ON THE COVER
art published in magazines . But mostly , she says that she enjoys creating for its own purpose – not just to make money or to rack up contest wins .
Cox said she enjoys using the colored pencils in part because they are easily portable and do not make a mess .
“ You don ’ t have to get messy ,” she said . “ Nothing gets wet and nothing spills . You don ’ t really have to be careful in what you are creating . And when you want to pack up and take your work with you , you can just put it in a bag and go . I highly recommend it to people who are interested .”
Cox said she sometimes laments the fact that she did not start taking her artwork seriously at an earlier age , but she recognizes that her time working did not leave her with much free time .
“ I wish I had started earlier and done art more , but I just didn ’ t have the time or energy for it before ,” she said . “ I try not to think about what could have been – I just choose to be thankful for the time and the enjoyment I have now .”
Finding joy in retirement
Cox said she can ’ t imagine being retired without a hobby .
“ I think it ’ s important for people to have some routines ,” she said . “ When you have worked for most of your life , and then you retire , it can feel overwhelming if you do not have a plan for what you are going to do . You go from being so busy to not really having a routine and not really being sure about your purpose . Having a hobby – whether that is being an artist or a seamstress or working with wood – anything that you enjoy – it can help you . It ’ s good to have a focus and to be creative . For me , I need something I can go and do and finish . It ’ s just like a job at work , except for I am doing it strictly for fun – strictly for myself .”
Cox has experimented with a variety of other art forms . She recently took a ceramics class with a friend – in part to help her friend explore the medium .
Cox said she is careful not to take so many commissioned art assignments that she feels overwhelmed . She typically does no more than about 3 a month , and some months , she does not do any paid work . She always tries to meet the people she does work for – even if those meetings have to happen over Zoom instead of in person .
“ I think you have to know something about the person – to get a feel for them – before you can do the work ,” she said .
Sometimes , Cox turns down projects that just don ’ t suit her or her talents .
“ I would much rather not do a project than do one that isn ’ t a good fit and not do a good job ,” she said . “ Sometimes I do have to say no because that ’ s the best thing .”
Creativity should be for everyone
Although Cox ’ s family was focused on success in artwork , Cox said that she thinks creativity should be open to everyone . She encourages anyone who is interested to experiment with different art forms – even if they are not especially good at them .
She said that some people might enjoy experimenting with adult coloring books , while others might respond positively to quilting or knitting .
She said it also is important not to allow yourself to become overwhelmed by your artwork or other creative efforts – a lesson she learned the hard way one Christmas .
“ I decided I was going to hand draw all my Christmas cards ,” she said , chuckling . “ It seemed like a good idea , but after I had drawn more than 40 of them in a fairly short period , it really wasn ’ t that fun
anymore . I knew it was something I would never want to do again . I mean , if you don ’ t enjoy something , why would you do it ? It ’ s all supposed to be about having fun .”
Cox has long had a brave and adventurous spirit , which translates to her artwork . As a young adult , she moved around often , living in different cities in Texas , as well as in Montana . Thirty-two years ago , she was recently divorced and living alone in El Paso . She got an offer to come to Meridian , put herself on a train and came on .
“ They came and got my things and put them on the train ,” Cox said . “ A lot of people won ’ t do things spur of the moment like that , but I always think , ‘ why not ? If you don ’ t like a place you can always move again .”
Chasing adventure
She still finds herself chasing both adventure and inspiration at the age of 74 .
When she needs to find an idea for a new drawing , she often grabs her camera and jumps in the car , driving around in search of something that speaks to her creative side . Sometimes , she is drawn to nature or to old cars or buildings . “ I just go out and keep my eyes peeled for something that interests me – something that piques my interest ,” she said . “ I find something interesting that is located where I can get out and take a picture , and I photograph it . But it has to be something interesting to me . I am not going to draw a picture just to say I drew a picture – or even take a picture just to take a picture . There needs to be a reason – there needs to be something about it that excites me . I think that ’ s true in art and I think it ’ s true in life , too . Why do something if it doesn ’ t excited you ?” T
8 • TIMELESS MERIDIAN