Cedar Crest Residents Pursue Their Creative Side in Retirement

For some, retirement is an opportunity to relax and unwind. For others, it's a chance to explore hobbies and interests that fell by the wayside while pursuing a career or raising a family.

That's exactly how Bob and Susan Gordon see their next chapter.

As residents of Cedar Crest, an Erickson Senior Living community in Pompton Plains, N.J., Bob and Susan are no longer responsible for home maintenance and repairs. Instead, they and their neighbors have plenty of free time to express their artistic talents through the community's many creative clubs and activities, including a weekly arts studio, an origami club, Sunday evening coloring group, and the new Creative Crafts Club.

Rewarding careers

Bob and Susan--Philadelphia, Pa., natives--were always interested in the arts, but their careers took them elsewhere.

"I studied art in high school, but I shifted to English literature in college," says Susan, noting that she would work on sewing and quilting projects when her schedule allowed. "And Bob took photography classes in Philadelphia."

In the early 1970s, the Tehran American School in Tehran, Iran, was looking for a high school math teacher and a librarian.

"We were up for an adventure, so we accepted the challenge!" notes Susan. Bob worked as a math teacher and Susan as a children's librarian, later securing another graduate degree to become a psychologist. "Every time we had a three-day weekend, we would go somewhere. We traveled a lot and had a wonderful time."

Canvas for creativity

Although the Gordons enjoyed every moment teaching abroad, they didn't have much down time to express their creativity. That's what motivated them to find a retirement community that offers a worry-free lifestyle and plenty of creative activities.

"We had settled down in northern New Jersey. We visited Ann's Choice, [another Erickson Senior Living community] on the outskirts of Doylestown. We liked it as a possibility," Susan recalls. "Then, I checked the website for other properties nearby. I found Cedar Crest, which is equidistant from both of our daughters."

In addition to proximity to family, Bob and Susan were drawn to the community's range of artistic groups and amenities, including a multipurpose space open to arts and crafts and a woodshop. Not to mention the range of maintenance-free residences, which eliminate the stress of unexpected repairs.

In 2022, the couple made Cedar Crest their new home.

Once they settled in, Susan tapped back into her creative side with digital photography--until an unexpected broken arm redirected her to drawing, as her physical therapist said it would aid in recovery.

"Everything that I had done when I was a teenager came back when I started drawing again," Susan says. "Then, I started taking painting lessons."

Now, she leads Cedar Crest's Open Art Club on Sunday mornings, where she paints, draws, and encourages others to join. "Everyone sets up, does their own work, and offers each other supportive suggestions," she says.

Susan often works with oils and pastels in the studio as well. At home, she explores fabric arts and digital creations on her iPad.

A new interest

Although Bob's background is in photography, he decided to channel his creativity in retirement through origami, the Japanese art of paper-folding.

"I got into origami about 20 years ago, but I didn't do much with it," Bob says. "Recently, I made some models called masu boxes. I taught my grandchildren to make them. Then, I decided I wanted to do origami more regularly."

He adds, "YouTube has good model-making videos, so I decided to start a paper-folding and origami club."

Now, Bob's club meets every Wednesday afternoon and has attracted eight loyal participants. In fact, a few group members have even led classes.

While some designs are complex, others rely on only a few elegant folds. Each piece ends up like a tiny sculpture, playing with the contrast of light and shadow.

"I'm beginning to see possibilities for being creative with it!" Bob says.

Freedom to explore

Bob and Susan have also taken advantage of the community's proximity to New York City's galleries, museums, and art shows. They also enjoy visiting the Storm King Art Center's outdoor sculpture garden in New Windsor, N.Y.

Both believe strongly in the value of art and encourage others to explore their creative side--especially with all the free time Cedar Crest affords them and their neighbors.

"Art is something people can try, and maybe something clicks," Susan says. "It's an absolutely incredible opportunity that, at Cedar Crest, we have this time; we have these years where we can just try different things. You'll learn about yourself!"

To learn more about independent senior living at Cedar Crest, request your free brochure to get the scoop on amenities, floor plans, and much more.

By Susan Ingram