One of our country’s greatest wasted resources is the wisdom of our elder citizens. Retired from work and from life, feeling no longer useful, many of our seniors live behind closed doors in front of television sets; a bearable escape from what they’ve come to know and accept as the long lonely days of getting old.

Enter The Geezer Gallery and painter Madeline Meza Janovec. A not-for-profit organization The Geezer gallery will, through the help of grants, and corporate and private donations soon become a brick and mortar gallery, exhibiting the work of elder accomplished artists living in the Greater Portland Area, artists such as Janovec . A portion from the sale of the work in the gallery will go toward funding art therapy and art classes for senior citizens.

On an afternoon in November two-year-old Sienna Gabriella Johnson participated in an important part of The Geezer Gallery mission. Painter/teacher Madeline had something valuable that she wanted to share with little Sienna. Though Sienna had never before held a paintbrush, that afternoon she learned to dip it in paint and make her very first painted picture. Green, yellow, blue, and red circles, lines and squiggles brushed on a large piece of newsprint paper Madeline had clipped onto an easel. Then, down on the floor on her knees Madeline showed Sienna how to dip her fingers in paint and make blue and yellow circles, lines and squiggles. A leaf was brought in from outside and painted blue on one side. When Sienna turned it over onto the paper, and then took it away a blue painted leaf shape appeared.

Though as Sienna grows older she may not recall much of what happened that afternoon at Madeline’s Art Studio a seed was planted that if nurtured will continue to grow, becoming an integral part of her life.

"A Whole New Old,” is The Geezer Gallery’s motto; their mission is to change how a large majority of the American population perceives its elders. Something as simple as picking up a paintbrush and putting paint on paper can be the start of an exciting new chapter in the lives of our most valuable citizens, our elders, restoring dignity and pride at a time when so often the meaning of life feels like it’s slipping away.

Bringing together our youth and our elders, giving purpose and challenge to senior citizens is the premise of Madeline’s Art Studio . . . Sienna Learns To Paint by this writer, Rachael Lorenz. The book will soon be available for sale, profits going toward raising funds for The Geezer Gallery and the vision of a brighter, more meaningful future for all ages.

This writer would like to give a big thanks to six-year-old Lindsey Miller for reading the book aloud for the first time. “I’m going to read it again in the morning,” said Lindsey after she finished it that night, tucking it under her arm heading upstairs to bed. Though Lindsey lives in Shell Rock, Iowa she is already telling her friends about Madeline way out in Portland, Oregon. And another seed is planted.

Madeline's Art Studio . . . Sienna Learns To Paint will be available for sale at Grand Works Northwest Art Festival on May 22, 2010.  For informtion about Grand Works Northwest Art Festival please visit the website.  www.eldersinaction.org

For more information on The Geezer Gallery visit www.geezergallery.com