What does it mean to be an artist?

Composite image of Anni Zimmerman holding a black pen beside an open sketchbook filled with charcoal and ink drawings, including a dark architectural scene and playful figures labeled Medusa, Cerberus, and Zeus.

After retirement, I tried to turn art into a business—and nearly lost the joy that brought me to it in the first place. A cheap sketchbook, a ballpoint pen, and a few imperfect drawings helped me remember that art doesn’t have to prove its worth to anyone, including me.