Featured Resident Artist: Karolyn Merson

Karolyn Merson has lived at Burbank Senior Artists Colony for four years. She moved to Los Angeles in 1945 from Philadelphia, PA, and, with her husband, raised two children.

Karolyn was inspired to take up art by her husband, who was a painter. She started making pastel portraits using live models as her subjects, but then discovered collage. “I fell in love with the creativity of it,” she says. In fact, learning that a collage class was offered at BSAC was “what clinched it” for Karolyn and prompted her to move in.

Karolyn also writes poetry, a hobby she began to enjoy in 1948 but didn’t really pursue until moving to BSAC. “It’s interesting to have fun with words,” she observes. Her experience living at BSAC inspired the following poem:

“Last Stop – Downtown Burbank”

Across the bridge, up the hill,
turn right – once a jumping off place
for Johnny Carson. Watch for sign on
corner – Burbank Senior Artists Colony.

With trembling heart Big City Lady
opens door to a new way of life – a
colony of disparate people, all colors,
ages, backgrounds and religions – our own
United Nations.

New talkers, new walkers – anyone I know?
A community unto itself. We learn to
get along and enjoy each others talents.

We engage
We tell our stories
We leave
We grieve
We go in and out of a revolving door.

8/1/09

Karolyn also writes haiku, usually using the traditional format of five syllables, then seven, then five. Here are two favorites:

I tremble, I shake
Not one phone call all day long,
I need my fix now.

I slink into sleep,
Await the dream images,
Then snore through the show.

Her one-line “Zen-sational Observations” are shorter than haiku, but equally charming. Here are three:

Huge man, tiny dog, love each other.

I am in a whirl of my own.

Barking birds, take your trouble elsewhere.

Karolyn Merson is a perfect example of the kind of creative resident who enjoys life at Burbank Senior Artists Colony! Take a look at some of her artwork below:

If you’d like to be a Featured Artist on our website, please e-mail blog at engagedaging dot org for guidelines on how to submit your work!