Art Show Under Way At Retirement Center

Thu., Sept. 21, 2000

By Mike Prager mikeprager15@gmail.com (509) 459-5454

A visual art show featuring artists 55 and older is on display this week at Waterford on South Hill retirement center.

It is the first show of its kind by a newly formed group called Monarch, which is dedicated to bringing art to seniors.

Twenty accomplished artists with about 50 works are included in the show. Most are paintings in watercolor, acrylic and oil. Quite a few are colorful still lifes.

There is at least one garden sculpture of a little girl done in bronze with a new pigmenting technique used for her clothing.

The exhibit is in the main lobby of Waterford at 29th and Pittsburg and is open to the public from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. through Sunday.

Waterford spokeswoman Shanna Peterson said the art show is part of the retirement center’s efforts to reach out to the broader community, and a good way to serve the city’s elder population.

One artist with works in the show will appear at the exhibit today and Friday. Marlene Johnson will be on hand today from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m., and Irene Dahl, who helped organize the event, will be on hand Friday at the same time.

“This is a wonderful way for anyone of any age to learn more about the arts directly from the artists,” Peterson said.

“We invite everyone to come enjoy the beautiful work created by these talented people.”

Monarch organizers hope to encourage elders to pursue the arts themselves. Dahl said art either through practice or appreciation can be beneficial to overall health.

Monarch is affiliated with the Prevention and Early Detection (PED) organization, which sponsors the annual Inland Northwest Seniors Wellness Conference in Spokane.

A similar show will open at The Academy retirement center in the Logan Neighborhood on Oct. 9.

Other exhibits are planned for late January at the Holman Gardens and March at Cooper George retirement centers.

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