Aged Care Facility Painting and Mosaic Workshop

Murroona Gardens Aged Care Facility
Painting and Mosaic Workshop

Pam Finlay
“Inspiring creativity”

Recently in November 2010 I coordinated a series of painting and mosaic workshops at an aged care facility in my locality. The first part of the program was a series of painting workshops followed by a series of mosaic workshops where residents collaborated with a primary school in our region and produced a mosaic mural for the facility. The painting workshops I tutored unearthed talented budding artists in the elderly participants. Many of the participants were more than 90 years of age and had never put a brush stroke to a canvas. The final works were very impressive and gave the residents an opportunity to tap into their artistic side. The project provided an outlet for their creativity and also aided with social interaction. It also gave them relief from pain and helped them to remain active mentally and physically as well as having some fun.

“As a Mosaicist and Artist I believe that everyone through inspiration is able to fulfill their creative dreams. My aim as a tutor is to help students discover their creative talents and provide a joyful experience for the student.”

The above mission statement has definitely been fulfilled in the “Murroona Gardens Art Project”. The project certainly affirms that age and disability have been proven to be no barrier to the creation of professionally finished artworks. The residents have also been able to make valuable contributions to their local community with the Mosaic Mural they have created.

As an Arts Educator I aim to enable people of all ages to express themselves artistically in a way that they will find to be personally rewarding and recognized and appreciated by others. I hope to increase awareness of their individual artistic expression and help them to enrich their community.

In the planning process of this program I actively worked with clients individually to ascertain their unique needs and capabilities and supported them in achieving their goals. By sharing my skills I have been able to assist in enhancing and empowering their independence. Many activities in the arts may seem impossible in the beginning. My purpose is to bridge that gap and provide people with inspiration, a desire, creativity and support to perform tasks that may have seemed to be impossible become possible. I have found in this project that the residents have mentored each other in the creative process.

I have felt very privileged to have been asked to deliver the Art Workshops for the Murroona Gardens residents and have had great satisfaction in helping them unleash their creativity to discover their hidden potential. Being surrounded by the residents and staff has reaffirmed my hopes of helping them reach their creative goals. These experiences have had an incredible impact on my life and it’s been a pleasure to participate in the whole process.