Painting with Seniors project in collaboration with Siau-Jiun Lim
18 July, 2025
Dunedin
Funded by
Creative NZ
18 July, 2025
Dunedin
Funded by
Creative NZ
Art is a captivating medium that connects people. A painting can communicate in many ways, from the simplicity of colour to the complexity of personal reflection. Creating portraits of the seniors at Highview Home has been a courageous and humbling experience for me. It's not just about artistic interpretation; it's also about how each individual sees themselves in the artwork.
Some seniors have told me that the portraits don't quite feel like "them," because the image in their heart remains that of a younger self. Even as our bodies age, many of us still feel around 20 inside. Maybe my interpretation isn’t entirely accurate—or maybe that’s exactly the point. Either way, the process has been deeply rewarding.
One of the most powerful lessons I’ve learned from these workshops is that everyone’s creative process is unique. Making art often involves struggle—wanting to get it right, feeling inadequate, and facing self-doubt. The seniors and I share these emotions during our weekly sessions, where frustration and joy often coexist.
Creativity is accessible because it is something we are born with. It can arise from both conscious intention and subconscious expression. This means we don’t always need a clear purpose to create art; it can also emerge naturally as a behaviour shaped by our experiences. Surrealists like André Breton and André Masson practised automatic drawing, minimizing conscious control to allow the subconscious to express itself directly—creating art "freed of rational control." For example, Lindsay draws squares inspired by his past experiences and loves creating windows and doors like those he once constructed. Laurie prefers lines and geometric forms; he wants to ensure he gets it right. Watching them work has reminded me that my conscious mind can sometimes get in the way. In seeking perfection, we can lose touch with our own intuition.
This exhibition is a celebration of that process—emotional, personal, and shared growth.
