With a dollop of paint, the pressing of fingers, and the swirling of colours, memories are brought to life at the Calvary Haydon Aged Care and Retirement Community. The residents relive moments of joy from simply being in the garden to grand parties and musical performances, while also creating new memories with their neighbours. A collection of the works created in these sessions is on show in Creatively Ageing at Belconnen Arts Centre until 5 February.

The session begins with residents absorbing the ambiance of soft classical music, taking a few moments to go back in time and think of something they would like to focus on this week. It doesn’t always happen that the memory at the start is the one they end up seeing when the work is complete; art is subjective at any age.  

Betty Szuromi, a diversional therapist, has been working at the facility for the past three years and overseeing the program for the last two. Together, she and two others make up the Lifestyle and Leisure team which provides the residents with activities and avenues to enrich their lives.

“It is interesting how it has opened their mind up because what we are doing is capturing a memory from the past and they bring it into the present. That inspires them to use the colours, to use the shapes, to create something which is positive thinking, a positive memory which is very important because that can help them to think positively,” Ms Szuromi says.

In the beginning, some of the residents were hesitant to start painting, saying they wouldn’t know what to do having never picked up a brush before. Ms Szuromi says their approach has always been to focus on what the residents can do rather than on what they can’t, and by creating a patient and relaxed environment, they have seen them blossom.

“Self-esteem is turning to be something they never knew they had and the therapy itself is a   telepathic activity, where they learn to communicate with colours. What they learn from the experiment is they have a language that is not lost in memories,” she says.

Creatively Ageing is the first public exhibition to be created by the residents. The facility has its own art gallery where pieces are regularly rotated. Ms Szuromi says the residents are always thrilled to take their visitors there and show them what they created. She has been working with the team at Belconnen Arts Centre for the past 12 months to get the exhibition up and running, with residents creating art specifically for it.

Some create unaided while others need a bit of help; Ms Szuromi walks around the table and guides the artists with instructions. Today, they are flipping canvases onto paint splatters on cling film, each moving the paint from the other side of the canvas.

Though their bodies are showing signs of lives well lived, their spirits shine through brightly as ever. Rhoda’s enthusiasm fills the room as she moves the paint beneath her fingers; she instructs the resident across from her that he also has to massage the paint underneath the canvas. Rhoda ensures she attends every class, saying how much it means to her to do things like this.

Once she unveils her manipulated paints, Rhoda is transported back in time.

“This is the house, this is the beach, and this is the little floating things,” she explains.

A turbulent sea, a resident’s old garden filled with blooms, rain-soaked roses, and partying owls are all present on the canvasses. Some require a bit more observation before telling their story.

“It’s an activity and it can turn out quite different to anything, you can’t invent it … it is an activity that gives you something to do and then figure out what it is meant to be. I’m beginning to see an owl in there, it’s an owl at a party,” smiles Mark.

An eye condition keeps Mark from attending most of the sessions as the lighting and the day need to align, however, you wouldn’t be able to tell it was only his second class, joking and playing around with the other residents. The space is one that is inviting. One of the other artists tells Mark how much she likes her painting because it reminds her of roses, which are her favourite flowers.

Stu’s daughter Chris says she would like to see today’s painting hanging in her father’s room as it holds memories of the beach, the theme of his room. Approaching his 99th birthday, Stu can be a bit unwilling to do things at times, Chris says, however, he always enjoys the art activities as it gets him out of his normal wing.

Once the arts and crafts are done, it is time for the morning tea trolley to do its rounds. Coffee, tea, and slices of cake are delivered to the residents as they continue to discuss their artworks and the memories attached to them.

See the residents’ memories in Creatively Ageingat Belconnen Arts Centre until 5 February; belcoarts.com.au

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