Mirror Painting on the Last Day

Mirror Painting on the Last DayToday was the last day of the PALETTE program. Bob and I actually had more conversation than we’ve had since day one. This is probably because we realized that we hadn’t gotten to know each other as well as we would have liked to. We started the day with print making, and in the middle of that we got to do the mirror painting! Printmaking was nice, but I absolutely loved the miror painting. I used a small brush and Bob used a large one, so on my side of the board it looked really cool because my lines had a back drop pretty much. He and I both laughed a lot at this because the board was filled with paint already so we were trying to fill in the blank areas as well as keep track of where we were! He told me I was good at keeping up with him! I appreciated that he said that because a lot of people would assume an older adult would need to keep up with the younger adult, but he did not cut himself short and I was proud of that.

I had a wonderful experience making art with my PAL Bob, he was definitely an interesting person and he and I both share some of the same qaulities so I am glad we got matched up. He has a young attitude and I feel like he had the exact same personality when he was in high school or college. I will miss sharing moments like this with him because I do not get to spend time with my grandparents so he was sort of filling that void in my life.

A Bittersweet Day

A Bittersweet Day Today was a bittersweet day, as it was our very last PALETTE art class. The activity was called printmaking, where we were to paint on these plastic sheets and then transfer them onto our piece of paper, making 3 layers. My PAL Alice and I had both created very similar pieces that actually complemented each other well. We both laughed together at our art and said that they were “contemporary” pieces because they were made of mostly shapes, compared to some of the other beautiful pieces our other classmates created. Once we were done printmaking, we both walked together into the reception to look at all of our artwork from the semester and reflect back on all that we had accomplished. It was so wonderful to talk about our art and how similar our styles were to each other. Alice told me that she felt that she connected with people in my age group more because of our energy and that she did not like to do things with older people because they depressed her. I thought this was really interesting, especially because of our last class discussion we had about how individual people are and that their age has nothing to do with who someone is as a person.

I loved being a part of the PALETTE program this semester and especially having the ability to meet Alice. We connected so well and are extremely similar in our values and hobbies. We exchanged numbers to keep in touch and even have plans to hang out and do something later in June that we both enjoy. Before joining this program, I would have never thought that I could create such a wonderful relationship with someone who is from a different generation than I am. Alice and I are more alike than many people I know that are the same age as me, and I know she feels the same way. Age has no limits, and I now have no more fears of aging. My new relationship with Alice, and being a part of PALETTE is all to thank for that.

Beauty of Aging

Beauty of AgingAs we wrap up our program, the remaining times we spend with one another become more and more precious. Today, we painted our vases, which are to be fired once again. It was very exciting to see how our creativity rooted from our different backgrounds. Not only was our uniqueness reflected in the structure of our bases, but also in the choice of colors. It’s incredible how close we have become with our PALs in the past few months. I have learned so much about Bertha as a person, and have also gained so much knowledge about intergenerational gaps as a whole. The biggest thing that this program has offered me was a chance to embrace aging, and to not fear what is to come. I have come to see how aging is a beautiful process and how wonderful our life experiences can be. I will take these values with me as I continue on my path to becoming a healthcare professional.

Gina Pak, graduate student in Pharmacy

Thinking of You

Thinking of YouEach week Anne and I spend more time together, I realize how great of a friendship we have developed. Painting portraits of each other this week truly exemplified how much fun we have together attempting to make art, even though we both typically excel at stick figures, and being able to laugh about it with ourselves. Before beginning our projects today, she told me a story that really touched my heart and showed me how our meetings have impacted each other’s lives. Anne recently had surgery and was concerned about taking her pain medication that was for post-surgery pain with other medications she was currently taking. She said she was worrying a little over how she would figure out what to do and contemplated just not taking anything at all, when she thought of me and how a pharmacist could be a quick and easy way to ease her mind. She talked with her local pharmacist and all was resolved. It was so nice to hear that getting to know each other and talking about our lives (ie. my career goals in this instance) really made an impact on her everday life. It amazes me how great of a fit Anne and I are for each other and have really grown to become friends who think about one another outside of just our Sunday meetings. I hope we continue to stay in touch once this program is over.

Jennifer Walters, graduate student in Pharmacy.

Friendship Formed Over Art

Friendship Formed Over ArtOver the past couple of months my PAL, Gil Green, and I have been forming a lasting and true friendship. I become more eager and excited to see and spend the day with him each class period. Today was no different. We bonded over telling stories and catching up on our lives. He told me about work and up coming trips he plans to take and I filled him on school and spring break. And then while we worked on our vases, I learned that he plays the violin and enjoys trying and eating different ethnic foods. And I shared with him my love of the ocean while he helped me put together my vase. The art gives us an outlet to express ourselves while enjoying each other’s company and getting to know one another. We are able to share our lives and have found we have a lot in common. With things that we do not share, I have come to value his insight and knowledge and enjoy learning from him. Our friendship and time spent together is natural and sincere. Gil has become a good friend and I enjoy our Sunday’s together. We have bonded over art and overcome any generational difference to become an unlikely but sincere pair of friends which I hope will last beyond the course.

Taylor Lansing, graduate student in Pharmacy