A Cranbourne aged care service has held an arts exhibition that connects different generations.
Lifeview Willow Wood hosted the Reilly Art Prize exhibition on Sunday 5 October.
Cody Winnell, executive manager of Marketing & Communications at Lifeview Residential Care, said the art program this year, named after the organisation’s executive director Peter Reilly OAM, pairs about seven local secondary students from Year 10 to 12 with aged care residents, with students painting their portraits over several visits.
At the exhibition, students displayed their final works, and prizes were presented.
Ben, a student from Wheelers Hill Secondary College, was the winner this year for the crochet he produced for resident Kathleen.
Charlotte from Monbulk College was highly commended for her portrait of resident Elizabeth.
Cranbourne Secondary College student Zohal won the Cranbourne Rotary Residents’ Choice Award for her portrait depicting resident Mike.
This year’s Reilly Art Prize pool is about $5,000.
Mr Winnell recalled that Ben remarked to him that when he first saw the program, he thought he probably couldn’t be in it because he didn’t consider himself a painter or a portrait artist.
“But he knew he was good at crochet. So he decided to enter a crochet piece, which is the first type of that particular type of artwork we’ve seen in this competition in the two years that we’ve run the competition,” he said.
“And the judges chose that as the winner.”
For the purpose of the program, Mr Winnell said having different generations of people working together is something very special.
“The students learn a lot from the residents, and the residents learn a lot from the students,” he said.
“Now, for our aged care residents, meeting with the student might remind them of when they were children. It might remind them of their own children. It might remind them of their grandchildren. It could be anything.
“They strike up a beautiful relationship, and I think each learns from the other. That’s certainly the feedback we’ve heard from both sides.
“From the resident’s point of view, we’ve heard comments such as the visits of the student are the highlight of their week.”
Mr Winnell said they wished to expand the program for next year and involve more local students.
The program is free to enter, and the only rule is that students need to be in either Year 10, 11, or 12.
Last year’s winner is Year 11 Emerald Secondary College student Luka, who was awarded a first prize for her portrait of Emerald Glades resident Doug on his drum kit.
