Putting it Together
In late July, at Long Beach Senior Arts Colony, in Long Beach, CA, the EngAGE team met with executives from SCAN Health Plan to discuss a potential creative collaboration. SCAN, one of the largest non-profit health providers in Long Beach, was interested in sponsoring an art event. With November being the 40th anniversary of SCAN and the 5th anniversary of LBSAC, we decided to create a November to Remember.
“Legacy: A Celebration of Senior Artists” brought together ten invited professional artists to exhibit with ten of our resident artists. Artwork was submitted and selected while resident artists worked diligently to finish and refine their work, a process which was made even more challenging with the art studio going through repairs during the four weeks prior to the opening reception! During that time, the art gallery became a makeshift work space, and art supplies were transferred to the gallery.
One week prior to the opening, the invited professional artists delivered their four selected pieces and a second gallery was created inside the Yoga Studio where portable art grids were installed to hang their work. In the designated art gallery, the resident artists brought their work and, with the assistance of our art instructors, Ciana Lee and Colette Brown, and Pac Arts artist/curator Regina Argentine, we spent the day hanging the show in the two galleries and the adjoining lobby hallway.
On November 16th, the opening reception hosted over 150 guests who enjoyed the wonderful artwork, infectious dance music by The Blue Links band, and the delicious food catered by Lett-Uce Cater to You.
Welcoming remarks were delivered by 1st District Councilwomen Lena Gonzalez and SCAN CEO Chris Wing, who presented EngAGE with a generous grant of $20,000! Program Director and event producer, Helene Weinberg, sang a song with the band called, “I Love Living in Long Beach,” and then presented the fabulous Legacy Cake created by Rossmore Pastries.
The LEGACY exhibition continues through the end of November and we express a world of thanks to SCAN for sponsoring this legendary event!
~ Helene Weinberg, Program Director
Click on any photo below to enlarge it, and be sure to see our Flickr album with more photos provided by SCAN.
-
- Alva McNeal and her artwork.
-
- Artists Bio Board
-
- The Blue Links Band
-
- Ceramics
-
- Remarks from Chris Wing, SCAN CEO.
-
- Colette and Ciana
-
- Councilwomen, Helene, Chris Wing (SCAN CEO)
-
- Dancing at reception.
-
- Grid Artwork
-
- Helene sings.
-
- Helene, Nancy Goodhart (EngAGE CAO, at left), and dancers.
-
- Julie with her artwork.
-
- Kay Raffini and her artwork.
-
- Spectacular Legacy cake with candles.
-
- Martha with her artwork.
-
- Ethel with her painted chairs.
-
- Sharon with her artwork.
-
- Slater Barron with her sushi artwork.
-
- The enthusiastic crowd.
-
- Xavier Martinez and his artwork.
-
- EngAGE CAO Nancy Goodhart and Program Director Helene Weinberg.
