When you’re a kid, drawing with crayons, finger painting or creating a potholder for mom was commonplace. As you get older, all that creativity seems to fade as family and work takes over your day to day life. However, it’s never too late to take up a new artistic hobby after you retire. There are many night school classes for beginner artists as well as places where you can paint your own pottery or somewhere like Painting with a Twist where you can paint a masterpiece with food, drink and friends in tow. Senior centers offer low cost art classes as well such as watercolor painting.
Creativity doesn’t have to be limited to a paint brush either. Scrapbooking, knitting, and flower arranging can all engage your creative spirit. Having a purpose for a project can help motivate you to learn a hobby. For instance, a retired teacher friend of mine started a scrapbook for a young child who had a sibling about to be born. The idea was for the child to continue the scrapbook after her new sibling was born.
Art therapy can also be a valuable treatment for memory support with early stage dementia patients. A recent article in the Boston Globe describes how art therapy is being used.
What I Love About Montgomery County is a contest specifically aimed at senior artists from adult communities in Montgomery County and even if you don’t live in an adult community, you can participate. The winning entries will eligible for some nice cash prizes and then the winning artwork will adorn the walls of the Montgomery County Court House in Norristown. More info can be found at What I Love About Montgomery County.