An art project in a small South Australian town has rekindled what had been a burgeoning relationship between local schools and the town’s aged care home that fell away because of COVID-19.
Families of both some of the youngest and oldest residents of Bordertown came together on Thursday for a series of art installations on show around the town as part of the Intergenerational Art Trail.
Project leader and Bordertown Primary School art teacher Emma Harkness said her school had a good relationship with the Charla Lodge aged care home before 2020.
However, COVID-19 prompted restrictions on how the elderly could interact with children in the town where concerns were among the greatest about the virus spreading from Victoria into South Australia.
Children and aged care residents drew each other as part of the project. (Supplied: Bordertown Primary School)
She said it was a “heartwarming experience for all those involved” to see the connection rekindled through the production and showing of the artwork.
The involvement of the Carol Murray Children’s Centre and Bordertown High School also added to the sense of the community coming back together.
“I first imagined organising one project between each of the sites, but as we started doing these projects … the positive feedback that we were getting meant more projects and more interactions were created,” Ms Harkness said.
“Now, throughout the school year, we’ve ended up with 10-plus collaborations between these sites.”
Bordertown Primary School students Lexie and Lara with Charla Lodge residents Beryl Wiese and Lois Myles, holding the portraits they made of each other. (Supplied: Bordertown Primary School)
Collaborations keep growing
Some of the projects involved included the primary school art club and aged care residents drawing portraits of each other.
Children and the elderly residents also worked together to make abstract paintings, and the high school home economics class made soft toys based on reception students’ drawings of monsters.
“When the receptions saw their drawings come to physical form in these soft toys, it was one of the highlights of our collaboration,” Ms Harkness said.
Bordertown Primary School reception students TJ and Brooke with toys made by Bordertown High School students based on the monsters they drew. (Supplied: Bordertown Primary School)
Lara, 11, enjoyed working with the aged care residents.
“It was actually really fun,” she said.
Charla Lodge lifestyle wellbeing coordinator Beck Upenieks said the residents initially felt “timid” and “embarrassed” about their rusty art and craft skills but the “walls came down” soon after the children arrived.
She said they had been able to interact with children during the pandemic, but it was often through windows or letter-writing.
“It’s definitely 100 per cent increased residents’ wellbeing, their happiness, their joy just by having their interaction with the children,” she said.
Australia’s oldest woman, 110-year-old Lorna Henstridge, was among the residents involved. (Supplied: Bordertown Primary School)
Rachel Joyce, 90, used to be a teacher and does not have her own children or grandchildren, so she enjoyed being able to work with young people again.
“I think it’s good for the children to mix with the older people and I think the older people enjoy them,” she said.
Tatiara Mayor Liz Goossens officially opens the Intergenerational Art Trail in Bordertown. (Supplied: Sarah Cunningham)
More art added to gallery
Many of the portraits made by school students and the elderly will be on show in Bordertown’s Walkway Gallery until November 30.
The gallery has also encouraged people to add their own portraits to the exhibition.
“Anyone can come in and do it and we’ve seen people of all ages come in and painstakingly draw their portrait and then stick it to the wall,” gallery director Naomi Fallon said.
“That wall is chock-a-block full of portraits — it’s looking absolutely wonderful — and hopefully it will continue to grow a bit more, maybe even take over another wall depending on how we go.”
People can add their own portraits to the exhibition at the Walkway Gallery. (Supplied: Walkway Gallery)
With the town split between long-time residents and migrants attracted by work at the local abattoir, she said it was an important project to bring everyone together.
“It’s been a wonderful project for the community as a whole and something we’re really passionate about following through,” Ms Fallon said.