Graff iti grannies
97 and 'tagging', 'bombing' and 'spraying' their way to street-art stardom.
Avan rolls up, blasting Beastie Boys, to an industrial shed filled with drop sheets and spray paint cans. A gang of around 20 people pile out. At first, it looks like they’re up to no good ... but it turns out these graffiti artists, known as the Feros Grow Bold CREWSTARS, are aged between 80 and 97 years ... and they’re here to “pimp their ride”.
Residents from the Feros Care Residential Village in Byron Bay teamed-up with street artist, Teazer, to transform their run-of-the-mill Toyota Commuter bus into a bold piece of art, turning heads as it transports residents to social outings in style.
It’s all part of Feros Care’s ethos to grow bold; smashing stereotypes around ageing and ability; proving it’s never too late to try new things.
Through the “Pimp My Ride” project, the residents not only learned about the history of street art, but also how to “tag”, “bomb” and “spray” their way to street-art stardom, with their antics appearing on national television.
For 91-year-old artist Lois Sanderson, it was something she never dreamed she would do. “It is entirely different to any art I’ve done before and I loved it,” she says.“I loved transforming a drawing into a new form of art using spray paint. I never would have done that; and now I have.”
It’s this sentiment that Feros Care encourages in their residential villages and through their home care for seniors — Grow Bold. Expand your horizons. Push your boundaries.
“I love how Feros encourages us to embrace different things. Things that I never would have thought possible, all of a sudden are possible,” says Nina Marzi, aged 97 .
“Pimp My Ride”, along with weekly Silent Discos and campaigns like “Ask Gran Not Google”, are just some of the many Feros Care initiatives designed to connect people of all ages and abilities and ignite their passion for life.
“I loved transforming a drawing into a new form of art using spray paint. I never would have done that; and now I have.”