Seniors, Students Collaborate for Art Project

Students from Locust Valley's Portledge School visited Atria Glen Cove Thursday morning to display artwork inspired by memories shared with them by seniors there.

The school's head of visual arts, Doris Benter, worked with Atria's program director, Meagan Devine, to organize the project. One of the senior living community's past residents was Anne Thomas, one of Portledge School's founders.

Benter videotaped 12 seniors sharing memories from their childhoods or of their children's childhoods, and students interpreted those memories as sculptures and paintings.

Atria resident Gloria Panero, 89, had told a story about eating chocolate under her desk at school and getting caught by her teacher, who was not amused. The story inspired several paintings of a chocolate-covered face and sculptures of chocolate bars strewn about.

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Panero leaned forward for a close look at one of the paintings. She smiled.

"Isn't that cute," she said.

Benter combined her video clips of the seniors with similar clips of students sharing their own experiences of mishaps, funny pet incidents and other memories.

Each of the 55 students from grades 3 - 5 who participated were given a 100-piece art set courtesy of Atria Glen Cove.

A second viewing of the artwork will be held at the same location Thursday from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Wine and cheese will be served.

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