Art has the remarkable ability to transport us across time, connecting us with memories, dreams and new possibilities. Defining Moments is an eight-session creative aging art workshop for adults 55 and older offered by the Holladay Arts Council. Twenty participants will explore pivotal life moments marked by change and clarity. Through a montage of art and storytelling, these moments will be captured in a mixed-media collage of tangible expressions.

As we go through life, certain moments stand out more than others. Sometimes it’s an emotion, a choice, a gift, a person or something else that makes a memory special. For artists, these powerful memories are often called “defining moments.” In psychology, they are known as “core” memories and are tied to events that help shape who we are. Older adults have a special role in their communities because they can share these defining moments and shape the future. Art, through writing and collage in this case, is a powerful tool for making connections across generations.

The Holladay Arts Council will recognize Defining Moments workshop participants in March for their participation in this creative journey of reflective writing and mixed-media collage.

“A beginner’s spirit is not only welcome, but it’s encouraged in this workshop,” said Holladay Arts and Culture Manager Megan Attermann. “Holladay Arts offers one sequential Creative Aging workshop each year, providing high-quality arts education for older adults. Led by professional teaching artists, these workshops focus on skill-building, meaningful social connection, and creative exploration in a supportive environment.”

Under the guidance of writer and facilitator Nan Seymour, class participants will explore reflective writing inspired by defining life moments using the practice of “River Writing,” a writing practice founded and designed by Seymour to foster voice and authentic connection. She shares, “River Writing invites us to practice spacious compassion, a kindness so radical it includes the self. Writing is for everyone. In this workshop, we are not interested in performance; we will hold space for folks to connect and create authentically. The Defining Moments workshop writing experience will foster personal expression, self-discovery and confidence in sharing personal stories.”

The creative art instructor for Defining Moments, Susan McFarland, holds a Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design from Brigham Young University, a post-Baccalaureate Certificate from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and a Master’s degree in Museum Studies from Harvard University. She will instruct participants in creating handcrafted paper through mixed-media collage techniques that engage memory, texture and sensory experience. The resulting paper, referred to as “fodder,” will be produced using five different methods that vary in terms of time and material requirements. Some techniques that will be used are intensive, while others are more expedient and embrace the unpredictability inherent in the process. The completed papers will ultimately be assembled into a cohesive final collage.

“While making the different fodder papers, the patterns and textures that emerge often reflect the artist’s emotions and experiences,” McFarland said. “It is amazing to see the intuitive responses students make during the creative process. Often, it just takes exposure to a new way of working with familiar materials, like paint and paper, to spark new ideas and encourage creative growth.” 

McFarland further explains, “How the students connect the collages to the writing portion of the series will be an individual expression. They may choose a feeling, an object or a place that represents a 'defining moment' coalesced from their writing. From this choice, the finished collages become an expression of their lived experience and the artist’s creative choices while making their collage.”

According to Attermann, the workshop is generously underwritten by the Utah Division of Arts & Museums. A registration fee was required for participation to help subsidize future arts programming through the Holladay Arts Council with needs-based scholarships available. 

The workshop will conclude with an evening reception and public reading. During the evening events, Defining Moments workshop participants will share their written pieces and their mixed media collage art with family, friends and the Holladay community in celebration of telling the stories only they could tell. 

The community is invited to the Defining Moments reception and public reading on
Saturday, March 14, 3-5 p.m., at Holladay City Hall, 4580 S. 2300 East.