Marilyn Schnake has a message for Sun City residents: “You are never too old to make your own art, your work that satisfies you alone.”
Schnake takes pleasure in not only creating art herself but encouraging others to express themselves. She has an extensive background in art education.
Schnake said, “Creating art relieves stress, encourages creative thinking, and imparts mental health benefits. Art helps people express experiences that are too difficult to put into words.”
Schnake is a member of the Sun City Pencil and Palette Charter Club.
Barbara Schramm said, “Marilyn Schnake, a long-time art teacher, joined the Pencil and Palette Club of Sun City, Huntley in 2005, just five years after the club was founded. Over the past 17 years, Marilyn has contributed to the vision and activities of the club in varying roles including President, Program Chair, Board Member, and Renovation Design Committee Chair. Her fine art specialty is in watercolor, colored pencils, and drawing.”
The Club invites residents to discover, understand, and appreciate the artist within.
“As we age, we greatly benefit from the creative processes of art. The most significant benefits are mental and physical stimulation, social expression, and an opportunity for increasing self-esteem through positive experiences,” Schramm said.
Schnake added, “In Sun City we are fortunate to have a variety of ways to create something new. In visual art, we have the Pencil and Palette Club to help us create our own personal art with the usual mediums of drawing, collage, journaling, watercolor, oil/acrylic, pastel painting, and colored pencil.”
Schnake shares a book that captures her views on art: The End Of Old Age by Marc E. Agronin, MD.
Schnake said, “The author likes creative aging. His message says as we age we ought to think creatively. It leads to healthy aging and can lead to greater longevity and can be cultivated by following one’s passions, old and new. The beginning of creative age.”
As in many activities, it can be hard to go outside your comfort zone. Schnake said, “Don’t limit yourself as an artist. Learn to go beyond your comfort zone to grow artistically. I participated in a class that pushed me to try something that I would not have done normally. The instructor challenged us to use inspiration pieces set up in the room, but the challenge was to use each color of acrylic paint given to us. We got five minutes to incorporate the color given to us. We had to use it. This went on for a number of colors. That painting now hangs over my mantel.”
Recently, the Sun City club had its own challenge for members; to complete 10 drawings out of 12 options.
Schnake said, “We had 13 members complete the assignment. We displayed the work in the window out of the club. It was so successful that we will be repeating it.”
Schnake invites residents to participate in the club’s next challenge or join the club to find the creativity in themselves and “end old age.”
Anyone interested in joining the club can contact Schnake at 224-650-9490.
