They showcased their works during the first Senior Art Festival. The event, organized by the Municipal Seniors’ Council, was held on Thursday, December 11, in the beautiful auditorium of the Centre for Vocational and Continuing Education.
Władysław Rewak has been a retired vocational-subject teacher at the Automotive Technical School for seven years. An engineer, seemingly a strictly analytical mind. Yet throughout his teaching career, he had a thought smouldering in the back of his mind: to paint a picture. Finally, in retirement, that desire became a reality. “I never had time to paint,” Mr Władysław says with a smile. “Only in retirement have I been able to pursue my passion for painting.”
Mr Władysław paints more than 50 canvases and watercolours a year. He says with a smile that he taught himself to paint from books and online programmes. His wife, Anna, is both a critic and an admirer of his work.
“I never imagined that this analytical mind had such artistic talent,” says Mrs Anna. “His paintings have made their way to America and Australia. They are simply very good gifts.”
Several years ago, Mrs Kazimiera Sinola submitted one of her works to an international doll-making competition. It was one of the first dolls she had sewn. And she succeeded: her doll won second prize. “And that was the beginning of my adventure,” says Mrs Kazimiera. “My granddaughter already has a whole collection of dolls. Quite a few of them go to various auctions. And this festival is a wonderful opportunity to present my works. We do not create for the drawer,” she adds.
Danuta Przechera, chairwoman of the Municipal Seniors’ Council, emphasizes that this first art festival proved to be a success and will continue. “Seniors do extraordinary things in retirement,” says Danuta Przechera. “They paint, make jewellery and ceramics, write poems and pursue various creative disciplines. This needs to be shown.”
UM Legnica/ii