Caricature Drawing and a Better Retirement
By: Bill Trantham | Posted: 10-06-2007
What began as a hobby has become a full-time obsession. I refuse to refer to drawing as a "job",
that would defeat the original purose of what I do.
It began as a search for some part-time way of
augmenting Social Security. I needed enough additional
income to keep the wolves away and facilitate my being
able to focus exclusively on art; the fullfillment of
a life-long dream.
For the past three years I have been making the
transition from my previous life as a mental health
counselor to that of a semi-retired caricature artist.
It has been one heck of a trip, but well worth the
time and effort.
I feel very comfortable saying to one and all that
I have now made it to where I had always wished and
hoped I could someday be. My list of art clients
numbers into many hundreds and include not only orders
from nearly every State in the Union, but also from a
dozen foreign countries as well. I have divested myself
of the stressful routine of being a full-time counselor,
working in a busy community-based mental health facility. There are no more staff meetings, schedules or mountains of paperwork to deal with. I now spend my days
at home in my studio,listening to vintage rock'n roll music and creating caricatures from photos people send me.
I'm not getting rich, but I am comfortable and, more importantly, much more at ease with myself and the world. I have succeeded in making retirement a truly
"golden" experience that has rejuvenated my spirit and
replentished my hope for the future.
I strongly encourage anyone who is comtemplating what to do with themselves in their later years, those who do not necessarily see themselves fishing or playing golf until they're planted, to consider a similar course. Turn your hobby or latent passion into a means to a happier, more productive retirement.
For me, it was art and caricature drawing. Whatever it is you've always wished you could do, remember: If not now, when?



About the Author:
Bill Trantham is a self-taught artist living in Oklahoma City. He is retired from mental health counseling and creating caricatures for clients via his website.
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