A few weeks ago I was listening to an episode of Desert Island Discs with Adrian Edmondson. When the host, Lauren Laverne asked him what he considered his biggest achievement, he replied - I hope that my best is yet to come. I loved that answer. Adrian Edmondson is 66. A successful comedian, actor and writer. Almost a national treasure. Yet he still felt his best years were ahead of him. I nearly cheered.
I admire people who continue to push themselves. People who seek to learn and grow in their later years, even though they’ve already achieved so much.
I’m a huge fan of the artist David Hockney. He’s now 86 and is as innovative and productive as ever. There’s currently an exhibition of his work at the National Portrait Gallery entitled Drawing From Life. It’s wonderful. The range of his work is extraordinary. His most recent work is a series of portraits from 2022, which I loved.
At Tate Britain, there’s currently a large exhibition on feminism, called WOMEN IN REVOLT! ART AND ACTIVISM IN THE UK 1970-1990. For many of the featured artists, this is the first time their work has been given such a significant public platform.
Projected onto a wall is a 1977 piece by Raincoats bassist Gina Birch, made when she was at art school. Entitled 3 Minute Scream, it’s exactly that: Gina screaming into the camera for 3 minutes. It’s at the centre of the exhibition. Gina’s image is featured on all of the exhibition’s publicity material and it’s rejuvenated her career both as an artist and a musician. She released an acclaimed solo album earlier this year and continues to exhibit her work.
Summary
Age should never prove to be a barrier to your success. Nor should we ever rest on our laurels. We should all strive to be creative and to look to find our greatness, irrespective of our age or past achievements. Take inspiration from the likes of Adrian Edmondson, David Hockney and Gina Birch. They continue to be active and creative later in life. Your high points and recognition for your work may come later in life than you imagine. No matter what your age is, your best may be yet to come!