AARP Hawai`i, ARTS at Mark’s Garage Sponsor Caregiving Art Contest

AARP Hawai`i and the ARTS at Mark’s Garage invite artists of all mediums to submit art works to be displayed in the “Art of Caring” exhibition in November, National Caregivers Month.

Cash prizes totaling $3,000 will be awarded to winners selected by judges in three categories – Care of Kupuna, Joy of Caregiving and Challenges of Caregiving.

Artists should email their submissions with an artists’ statement to gallery@artsatmarks.com by the Oct. 15 submission deadline. Artists will be notified of acceptance by Oct. 22 for the exhibition, which runs from Nov. 5 through Nov. 27 at the ARTS at Mark’s Garage gallery in Downtown Honolulu.

More information and contest rules are available at artsatmarks.com/call-to-artistsauditions.

“We encourage all artists to put their talents to work in expressing the art of caring for someone else,” said Jackie Boland, AARP Hawai`i outreach director. “This is our first time sponsoring an art contest/exhibition like this and we look forward to seeing what will be created.

“We are so excited to be working with AARP to highlight our caregivers. The exhibition is open to all mediums -- photography, painting, water, collage, sculpture, metal, clay, paper, or other ideas. We encourage all artists – professional and amateur to submit a piece with a statement about how your art reflects the care giving theme. We hope to shine a light on the vital importance of family caregiving, and are excited to see how this is interpreted in visual arts.” said Kim Taylor Reece, president at The ARTS.

“People have put their heart into the art and especially in this particular show, the art of caring, it’s all about people who cared enough to care for somebody else. It’s going to be beautiful art and we are really, really happy to show you what people have submitted as the art of caring,” said MaryAnne Long, an ARTS at Marks Garage volunteer, former caregiver and artist who teaches an art class at the Hauula Community Center.

One of the artists in her class is also a former caregiver who attended class with her late husband Isamu Takeguchi, who suffered from dementia.

“This (artwork) just represents my husband and that his mind was still working that it was still moving. It wasn’t at the end yet and I really appreciated that part of it,” said Barbara Takeguchi, who said she believes creating art helped keep her husband’s mind active.

Another artist in the class, Charlie Dudoit, gets help from caregivers and gives away his art as a way to thank them. He also teaches children in the neighborhood how to paint.

“Art gave me the thing to really focus in on my soul Once I was happy with myself. I was happy with everybody else,” Dudoit said