Art and language go together like peas and carrots, peanut butter and jelly, shoes and socks. (Okay, maybe not shoes and socks.) But words can help us locate the images contained in our experience and memory. At the same time, visual art can inspire new turns of phrase, new insights, new ways of seeing. It makes sense, then, that we’ve developed a fruitful partnership with Mobile Art Project, which provides art workshops in nursing homes and elder care facilities. In our latest joint effort, we coupled our programs to work with a group of folks experiencing early memory loss. Our Badgerdog teaching artist Claire Campbell used nature poems to inspire memories of the outdoors. These written works became the basis for art activities led by Theresa Zelazny and her Mobile Art volunteers. We are excited to share these combinations of art and language with you. And we are especially grateful to AGE of Central Texas for inviting us to serve their clients. And to Mobile Art for the great work they do, and the work we do together.
Cecily Sailer
Library Foundation Programs Manager
Acrylic on canvas by Ed McQuillan
Peter
Peter was… oops… is my friend. We share a love for the outdoors. We are both hunters and came to be friends through the women in our lives. He came to me through his sister, Sis. Me through my wife, Jean. The wives were friends and school classmates. Pete’s a big and husky redhead. Me? Not much can be said about a five-foot frame on a mature male. Pete and his sister, Sis, vacationed in Northeast Pennsylvania near the town of Milford on the Delaware River.
Ed McQuillan
Acrylic on canvas by Boyd Spencer
Empire Bluff
The overlook of Lake Michigan and the Sleeping Bear Dunes are about four miles outside the village of Empire, Michigan. To reach the overlook, one must hike about a mile on a nature trail. Different types of trees can be seen at different levels of the walk. Birch trees are my favorite.
Boyd Spencer
Acrylic on canvas by Keith Peco
She (Stephanie)
She is like a field of bluebonnets.
She is like a waterfall.
She is a diamond.
She is strong.
She is a winner.
She is my everything.
Keith Peco
Acrylic on wood by Kelly
Colorado River
A green stream flowing through a myriad
of physical conditions—some rushing, some calm.
It affords exciting fishing experiences,
from trout, carp, catfish, and bass.
All fun to catch and a tasty repast.
It is usually cold to our touch, but tasty to our mouths.
Rapidly flowing, it permits little stagnation or visible algae.
Kelly Meyer
Collage on mat board by Gary
My Garden
In my backyard, I have a swing with two seats. We sit together and watch the clouds blown by the wind. We look forward to rain filling the creek down the hill from our house. The rain runs down the stream that wanders about half a mile to Lake Travis, which is a dammed-up segment of a river that flows through Austin.
I grow individual flowers in pots that are arranged and rearranged monthly and watered daily. As they bloom, I can fill a dozen vases and carry them into our house.
Outside, along the creek, are tall trees that wave their limbs in the drifty winds.
Gary Cobb
Acrylic on canvas by Frank
My Dog
My dog is in our backyard. He likes living in the yard because he always runs around very excitedly. My dog is in the yard. He likes being in the yard because he always runs around and likes to roll in the grass and dirt. He flows about me, getting dirty; like me, too!
Frank Leggio
Place Where I Enjoyed Nature
I grew up on a small farm east of Austin, near Manor. There were lots of pecan and oak trees. Beautiful smells, clean air, lots of vegetation, and cornfields. The sound of the open space, wild animals, quiet evenings. We had animals—horses, cows, etc.
Art Cunningham
Watercolor on paper by Karen Smith
Scene from a Calendar
Moss hanging from tree
Azaleas
Peaceful
Laying under the tree
Rolling in the dirt
Karen Smith
Watercolor on paper by Art Ulbrich
Black-Throated Green Warbler
Skinny legs
Yellow head
Black breast
The legs are so thin
How does it support itself?
Art Ulbrich
Acrylic on canvas by Bob
Sunflower
Soft petals in yellow
She loves me, she loves me not
As the petals are plucked
Bob Liebl
Acrylic on canvas by Fred Lucas
Beauty Undecided
A model “A” comes forth in a vision of strength.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Strength for evaluation.
Fred Lucas
Acrylic on canvas by Charles Walker
My First Snow
Whenever I see lightning, my mind drifts back to St. Louis. Snowflakes drifted outside my window. I was six years old and hadn’t seen snow before. The snow was drifting down, and I was so excited. When I awoke the next morning, the snow was still coming down. The drifts were so deep that I could burrow into the drifts and be completely covered.
The next day, the snow stopped coming down. As soon as I could go outside, I started leaping into the drifts. Unfortunately, the drifts also covered up the obstacles you could not see.
Charles Walker
Leave a Reply