We spent a day with Tucson, Arizona artist Barbara Rogers - at her apartment in Atria Bell Court Gardens, at her art studio in downtown Tucson, at Tohono Chul botanical gardens and galleries, and as she joined friends for dinner back at her senior living community.
"For an artist," Barbara says, "you want a triangle: where you work for money, where you work on your art, and where you live. The smaller you can get that triangle, the more time you can devote to what really matters to you."
For Barbara, what matters is making art inspired by the natural world - and sharing it with curious people. "I try to make paintings for people that are really smart and easily bored. People who want to keep discovering things in the work."
Surrounded by a community of friends, Barbara has discovered ease and connection. "I never could have imagined that I would end up loving this many old people. I know that sounds crazy. It's like, Barbara, wake up, you're old. But to me, I'm just on a continuum. I'm still painting, I run around town, I meet people for dinner. It's the most carefree that I've ever been in 87 years."
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