Witney care home resident draws in a crowd for art exhibition

A 98-year-old Witney care home resident showcased his art skills in a very special exhibition.

Breath-taking paintings of landscapes, created by John Holt, a resident at Care UK’s Millers Grange, on Curbridge Road, were displayed in the home’s lounge as part of a special art exhibition for family and friends. 

Art enthusiast John admitted he never had an interest for art-related activities growing up, and worked as an accountant before retiring in 1989. Starting with a ‘blank slate’, John began attending art classes at Witney college in 1990 and thoroughly enjoyed learning about painting, taking bottles, silks and other art materials to the class and finishing pieces in his own time. One of his highlights was painting a model dressed as a butcher as part of the still life class.

On the day of the exhibition, visitors enjoyed admiring John’s paintings and were also treated nibbles and a glass of bubbly as they chatted to the artist himself.

John said: “I love painting – I especially enjoy mixing the paints on a pallet to get the exact colour for each part of the painting. I really love looking at my paintings every day at Millers Grange.”

Alison Parry, Home Manager at Millers Grange, said: “We were delighted to showcase John’s artistic talents for residents and relatives to marvel at. It was lovely to see John discussing his paintings and inspirations behind them, as well as his approach to a new piece. John’s creativity inspires many here at Millers Grange.

“Art is a wonderful way for residents to express their feelings and showcase their artistic flare, and hosting the special exhibition was a fantastic opportunity for residents to come together and appreciate John’s creative talents. The paintings were a great topic of conversation and were admired by both residents and team members alike.

“We regularly encourage residents to take part in therapeutic activities which promote positive wellbeing. The whole team enjoy learning about the wonderful experiences the residents have enjoyed throughout their lives and creating imaginative activities that build on their talents.”

John held an art exhibition for the public at the St James Centre in Stonesfield during a flower festival in 2012, where people gathered and admired his pieces. John’s love for painting has remained strong over the years, and he has worked with an array of mediums including acrylic, oils and charcoal – with his favourite being watercolours. John enjoys painting his surroundings, with nature and landscapes often being a focus for his works. 

Millers Grange has been designed to deliver the very best standards of care and to enable residents to live active and fulfilled lives. The home provides full-time residential, dementia and respite care.

To find out more about Millers Grange, please call Customer Relations Manager, Mark Young, on 01993 764730 or email mark.young@careuk.com.

For more general information, visit careuk.com/millers-grange.