Hobbies and Other Activities

Hobbies and various interests and pursuits can and will change over time.  When I was a young adult my favorite pastime was spending time with my sister or best friend sunning ourselves to a crispy potato chip tan. As I became independent from my parents and acquired my first apartment, interior decorating became the hobby of the moment.

I went as far as having the beautiful hardwood oak floors sanded (at my expense), hand painted stripes on the hallway walls a chocolate brown on a white background.

I purchased a used sofa and had it slip covered in a brown, black and white flower print, repainted second hand director chairs stark white and bought at an overstuffed chair at a garage sale and had it recovered as well.  I added a bright white shag rug that I placed under a chrome and glass coffee table.  Hey, it was the '70's!

 I had so much fun decorating my home and that love has endured over the years.  I've enjoyed decorating and purchasing new items and replacing (many times over) all the furniture from a one bedroom apartment to several homes with many rooms, over the years.

Besides decorating, I've taken up painting (no, not walls, but pictures).  I began with watercolors.  No one told me that this medium is the most difficult. I was working full time and took a non-credit class at the local college.  Eventually, I moved on to acrylics as I learned they are much more forgiving.  If I didn't like it, I simply painted over that sucker and started anew!  So much better than being frustrated with watercolors and wasting money on paper I tossed away.  Perhaps one day I'll try watercolors again (or not).

Besides artistic endeavors, I was a so-so tennis player, but loved the sport, until my knees gave out.  Same with running.  I started running at age 37 and ran well into my 50"s.  After two knee replacements that activity was sidelined.

I learned to love hiking and walking my neighborhood and exploring other areas I was unfamiliar with and this was more gentle on my knees.

Back to painting in the early 2000's.  I painted mostly from photos of landscapes I'd taken or inspiration of paintings I'd seen in galleries or museums. I never loved the process as that critical voice kept interfering but I persisted. And, oddly, I produced some rather nice work.

Due to life getting a bit complicated with marriage concerns, my painting dropped off and I eventually gave it up entirely.

It's been almost 10 years since I created art and things are turning around in that area.  I recently finished two collages.  I love them! And love the process.  It's so much easier than creating a painting that I expect to look somewhat realistic (I'm not an abstract painter) even though I am applying paint. I had a theme in mind (my older son) and used stencils, copies of his handwriting from cards he sent me over the years, bits of newspaper print and other odd pieces of paper.  The process is not always easy, depending on the subject matter, of course, but cathartic and healing. And since it is abstract, the critic is quieted more easily. I plan on continuing with collage and my next one will be about my younger son.

My other newest activity is pickleball.  All I can say about this is that it is a hoot!  I'm taking lessons, purchased a decent paddle and balls and soon hope to play beyond the lessons (if my girlfriends cooperate!)

Life is good especially when we keep learning and experiment with new ideas, places, people and activities.

xo