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www.oakvillebeaver.com · OAKVILLE BEAVER Wednesday, April 28, 2010 · 22 Life begins at 60 and if not, call for help By Craig MacBride SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER Aging hits everyone differently. Some find renewed energy. Others are sidelined by health problems and the cruelty of others. At the Joshua Creek Heritage Art Centre, the fortunate are helping the unfortunate. Local painters and art collectors have assembled a show they hope will raise awareness of elder abuse and the resources available to seniors and their families. Art & Edge: Elder Vibrancy opened Sunday with a packed house and gorgeous work from local collectors and artists, including woodcuts by Naoka Matsubara and oil-on-canvas portraits by Judy Finch. Gerry Phillips, the Ontario minister responsible for seniors, pointed out that the number of seniors in Ontario is going to double by 2028 and that only by raising awareness and making resources available now can elder abuse be stopped. "We're trying to make sure we can provide the best possible environment for our seniors," he told the audience of more than 60. "This is extremely important to our seniors. The problems can be physical abuse, but more often it's mental abuse and financial abuse." The exhibition is being hosted by the art centre and the Ontario Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (ONPEA). "Life doesn't begin until you're 60. I love the idea of raising awareness of seniors not sitting in rocking chairs knitting..." Judy Finch ERIC RIEHL / SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER MESSAGE FOR SENIORS: The Joshua Creek Heritage Art Centre is hosting an exhibit titled Art & Age: Elder Vibrancy, hosted by the Ontario Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse. Here, Ontario Minister Responsible for Seniors, Gerry Phillips, speaks at the opening of the exhibit. The main thrust of the show is to let seniors know about the province-wide Senior Safety Line, a 24/7 phone service that provides abused seniors with confidential assistance and advice in 154 languages. The number is 1-866-299-1011. While the event was about fighting elder abuse, for at least one of the artists it was also about celebrating the opportunities of aging. Judy Finch has three portraits and a landscape painting in the show. Every year, she and another artist, 100-year-old Doris McCarthy, spend three weeks travelling and painting. The stereotype of the aging oldtimer doesn't always fit, she insisted. Quoting McCarthy, who also has a piece in the show, Finch said, "Life doesn't begin until you're 60." She added: "I love the idea of raising awareness of seniors not sitting in rocking chairs knitting... You've been educated, you've raised your children and you're not totally dependent on your art for money. You focus on things that are important to you." Adam Veri, the project manager for the show, agreed. "We want people to see seniors as vibrant," he said, "and what better way to show their vibrancy but to host a show like this?" The founder of the Joshua Creek Heritage Art Centre, octogenarian Sybil Rampen, thinks there are advantages to aging as an artist. "When you're older, you use the dynamism of youth plus the wisdom of age," she told the crowd. "As you get older, your work becomes more impactful and meaningful." The art on display in the refurbished wood building in the countryside bears out her claim. The exhibition continues to May 23. A special Mother's Day Tea will be held at the Joshua Creek Heritage Art Centre, 1086 Burnhamthorpe Rd. E., May 9 from 1 to 3 p.m. All donations from the event will support the ONPEA and the Senior Safety Line. The centre is also hosting a Seniors Group Day on May 19. More information can be found at www.joshuacreekarts.com. For more information about the ONPEA, visit www.onpea.org.