Nevada Senior Services’ art program was developed by our Program Director Dee Dee Woodberry for our Adult Day ReCreation program. Our art program encourages participants to view themselves in a new light, less like service recipients and more like autonomous, creative individuals whose voices and lives are valued. All our programs are developed to encourage brain health, and to foster the health of the mind, body, and spirit. Our art program does just that and encourages playful moments of collaboration and community. Our center is decorated with stunning examples of artwork that reflect who we and our participants are, welcoming everyone into a space filled with the stories of our community and its members.
The art program provides participants with small group experiences during the Adult Day ReCreation program, which runs six days a week. The program has grown over time, while keeping its costs to a minimum via the use of recycled materials.
Central to our mission is ensuring that everyone at Nevada Senior Services receives the care they need. In pursuing this mission, we center compassion. That means we keep our work person-centered and we see the whole person. Art lets them share pieces of themselves that are often overlooked in people as they age, especially those who are receiving supplemented services.
Our favorite stories are always those of the caregivers who tell us at the outset that their loved ones won’t want to participate in the art program. Ultimately, those are often the same people who value it the most: Rather than thinking about what someone cannot do, won’t do, or shouldn’t do, art permits them to think about what they can do, will do, and should do.
Artist: Yvette Castaldo
Age: 65
Yvette was in a wheelchair. She now ambulates with a walker and is able to dance around the Center with a huge smile on her face. Her joy shines through the abstract art she makes.
Artist: Kem Ray
Age: 68
Kem is incredibly kind-hearted and has a very generous soul. He is the type of person who would give you the coat off his back. He enjoys spending time with friends and outside on the patio with the sun on his face. He says, “We are one! The world needs love!”
Artist: Kenneth Adams
Age: 76
Kenneth has a beautiful singing voice and sings karaoke every day. We are inspired by his rendition of “I Believe I Can Fly.” He says, “you can make a friend over a cup of coffee.” Kenneth was a Blackjack dealer on the Las Vegas Strip and enjoys talking about how to play 21, or Blackjack.
Artist: Verna Funchess
Age: 85
Verna is soulful and quiet, but she is not afraid to express herself through her art. She is very cool, always looking stylish in her shades. Verna is brave, trying new things despite being uncertain. She says, “if you don’t try, you don’t succeed.”
Artist: Christolyn Higginbotham
Age: 82
Christolyn was 82 when she completed this art. She always loved to have her hair done and clothes just right. She always came to the Center wearing a smile on her face. Christolyn was always color coordinated, which can be seen through her art and beautiful style.
Artist: Raunie Walker
Age: 32
Raunie uses a wheelchair but that doesn’t stop her from floating around the Center. She is happy, social, and kind. She is a one-woman welcoming committee, bringing joy to everyone she meets. Raunie expresses her love for music through this art of a guitar. Music is like a heartbeat to her.
Artist: Ellen Jackson
Age: 75
Ellen is an avid reader who loves mysteries and is a wonderful artist. Ellen believes in finding joy in each day. She says it is a good idea to laugh and have fun because tomorrow isn’t promised.
Artist: William Payne
Age: 80
William has fancy feet, he is always moving and grooving. He loves music and is the first one on the dance floor. William exercises daily and is a go-getter. His art represents his bright personality.
