As the slow summer heat egregiously began to creep in, a group of seniors from the senior center continued with their paintings at the Botanical Garden’s in Clovis’ Dry Creek Park.
The seniors were there in the morning from around eight to ten o’clock on a field trip of sorts as a reward for finishing an eight weeks long course with their art teacher.
Kristina Palmer, Art Instructor with the Senior Center brought the seniors out to the Botanical Garden’s for the first time. She explained that when the fall returns the seniors will revisit the Gardens for a longer period. They will not be making many more trips throughout this summer.
Palmer explained that upon finishing an eight week class, she had pitched the idea to bring the class to the Gardens as a last session and celebration. Palmer then described the seniors’ paintings that day as a kick-off to the summer classes.
Paintings included images of flowers and plants seen at the Botanical Gardens as well as overall setting and ambiance. A few of the seniors from the class described being in the gardens as providing an inspiration towards their works.
Palmer spoke about that inspiration of being in the Botanical Gardens, “I think the peace you find in nature gives you an ability to kind of open your heart up so that you’re able to not be so stressed. When you’re painting, sometimes coming to the canvas, it’s overwhelming and it’s hard to release all the things that are going on in the day.” She reverberated, “I think being in the gardens and out in nature just kind of helps that creativity start a little faster.”
In a notice explaining the art class, the outdoor class is described as a “plein air painting technique” in which seniors were given the chance to paint outside. Much as Palmer spoke about, students were celebrating their eight week course with this special opportunity.
In recounting their experience, some of the seniors described the class as “stimulating, creative, and relaxing”. This is all not to mention the chance for socializing and challenging themselves to create and to project their inner artistic perspectives.
Palmer began teaching at the Senior Center in September of 2021 and has over 30 years of experience under her belt. She, as well as the Seniors, look forward to the Fall when they can get back outside to continue their artistic processes.