Finally have found a cure for the brain atrophy that comes with retirement.   Have tried all the usual; volunteering, committees, reading until my eyes close, writing until I can’t think of the words to put on the paper, traveling as much as my dollars will allow, reorganizing the closets and thinking about reorganizing other people’s closets – my obsessive nature.    So, about two years ago I decided to take oil painting lessons from an elderly teacher near my home.    First of course was the courage to walk in, look at all his painting and say “wow – how does one accomplish that kind of beauty”.     So, first things first. I committed to a month at a time, wrote the check, set a date and got of list of supplies.     Secondly, off to the art supply store with my list and after becoming completely overwhelmed at the variety of paints, brushes, cleaners, canvases and a myriad of other supplies I asked for help from the clerk.  After an hour or so of shopping I paid the bill – Shock!    This is going to be an expensive endeavor!    This could be another topic – the reluctance to spend money on something that is not absolutely necessary which I will address later.     

I start with a painting of a painting, learned that the finished painting must say “after” – the original painter and then my name, so as to give credit to the original artist.     I had lots of guilt feelings at my need to trace the original painting onto the canvas using a tracer.    I, of course, discovered that lots of artists use this method to get exact likeness with portraits.      So now I know I need “drawing lessons”.

I will attempt to post some pictures on the blog of my first endeavors.    Some good, some really bad.

Now, some two years later, I have a stack of paintings of all genres.    I have changed teachers and am now in a group of beginning painters that meet once a week with an instructor who is wonderful.   This has become the highligh of my week,   I often awaken at night thinking about what to paint, how to fix a problem in a painting, what colors I need to buy, etc. etc.    Needless to say my boredom has disappeared and there seems not to be enough time in the day .   Thank God!