What are the differences and similarities in working with the K-12 and older adult populations?

I think the similarities are greater than the differences. I design curriculum and teach with the age and experience level of the students in mind. I want students to have opportunities to develop skills in a given medium, become familiar with other artists in that medium and similar themes, and for students to be able to work on their own ideas and interests through the art making processes.

No matter what age I am teaching, I am always taking into account students interests, abilities, life experience, and language.  I have experience working with students of different ages who have disabilities, and I am therefore accustomed to making accommodations to make the learning accessible.  In working with older adults, I may encounter more students with fine or gross motor challenges, or other health issues, than in working with youngsters (but not necessarily.) The big difference has to do with attitude – meaning the fearlessness I mentioned that older adults have towards experimentation and discovery. Younger people are so often more concerned with making mistakes or with others’ opinions. Olders care much less about those things, having lived through a lifetime of learning through mistakes and surviving others’ opinions. Consequently, they just dive right in with gusto!

What have been your biggest challenges? How do you respond?

My biggest challenges have often had to do with the settings in which many Creative Aging programs are held. They are not usually set up as facilities for art making, and they often have much less than desired physical attributes. Such as: uncomfortable or inappropriate furniture for what we’re trying to do, no place for display or presentation, lack of secure materials’ storage, no easily accessed water and noise or other activities interfering with our concentration.

In these cases, I either make do with what is available or ask for assistance and accommodation, which may or may not be provided. In some settings, where there have not been a lot of art activities in the past, it can be a challenge to build support and participation in an art class. Unless the olders have been demanding an art program for some time, which has happened, it may take a while for regular senior centers or library attendees to become involved with the art activities. This means spending time talking to folks playing bingo or watching TV and trying to get them interested, or encouraging adult librarians to do more outreach.

I have found that once people participate in an active educational art class for a while, they get so engaged that they encourage others through word of mouth. This is fine in situations where art classes are ongoing or repeated, but it doesn’t work for short stand-alone programs. So ultimately, the biggest challenge is getting community centers and organizations to recognize the value of Creative Aging programs and encouraging them to seek/provide funding for substantial programming. My response to that is to be an advocate wherever I can.

What is the most satisfying aspect of this work?

It is so satisfying when older students are excited about their own and each other’s work. I feel that I have really accomplished something when students tell me that they had never imagined being able to make what they just made.  Students often tell me that the art making process makes them feel relaxed. That it is satisfying. When older students tell me that because of our class they have begun making art at home on their own, I am really thrilled.

What have been your most memorable moments?

I can’t stop thinking about something an eighty-seven year old student told me this year. He began to notice that when he is making art, he observes his mind thinking differently. During his entire working life, he had worked at a blue-collar job; then retired and participated in family and community activities. But, it wasn’t until he started making art that he noticed a difference in his mind’s behavior. He said that while he draws, his mind relaxes and begins to think of other ways and other things to draw. He said that he had never paid any attention whatsoever to art before our class. He thought it wasn’t at all something important or that he would be interested in. He said that now, whenever he sees a piece of art, he looks at it and thinks about it closely. He now feels that art is part of his life.

What skills are most important when working with older adults?

• A sense of humor and patience is invaluable.
• Being able to recognize and try to rid oneself of one’s own ageist attitudes is essential.
• Be a good listener.
• Be able to tune in to how your participants are reacting to the process and respond appropriately.

How does this work inform your own artistic process?