------------- The Arts ------------- Keys to Self-Expression

Art is food for the soul. In its mirror, we see ourselves reflected in different lights. It delights the senses and brings meaning to our world. Too often people limit their self-expression by thinking art is beyond reach. You don’t have to be Picasso to love to paint. Not age or physical challenges need hold you back. Grandma Moses began painting when she was past seventy. Marlee Matlin is an Academy Award winning actress, though she is hearing and speech challenged. How do you know your potential until you’ve explored it? Be like the four-year-old, when asked if she could play the piano, replied, “I don’t know, I never tried.”

Arts and Crafts

We hold a special reverence for work produced by hand. We take pride in both our skills and the objects produced. Through the mediums of wood, clay, paper, glass, stone, paint and fabric, we express our creativity and individuality. Concentrating on the task before us, other distractions are shut out. We are unaware of outside cares or the passage of time. Frustrations are released when we pound, shape and create. The endless objects produced provide tangible rewards for our efforts that can be seen, touched and cherished.

The satisfactions derived from working with our hands can be gained from countless crafts including jewelry and beads, scrapbooks, ceramics, leather, models, stained glass, fibers and wood. The visual arts, such as drawing, painting, sculpture, photography and film offer many outlets for creativity. Some retirees return to an earlier artistic pursuit or turn their hobbies into second careers by finding opportunities to exhibit and sell their work.

For any art or craft you choose, you will find instruction, suppliers, workshops and others who share your interest. There is no need to be at a loss for a project to absorb you. Sites such as Craft Solutions are brimming with ideas. Crafting vacations and workshops provide opportunities for beginners and experts alike to learn from renowned teachers, gain hands-on experience, and enjoy the company of fellow artists at creative retreats across the country and around the world. For an extensive listing of interesting arts and craft workshops check out ShawGuides and Elderhostlel.

Dance

The impulse to express ourselves through rhythmic body movement is a universal human trait. From ancient campfires to hip-hop, dance weaves its way into the cultures of all societies. We dance to celebrate important occasions, preserve the traditions of our homeland, meet and court and experience the joy of movement. The notion that dance belongs to highly trained, youthful bodies is proven wrong every day in classes, dances and performances.

Ballroom dancing isn’t coming back it has never left. America has been fox-trotting and quick-stepping since the Big Band Era. Now that ballroom dance is on hit TV shows and recognized as an Olympic sport, it is bigger than ever. Whether you want to become a champion or just meet new friends USA Dance can point the way. They conduct events and dances including National Ballroom Dance Week and can put you in touch with dance groups in your area.

Drama

Drama opens a window to the human condition. No other art form creates the immediacy of theater, where audience and performer share the belief that life is unfolding before them.

Drama is a collaborative art requiring the efforts of actors, directors, producers, set designers, costume designers, stage managers, stage hands, lighting specialists, writers, sound technicians, ushers, house managers, box office staff, fund raisers and audience members to make the magic happen. Each of these areas is full of opportunities for involvement.

It isn’t necessary to win an Academy Award to reap the benefits. Many amateur groups provide outlets for the secret star in all of us. If you prefer to stay behind the scenes you might work backstage, sew costumes, usher or just sit back and enjoy the show.

The door to 120 Bank Street in New York City’s Greenwich Village is open to both established and aspiring artists. Here at HB Studio you can develop your individual talents in an atmosphere of creative freedom. Serious students, of any age and any level of development, receive instruction from a faculty of distinguished performing artists dedicated to passing on their experience. Classes are offered in many aspects of theater arts including acting technique, scene study, script analysis, musical theater, speech, voice, scriptwriting and directing. Fees are kept low to assist struggling artists perfect their skills. In return, students are expected to join in the cooperative spirit of the school, most evident during the annual spring clean-up when everyone pitches in to spruce up their artistic home. Herbert Berghof, who founded the school in 1945, and Uta Hagen Berghof, whose legendary Master’s Class was the foundation for America’s best known acting text, Respect For Acting, remain as guiding spirits.

Of course you don’t have to move to New York to study acting. Acting classes are offered through colleges, community theaters and continuing education programs across the country. For a step by step guide to the ABC’s of acting, pick up Walt Witcover’s excellent book Living On Stage If you do decide to make the big move to New York, be sure to read How To Be A Working Actor, so you won’t starve while waiting for that big break.

Music

Like a good friend, music is always there. It lulls us to sleep as infants, bonds us to our peers in youth and enlivens our old age. It can cheer us when we’re sad, make us want to dance or bring us to tears. We all make music. We sing in the shower, hum along with our favorite tunes or tap out rhythm on our knees. Retirement opens new opportunities to immerse in the pleasures of music. We can take advantage of discounts available to musical events. We can join a music workshop, write a song or start a rock band.

Rock and Roll is here to stay. What better way to celebrate our unique musical heritage than a trip to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio, where the term Rock and Roll was first popularized. See Hank William’s white wool felt cowboy hat, David Bowie’s red vinyl platform boots or Janus Joplin’s psychedelic Jag. If you can’t make it to Cleveland, a visit to the website allows you to research your favorite rockers, learn what happened today in rock history or shop in the gift store.

Writing and Literature

We all have a tale to tell and delight in hearing the tales of others. Through the written word we pass on lessons to new generations, delve into other people’s thoughts, experience different times and places and come to terms with the mysteries of life. Literature provides unlimited paths to self-expression and self-fulfillment. Compiling your memoirs, blogging on a topic of interest, writing a screenplay or finally reading “War and Peace” are just a few possibilities.

Personal computers open numerous avenues for writers. Word processing makes writing the Great American novel or publishing the family recipes a less daunting task. The Internet lets you locate every book available and provides abundant resources for researching any topic. Soon the entire anthology of written thought will be accessible through our own hand-held monitors.

Everyone who can access the Internet has a forum to communicate instantly with untold numbers of people worldwide. Come on over to Boomers Write, a new writing site just for those over 50. Share your stories, articles, poetry and pictures on a wide variety of topics, from aging and art, to book and movie reviews, drama, comedy, the environment, grandparents, finances, pets, history, cooking, crime, science, senior living and much more.

Libraries and bookstores offer discussion groups, classes, meet-the-author sessions, poetry readings and many other kinds of activities. Book clubs bring the newest and best to your mailbox. Continuing education classes in all aspects of writing and literature are found at colleges, universities and continuing education centers. The Internet lets you locate every book available and opens abundant resources for researching any topic.

Writers Conferences are excellent opportunities to make contacts, share your work with others and increase your knowledge of writing and marketing techniques. Experienced writers provide instruction while social events give you a chance to mingle with agents, editors and fellow writers. Hundreds of conferences are held around the country each year. Some focus on a specific style such as scriptwriting, nonfiction or fiction. Others concentrate on a particular genre like mystery, romance or children’s books. Still others teach pertinent information such as working in an online environment. Many feature big name guest speakers. Upcoming conferences are published in writing magazines such as Writer's Digest. Shaw Guides is another excellent source for the where, what and when of upcoming conferences.

While reading is rated the number one choice of leisure activities by retirees, it is often the first place we notice the effect of time on our bodies. Some loss of vision is almost inevitable with age. Half of the population over sixty five have some noticeable loss of vision. Other than a good pair of properly fitting eyeglasses, there are several things you can do to make reading more comfortable. Be sure you are in good light and hold your head at a comfortable angle. A large, movable floor-mounted or table top magnifying lens will help. A small folding lens that fits in your pocket or purse will do the trick when you’re not at home.

Many books and periodicals, such as the Reader’s Digest and the New York Times are available in large-print editions. A large selection of large-print and audio books are available through libraries, book stores and Amazon.com. Anyone who cannot hold, handle or see a book well enough to read conventional print is eligible for materials from the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped of the Library of Congress. This service maintains an extensive collection of technical and recreational material. For information consult your local library or the Library of Congress.