I’ve never really understood the idea that getting older means you should stop trying new things.
I’ve always been a learner. If something catches my interest, I want to know more about it. I want to have a go. I want to pull it apart, work out how it works and see what I can do with it.
I’m 60 now, and that hasn’t changed. If anything, I’m probably a little more relaxed about being rubbish at something when I first start! And I’m okay with that. I think that’s one of the things I enjoy about learning. You don’t have to know what you’re doing when you start. You just have to be interested enough to have a go.
I see this a lot with the adults who come into the studio.
“I haven’t done this for years.”
“I’m not very good.”
“I’ll need some help.”
“I used to do this when I was younger.”
There is often a little hesitation there. I understand it.
When you’re an adult, you’re generally used to knowing how to do things. You have years of experience behind you. You’ve raised children, built careers, managed households, solved problems and dealt with all sorts of things life has thrown at you.
Then you sit down with a pencil or paintbrush and suddenly you’re a beginner again. That can feel a little uncomfortable. I’ve noticed this particularly with women and mothers. We’re so used to being the ones who look after everyone else that asking someone to show us how to do something can feel strange.
But I don’t see it as a weakness at all. If I don’t know how to do something, I’d much rather someone show me than spend hours struggling because I think I should already know. That’s how we learn.
I’ve seen some lovely things happen with adults who decide to give art another go. Most already have some sort of ability. They might have drawn or painted years ago and simply haven’t done it for a very long time.
Sometimes they come along because their children are doing art and they decide to join in. Then something happens. They discover they actually really enjoy it. Sometimes they even enjoy it more than the kids!
I’ve also had adults come into class during a completely different chapter of their lives and find something they didn’t realise was still sitting inside them. I remember one lady who joined after her husband passed away. She was looking for something to do and came along to a group class.
She started painting in oils. She discovered that she really enjoyed it and produced some beautiful paintings.
What I loved wasn’t just the artwork. It was watching her find something for herself. Something that belonged to her. That is one of the lovely things about learning something new, or coming back to something you used to enjoy. You don’t necessarily know where it’s going to take you.
I’m experiencing that myself at the moment. I’m creating more simply for the sake of creating. I’m exploring resin. I’m getting back to my sewing machine. And that has been a bit of a trip down memory lane. I made my own wedding dress when I was 21. I haven’t spent a lot of time behind a sewing machine for years, so getting back to it has been really enjoyable. There’s something quite satisfying about hearing that machine running again and remembering how it feels to work with fabric.
I’m not trying to make anything particularly important. I’m just enjoying playing with it again. And I think that’s something that changes as you get older. I’m much gentler with myself than I used to be. I don’t expect to be brilliant at something the first time I try it. I’m quite happy to make a mess, work it out, try again and see what happens.
I think that’s partly because I’ve spent so many years making art. I’ve learnt that the first attempt is rarely the finished product. You have to give things a chance. You have to practise. You have to be prepared for things not to work. And sometimes you have to laugh at yourself and have another go.
I also notice that when I’m learning or creating, I’m happier. My mind feels active. I’m looking at things differently. I’m noticing materials, shapes, colours and possibilities everywhere. I’ll see something in a shop, watch something on television or look out the window and suddenly think, “I could do something with that.”
I’ve got a little digital notebook where I jot down ideas because they can come from absolutely anywhere. Some of them will probably never happen. That’s okay.
It’s the having the ideas that I enjoy. I think learning keeps my mind keen and my heart soft and accepting. It keeps me curious. It gives me something to look forward to. And it reminds me that I don’t have to have everything figured out.
At 60, there are still plenty of things I’d like to learn. Actually, if we’re talking about pie in the sky things, there’s one that’s been on my list for quite a while. I’d love to take riding lessons, I really love to have a horse. Learning to ride isn’t the problem. It’s finding the time and the money!
Maybe I’ll get there one day! And if I do, I’m sure I’ll be a complete beginner again. I’ll probably wobble. I’ll probably make mistakes. I’ll probably have someone telling me where to put my feet. And that’s okay.
I’d rather be the beginner who is having a go than the person who never started because they were worried they wouldn’t be very good. I don’t think we’re ever finished learning. And I don’t think I’d want to be.
I’m still curious. I’m still making. I’m still experimenting. I’m still learning.
And I think that’s a pretty good place to be.