We were lucky to catch up with Richard Krevolin recently and have shared our conversation below.
Richard, thank you so much for joining us and offering your lessons and wisdom for our readers. One of the things we most admire about you is your generosity and so we’d love if you could talk to us about where you think your generosity comes from.
I started the Krevolin Arts Foundation because I wanted to do something to help and support and nurture people who worked their whole lives and never had a chance to be creative. So the foundation is set up to support those over 50 who have always wanted to try their hand at writing or painting. I also see the foundation as a sort of pay it forward progression that’s my way of paying back all those people who’ve been so generous with me over the years
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?I
I didn’t start painting until age 50 and found the experience to be revelatory. In fact, I was so moved by being able to
create and express myself
with paint and colors that I wrote a poem about the
experience:
Dreaming in Colors
When I was a child, I smeared azure
blue paint onto dark concrete
and turned the cold tarmac
lemon yellow and emerald green.
Then, I went to school and
the Science Professor told me
we dream in Black and White.
So I dropped my brush,
Closed my eyes and got a cubicle.
Thirty years later, I opened my eyes
Once again only to see
That I had to paint myself back into a corner
For it is there on the edge of the palette knife,
the tip of a fan brush
on white canvas
where the answers live.
For how can you really know anything
until you paint it or see it painted?
I took up my old brush
And tried to render a watery
vase of crimson roses.
As I witnessed the radiant light
bouncing through the thick
curved lavender depression glass,
I heard the silent roar of
splattered glossy hues
defeating the deafening cacophony
of words
Yes, Science Professor,
You sir, may dream in black and white,
but no, not me.
My days are now suffused with
Shimmering light,
And at night, I dream in colors.
Thus, as I entered the second half of my life, painting and the visual arts changed the way I interacted with the world and was the beginning of my own healing journey. I was so inspired by this experience, that I began to dedicate my life to teaching and consulting with other seniors who also wanted to express themselves more creatively.
After encountering so many people who had chosen other careers but had always wanted to try their hand at the arts, I saw a chasmic void that exists and, knowing how much the arts expand the meaning and joy of life, decided to fill it…
As a result, I decided to create a foundation in order to provide opportunities for, and nurturing, the untapped creative lives of those who chose to, or have had to, work in non-creative fields their whole lives.
The fact is the arts change lives. And so, the Krevolin Arts Foundation will be targeted at nurturing the untapped creative lives of seniors who have waited their whole lives to pursue the arts
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Passion, Patience & Persistence… That is all… And that is more than enough.
Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?
Absolutely! The idea behind this is to allow creativity to flow while also offering a sense of community for that expression. For the foundation’s classes, we are interested in Floridians over the age of 50 who yearn to be more artistic and are looking for a welcoming venue to develop their creativity. For businesses looking for less salesy and more communal ways to market their business, we’d welcome cross-marketing ideas e.g. a restaurant who wants to sponsor an art showing or such, for international artists seeking a place of creative inspiration where they will also have opportunities to share their ideas, etc. etc. etc. whatever their vision is…
Contact Info:
- Website: www.RichardKrevolin.com
- Instagram: Krevolin_arts
- Other:Rkrevolin@yahoo.com
