I have been in a state of semi-retirement for years. First the recession pulled the rug out from under me. That was a scary period, not knowing if I was going to survive. There were not safety nets back then for self-employed people and I had just signed a new lease for my rental studio. My biggest expense. After the lease was up, I decided to build my little studio in my back yard, hoping I was going to be able afford staying in my house. I reinvented myself, put up a new website and started knocking on doors again. Keeping up with my art kept me sane. But the industry had changed so much, I really didn’t know how to start over, so at age 60 in 2013, I shut down the marketing department and officially semi-retired. I had four clients and I would only do what work came from them and what fell into my lap. But I still kept up with my work. Along the way I taught in Rome for 5 summers and created the works you saw at SAM. When the pandemic shut down came in March of 2020, I really thought I was done with the world of commerce. So I turned to my own work more. Did a new website, finished a few portfolios. Legacy stuff. But I was glad for the economic relief this time. It allowed me to leave $20 tips for cups of coffee at my favorite café. This past fall old clients came calling again. It was fun to be part of the human race again, to practice my craft and be engaged with smart people doing world class research. But gradually my clients are retiring and it seems this time I am too. But I will keep doing my work. It is after all, what grounds me and keeps me focused, pun intended.
