Five years ago, when the world was locked down by the Covid pandemic, people became a little antsy as the summer wore on. Resident Diane T. had an idea, and she brought it to the CEO for approval.
She felt there were certain talents and interests lurking among the residents and staff and she wanted to showcase them. Her thought was to create events that could be done safely outside. After getting the green light, Diane began to develop a couple of activities and asked a few others for their input.
They launched the inaugural Art Hop in 2020, followed by a Garden Tour in 2021, and the second Art Hop in 2022. After a brief hiatus, the Art Hop is back. It is still held outdoors on the back lawn behind the art studio and The Birches dining room.
This year’s art show featured the work of 43 residents and staff members, and it wasn’t just paint on canvas. We had mixed-media artists, others who worked in fiber arts, and some pieces that were made of wood. A group of 20 residents took on the task of set-up and take-down and did what they could to appease the weather gods to hold off the rain. It all worked out spectacularly this year.
While the residents planned and ran the show, they were supported by Wake Robin’s Environmental Services team who did the literal heavy lifting to prepare the space and set up tables and chairs. We are looking forward to future art displays created by the many talented residents and staff at Wake Robin.
