When Kristine Davis, senior living manager, began working at Good Samaritan – Heritage Place of Roseville, Minnesota, she had each resident take a survey to see what they were interested in.
“I wanted to brighten up the activities calendar with more variety,” says Kristine.
She learned that many of her residents are gifted creatively.
“We have this really special group of talented, artistic people – some work with fabrics, some are painters, and some are good at drawing or are musically talented,” she says.
With this knowledge, she planned some reoccurring creative-focused programs. They include coloring club, rock painting, drawing and painting, fabric art and Music Days with Mark.
“I keep a tally of what’s popular and what’s not,” Kristine says.
Because of the group’s love and appreciation for the arts, an idea was sparked.
Why not have an art fair?
‘Setting the stage’
She began making plans and found what she needed in the building, including tables, tablecloths and easels.
“I come from a background of working in independent living, and I was on the activity team for a year so I knew all the materials I’d need for an event like this,” says Kristine.
She made flyers inviting residents to participate. If a resident wasn’t an artist, she encouraged them to share a favorite family piece.
“Residents were super excited and had a countdown,” Kristine says. “I told them when I left for the day that Friday they could bring their pieces out and have them ready by Monday morning. Come Monday morning, I had to pull out five more tables.”
Each table had a small sign that listed who made the piece and what it was.
“The art fair became bigger than we expected, but that’s what I was hoping for,” says Kristine.
The big week
The art fair was held the first week of June. About 25 residents participated and displayed around 50 pieces of artwork throughout the first floor lobby area.
The art displayed included fabric art, quilts, yarn art, needlepoint, stitching, photography, paintings, drawings, paper mache and diamond art.
Some people brought a single piece and others brought a collection. Each had their own special story.
“One person had created a miniature teddy bear with a lot of tiny materials, and it had its own security case,” says Kristine.
Staff and family members were invited to visit.
“It definitely brought a lot more excitement than other programs. From almost morning to evening, there was hustle and bustle and buzz in the hallways. Everybody was chatting about the pieces and socializing,” Kristine says.
The second annual art fair is planned for June.
In the meantime, other new and creative events are scheduled throughout the coming months, including a perfume-making class and an ultimate games week.
“When you provide art and some entertainment, those are the things that they remember,” says Kristine.
