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It’s Never too Late to Create!
By
Susan M. Osborn, Ph.D.
Staff Writer
“To
exist is to change; to change is to mature; to mature is
to go on creating oneself endlessly.”
-- Henri Bergson
The
recent International Film Festival on Aging in San Francisco provided
inspiration for anyone who thinks reaching 70 marks the time to pack
it in. A major thread
woven through the vibrant tapestry of films was how creativity can blossom
during
the aging process.
In “The Mature Mind: The Positive Power of the Aging Brain” (2005),
Gene Cohen says creativity “can bloom with more depth and richness in older
adults” because the two sides of the brain become integrated. Studies indicate,
as the brain’s emotional circuitry matures, there is a rearrangement of
brain functions. Creativity opens up as the two halves of the brain connect.
Following are reviews of three documentaries which provide testimony to this
finding:
“Bella Bella” (Directed by Elizabeth Sher)
Bella Feldman is a Bay Area artist, renowned for her large-scale steel and
glass sculptures as well as smaller pieces that resemble modern military gear.
She explains, “I was born into a Jewish family in New York during the Great
Depression. As a child I was strongly affected by listening to Hitler’s
speeches on the radio. That formed my vision of the world.”
Her elegant and ominous renditions of weaponry (“war toys”) were
provoked by the Gulf War and bio-terrorism. About these pieces Feldman says, “Most
armaments are so awesome; we’re unable to question them. By making them
small, you can move them, change them. My work is an effort to demonstrate we
can manage them.”
Elizabeth Sher, director, says, “Bella’s work is profound. It's beautifully
crafted. It's steeped in history and politics. Bella uses materials to tackle
serious subject matter while maintaining an ironic and humorous edge. She combines
the hardness of metal with the fluid qualities of glass. Her work is strong yet
feminine.”
“Bella Bella” provides a candid portrayal of a 79-year-old woman
at the height of her creativity. It examines how Feldman has dealt with widowhood,
a life-threatening heart problem and a trans-Atlantic love affair with a German
architect whose forebears belonged to the Nazi Party.
“Bella is not shutting down,” says Sher. “She represents a
person who is taking new risks in her life. She is overcoming some of the greater
challenges that come as you age and doing new things in her work.”
“Sweet Old Song” (Directed by Leah Mahan)
This film tells the story of two older African-American artists whose collaboration
led to an immense outpouring of stories, art and music. The partners are Howard “Louie
Bluie” Armstrong, a string band fiddler from Lafollette, Tenn., and Barbara
Ward, an artist from Boston.
Leah Mahan, director, observes, “This is a love story that challenges assumptions
about age, race, relationships and the power of creative expression to improve
the quality of our lives.”
After creating his first fiddle from a wooden crate in the 1920s, Armstrong
began performing on the street with his younger brothers. He became an acclaimed
musician
by learning to play 22 instruments and expanding his repertoire to include
standards, swing, blues, country, gospel, rags, work songs, jigs, reels and
polkas.
Ward began dancing, choreographing and designing sets in the 1960s. In 1975,
she started creating soft-sculpture figures that reflect her African-American
and Native American roots. These figures have been exhibited at the International
Women’s Conference in Nairobi and the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.
The two artists met in 1983 when Armstrong was 73 and Ward was 43. Armstrong
began to document his cultural roots and Ward’s memories in ornate illustrations
which led them to co-create a children’s book. Ward learned to play the
drums and became the manager and percussionist for Armstrong’s band.
Armstrong was the recipient of the National Heritage Fellowship Award from
the National Endowment for the Arts, the W.C. Handy Award from the Blues Foundation,
a Country Music Hall of Fame Award and the Folklife Heritage Award.
In 2000 Armstrong and Ward were married.
In 2002 Armstrong performed an extensive concert tour.
In 2003 Armstrong passed away at the age of 94. But his words continue to inspire: “There
are lots of prejudices in this country. That's why people are ashamed to tell
their age. They're afraid they're going to be cast aside or left out of activities.
But that never bothered me ‘cause I can saw on that fiddle just as loud
as I ever sawed on it.’ We didn't come here to stay forever. But you can
make use of what time you do have.”
“Gotta Dance” (Directed by Dori Berinstein)
Director Dori Berinstein says, “Ageism is rampant. You hit the big ‘6
- 0’ and you’ve ‘aged out’ of so many things. People
perceive you differently … assume you can’t or shouldn’t do
things … activities you’ve done and enjoyed your whole life. I’ve
witnessed ageism, and it stinks.
“I’ve also seen the opposite. I come from theatre where age is deeply
revered. Professionals on stage and behind-the-curtain are sought out for their
wisdom, their experience, their professionalism. This is how it should be. I
wanted to make this film to celebrate age and to inspire and challenge present
and future AARP members to embrace life … to go out there and take on something
they always dreamed of doing. I wanted to make this film to spread the gospel
of theatre legend Florenz Ziegfeld, who observed, ‘Age doesn’t matter … unless
you are a cheese.’”
The film opens with auditions for the first-ever senior hip-hop dance team
for the New Jersey Nets. Ultimately, 11 women and one man are chosen for the
half-time
show.
The young women from the Nets’ dance team serve as trainers who treat the
seniors with respect and patience. They also determinedly whip them into shape
during strenuous practice sessions.
The team members learn all the moves. Gradually they become more confident.
The show is a smash hit. The team receives widespread press coverage followed
by invitations to appear on morning shows. As the team becomes more popular,
their pride grows and their routines become tougher.
The dancers’ enthusiasm and joie de vivre, combined with their determination
and ability to master challenging moves, are infectious. They make you want to
get up and dance.
This page and its contents ©2009
Metropolitan News Company, Inc.
