Seniors' talents on display at Freehold Twp. art show BY NICOLE M. ANLLO Staff Writer NICOLE M. ANLLO Susan Winter (l), who instructs an art class at the Freehold Township Senior Center, and Florence Garter, one of her students, share a moment during the annual Senior Art Show. FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP- Works of art created by local senior citizens took center state at the Freehold Township Senior Center, Jackson Mills Road, on May 6. The senior center hosted the sixth annual Senior Art Show, featuring work by students who have been taking instruction from artist Susan Winter. A total of 63 entries were part of this year's competition. The works of art were judged by artist Juanita Yoder. Winter has been holding art classes for local seniors for six years. Many of the artists who participated in the show had no prior experience with painting before taking a class with Winter; some of the entrants have been working with Winter since the start of the program. Winter said she is very proud of all of the participants for submitting their work. "The one thing that holds people back is fear," she said, adding that she encourages her students to put that fear behind them and to put emotion into their work. Entering their pieces in the art show is a great way to overcome such apprehension, she said. Yoder said choosing the winners was a challenging task. She examined the oil, watercolor and pastel paintings based on six criteria: use of medium, technical skills, expression, basic art elements, overall appeal and presentation. Out of the many paintings that were entered in the show, Yoder made her final decisions and awarded the following pieces: • Best in Show - "Amy" by Valerie Rigazio. • First place, Oils - "Sandy Hook" by Joel Stern. • Second place, Oils - "Townhall U.S.A" by Florence Garter. • Third place, Oils - "Four Smart Men" by Fred Chalnick. • First place, Mixed Media - "Red Feather Lakes Colorado" by Sharon Steinhorn. • Second place, Mixed Media - "Fruita" by Jeanette Slomack. • Third place, Mixed Media - "Native American Prayer" by Sharon Steinhorn. Honorable mention recognition was awarded to Donna Aksman, Ester Greenburg, Nora Luca, Valerie Rigazio, Jeanette Slomack and Joel Stern. Florence Garter, who received a second place award for her oil painting "Townhall U.S.A," started painting at the age of 72 and has been painting for six years. Her children and other family members share her artwork with one another by claiming different paintings to display in their homes. Garter was shocked when she learned that "Townhall U.S.A." had received an award. "I had this painting put away, but none of my children had claimed it yet. I was thinking of just selling it. Now I may have to reconsider," she said. Chalnick, the third-place winner in the oil painting category for his piece "Four Smart Men," is a Jackson resident. He said he used to paint all the time by himself, but began formal instruction with Winter three years ago. As a photographer, Chalnick connects to the photographs he takes and likes to incorporate them into his paintings. His award-winning painting was a replica of a photograph he had taken of the Manasquan Reservoir. For Chalnick, painting is very important. He described it as "therapy" and said Winter "is a great psychologist." Yoder and Winter agreed that painting is very therapeutic. "Beauty and color are healing elements," is how Yoder explained it. "As we grow older, we have to deal with more loss, sickness and death," Winter said, and she realizes the value art has in the senior community because of this reality. Winter was very pleased with the participants this year, saying, "They are wonderful students. They take in what I say and soak everything up like sponges." Winter said she encourages her students to look for something that has meaning to them when they paint. "I'm not teaching them art, I'm teaching them how to see," she said.