Seniors’ Art Rocks
An art instructor once said to Dorothy Staseson. “There’s not much wrong with your painting that a bottle of wine wouldn’t fix.” Staseson was in her winter home in Arizona when she heard that remark. She said, “I was fortunate to have five different instructors south of the border, especially as they had Fine Arts degrees.” She remembers the comment about wine because she still experiences the challenge that provoked it. She said, “The student of art is always trying for perfection while attempting to remember what was said by the instructor. Sometimes it’s better to just relax and have fun.” Staseson moved to Moose Jaw in 1950and by 1960 had joined with others to work at her painting. Roy Belbin invited her group to use a room in the basement of his High Street paint shop. These days Staseson, who is 91, participates in a class at Timothy Eaton Gardens, where she enjoys her painting partners and her teacher. Lorraine Fish is the instructor for the Timothy Eaton group, and they meet two times a week. The class includes Anna Dubord, Mona Deschamps, Joyce Evans, Karen Walpole, Laura Schultz, Dorothy Scarrow, Bessie Meeds and Sheila Hala. Staseson has high praise for her teacher. She said, “Lorraine is the perfect person to work with seniors. She is congenial and caring, and she never forces you to do anything. But she is always ready to help you with anything you try.” Over the last six weeks, this “Group of Nine” has had their art on display at the Moose Jaw Cultural Centre. For the artists involved it has been a great experience. “The exhibition has done a wonderful job of displaying their work,” said Fish. The artists really enjoy what they do, and now the public has seen how well they paint.” The Senior Art Exhibit runs to November 28th at Moose Jaw Cultural Centre, 217 Main St. N. Admission is free.