Last Artist Standing: Living and Sustaining a Creative Life Over 50

A look at how seasoned artists stay relevant and inspire new generations.

Last Artist Standing presents essays on the lives of thirty-one artists over the age of fifty, which explore how they have sustained their creative lives and the different paths they have taken throughout their artistic careers. The artists discussed here have learned how to thrive and be creative through decades of life’s challenges, and they have become mentors to other artists. This collection addresses the ability of these artists to remain contemporary as they adapt through generational shifts, the challenges--the physical, financial, and professional--they have overcome to remain vibrant and sustaining artists, and their role as inspirational models to others who may be turning to art late in their lives.

By sharing these artists’ stories, this book hopes to offer examples of living an engaged and creative life that can be replicated across all age groups, both within and beyond the art world.

Cover image:
Jaq Chartier
Blues w/8 Whites
2020
16＂ x 16＂
Acrylic, inks, dyes, stains & spray paint on wood panel
Courtesy of the artist

Sharon Louden is an artist, educator, advocate for artists, consultant, community builder, and the editor of the ＂Living and Sustaining a Creative Life＂ series of books. In addition, Sharon is a visionary leader with decades of experience as an educator in academia, community connector, and catalyst fighting for underrepresented artists within established institutions. She is a collaborator who convenes initiatives with siloed stakeholders across the non-profit and business sectors. All of this work is considered a creative practice under the umbrella of a working artist.