The future looks bright ............

Before I retired two years ago I attended a pre-retirement course and one of the most useful exercises we did was to identify those elements of our working life that we would miss and then to consider ways in which we could replace them in our new lives. For me the list included:

• Interactions with other people
• Personal challenges
• Working to a deadline

For the first couple of months, other then joining a walking group and a Pilates class I did little that moved me towards these goals. Then I began to get out and about a bit more and now have several overlapping circles of friends with whom I meet and stitch or visit galleries or just chat.

But the bits about personal challenge and deadlines were still missing and I decided that joining an exhibiting group may well fill the gap. After talking this over with several people, a few months ago I joined up with some friends, old and new, to begin some small steps towards becoming that group. It's new territory for all of us and we all recognise the need to gel as a group and to have a body of work behind us. At the moment we're only meeting every six to eight weeks so it will be a gentle journey.  The future is exciting but the now was still lacking the dynamic that I'm looking for.

Ten Plus Textiles suggested I try for membership of the group. I hadn't considered it, because the group is so well established with several individual artists within their number, nor would I have risked this friendship by asking for an introduction. But wheels were set in motion, I was invited for an interview 'coffee with the group' (And would I bring along some pieces of work my artwork and sketchbooks....) earlier this week and after a short but agonising wait I heard yesterday that I've been accepted. The group exhibit 2/3 times a year and meet fortnightly to review their latest work and discuss forthcoming exhibitions - a different and pace and a sharp learning curve for me.

Now both the now and the future look exciting, I only hope that I can do all these good people justice.