A group of Bronx seniors are making an impression with their paintings at the Pelham Bay Library.
The walls in the children’s section at the library were converted into gallery space for the sixth annual R.A.I.N Middletown Senior Center painting exhibition.
Evelyn Baratta, a member of the R.A.I.N Middletown Senior Center and attendee of the center’s weekly Wednesday morning art class, said she was proud to have four of her works of art on display this year.
The Throggs Neck resident said she has attended the art class for the past few years, and also had her work displayed at last year’s exhibit.
“Painting is a hobby of mine,” she said. “I will tell you it gives me a great appreciation of the masters’ works, because it is only when you try to paint things yourself, you realize how much talent these artists have.”
Baratta said she works mostly with oil paints, but uses a “kind of watercolor technique’”
“I like to have a kind of hazy effect in my work so some of it looks like pastels rather than oils, but that’s just my style.”
For this year’s show Baratta said she included a spring scene and a still life painting.
“My favorites are the Impressionists, in terms of when I go look at art in museums,” she said. “They are always light and happy. I have never seen an Impressionist painting that I didn’t love.”
The exhibit ran through Wednesday, May 16.
R.A.I.N. center director Patricia McCormmack said art teacher Donna Staffa has put the event together for the past six years.
“Some of our seniors take this class every week,” McCormmack said. “So every year they put together this exhibit over at the library for a month an a half.”
McCormmack said she thinks the art class and exhibit is something that the seniors look forward to.
“There are a lot of hidden talents here at the center,” shes said.
