Between the Lines: Merging Portraits and Stories of Older Adults

I am excited to share in a project that has been funded/supported by the Edmonton Arts Council. I will engage with older adults to capture their likeness in both image and narrative to celebrate the beauty in ageing, culminating with a show of portraits and stories. I have been engaging older adults for portrait sittings for over 20 years as both an artist and a healthy ageing nurse. What began as an extension of my interest in watercolour portraits evolved into an exploration of a unique process that is a mode of reminiscence that is a positive experience for the model. During the sitting, I have the privilege of hearing anecdotes from their life story. I will digitally record the sittings and will later collaborate with a writer to merge the image and dialogue into a cohesive whole. I am proposing a formal final event with framed originals and a portable, travelling show that will visit interested venues (e.g., community sites, institutions, etc.). 

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