A stroke of time, luck and the brush
Arts in the Park had always been a favorite craft show for Ellie.
She had envied the exhibitor's talents and artistic abilities, never thinking that she would see herself participating. Time changes things and last year when Ellie retired from working, she found that she had hidden talents as a watercolor painter.
As a member of the Lakes Area Senior Activity Center, she had read in the newsletter about the watercolor class and signed up. In no time, she was painting around the clock and her paintings were in various stages of completion awaiting the finishing touches. Other members of the senior center encouraged Ellie to sell her watercolor paintings in the Golden Years Gift Shop.
Delores Kasper, who lives at Good Samaritan Society-Bethany in Brainerd, recently talked about a childhood memory.
Brainerd Dispatch/Kelly Humphrey
When Ellie heard that the center had a booth at Arts in the Park and items from the Gift Shop would be displayed and sold there;= she was ecstatic. The thought of her paintings being sold there was something she had never dreamed would happen.
Walking through the Golden Years Gift Shop, Ellie was amazed at the beautiful handcrafted items that the senior center members had made and the level of quality of the items. She realized that the exhibit booth for the senior center's gift shop would be filled with crafts that are hard to find or becoming lost arts.
Walking through the Golden Years Gift Shop, Ellie was amazed at the beautiful handcrafted items that the senior center members had made and the level of quality of the items.
If you would like to check out the beautiful handcrafted items that the seniors have made; the Golden Years Gift Shop is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday at 803 Kingwood St., Brainerd. You also can find us from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 3 at Arts in the Park, exhibit booths 110 and 111, on the north side of Gregory Park in Brainerd.
You won't be sorry that you took the time to find us!
DEANN BARRY is the Lakes Area Senior Activity Center director.