Every Tuesday for the last year, approximately 20 Elders at the long-term care facility at Mamawetan Churchill River Regional Health Authority in La Ronge have the chance to channel their inner artist through an initiative led by Miriam Körner, the artist and author resident at the Alex Robertson Library.
Normally smaller markets, like La Ronge, do not have the funding for an art resident, but Körner applied for a grant with the Saskatchewan Art Board. Before the grant was approved, she needed to answer an exploratory question: how can sharing stories contribute to the well-being of the community?
Körner worked with all sorts of people in the community to answer this question, and the grant was approved, enabling her to be the artist and author resident at the Alex Robertson Library for a year.
Her next project was to work with the Elders, which began early 2018.
“We just started with who we are,” says Körner. “We started with self-portraits where they drew their face in the center and everything that is important to them surrounding them.”
She says many of the Elders started the program with a can’t-do attitude, thinking they wouldn’t be good painters. As time went on, they began to realize that it was about the journey, and not the finished product.
“Later on we looked at different activities they like to do in different seasons. So, there was always a narrative story behind their art. Especially being in the north there was lots of reoccurring themes, like hunting, berry picking and going to the cabin,” says Körner.
Some Elders who suffer from dementia were able to express themselves with the paintbrush while recalling memories of their childhood.
She adds that some Elders were non-verbal or did not speak English, but Körner was happy to discover a way to communicate with them through the arts.
In early December, the long-term care facility at Mamawetan Churchill River Regional Health Authority hosted an unveiling of the 70 pieces of art. Approximately 50 people attended the event and the art became available to bid through an auction.
Körner’s residency ended last week, and the proceeds from the auction is to fund the art program for another year.
“So many Elders had such a rough and hard life and we would sit around the table and they would tell stories and they would giggle and they have such a positive outlook on life, even in their last stages of life. So, I think that’s something that I took away (from the project) that will stick with me for life,” answered Körner when asked about what she learned.
She says that she thinks the Elders learned how to travel to a different place through the arts.
The art is now on display at Mistasinihk Place in La Ronge and the public can go and see the art until tomorrow to place a bid on it.
(Elder’s art on display at Mistasinihk Place. Photo by Katrina Cameron)