WASHINGTON — For an artist, landing that first show is a defining moment, a true baptism into the profession. And for Bethesda-based artist , that feeling of professional fulfillment is no different — only she鈥檚 experiencing it at age 91.
Lipton began taking art lessons three years ago at her independent senior living facility. During one of her first sessions, she discovered her passion for painting — and for painting what she wanted to paint.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a little rebellious nature in my spirit,鈥� Lipton says. 鈥淲hen the teacher said, 鈥榊ou might want to try to copy this,鈥� I said, 鈥楧o we have to?鈥� 鈥� I wanted to do my own thing.鈥�
And that is exactly what she started doing.
Lipton鈥檚 first collection of work will be displayed in the exhibition 鈥淐olor and Chaos,鈥� at the Friendship Heights Gallery, in Chevy Chase, Maryland, through Feb. 1.
Lipton describes her work as colorful — 鈥淏ecause I love color in my life,鈥� she says. She generally starts with a central shape or focal point, and then works out from the center, building on the design.
鈥淚n this case, I started with a circle, got into a hexagon and got into all kinds of mischief,鈥� Lipton says while explaining one of her paintings. 鈥淚 love working with the colors. I use a brush and I use paint pens and markers and all kinds of things — whatever I can put my hands on.鈥�
For Lipton, art serves as expression and as therapy. It鈥檚 helped her work through happy times and more difficult times, such as the recent passing of her husband.
鈥淚t feels exciting and comfortable at the same time,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t just opened up a whole new world for me.鈥�
Lipton didn鈥檛 consider herself an artist until recently, but she wasn鈥檛 completely unfamiliar with creating art before taking her lessons.
鈥淚 did flirt with it, as I like to call it,鈥� she says, explaining that she once took a course in pastels and another in charcoal at the Brooklyn Museum years ago. 鈥淏ut I had a very busy life and couldn鈥檛 spend much time doing it.鈥�
Before retirement, Lipton, who holds a Ph.D. in foreign languages and international education, worked as a teacher and authored several books. Throughout her career, Lipton advocated for teaching children foreign languages at a young age. She speaks Spanish, French and 鈥渁 tiny amount of Russian.鈥�
鈥淚 thought I鈥檇 try it, but when I got to the point where the professor said ‘There are 36 endings in adjectives in Russian,’ I said, 鈥業 don鈥檛 think I can do this anymore.鈥欌��
Lipton remembers that there was another time she felt the urge to exercise her inner artist. It was right after she completed her doctorate.
鈥淚 just felt liberated and I wanted to do something totally different 鈥� I marched myself into an art supply store, bought a 5-foot by 5-foot canvas and paints and I just painted away. I got all this energy out,鈥� she says.
Her husband was less thrilled with Lipton鈥檚 painting — she says it was all pink — and so she made a promise to take it down from their living room wall after a few years.
But with her new style and a few years of training under her belt, Lipton hopes others might be open to displaying her work on their walls.
鈥淚 feel so elated that somebody thinks this is interesting,鈥� says Lipton about her upcoming show.
Lipton鈥檚 collection for 鈥淐olor and Chaos鈥� is ready to go, but there鈥檚 no slowing down for her. She says she鈥檚 currently working on a new collection for a second art show, set for the Unitarian Church on Rockville Pike.
鈥淚 have a wonderful time doing it; I鈥檓 always amazed at how it all comes together because I only see parts of it as it鈥檚 growing, and suddenly, it comes alive,鈥� she says.
The opening reception for 鈥淐olor and Chaos鈥� will be held on Sunday, Jan. 11, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at 4433 South Park Ave., Chevy Chase, Maryland.
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