Creative Legacy Project
The Creative Legacy Project is a unique painting experience targeted towards seniors in PARC's Older Adults Day program as part of PARC's ongoing commitment to the use of art therapy. This project is made possible by a $2,000 grant from the Peoria Sertoma Foundation Fund and The Louise Flora Howard Memorial Fund of the Community Foundation of Central Illinois.
Based on a memory from their past, each participant in the Creative Legacy Project will create an original painting depicting an aspect of their reminiscence. Prior to creating their work of art, participants will learn a variety of acrylic painting techniques through hands on instruction. Progressively, PARC artists will learn about color (primary, secondary, neutral, light and dark, color blending), ways of painting (opaque, transparent, colored ground, texture, wet-on-wet), picture-making principles (composition, viewpoint, focal point, color relationships, color unity, color and tone relationships), and subjects (landscape, still life, portrait). Each artist will be given the opportunity to create an original painting.
Once the participants have the necessary training and tools to begin creating their original work of art, they will be asked to reminisce about a memory from their past. Reminiscent stories will be documented and then illustrated by the participants. The final project will include the artists' stories and paintings bound into a booklet entitled The Creative Legacy. The booklet will also include photographs of each artist, pictures of the sessions and statements from the artist.
The project is scheduled to begin in mid-January. Look for updates on the project as we follow the PARC artists through their creative process!
This project benefits the participating artists in many ways. Reminiscing and expressing the important incidents in an individual’s life, then recording and sharing those experiences with peers and the public are therapeutic in dealing and coping with the aging process. By remembering and creating stories and paintings of past events, participants solidify these memories and enrich their lives in the present. This project will provide a creative outlet for individuals with developmental disabilities to bridge verbal reminiscing with visual stimulus to provide a kinetic experience.
PARC’s Older Adult Day program provides aging adults with developmental disabilities with opportunities to become involved in activities and learning experiences directed toward their current abilities and interests. Emphasis is given on keeping the mind and body active through a vast array of social, leisure, physical, educational and sensory activities.
For more information on the Creative Legacy Project and PARC’s Older Adults program, contact Beth DeBoer at (309) 689-3679. If you are interested in supporting PARC’s Art Therapy program through project ideas, supplies, or funding, please Kim Cornwell at jcornwell@arcpeoria.org or (309) 689-3624. Brian Karl at bkarl@arcpeoria.org or (309) 689-3603.
