Rowan seniors showed off their creativity recently at the 27th annual SilverArts competition.
An arts companion to the athletic contests of the Salisbury/Rowan Senior Games, SilverArts showcases the performing, visual, heritage and literary arts talents of seniors. It includes a range of skills including singing, cooking, painting, phytography and quilting.
Open to people 55 and older, N.C. Senior Games is the largest Senior Olympics program in the country, organizers say. And SilverArts is “a celebration of the creative expression of seniors” that “strives to keep seniors healthy, active and involved.”
“SilverArts unites the athlete and artist in a program that recognizes the similarities of both endeavors: discipline, dedication and pride in one’s accomplishments,” a press release said. “Encouragement and recognition of creative potential and accomplishment is the goal of the SilverArts program.”
Local winners advance to station competition.
Singer C.K. Wyatt won the performance arts competition. Here are the first-place winners in each of the other SilverArts divisions:
Literary Arts
Bob Goodwin, essay, “Where Did We Go Wrong?”; Jennifer Doering, life experience, “A Step Through Time”; and Celeste Ward, poetry, “A Simple Life.”
Heritage Arts
Louise Rheem, basket weaving, “Beaded Beauty” and tatting and needlelace, “Ferns and Flowers”; Sylvia Sofley, cake for “Do Nothing Cake,” can goods for sweet ice box pickles and crocheting for “Romantic Wrap”; Celeste Ward, cookies,coconut merengue puffs; Carolyn Blackman, garment for a machine embroidered jacket and housewares for a silk pillow; Joanne French, jewelry, “Joanne”; Karen Morgan, knitting for knitted slippers, quilting for “Sunset Spirals” and handbag; Donna Lee Hall, needlework for an afghan in gray hucking; M.T. Sidoli, pottery, “No. 10”; Linda Shirley, silk flowers, “Spring Bouquet”; Linda Spencer, stained glass, “Grandmother’s Old Glass”; Betty Goodwin, candy and unsanctioned for peanut brittle; Charles Heilig, woodcarving for “Uncle John’s Favorite,” woodturning for “Christmas Tree Angel” and woodworking for “Merry Christmas” George Kluttz, models.
Visual Arts
Tomie Troxler, acrylics, “Series 11”; Carolyn Blackman, drawing, “Live Oak at Sunset Beach”; Richard Lapham, mixed media, “Fantasy Garden” and oil, “Cape Elizabeth Light”; Stella Isenberg, pastels, “Calla Lilly”; Celeste Ward, photography, “Einstein’s Domain”; Jack Bilson Jr., sculpture, “The Lake Has Secrets.”