Older workers turn to art after retirement

MIKE FLYNN, 71 WATERCOLORS AND OIL PAINTING, MIXED MEDIA, MANASSAS, VIRGINIA Flynn began taking weekly art classes while still working as a U.S. postal inspector. He retired in 2001. “I was

taking workshops and lessons, and I got hooked,” he says. “Unfortunately, we didn't have any art classes in the high school I went to, so I kind of missed out on any sort of art, or

being interested in an art career. I realized I had missed a lot." Michael Severin/Annie Tritt MICHAEL SEVERIN, 74 CONTEMPORARY IMPRESSIONIST PAINTING, SONORA, CALIFORNIA Severin worked

for the U.S. Postal Service for 36 years and started painting seriously only after retiring. It's a pursuit with real meaning. “I hope my paintings will last forever. For me, my

paintings are my footprints — that I was here at some point on Earth." Mark Witzling/Kevin J Miazaki MARK WITZLING, 61 OIL AND COLD WAX PAINTING, ST. LOUIS Witzling worked in brand

marketing in his original career, but he found himself transfixed by art when viewing masterpieces 20 years ago. “I didn't pick up art until my wife and I went on an anniversary trip to

Europe. And I was asking, ‘What was Michelangelo thinking?’ It just sparked an interest, and my wife encouraged me to pursue it.” He rarely uses brushes but instead works with scrapers, old

credit cards and palette knives. “I started painting in a local studio, and then I just kept going.” Karen Shulman/Mary Beth Koeth KAREN SHULMAN, 69 PHOTOGRAPHY, FORT MYERS, FLORIDA, AND

PLYMOUTH, MASSACHUSETTS Shulman worked as an occupational therapist and later in pharmaceuticals, eventually becoming an associate director of medical education. But when her company was

bought, she left to focus on her photography. She has had no formal art training and often breaks the “rules.” But, she says, “that's what makes it work.” Chris Motley/Annie Tritt CHRIS

MOTLEY, 73 FIBER ART, SAN FRANCISCO Motley learned to knit as a child. Now she creates sculpture from hand-knit fibers. “Before I retired [from a law career 14 years ago], I had started

seeing knitting in three dimensions other than clothing. And I had started selling neck pieces, which had dimension to them. And it just took off from there. Once I retired, I had time for

creativity." Chris Maynard/Annie Tritt CHRIS MAYNARD, 67 FEATHER ART, OLYMPIA, WASHINGTON Maynard chose feathers as his medium because he “wants to fly but can't.” Before his

artistic career, Maynard worked for the state of Washington, managing waterflows on the rivers to protect the salmon stocks. Now he looks to the sky. “Feathers and birds are symbols of

achievement, escape and transformation."