Make Art, Grow Food mixes generations in Mt. Airy

A project at Mt. Airy Art Garage is bringing generations together and helping them learn about sustainability while getting creative.

Make Art, Grow Food is well underway, and MAAG cofounder and artistic director Linda Slodki couldn’t be more thrilled. She said the intention was to help participants discover they could be artists and also that gardens can be planted anywhere, even in an urban environment.

“The mural and the garden all reflect the earth, the environment, gardens, and people,” Slodki said. “It’s amazing to see the kids and the elders working together.”

The kids are from Houston School and the elders from Homelink (both in Mt. Airy). They were led by MAAG teaching artists Daisy Juarez and Arleen Olshan, as well as Nettie Scott, MAAG’s garden and nutrition teacher. (The project also had help from corporate and other sponsors.)

German landscape; mustachio'd veggies

Slodki was touched by the artwork by both generations.

“One of the elders drew a landscape of her home in Germany,” she said. “And the kids did fantasy figures,” like cucumbers with legs and asparagus with mustaches.

When the kids saw their artwork coming together in the mural, they were excited: “It just makes you smile from ear to ear,” she said. “It’s nature, the seasons, color, imagination, creativity. It’s beautiful.”

Slodki feels that the project showcases important ideas in a fun way. “It seemed a good way to brighten the community while teaching about nutrition and sustainability,” she said.

But the best part has been watching the participants and “seeing the joy on their faces,” she said. “You have the nugget of an idea and hope it catches. It has. It’s been electric.”

Drawing new friends

Olshan was happy to help the participants realize their artistic potential.

“Everybody has some ability. Even if you say you can’t draw, you can do apples or peaches or a bunch of grapes,” she said. And they made new friends: “It’s fun to paint. It’s fun to draw. And the camaraderie of working together making something is a good feeling.”

The participants have yet to see all the fruits — or should we say vegetables — of their gardening labor. Some squash and other veggies have come up, and the garden (at Homelink’s patio) has flowers. Much of what was planted won’t sprout until the fall, though. Then, they’ll have a big celebration featuring food from their garden. “We’ll be able to say, ‘look what you grew and how good it is,’” Slodki said.

All of the hard work by the participants has been gratifying for Olshan, “much more than I could have anticipated,” she said. “If we ever lose heart from being exhausted, this is the kind of thing that brings our spirits back up again.”

See the mural as well as a companion exhibit featuring painting, photography, sculpture, found objects, and fiber arts at MAAG through September 6. For more info about Make Art, Grow Food, visit online.