Retirement is something many people work their entire
careers for. It is one of the most desired Stages of Life to
dance upon. I wanted to depict it as a celebration.
In this drawing, the man has devised a ritual to commemorate
his retirement by building a bonfire to burn his bridges. In a
sense, he’s attempting to burn his past, but can we really do
that? It is as much a part of us as this present moment. In fact,
the past has brought us to this present moment of our present.
Nonetheless, most of us attempt to burn one part or another of
our past.
Here, he has piled onto the bonfire relics, representations of
his career in an attempt to free himself of its bondage. Notice
his necktie, nicknamed “noose around the neck” by many, and
his wristwatch he used to regulate the precious hours and
minutes of his day to make sure they weren’t being wasted.
There’s also his awards, his appointment book, calculator,
and business cards of contacts. Not without significance is a
Job Performance Assessment, designed to keep him under
the control of someone other than himself, and various other
papers. There's even the gold watch given to him at retirement
in gratitude for decades of faithful, dutiful service. Note that
careers for. It is one of the most desired Stages of Life to
dance upon. I wanted to depict it as a celebration.
In this drawing, the man has devised a ritual to commemorate
his retirement by building a bonfire to burn his bridges. In a
sense, he’s attempting to burn his past, but can we really do
that? It is as much a part of us as this present moment. In fact,
the past has brought us to this present moment of our present.
Nonetheless, most of us attempt to burn one part or another of
our past.
Here, he has piled onto the bonfire relics, representations of
his career in an attempt to free himself of its bondage. Notice
his necktie, nicknamed “noose around the neck” by many, and
his wristwatch he used to regulate the precious hours and
minutes of his day to make sure they weren’t being wasted.
There’s also his awards, his appointment book, calculator,
and business cards of contacts. Not without significance is a
Job Performance Assessment, designed to keep him under
the control of someone other than himself, and various other
papers. There's even the gold watch given to him at retirement
in gratitude for decades of faithful, dutiful service. Note that
gold retirement watch dangling from the briefcase. There are no hands on it. This is to symbolize that he is
entering a time where time is not to be measured. Retirement. Topping it all is the briefcase that he
seemingly could never be without. Now he stands ready to light it and send his past all up in smoke.
His wife looks on with a peaceful, content serenity. We have no reason to believe that she herself has not
already gone through a ritual of her own celebrating the retirement from her own career. But this is just a
snapshot and at this moment, she rejoices in his moment, clutching literature heralding their long awaited
dreams.
The children are there with them, the same children we have seen throughout the 12 Stages of LifeTM series.
They could be grandchildren, but in my imagination they are the inner child of each adult. The girl looks on
with a very similar emotion as the woman, proud and content with what the man is doing, probably happy that
this newfound freedom from adult concerns may result in more playful attention. The boy is obviously
pondering some mischief to come. Now that retirement has been achieved and the man is not weighted
down with the chains of conformity, he is freer to play with his inner child, which may well include some
mischief. Perhaps all this partially explains the relationship shared between a grandparent and grandchild.
They have been freed from many adult pressures. I wanted to give the children a slightly more distorted look,
somewhat cartoony, to contrast with the maturity and experience of the adults.
The picture is purposely heavier and weightier at the bottom and gradually lightens as your eyes move from
the base to the top. In a very abstract way, it represents the journey of these two. They started with a strong
foundation, worked hard and are gradually moving toward a carefree existence, suggested by the empty sky
above. Even the methodical, predictable tedium of the fence recalls the methodical, predictable tedious
process it took to get to this moment. All that is left now is leisure, alluded to with the birds over each
person’s head, floating effortlessly and liberated in the freedom of the air.
entering a time where time is not to be measured. Retirement. Topping it all is the briefcase that he
seemingly could never be without. Now he stands ready to light it and send his past all up in smoke.
His wife looks on with a peaceful, content serenity. We have no reason to believe that she herself has not
already gone through a ritual of her own celebrating the retirement from her own career. But this is just a
snapshot and at this moment, she rejoices in his moment, clutching literature heralding their long awaited
dreams.
The children are there with them, the same children we have seen throughout the 12 Stages of LifeTM series.
They could be grandchildren, but in my imagination they are the inner child of each adult. The girl looks on
with a very similar emotion as the woman, proud and content with what the man is doing, probably happy that
this newfound freedom from adult concerns may result in more playful attention. The boy is obviously
pondering some mischief to come. Now that retirement has been achieved and the man is not weighted
down with the chains of conformity, he is freer to play with his inner child, which may well include some
mischief. Perhaps all this partially explains the relationship shared between a grandparent and grandchild.
They have been freed from many adult pressures. I wanted to give the children a slightly more distorted look,
somewhat cartoony, to contrast with the maturity and experience of the adults.
The picture is purposely heavier and weightier at the bottom and gradually lightens as your eyes move from
the base to the top. In a very abstract way, it represents the journey of these two. They started with a strong
foundation, worked hard and are gradually moving toward a carefree existence, suggested by the empty sky
above. Even the methodical, predictable tedium of the fence recalls the methodical, predictable tedious
process it took to get to this moment. All that is left now is leisure, alluded to with the birds over each
person’s head, floating effortlessly and liberated in the freedom of the air.
| 8. Retirement A Personal Note from the Artist |
| Actual Image Size: 16”x 20” |
| Copyright Bruce Carnahan All Rights Reserved |
| 8. RETIREMENT |
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