Elder Art - Winter into Spring

Spring Trees, by Memory Care resident

 After a series of winter themes -polar bears, snow men, Christmas trees,  I told my class, Spring IS coming.  I told them about the cardinal I saw singing his heart out in a bare tree. Then we painted from this picture, borrowed from the internet and "cleaned up" in Photoshop, to simplify the image:

 

The search for basic shapes was almost too hard for my Memory Care class. The strong lines of the branch  distracted. Perhaps, too, the image should have been only of one bird. (One student painted both of them, tho.) But everyone worked hard. The students kept me so busy I forgot to take pictures until the second class, of Assisted Living residents, took their place:

 

The male

 This second group grows in numbers each week. As folks return, they bring questions, ideas, even work they did between classes. It is all so heartening. Here are some of their pieces after a short hour together:

The female. Wonderful color mixing.

Notice how the details -eyes and bill -tend to blur. This, I'm learning, is unavoidable when you combine the media (watercolor) with the short time and shaking hands. I'm exploring other options - colored pencils, markers - but must remember also to provide a means for correction. Suggestions, anyone?

Beautiful sketch

 They had such a good time they didn't want to stop for lunch. We hatched a plan for the following week, when they meet without me.

Ready for Spring

Everyone got a copy of the photo clipped to their painting. They will finish the images next week. A satisfying solution for everyone, including me.