Artfully Aging 2024

Ozark Action, Inc. (OAI), the West Plains Arts Alliance, Howell County Health Department, and MU Extension are partnering to bring a day of arts experiences to West Plains! The event will be held Tuesday, July 16, 2024, 1-4PM in the Community Room at the MU Extension offices, 1376 Bill Virdon Blvd. in East Towne Village, West Plains, MO.

In this second year, attendees aged 60+ will have an opportunity to enjoy special hands-on art activities from a variety of local artists, enjoy refreshments. and receive important updates on benefits provided by some specific Medicare/Medicaid programs. The Howell County Health Department Mobile Van will be on site for tours and/or vaccinations.

Arts Alliance members will share information on their upcoming events. Door prizes will be awarded, including t-shirts from Explore West Plains and a Chamber gift certificate from the West Plains Chamber of Commerce.

Featured artists and their projects include:

Angela Bullard – Needle felting as an art form really came into its own in the 80s with the use of a single, hand-held needle and can be used to make 3-D objects and vibrant, tactile landscape “paintings” using only loose wool and a felting needle.

Terri Combs – Gel printing is a fun and easy technique of making one-of-a-kind prints with simple tools and materials.  Participants will make a 5 x 7 print with acrylic paint that can be used as a piece of art, greeting card, or in a scrapbook, journal or collage.   You’ll be amazed at the results you get from a little acrylic paint and experimentation with a gel plate.

Cleo Cockrum – Introduction to the mountain dulcimer. Participants will learn a couple of traditional songs and basic strumming techniques on the mountain dulcimer. Practice instruments will be provided by West Plains Council on the Arts.

Terry Hampton – Upcycling Memories: Creating collages to honor sentimental items

Whether it’s greeting cards, letters and notes from friends and relatives or other paper items with sentimental value, many of us have things stuck away in drawers and boxes that we don’t want to throw away, but we rarely see and enjoy. Here you’ll get suggestions for how to decrease “stuff” and condense it for display.

Danette House – Do you have a story or memory that you’d like to pass on to other members of your family? Or even future generations? You can do just that at this Artfully Aging project.

My name is Danette House, and I am a Traditional Ozarks Storyteller. I want you to tell me your story that you’d like to share with anyone you choose. We’ll sit and chat for a few minutes. I’ll make a few notes, maybe ask a few questions, and I will tape record you. You can tell me about something that happened to you in your youth, or how it was to grow up when you did. Relate a memory about a special person in your life. Tell how you met your spouse. Talk about a proud, sad, funny, or scary moment in your life.

After we talk, I will look at my notes and listen to your taped story again. I will write it into a story form and send it to you via email or regular mail. You can even make copies and give them to your whole family. I know they would love to have a treasure like this from you. So, have a short story or memory in mind that you want to share.

Dawn King – Quilling is the art of rolling, bending and creasing narrow strips of paper into coils and scrolls. The shapes are assembled into two- and three- dimensional decorative designs.

Try your hand at manipulating paper and soon you will be “on a roll” when you start assembling your quilled shapes into intricate designs.

Tara Shahan – Mod Podge – Do you know how easy it is to make a gorgeous ornament? With just a few minutes, you can learn how to make a napkin ornament that will be one of your new favorite Christmas crafts!  These ornaments look hand-painted with so little effort.  The possibilities are endless!

Dolores Winkler – Glass etching is a fun and easy way to make glassware more personal or decorative.   It’s easy and it’s quick. Great for gifts.  I will have many stencils to choose from.   You will be inspired to create many more projects at home after learning this technique.

For more information about the event, contact Kay Mead at OAI kmead@oaiwp.org or Paula Speraneo at info@westplainsarts.org