OXFORD – Marcella McElroy has enjoyed painting and writing for much of her life, but recently her passion for the arts has been renewed. Her inspiration? The idea of seeing one of her pieces appear in an upcoming art show titled Still Creating: The Artistry of Long Term Care Residents.
McElroy and fellow residents at the New York State Veterans’ Home in Oxford have been working diligently on their submissions for the show, which is sponsored by the Chenango County Senior Citizen Council and opens in Norwich this Friday. For McElroy, who turns 77 this month, it is a labor of love.
Although she has painted through the years, McElroy said she only produced about one painting a year before coming to the Vets’ Home. Most of those previous pieces, including one that received first prize at the Delaware County Fair several years ago, have been given to friends and family.
Now McElroy, a recent widow, spends more of her time painting.
“It gives me so much pleasure that I don’t want to stop,” said the artist with a smile. Other residents get joy from her work as well; a crowd often gathers while McElroy paints.
“My inspiration comes from nature,” said McElroy. She is particularly taken by flora and fauna. Many of her current pieces depict flowers and landscapes.
The artist also finds time to write poetry and stories and has had several poems published over the years.
McElroy encourages others to experiment with artistic expression, hoping they will find the same pleasure she does. “People of any age can do more than they think they can,” said McElroy. “If they’d just start in, they would realize they have more talent than they know.”
“I’d love to see other people’s paintings,” said McElroy, who is looking forward to the art show to further inspire her work.
Some of the facility’s residents who will be contributing to the show have artistic backgrounds like McElroy, but not all. According to Activities Director Alan Hopson, the program gave those residents a chance to try something new.
“Some pieces were a cooperative effort,” said Hopson. Three or four residents from the Alzheimer’s ward began painting as part of an art therapy exercise and their work became a group project, explained the activities director.
“They do some great work, especially considering their limitations,” said Carrie Mohr, a member of the Activities Department staff. Mohr described how she held the canvas for one resident who paints by holding a paintbrush in her mouth.
The New York State Veterans’ Home is proud to have residents submitting pieces to the Still Creating show. “We plan to keep these pieces for display at the new facility,” said Hopson.
McElroy’s painting will appear, along with the work of residents from other area skilled nursing and residential care facilities, at the Chenango County Council of the Arts’ Mareia Brown and Raymond Loft Galleries. The show will open with a reception from 5 to 7 p.m. on Friday and artwork will remain on display through Oct. 9.
Still Creating: The Artistry of Long Term Care Residents was made possible by a donation from Golden Artist Colors and the support of the Area Agency on Aging.