MyStory: Perspectives from Residents
Holiday Retirement has created an opportunity for residents to share their stories, poems, and more through the MyStory Email Inbox and the MyStory Phone Line. We wanted to give residents an opportunity to share with others their unique stories with others considering independent living.
The article by Mr. Lindsey from Longmont Regent encouraged me to write about our art classes at Parkwood Meadows. It started in a very funny manner. The Resident Experience Coordinator asked me "You're a teacher aren't you?" I said "yes." "And you're an artist?" (I'm wondering where she's going with this). "Yes." "Oh good, then you can teach art!" (OMG!) I like to paint and draw but I had no idea how to teach it.
The first class was close to being a disaster. These ladies and gentlemen wanted to put the brush to the canvas and they wanted to do it now, so the next week we got our canvases, brushes, paint and everything and got started. Everybody had a wonderful time! Within a month we had several pictures on display and decided to have an art show and sale. It was a great success and we earned enough money to replenish the canvases and the paints. One of the funniest things to happen was when one of the men said something about one of the paintings "That's the ugliest damn dog I've ever seen!" My answer was "You knew it was a dog didn't you?" So that's.our goal. It doesn't matter what you paint, how good you paint or if you just sit and watch and dabble. When you walk out of the art room we want you to be happy and have a smile on your face. And that has happened.
We have several people in class that have painted before and turn out remarkable work. Their paintings always sell at the art show. They have been a great help and inspiration to the others in the class. Not surprisingly, we have "discovered" some remarkable artists. One gentleman who had never painted in his life is very prolific, When we have an art show his paintings are the first to go. Another lady comes in, doesn't say much to anybody and paints a card for her grandchildren. She does one every session and gives it to them the following Sunday when she sees them. They are wonderful!
Classes will start again soon. We are really looking forward to it and l will be there as their head cheerleader.
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