My Journey

It’s been just over four years since I retired from the corporate world and started to re-engage my creative side.  I want to share a little about my journey.

I had no idea how hard it would be to let go of all that “stuff” one carries around when they have a professional career.  All those names, numbers and deadlines that we think are so important take a long time to fade away.  For me, it took well over a year.  OK, maybe two years.

Some of you already know that I started drawing in a sketchbook almost immediately upon retiring.  Sketching and painting got me to use the other side of my brain – and I mean really use it.  I sketched every day and for long periods of time.  I have filled a dozen sketchbooks so far!

I was thrilled after I had my first open house in Singapore to showcase and sell my art and people reacted favorably! I mean, people actually showed up and bought my art! And some were strangers! What a sense of relief and pride I felt. Honestly, I was afraid that my art was too juvenile and unsophisticated.  I kept thinking, how could I leave a very successful professional career and now be good at something so completely different?

I believe my art success has, in part, been due to some of the very skills I learned in the corporate world.  I found my honed attention to detail and abilities to relate to people from lots of different places and backgrounds were directly relatable to creating visual art.  When you look at my work, I hope you see feeling and life and even stories showcased in each piece.  Since I paint nearly every day, I like to think that my art is like a mirror.

Being curious and disciplined and willing to try new things has played a big part in my artistic development.  I’m still exploring new genres and studying different artists and taking workshops. I’m giving myself permission to make mistakes and create art that I never thought I’d make and just let people react. I’ve been surprised how freeing that is!

I hope you’ll join me in my pursuit of creative happiness.