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Pursuing Life's Passion: Heritage Village Retirement Campus Resident Continues to Enjoy, Explore Painting by Chris Anderson, Marketing Manager
For local artist, Gayle Choate Johnson, a passion for painting has brought her a lifetime of memories and experiences she will never forget. “Painting has been a lifelong inspiration for me,” Gayle states. “All my energy is infused into my painting. There is no stopping place for me. Painting is my passion.” A Passion for Art at an Early Age As a young painter originally from the suburbs outside Chicago, IL, Gayle spent many days with her mother at the Chicago Art Museum drawing early inspiration from impressionist paintings by well-known artists such as Monet, Renoir, and many others. This initial exposure to art in the impressionist form sparked an interest in her lifelong passion for painting. In 1944, following her graduation from Oberlin College as a music and physical education major, Gayle had the opportunity to attend art classes in New York City where she studied abstract impressionism. In 1954, she moved to Chautauqua County and officially began her painting career by studying painting at the world-renowned Chautauqua Institution for a number of years. She has never looked back. In the 1970’s, Gayle taught painting and art history classes at Jamestown Community College. Throughout her artistic career, she has painted extensively using oils, acrylics, and watercolors, but continues to hold a strong affinity for watercolors. As a result, she decided to focus solely on the watercolor painting art form. You will see many of Gayle’s watercolor paintings permanently displayed in places such as Jamestown Pediatric Associates, WCA Hospital, Hospice Chautauqua County, Heritage Village Retirement Campus, and The Heritage Group’s Rehab & Skilled Nursing facilities. In addition, her work has been on display at the Prendergast Library (Jamestown), Patterson Library (Westfield), Warren Public Library, Olean Public Library, Albright Knox Members Gallery (Buffalo), and Niagara University. For many years, Gayle was closely involved with the local New York State Arts in Education Program through the Arts Council for Chautauqua County. The Arts in Education Program funds cultural organizations that work in partnership with schools to create programs that focus on a deep exploration of the arts and the artistic process. Currently in her eighties, Gayle teaches painting classes in her cottage home at Heritage Village Retirement Campus (Gerry) and actively paints watercolors of the many bright colors and dramatic landscapes of the Chautauqua County area. In addition, she assembles all of her own matting and framing. This is what keeps her young, vibrant, and full of life. Watercolor Defined Simply put, watercolor is a painting compound using water-soluble pigments that are either transparent or opaque. While watercolor may not rival oils for durability and longevity, it is a medium that has a long history, dating back to the Renaissance. Watercolor painting has the reputation of being quite demanding. Unlike oil or acrylic painting, where the paints essentially stay where they are placed and dry more or less in the form they are applied, water is an active and complex partner in the watercolor painting process, changing both the absorbency and shape of the paper when it is wet and the outlines and appearance of the paint as it dries. The challenge in watercolor painting is almost entirely in learning how to anticipate and leverage the behavior of water, rather than attempting to control or dominate it. “Watercolor is an exciting medium to work with,” Gayle states. “Watercolors generally don’t always apply to the paper as you want them to. The watercolor paint, in a sense, fights back and the surprises are the neatest part of the whole process.” Landscape painting is one of the dominant features of the American art tradition. Watercolor's inherent luminosity, combined with its capacity for rapid execution, gave landscape painters an ideal means for recording the fleeting effects of nature. A majority of Gayle’s library of watercolor paintings highlight and celebrate the landscape of Chautauqua County. “The things that attracted me most to the Chautauqua County region were the rolling hills and colorful landscapes,” states Gayle. “I enjoy spending time outdoors, so this was a perfect place to draw inspiration from. It is quite amazing how the terrain affects you. Some people become so accustomed to their surroundings that they sometimes forget the beauty in their own backyard. Chautauqua County is a special place that has given me a lifetime of inspiration.” Life at Heritage Village Retirement Campus Moving to a retirement community is a life changing experience. For Gayle, it was the right decision at the right time. “It was becoming more and more work to maintain my previous home. I had to start thinking about reducing my responsibilities, so the decision to downsize was natural,” she states. “I had always enjoyed painting landscapes and houses on Damon Hill Road in Gerry. I have painted almost every house between here (her Coachlight Cottage at Heritage Village Retirement Campus) and Sinclairville! With the support and encouragement of my daughter, Leslie, I contacted Sandy Ahlgren at Heritage Village and the rest is history. The most important thing to me was being able to move when it was still my decision. It was my choice and desire to move to Heritage Village and I have never once regretted my decision.” Given the fact that she lived in a large home that she could no longer care for, the move to Heritage Village Retirement Campus was certainly a blessing. Heritage Village provides complete maintenance for each residence on campus. In addition, no property taxes or property insurance is ever required. Not only was Gayle able to downsize and live maintenance and tax-free, but she was able to convert one of her bedrooms into an art studio where she continues to pursue her passion of watercolor painting and teach others. Life at Heritage Village Retirement Campus is more than one might expect from a retirement community. “I have been overwhelmed with the warmth and friendliness of each and every fellow resident on this campus,” Gayle states. “Everyone is so friendly and welcoming. I can’t tell you how many yummy baked goods I received when I first moved to Heritage Village. Everyone makes a dedicated effort to make you feel welcome. This is a special group of people and I am proud to now be a part of it.” Heritage Village Retirement Campus is a community dedicated to providing active adults with a comfortable and enjoyable lifestyle. Every resident is given ample opportunity to partake in several activities tailored to his or her personal interests. From researching information in the on-campus library and technology center to playing shuffleboard or billiards, Heritage Village can accommodate anyone’s interests. For more information about independent and assisted living housing and services at Heritage Village Retirement Campus, including the new Hillview Cottages, please contact Sandy Ahlgren directly at (716) 985-6839. Author Appreciation I feel compelled to provide a personal perspective regarding this story. As a young male in his mid-30’s, interviewing Gayle and writing this article has been a true inspiration for me to live life to its fullest and to pursue a serious passion. I have always desired to pursue landscape photography as an active hobby. To see Gayle pursue her lifelong passion for painting gives me inspiration to advance my landscape photography to the next level. Thank you, Gayle, for serving as my inspiration and awakening my hidden passion! To view or inquire about any of Gayle’s watercolor paintings, please contact her directly at (716) 985-5757. She will be more than happy to share her passion for painting with you. |
January 2008 - Imagine finding your passion at an early age. Imagine the opportunity to pursue your passion for an entire lifetime. Imagine the feeling you get when seeing the products of your passion brighten someone’s day.