Meet the Artists
At Elderwise, we believe that creating art is an essential part of nurturing the spirit and connecting with the essence in each of us. ArtFull Dementia celebrates the act of personal expression by showcasing the art created by participants in Elderwise outreach and day programs. ArtFull Dementia invites us to broaden our understanding of the full and dimensional experience of living with dementia.
If you are a corporation seeking to purchase artwork from Elderwise Artists, please reach out to info@elderwise.org.
Current Artists
Previous Artists
Juliana Yin
Though Juliana’s career was focused mostly on working with numbers, first as an IRS agent and then as an accountant for Marriott, she definitely flexed her artistic side at the Elderwise table. In Juliana’s art, you would often see repeating patterns delivered with carnival-bright coloring. Often, she would sit and stare at the dimpled watercolor paper, as if almost waiting for instruction, but once inspiration hit, she focused as if attacking rows of numbers on a complicated spreadsheet. And every once in a while the image of a fish (her favorite food) would swim atop her canvas. Juliana was a natural listener and cared very deeply for fellow Elderwise participants, often drawn to the person in the room who most needed a friend.
Bill Storts
As a lifelong Seattle resident, Bill loved to share stories about his family and the local places that were important to him with his friends at Elderwise. Bill’s sense of humor and authenticity brought joy to everyone. He enjoyed talking about his passion for trains, from his work as a railway switchman, but also about his love for the group of people he worked with on the railroad. Bill’s unique style of painting incorporates words as a way to express the emotions and significance of the people he thought about while painting. When asked about his paintings, he would often explain that he had been thinking about someone he loves.
Norman Danielson
Growing up on his family apple orchard surrounded by the gardens of Central Washington, Norman discovered an early love of gardens that carried throughout his life. His keen interest in the natural world also led him to create dynamic sculptures with found natural objects. Norman graced the Elderwise table with his joyful, vibrant presence and signature beret hat. He brought an energy to the group that often led to spontaneous table drumming, and collective laughter. His personality translated to his paintings, which are full of vibrant colors and playful, but deliberate patterns.
Patty Harrold
As a former physical therapist, Patty has a genuine way of caring for other people that was evident in the way she interacted with friends around the Elderwise table. Her warm smile, and curious and generous spirit naturally led others to feel at ease and open. Patty loves dancing and interacting with the world physically. When painting at Elderwise, Patty found joy in the tactile experience of creating art, mixing colors and playing with different textures. Patty’s lifelong love of hiking also translated into her paintings, which capture the deep natural colors that one might find in the mountains of the Pacific Northwest.
Rick King
Rick had a curiosity and an openness to new experiences that he displayed throughout his life. He began his career as a bioengineer, before making a mid-career transition to social work and devoting his time to youth at the University District Youth Center. Rick was very proud of his work, and brought his gift for deep listening to Elderwise. He communicated directly from his heart, whether through words of personal insight, a humorous twinkle in his eye, or an outstretched hand of comfort to a fellow participant. Rick also communicated through his paintings, with bold colors and expressive motion that spoke to the depth of his essence, always painting from a place of curiosity.
Robert Ahola
Robert was one of those rare people who have instant likability. A warm and gentle man with a soft voice, he often brought insightful wisdom and dry humor to the Elderwise table. Robert’s interesting comments were so precious that when he spoke everyone almost held their breath to be able to hear what this kind sage was thinking. A creative career in technical illustration and his hobby in woodworking translated to the watercolor page in circuitous highways of bold reds and greens, yellows and deep blues — it was as if his brush followed one long stroke without interruption. Upon completion, it seemed Robert was the most surprised of us all when his paintings turned out so lovely — beaming proudly as others ooo-ed and ahh-ed.
Craig Purkey
At the beginning of each Elderwise program he attended, Craig would greet each person with a smile and a warm handshake. He seemed to find joy in the simple act of being together and would listen intently to each person, freely sharing his insights, support, and humor. Craig approached painting at Elderwise with similar determination, care, and delight. He looked forward to painting and put his heart and soul into the process, on one occasion bringing a sketch that he had created at home to plan his painting for the day. His carefully considered landscapes are soft and full of color, sharing a joyful vision of reality.
Laurel Wise
Though Laurel enjoyed a career at Edmonds Community College, she disclosed a lifetime passion for art and painting. Laurel’s artistic prowess was evident, when on her first visit to Elderwise, she illustrated a spot-on portrait of a fellow participant. While other participants leaned towards a more abstract approach to subjects, she seemed to enjoy challenging herself with intricate flower arrangements and autumnal landscapes. She had many interests and introduced lively topics of conversation, as well as, asking intriguing questions of those in our community.
John Tanner
John was a life-time learner and shared stories with the Elderwise participants of his career as an aeronautical engineer for NASA, describing the intricacies of his work on space shuttle landing gear and his interest in the stars. Often this cosmic fascination would materialize in his paintings, with dark backgrounds interrupted by luminous yellow globes and bright orange shooting stars. When John retired from his fulfilling career as an engineer, he decided to go to seminary and earned his masters in theology. John’s warmth and spiritual dedication was evident to all around him and his paintings bore witness to his interest in all things ethereal.
Julia Blackburn
Julia grew up the daughter of a librarian and a college professor in Washington. She had a career as an elementary school teacher and early learning specialist. She loved singing and participating in choirs, often sharing stories with the Elderwise group about singing with her siblings on road trips when they were young. Her joy was contagious and she provided a calm and steady presence to the group. Julia was introspective and brought wisdom and empathy to every conversation at the Elderwise table. When it came to painting, Julia had a way with color and created playful and powerful abstract compositions. She would often give poetic titles to her paintings and loved the creative process.
Sue Gardon
Sue was born in France, and moved to California as a child. She met her husband while in graduate school at Yale, raised two daughters, and had a career in nursing. Over the years, Sue enjoyed hiking, camping, and swimming, absorbing the beauty of nature that she would bring into her paintings. Sue’s paintings are full of bold colors and confident brush strokes and reflect her vibrant personality.
Terry Landress
Terry was an avid cyclist and marathon runner who was most proud of raising his two sons. He served in the army during the Vietnam War era and enjoyed having the chance to travel as part of his service. Terry had a quiet, steady presence in the Elderwise program. He enjoyed exercising and painting with the group, carrying on his lifelong love of physical activity. Terry’s paintings explore soft color palettes and often have a dreamlike quality.
Lenny Larson
Lenny devoted his retirement years to fundraising for AIDS programs in the Seattle area. He co-founded the Chicken Soup Brigade, and started a program called “Jars in Bars” that raised over $400,000 in change donations to provide food, appliances, and other services for people living with AIDS. As a participant in Elderwise programs, Lenny enjoyed laughing and connecting with the other participants, but most of all he loved painting. Lenny’s paintings often reflect his childhood memories. His father was a logger in Washington, and Lenny spent much of his youth surrounded by mountains and trees, which he translated with precision and detail in his signature landscapes. When Elderwise moved online in 2020, Lenny participated in the Elderwise online program ArtWise, where he often remarked on the talent of the other artists and expressed how much he enjoyed the group.
Marie McPherson
Though Marie was on the quieter side, there was never a doubt that she thoroughly enjoyed the meandering conversation that was a staple at the Elderwise table. Often sitting regally at the head of the table she tracked each participant intently as they shared. Marie had a life-long interest in sewing, varying art techniques and crafts. She was masterful at delivering a monochromatic painting that had both depth and contrast, often creating textures by layering for darks and diluting for lights. Many years of crafting gave her an eye for design, as she often strategically placed abstract images in just the right proportion for the landscaped page.
Jane Kippenhan
Jane was born in Ames, in the heart of Iowa. She raised two children. Jane spent her life in artistic pursuits, working as an advertising artist, an art teacher, and as a docent of the Seattle Art Museum. Her passion carried on in the Elderwise day program where she enjoyed creating art in a community. Jane was a master at mixing colors, creating powerful compositions with a delicate touch.
Kathy Booker
Kathy was a devoted mother to two daughters. She studied English as a Second Language at the University of Washington and taught at Seattle Central and UW. Kathy loved gardening, cooking, and painting. As a participant in the Elderwise program, Kathy shared her infectious smile and love of music and dancing. Kathy never shied away from using color in her paintings, which were a vivid reflection of her caring and adventurous personality.