EngAGE is thankful to be able to provide innovative creative programming to keep our residents engaged.
We are thankful for EngAGE teacher Polet Zargarian who teaches art classes at various EngAGE communities. She has worked for EngAGE for over seven years. Residents at the following Southern California communities enjoy her virtual drawing and painting classes: Burbank Senior Artists Colony in Burbank; Cantabria and Asturias Senior Apartments in Panorama City; Andalucia and La Coruña Senior Apartments in Van Nuys; North Hollywood Senior Arts Colony( NoHo SAC), Park Plaza and The Piedmont Senior Apartments in North Hollywood.
Virtual lessons can be challenging for some artists to follow, so Polet has altered her instruction to accommodate the residents’ needs. She routinely checks in with them on a weekly basis to offer feedback and support. Supplies are delivered to their apartments so they can work independently at home. Polet enjoys the distanced, in-person critiques with residents when she drops off supplies and gets a quick peek at their artwork from the door.
At Burbank Senior Artists Colony, resident Kailas Dave, who hadn’t picked up a paintbrush since she was a little girl, decided to try Polet’s art class. Polet inspired her to embrace her creativity, and now she is one of the best artists in the building. She attends every arts program BSAC has to offer.
Polet’s new digital virtual art class at BSAC meets twice a week.
At NoHo SAC, Polet has been extra creative in reaching out to her art participants. She’s even inspired some residents to create studios in their apartments.
At Park Plaza Senior Apartments, Polet teaches her class via text and phone call. It’s lovely to see artistic expression lifting residents out of their feelings of isolation as their paintings develop.
Residents are persevering through this pandemic, and Polet loves how she is helping them by keeping her art classes alive in most unconventional ways.
Thank you, Polet Zargarian!
