A CREATIVE REBIRTH: Artists who Emerge Creatively from Another Career

People have many talents that are seldom realized in their lifetime. Economics is a factor that often cuts in the explorative personality; when making a living counts, when tuition investments matter, when security trumps innovative play-all are reasons to maintain a traditional career stance. But then something happens that stirs the soul to take risk, adventure and seek a creative life. It could be a big inheritance, a medical change or motivation to take a corporate parachute and color it or just an inner need to get a new life rudder.

These are some artists who successfully transitioned from their traditional career roles to a creative life.

       John Creveling was a career coach and was enjoying photography. About the time that he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease, he began to draw and paint. “I'm not sure if I discovered art or art discovered me. But I'm loving it every minute, every day, to try to experiment and grow that way.". He continues to create art in different mediums.

·     Dennis Stelz was a champion marksman who almost went blind from spinal surgery complications. He became very depressed. But fortunately, with the support of friends, learned to turn wood and his creative life was born.

·     George Saunders was an environmental engineer who had worked as an oil surveyor, a doorman, a roofer, and a knuckle-puller at a slaughterhouse. He was an avid reader, became a best-selling author and now reputed to be one of the world’s finest short story writers.

·      Lucy Rose Fischer earned a  Ph.D. in sociology and eventually focused on gerontology. She always loved art and, at 60, after her husband’s health scare, she quit being a sociologist and became an artist.

·      Ben Fountain was a lawyer who had taken some creative writing classes in college. His big writing success came with “Brief Encounters” which was eighteen years after he first sat down to write.

        Dr. Earl Briggs was always a doer and innovator. As a dentist, he did his own lab work from inlays to bridges to dentures. Now retired after 43 years, he enjoys painting and making jewelry.

·      Insider Artist Judith Scott was born with Down’s Syndrome and deaf. She was institutionalized at age 7 and, after 35 years, her fraternal twin sister, Joyce, gained legal guardianship. She spent her days at Creative Growth Art Center where she developed a unique talent for creating art that involved wrapping and binding diverse elements together. Although deceased, her work is in collections of major museums.

Everyone has the ability to be creative and, with courage and determination, a whole new part of your life can be launched!


Happiness lies in the joy of achievement and the thrill of creative effort.

Franklin D. Roosevelt

Be brave enough to live life creatively. The creative place where no one else has ever been.

Alan Alda

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