New Starts for Old People 3/18/24

I don't know about you but I am a big fan of AARP magazine! Today, I read three articles and two were about two people who thought they were at an end anf found out they were at a beginning! One man had dropped off the end of a career in dance due to age and illness and found a new life in the Southwest where he had gone to he thought die. He went to his mother's house for care and found a community in poverty where he could show young peope the path from an interest to a career in the entertainment arts, dance, theater, music.

The second article was about a man who had started in small town journalism but had gone into a careerr running stores. After he and his wife retired, they found a new life in Edenton, South Carolina, which readers of Early American Life Magazine will recognise as one of those quaint, historic communities where people's houses are often featured in magazines devoted to American history and Colonial architecture. He started as a volunteer columnist covering things like boyscout annual breakfasts and found himself writing for half a dozen other local newspapers and even covering a corruption case of a local official paying himself unauthorized raises!

This caught my attention because I have recently found myself in a similar situation. I oined Woodbury Friends Meeting about three years ago. When they lost their 50 tenant in an outbuilding due to bankruptcy, they found themselves with a couple of serviceable but not easily rented out building spaces. At the same time, a former Art student of mine, and a stained glass artist was looking for studio space. Next thing you know, we have a flourishing stained glass studio and a brand new Art Gallery! The Friendship Art Gallery just opened on March 10 with works from three Woodbury Friends Meeting members and three stained glass artists! I never dreamed I would be running a gallery at the age of 78! Now I am so excited thinking about themes for future shows and how to get in touch with and encourage other artists to exhibit their work in our Gallery! You never know what the future may hold.

Also, on a separate note in 2019, at age 73 I won a prize at The Eiland Arts Center for a fabric multi media Art piece I did celebrating Teh Suffrage Ammendment, and last year, at age 77, I won the Founder's prize for a multi-media fabric and painting Art piece I showed in the Annual exhibition of the Haddon Fortnightly scholarship fund raising Art Show celebrating Women's History Month. Two prizes and an Art Gallery in my 70's!!

Happy Trails friends and good luck blazing new ones!