Creative Aging: The Powerful Intersection Between Life & Art

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In a time of pandemic, older adults were hit hard and yet rose to the occasion.  In this episode, Lynda-Monick-Isenberg  takes us on a journey into the world of “Creative Aging.”  What is “Creative Aging?” Why is it a global movement? How is creativity linked to longevity?

In Lynda’s Zoom class, older adults explored the art of collage, personal themes and visual storytelling.  “It was this way of opening up their arts experience to their lived experience.” 

Lynda Monick-Isenberg is a visual artist and Professor Emeritus at the Minneapolis College of Art & Design. Her work is in museums, private collections and she has large-scale tapestry commissions nationwide.

QUOTE HIGHLIGHTS

LYNDA:  “These are professional artists...who come in to work with older adults. These are professionals that teach in a professional modality that teach professional skills and believe deeply in the ability of everybody to learn and to make, and to be creative."

LYNDA: “... They began ...to look back into their life and create a collage about their life. And they started to remember stories about their lives that they had totally forgotten because you know how it is, it's a smell that comes or it's a, a color that hits you, or it's the way the light connects where whole stories of who they were unfolded in a collage. And then we would look at it... And we could see it and we would say it and they would shine.”

LYNDA:  “...To all of us that have given so much and cared so deeply about, about what an artful world is. That human beings are creative problem solvers, no matter how they think of themselves. Every human being is a creative person. It's part of our DNA to be a creative human being. And to acknowledge that, that's what teachers do.”

 LINKSLynda Monick-Isenberg 

Lynda Monick-Isenberg, Professor Emeritus at the Minneapolis College of Art & Design 

CommonBond Communities 

Piece By Piece: Connection Through Collage by Hannah Swanson

COMPAS (Community Programs in the Arts) 

Lifetime Arts -NATIONAL LEADERS IN CREATIVE AGING PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT

E.A.Michelson- Philanthropy:  Inspiring Creativity for ages 55 and better

Ted Talk:  Let’s end agism/ Ashton Applewhite (Youtube)

Lifetime Arts:  Examples of work we do for training teaching artists

Lynda Monick-Isenberg created

Today's episode is brought to you by the Joan of Arc Scroll Medal, a beautiful brass alloy medal, designed by award-winning artist, Pat Benincasa. This uniquely shaped medal is ideal for holiday or as a special occasion gift!    Visit www.patbenincasa-art.com

Please Note: The views expressed by our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of the podcaster.

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