Retirement

Caribou and Wolves, oil on canvas, by Dahlov Ipcar.

Caribou and Wolves, oil on canvas, by Dahlov Ipcar.

Several of my friends have sent me news stories about Dahlov Ipcar’s current show at the Frost Gully Gallery in Freeport. You can read about it here and here, and there is nothing I can add to those excellent interviews.

At 98, Ipcar is suffering from macular degeneration and the loss of her friend and collaborator, the gallery’s founder, Tom Crotty.

The cover of Ipcar's first children's book, written by Margaret Wise Brown.

The cover of Ipcar’s first children’s book, written by Margaret Wise Brown.

Ipcar’s first solo show was in 1939, at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. To put that in perspective, my late mother, who lived a long and happy life, was just seven years old at the time. Tom Crotty was five.

In 1945 Ipcar illustrated “The Little Fisherman” for author Margaret Wise Brown (author of “Goodnight Moon”). She went on to write and illustrate thirty children’s books of her own, along with books for older readers.

Illustration from “My Wonderful Christmas Tree,” by Dahlov Ipcar.

Illustration from “My Wonderful Christmas Tree,” by Dahlov Ipcar.

Her new work has softer edges, which is not a surprise for someone painting through what she refers to as “a fog.” But the composition and colors are as assured as ever.

Ipcar said she expected to die at 80, but she didn’t, and she’s still working. What possesses someone to work up to their centenary? Does working at something you’re passionate about in fact help you reach your centenary? I think it’s unlikely I’ll live to 98, but I do plan to work as long as I can.

Dog Days, 2014, by Dahlov Ipcar, shows the effect of macular degeneration on her painting.

Dog Days, 2014, by Dahlov Ipcar, shows the effect of macular degeneration on her painting. But it’s still fantastic.

Retirement affects us in different ways. My father longed for it, but was lost without the work that had defined him for a lifetime; he fell into a deep depression he could never climb out of. My mother segued into a life of travel and volunteerism without difficulty.

Still, art is part of my character, and I can’t imagine stopping until the old body quits. In that, I totally understand what drives Dahlov Ipcar.

Carol Douglas

About Carol Douglas

Carol L. Douglas is a painter who lives, works and teaches in Rockport, ME. Her annual workshop will again be held on the Schoodic Peninsula in beautiful Acadia National Park, from August 6-11, 2017. Visit www.watch-me-paint.com/ for more information.