Spending time in the community as volunteers often results in exciting and invigorating ideas. When my fellow Board Member Zabin Jadavji and I presented at the Senior Housing Forum, many seniors living independently came up to us asking if we would host art sessions at their residence. I have hosted art sessions before but just for fun and not in an official capacity. We decided we would try to host ” Pop Art” sessions short for Pop Up Art Class.
Although we are not trained artists, one of the core missions of the Creative Aging Calgary Society is to ensure art and creative activities are accessible to all – regardless of experience. Armed with some paint in one hand and the intuitive painting toolkit in the other. We decided to try the format out at Confederation Park 55 + club. We were able to use their space, and they created a sign up sheet for the seniors to participate.
Many of the older adults who joined us on Monday afternoon were first time artists, with other having dabbled in the arts 30 years ago and is revisiting it for the first time during our session.
We set up each table with paint, canvases, water and paper towel. We set up a playlist that the painters would listen to. The whole idea of intuitive painting is non-judgment, no direction, and no expectations. You are suppose to just pick up the brush and start painting whatever comes to mind. Sometimes it results in something recognizable, and sometimes it does not. The whole purpose is meditative and to look inward and “feel” instead of being purpose or results oriented.
We ended up painting for 1 hour (the first 15 minutes were a write off as it sometimes takes a little while to get settled in). After the painting stopped, we went around in the circle asking everyone to describe what they painted, and allowed the room to provide feedback.
Each individual had an interesting story – many were lamenting about the long cold winter we had and was dreaming of summer!
We are excited to test this session out at other facilities in order to offer seniors who live independently a chance to participate in creative activities.
Written by Alice Lam, Board Member
