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Once upon a time, in an inauspicious place in NY called “the Bronx,” there lived two aspiring art students. They went to the Fashion Institute of Technology in NY at the same time. One student was Barbara Broumberg, who also studied at the High School of Music and Art, and the other was Marilyn Owens.

Barbara has a degree in Textile Design, and Marilyn has degrees in Apparel Design and Fashion Illustration. They never met in school, but they did meet up one year ago at the White Oak Retirement Community in Tryon.

It didn’t take long for Barbara and Marilyn to resonate and share the artistic roads they had traveled. Barbara excelled in her very successful career as a home furnishing designer and stylist, and Marilyn had an exciting career designing children’s wear, ladies’ lingerie, and sleepwear.

Then… divine intervention happened, and they collaborated and created a “Paint Like Matisse” workshop for the residents of the White Oak Community. Matisse was chosen because, at the age of 71, he could no longer paint and was in a wheelchair. He had to reinvent himself. So, for the last 10 years of his life, he did cutouts and continued to remain a famous artist. They presented his style via a tutorial introducing their 2-day mini-series. The results were amazing. Eleven artists captured his style and produced 25 pieces of art. The eleven artists are displaying their work in the White Oak Village dining room for two months.

The mission was to inspire creative thought and camaraderie among the residents. It was a joyful experience that brought people together, taught them new skills, and revived their artistic passions. The art is colorful, charismatic and a delight to view.

All of the artists live happily ever after in the “auspicious town” of Tryon.

 

Submitted by Marilyn Owens