The world is full of new possibilities to pursue. Art is one of them.

The artists highlighted here and at the Women’s City Club during ArtPrize Seven are over the age of 50 who have used art to reimagine their lives– whether it’s pursuing art as a brand new career, revisiting their art as a long-lost passion, or using art to gain wisdom about life and self.

What’s your ‘what’s next?’ moment? Open your eyes to your artistic possibilities, find out what you are capable of, and make it happen. You might be surprised with what you come up with, as many of these artists did. Your Life Reimagined is waiting for you!

To learn more about unlocking your creative potential visit:

www.lifereimagined.org

I spent most of my life working as a social worker. I always wanted to be an artist, but put that dream on hold during my working years. I actually started majoring in art in college, but didn't think I could make a living at it. It was only a few years ago that I gave myself permission to pursue art again. A friend invited me to participate in her art class at the local senior center. The experience reawakened that part of me that had been dormant for 30 years. “Under Construction” is my first oil painting in over 35 years.

After resuming my interest in art, I've been accepted into numerous juried shows including the Regional Area Exhibit (past 4 years), ArtPrize (past 4 years), and the Holland Area Arts Council MI Arts show. I've also had two solo exhibitions at the 602 gallery at Holland hospital.

I consider this a second career that will grow as time goes on. I have sold some of my artwork already and hopefully will sell more As the social work practice continues to wind down, the time available for artistic pursuits will increase. I truly feel that I'm picking up where I left off. I don't have any regrets for the career choices that I made, because it's never too late to resume the journey anew.

Doug Schwentor,“Under Construction”

Deb Brown, “A Distracting Abstraction”

I've been an X-ray Technologist since 1973. When I was in my 40's, I decidedto get my Bachelor degree so that I could teach. I think it's ironic that Radiography is (mostly) in black and white and photography is (mostly) in color. The X-rays, being black & white were never as exciting as any photographs I took, but I still enjoyed my career.

In 2006, I got the luckiest photographs of a Bald Eagle in many stages flight. I was very excited and wanted to share the photos with others. I found a local art group, so I joined it and was able to share my art! I also joined the Mid-Michigan Art Guild so I could get my art judged by others; in my first exhibit I received a “Best of Show” award and was astonished!

I look forward to learning more about my art and about the limitations of my imagination. The limitless choices I have in the world of photography remind me of all of the choices I had in the world of radiography. I love that! When you have several directions to choose from, life is amazing!!

Robert Lee“For Everything There is a Season…”

Allan Gorman “Rocket”

I started my career in New York City working as a creative executive at large ad agencies. A few years later I began studying various forms of art. But this was just a hobby. With a new house, a new business venture and an infant son I put away the brushes for the next 20+ years to earn a decent living. I always meant to go back to painting but couldn’t seem to commit myself to it. The solution came in 2008, when I decided to take some painting courses at our local art museum to see if I could get started again. This time things clicked. Painting became my new passion. Making and learning about art took precedence over everything else. So much so that in 2013, after 26 great years running my own successful small ad agency, I made the official leap to painting full time. I don’t regret it for a minute. My advice to everyone is to find what you really love and pursue it with all your heart. I’m 68 years old now and officially “retired” but I don’t see it that way. I’ve still got a long, long road ahead in my new life as an artist on my own terms, and I’m looking forward to seeing how my story will unfold.

I am a retired college professor (Florida State university and Michigan StateUniversity). Photography was merely a hobby, and it became intensified in 2003 when I moved to Tallahassee from Michigan and discovered all the over-sized, colorful, (and even spectacular) flowers, trees, critters, and people!

I found myself acquiring an artistic eye, a mission, and the equipment to help me communicate discoveries to others. Then I retired in 2010 back to Michigan. I polished up my technique at the community college while also meeting professionals who encouraged me to show my work. I expanded my experience to international areas and began to exhibit my work. To my delight, many of the works I entered in formal art competitions also sold. Being a photo-journalistic art photographer has become my passion. It is a life-calling because it is transformative. It made an introvert like me into someone with eyes directed appreciably outward. I was increasingly aware that I had been given a priceless “do-over”. And my former intellectual life and the sensitivities that came with self-conscious aging allowed me to discover nuances in nature that delighted me and those with whom I shared my images.

I have always been artistic but to being an “artist” is to become a totally new creation.

Christine Olson “Morton House”

Pamela Benjamin “Up On The Roof”

I was an elementary teacher and then I ran my own tour company in Australia. In 2003, my husband accepted a job in Grand Rapids but I did not have a work visa so I began volunteering for different organizations. Then five years ago we became US citizens.

I began my artist career in my mid-50s. Before that I had little artistic leanings so this new path came as somewhat of a surprise for me. For my medium, I use glue to attach textured glass, beads, buttons, found objects and sometimes pieces of jewelry to framed windows. I work with antique or reclaimed windows from older houses or buildings.

I have been in three exhibits and two juried art shows and have sold about 25 windows. Most of my current windows hang in my house. Once a year in December I host a holiday art show in my home with around six other artists. For me, art is not a hobby. Rather it is a compulsion.

Art projects–always the first choice of things to do as a child. My identical twin sister and I spent many hours together with crayons and paint creating collaborative works and solo works. Somehow I was labeled “the artistic one”. Experiences as a twin have contributed to a number of prints over time which I refer to as “TheTwin Series”. Recently I’ve come to appreciate that our journey as twins across nearly seven decades is approaching full circle. Early in life we wanted to develop our differences, our individuality. Now we look to find our similarities and commonality.

By continuing to have experiences that prompt reflection I hope to become a little wiser. Becoming an artist has taught me the necessity of not only carefully observing but also considering more deeply even the most simple things. Since retiring form teaching at Kendall College of Art and Design I have more time to travel, reflect and create. As I begin each new work the inspirations are often processed with intellect tempered by subconscious elements that surface and intercede. The result is never totally predictable. Each new work feels fresh offering a step in a new direction. This explains why I continue with the creative adventure, never really knowing what will evolve. The importance of sharing with others the creative work led me to participate in ArtPrize where many people can experience what has been created. There is joy in having created the work and perhaps greater joy in having others see it and respond to it. And in the years ahead, I hope to accomplish more joy, more wisdom and more sharing!