It's About Time

Perspectives from The Artist's Road

The Tunny Catch 1919 (PD US) Joaquin Sorolla, age 56

While participating in the Oil Painters of America national exhibition in Fredericksburg, Texas, earlier this year, Ann and I noticed something interesting about the other artists in the show. As we surveyed the audience gathered for the awards ceremonies, we were struck by the preponderance of gray-haired individuals. These museum-quality exhibitions have set a high bar of achievement to entry, accepting only the most outstanding work in the country. Looking around and counting gray heads, we made a hypothetical judgement that the endeavor of honing one’s craft and personal vision is a life-long process that only gets better over time.

Recent studies seem to corroborate our hypothesis. Creativity does not necessarily wane as we get older. If anything, age may confer distinct advantages on the artist. Youthful artists have been credited with flashes of insight, some of which have made big impacts. However, many…