Brushstrokes Beginning in Middle Age, Blooming the Second Act of Life

Students of the Minhwa Painting Class at Gwangsan-gu Life Reboot Support Center, Gwangju

"It is never too late to start. There is only a new beginning."

Kim Eun-jeong (49), Kim Hyun-soon (47), Baek Kyung-soon (63), and Choi Hye-sook (62), students of the Minhwa class at the Life Second Act Support Center in Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju Metropolitan City, have achieved a wonderful milestone in opening the second chapter of their lives.

They succeeded in winning awards at the '2023 Gwangju Metropolitan City Art Exhibition.'

All of them first picked up a brush in their 40s to 60s. Before that, they had never properly learned or tried painting.

After spending years devoted to work or taking care of their families, they reached a turning point in life. They chose Minhwa as a new goal because they thought it could be pursued lightly as a hobby.

Due to COVID-19, they began actively participating in the Minhwa class this year, systematically learning theory and painting directly with professional instructors, which deepened their fascination with the charm of Minhwa.

Their attitude toward painting naturally became more serious. Beyond simply painting prettily, they started to desire creating 'works' that capture emotion and atmosphere, express their own identity, and breathe life into the art.

After completing the Minhwa class, they formed a club called 'Minhwa Story,' repeatedly practicing and honing their skills. They submitted works to the traditional art (Minhwa) category of the 36th Gwangju Metropolitan City Art Exhibition held this year.

As a result, Kim Eun-jeong and Choi Hye-sook won special prizes, while Kim Hyun-soon and Baek Kyung-soon were named winners of the honorable mention.

They proudly gained recognition for their skills and potential at the Gwangju Metropolitan City Art Exhibition, known as a gateway for fresh and talented new artists.

The four will participate in the awards ceremony held on the 29th at the Bangwul Sound Performance Hall of the Gwangju Arts & Culture Foundation (Seogu, Gyeongyeol-ro) to celebrate their joyful moment.

Special prize winner Kim Eun-jeong said, "The Minhwa class was a process of finding myself through the brush," adding, "Thinking about this, I expressed my own life philosophy through painting, and I am happy that the efforts I made led to good results in this exhibition."

They plan to continue their active pursuits. Their aspirations include social contribution activities such as cognitive art guidance for seniors at local senior centers, making neighbors smile through painting, and contributing to the formation of a good community.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.