Art club members and seniors bring life stories to canvas

The Webster Art Club, based at the Webster Recreation Center, has spent the last month or so turning memories into masterpieces, and the beautiful results are now on display for everyone to see.

In a heartfelt collaboration which began in early October, Webster Art Club members met with seniors and listened to their stories of childhood adventures, family traditions, life-changing journeys, and the quiet moments that shaped a lifetime. Over the weeks following their conversations, the artists took those stories and turned them into beautiful works of art.

Eleven art club members and nine seniors participated in the project, called Senior Inspirations. Last Wednesday morning, the seniors got their first look at the finished artworks when they were unveiled at a reception held in the Recreation Center hallway where the works are now on display.

As she welcomed the artists, seniors and community members in attendance, Mary Coy, co-president of Webster Art Club, explained,

This project came about after I read that the top contributing factor for healthy aging is having strong social connections, more so than even diet and exercise. Always trying to think of new ideas, I thought it might be nice for our club to do a community project that encouraged social connections.

Two months, ago, we invited folks to come to the Rec Center for an hour to connect with artists in our club and talk about their life stories, their memories and anything else they felt comfortable sharing, The room was abuzz with conversation, which in turn provided us as artists with the sparkle of inspiration needed to create the drawings and paintings now hanging on the wall.

One by one, each artist stepped up to their work, inviting their senior subject to join them, and shared the meaning behind their piece. They told of being fascinated by the stories they heard — sometimes sad, other times humorous or adventurous — and how hard it was to decide which of those stories inspired them most, and would make it into the final composition.

Without exception, the seniors were delighted with the results. The finished pieces included acrylic, watercolor, colored pencil, pastels, pen and ink, collage, and even one created on an iPad. They brought to life a wide variety of memories, from stories about a favorite childhood bicycle and a long-ago bee sting to peaceful nature scenes and Paris cafe — every one an illustration of a life well lived. At the end of the reception, each senior received a print of the original artwork.

The artworks will remain on display through the end of December.

WHAM Channel 13 was there to cover the event for that evening’s Bright Spot segment. You can see that piece here.

If you’d like to see more beautiful work by the Webster Art Club, stop by the Webster Public Library from Dec. 6 through 27 for their annual art show, displayed in the lobby. You can even vote for your favorite piece.

Here are some more photos from the reception:

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(posted 11/24/2025)