 

Since retiring DH decided we needed some life sized Jurassic Park style raptors in our yard so he taught himself to weld and built some.  Then just kept filling the yard with crazy metal yard art.  I help with some creative design, troubleshooting, heavy lifting, and painting. 

He is willing to sell some of his pieces but spends quite a bit of time arguing with people about why he wont sell his seven foot tall praying mantis.  People don't seem to understand that he doesn't do it for money but because he just really wants to have Lorax surround by Truffula trees made of saw blades in his yard.  Apparently DH is not good at running a business.  The neighborhood parents and grandparents love to come by and visit though!

Loren

[Greystache]

I think it is really important to have some kind of creative outlet in retirement.  Does not have be the "fine arts" necessarily. In my case, it's designing and building furniture.  I think I enjoy the design part more than the actual build part. I mostly do bespoke items for friends and family. I don't do it for money, but most people insist on a giving me a case of Guinness or a bottle of scotch for my efforts (and then proceed to help me drink it). Life is good.

[FrugalAussie]

Loving the creative vibe that can be nurtured when FIRE'd! I so want a giant sculpture in my front yard now.  I tend to rush through projects but I'm hoping I can slow down when I retire this month, literally watch paint dry. ;)

[poxpower]

retired at 35, actual artist for a living and going back to learning more art/ doing more because focusing on work makes me forget about the rest of my life. When I spend the entire day working out/ drawing I feel like I did something productive. Only suffering has meaning now. Only achieving has a purpose.

[stoaX]

I was big into photography before I retired and I've continued to expand my areas of interest in this art since retiring nearly 4 years ago.

I've had some of my work hung in our church (we have a new Beauty and Arts ministry I volunteer with) as well as in a rehabilitation center and soon a new community center (where I will be teaching a photography course as well). Before Covid I did a one week photography summer "camp" for kids at our local community college. Finally, I'm participating in our city's Year of the Artist campaign which has opportunities to have custom pieces made to hang in City buildings as well as larger projects out in the community to increase our flourishing art community.

I love the O. Winston Link museum in Roanoke!  And good for you for your service to your community.

[davisgang90]

I love the O. Winston Link museum in Roanoke!  And good for you for your service to your community.
[/quote]

Funny you mention O. Winston Link. I actually volunteer there very part time as their education coordinator as well!

[Fishindude]

I do acrylic painting and lots of other little fun artsy fartsy projects.   Particularly enjoy doing art projects with the grandkids.

[jfer_rose]

Creating with my hands helps give me meaning and fulfillment now that I no longer work a traditional job.

I quit my job in 2019 and completed a 32-week full time program to learn woodworking. Now I belong to a maker space which allows me to design and build furniture, which I have been doing for paid clients. I’m going to experiment with a new focus once I finish the project I am currently working on, which will be to up-cycle curb finds and then sell them.

I also look forward to taking advantage of the maker space to learn a variety of new skills. For example, someone is going to help me learn vacuum forming so I can make molds for some concrete projects I’m dreaming about.

I really love the maker space because I meet so many other members and get exposed to their projects. There is some major creativity! It helps inspire me with new ideas.

I think it is really important to have some kind of creative outlet in retirement.  Does not have be the "fine arts" necessarily. In my case, it's designing and building furniture.  I think I enjoy the design part more than the actual build part. I mostly do bespoke items for friends and family. I don't do it for money, but most people insist on a giving me a case of Guinness or a bottle of scotch for my efforts (and then proceed to help me drink it). Life is good.

I’d love to know more about what types of projects you are making!

[Greystache]

Creating with my hands helps give me meaning and fulfillment now that I no longer work a traditional job.

I quit my job in 2019 and completed a 32-week full time program to learn woodworking. Now I belong to a maker space which allows me to design and build furniture, which I have been doing for paid clients. I’m going to experiment with a new focus once I finish the project I am currently working on, which will be to up-cycle curb finds and then sell them.

I also look forward to taking advantage of the maker space to learn a variety of new skills. For example, someone is going to help me learn vacuum forming so I can make molds for some concrete projects I’m dreaming about.

I really love the maker space because I meet so many other members and get exposed to their projects. There is some major creativity! It helps inspire me with new ideas.

I think it is really important to have some kind of creative outlet in retirement.  Does not have be the "fine arts" necessarily. In my case, it's designing and building furniture.  I think I enjoy the design part more than the actual build part. I mostly do bespoke items for friends and family. I don't do it for money, but most people insist on a giving me a case of Guinness or a bottle of scotch for my efforts (and then proceed to help me drink it). Life is good.

I’d love to know more about what types of projects you are making!

My most recent project was a couple of record album storage cabinets.

[jfer_rose]

@Greystache I love it! Well done. It is a great solution for how to store albums-- it looks like the albums would be easy to look through to find the one you want and you don't have the clutter of all the album spines to look at.