Catherine Fetterman, a Northern Virginia artist, founded Art Together as a way of brightening and enriching lives, families and communities through shared creative experiences. The organization does this through collaborative community arts programs that are designed to bring joy to older adults of all ability levels.
After winning her Leesburg Business Award, Catherine wanted to introduce us to her friend Jim Sheffield who joined one of her classes in a local nursing home. During the pandemic, Catherine couldn’t visit them, and residents had to resort to using permanent markers on plastic plates for their artwork because they weren’t allowed to have paint in their rooms. Jim’s enthusiasm was undimmed, and he had compiled so many paintings during the break, Catherine decided to offer him a solo show. She says, “It is so exciting to see him discover a talent he never knew he had and see him find so much joy and fulfillment in his new hobby.”
Jim, who had never painted before Catherine's class, says, “People have purchased many of my paintings which gives me money to buy paint supplies. I’ve completed 22 different pictures... It gives me a great deal of peace of mind, keeps me busy and helps keep my mind off health issues. I am very thankful to have discovered painting.” You can see more of his artwork here: https://bit.ly/JimsArt. Also check out https://www.art-together.com/join-us/ if you'd like to become a one-on-one assistant in a painting class.
"The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet." — Frederick Buechner
