Hands On: Art Exploration for Adults
Participants will learn a new skill and have a sense of accomplishment; experience creative activity; and meet with others and share this experience.
Eleven different art classes, covering everything from watercolor painting, to writing to block printing were held. We required advanced registration and almost every class was full well before they began. Artist instructors from COMPAS, Artistry, the Loft, and the Textile Center taught the classes, as well as local experts on Zentangle and block printing. Of the 230 adults that participated, almost ¾ were age 55 or older (our target audience), and about one-third had never before attended a program at the library.
The evaluations were very positive. Ninety-seven percent of participants who filled out evaluations rated the classes a 4 or a 5 (5 being “excellent”), and the only complaints were that the classes weren’t long enough or that there needed to be more classes.
With very supportive instructors, participants felt very comfortable experimenting with various art forms, and their comments reflect this: “Presentation of technique took fear out of trying new media”; and “Try new activity – no risk, no criticism”. They also experienced a sense of satisfaction in learning something new, and something that they could continue to do on their own: “Allows participants to continue at home independently”. And finally, they enjoyed the social interaction with others in the class: “Sharing ideas – meeting women while learning”.