To celebrate World Art Day on Monday 15th April 2024, HC-One care homes across Britain have been taking part in a range of arts and crafts sessions to show off their creative skills and talents.
Resident, Alan Cranney, aged 85, who moved into HC-One’s Stoneleigh care home, located near Stanley, County Durham at the start of March, has been chatting with staff and fellow residents about his love of art and painting. Upon moving into the home, Alan offered to display some of his art pieces at the care home which is when residents and staff discovered just how talented Alan is. His collection of work has made a big impression at the care home and brightened up the walls and corridors.
Alan was an oil rig engineer by profession, plying his trade on the North Sea oil rigs to support his family, wife Linda, son Gary and daughter Deborah. At one point during his career, he took a year’s break from the oil industry and decided to pursue his interest in painting and drawing, as he always enjoyed sketching in his occasional free time.
The interest quickly turned into a passion, and over the last 20 years, Alan has produced creative and captivating artworks using a range of mediums such as oil painting, water colours, pastels, pencils, and pen sketches. He has exhibited his artwork several times and has previously been a member of Castleside Art Club and Rowlands Gill Art Club.
Discussing his love of art, Alan Cranney, resident at Stoneleigh care home, said:
“Creating art is a wonderful process and one I love doing. I always start by doing a pen sketch first, and if it is good enough, I will paint it.
“I love painting, whether landscapes or portraits or still life, it is a joyous activity and especially pleasing when other people like what I’ve produced.”
Susan Dodds, Home Manager at Stoneleigh care home, said:
“We are delighted that Alan has come to live here at Stoneleigh and we have all taken great pleasure in discovering more about his fantastic talent.
“His paintings on display here have been a real talking point, and we will be supporting him as much as possible to continue his passion as a resident at Stoneleigh care home.”
At Brandon House Care Home in Coventry, West Midlands, residents, and colleagues got creative in an arts and crafts session to create a collage of coasters using bright and colourful items including feathers, tissue paper and felt tips, with ‘Kindness’ as the central theme of the masterpiece. Residents and colleagues used their imagination and creativity to create a variety of coasters, including flags, animals, flowers, trees, hearts, and other objects. The finished coaster art piece created by residents and colleagues was then put proudly on display in the corridor of the home for everyone to see.
Sheryl Davis, Home Manager at Brandon House Care Home, said:
“Residents and colleagues really enjoyed taking part in an arts and crafts session to showcase their creativity and artistic talents to create an art piece which is now proudly on display for visitors to the home to see.”
At Primrose House Care Home in Crewe, Cheshire, residents took part in a Creative Mojo Craft workshop where residents worked together to create an overall bird collage. Residents used acrylic paint to creatively design and paint their birds and learned about different species of birds along the way. Residents were really pleased with the finished outcome which is now proudly on display within the home
Dawn Sadler, Home Manager at Primrose House Care Home, stated:
“Thank you to Creative Mojo for hosting an arts and crafts workshop at the home. The session was fun, rewarding, enjoyable and entertaining for residents to participate in. Residents enjoyed using die cut shapes and expressing themselves to create their art piece around the theme of birds.”
