Beginning July 1st and running through July 14th, residents at The Pines Senior Apartments in Chelsea will have their amazing artwork on display. With a variety of mediums, including charcoal, painting, photography, pottery, and more, each display is unique and captivating. Among the resident artists is Diane Alexander, who volunteers as Director of Resident-Led Activities at The Pines. Diane, who has degrees in accounting and photography, is the driving force behind organizing the Resident Art Show. A pillar in the community, Diane prides herself on getting to know her neighbors. Even so, she was impressed with the breadth and quality of the pieces submitted to the show.
“We wanted people to bring their art, not just for art’s sake, but because it’s what they enjoy. We wanted to show off their work,” says Diane.
Photographs of her grandchildren and paintings from Diane’s own portfolio are on display for everyone to enjoy. Drawing inspiration from her time living in Colorado, Diane credits her love of learning and research for her creativity. While living out West, Diane learned about the rich history of the Great Plains. She was inspired to create intricate, historically accurate dolls representing the Native American tribes of the Great Plains. Each doll has hand-weaved clothing made of real leather, and reflects tribal dress for specific regions. Painted faces and attention to detail makes these dolls a sight to behold.
Stan and Carol Platis, who moved into The Pines in March also featured artwork in the show. Stan draws his inspiration from his travels through Greece, Crete, and beyond, and enjoys expressionism. However, Stan also has an eye for baroque paintings. On display is his portrait of Rembrandt, in oil on canvas. For the Platises, inspiration abounds. “The most difficult part of our work is deciding what to create,” Carol says. Carol expresses her creativity in a variety of mediums, including detailed pen and ink drawings and paintings.
Judy Irwin, a Chelsea local who now lives at The Pines, took a pottery class and fell in love. Her father-in-law made her first ever pottery wheel and her passion blossomed from there. Eventually, Judy had a studio in her basement, including a kiln, where she would create for hours, listening to the radio with her dog by her side. Judy also had the opportunity to share her passion for pottery with others, through teaching community education classes. Some of her students, mainly working women, loved the medium so much they took the class over and over again. “There is something so relaxing about working with your hands. We women were working so hard all day, so being able to relax was great. Pottery helped us do that,” Judy says.
“We’ve had a great response to the show,” says Kristy Collins, Executive Director of The Pines. “Residents are so proud and excited to see their artwork on display. A few residents invited their families out to see it over the weekend.”
To learn more about what sets The Pines apart, visit our website at https://thepines.mybrio.org/. For more information about Brio Living Services and its continuum of care for older adults, visit us online at https://mybrio.org/.