Poppy Spencer Talks About How Art and Storytelling Connect All Generations

Poppy Spencer’s Ringling College of Art + Design psychology students use art to connect with seniors at the Friendship Center in Sarasota, FL.

“Can we use storytelling and art making to shift our perspective on the way we think about aging?” Poppy Spencer said. “And we certainly have.”

“My husband always says if there is a piece of paper that’s blank it will be filled in a few minutes,” Willie Walter said. “I have different crayons and pencils and I doodle a lot.”

“It doesn’t really matter how old we are or how old they are,” Eliza Sturgeon said. “What matters is just coming together and we all love art which is what we have in common.”

“One person I was talking to was in the Navy for a long time,” Megan Oswalt said. “And he’s been all over Europe, he worked in the bottom of the ship as an engineer, and it was really cool, I’ve never experienced anything like that, so hearing his perspective on that is really interesting.”

Through drawing students learn they have a lot in common with their elders beyond their love of art.