- April 20, 2024
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In this era of Zoom and social distancing, the ability to spend quality time has been a struggle for many families, especially across long distances.
But, a new series of classes by the Ormond Memorial Art Museum is hoping to help individuals, particularly grandparents, remain connected with the youngest of family members. The "Quality Time Online" series is aimed at educating adults on how to teach children different elements of art. Participants will create a project during the classes that they can then recreate with their grandchildren online.
Taught by Ormond Beach artist Colleen Flannery Caceres, the class encourages participants to format their work into a card. That way, they can mail their grandchildren a letter and exchange their creations that way.
“It gives them a tangible thing that they can hold on to that was from the other person," Caceres said. "That’s really special.”
Caceres, who homeschools her own children, said she came up with the class because the pandemic has affected the ability for families to get together in the ways they used to. For many grandparents, there is a disconnect that cannot be bridged through phone calls or FaceTime. Sometimes in those conversations, you run out of things to say, Caceres explained.
This class provides them with an activity to do together.
“If a grandparent has an idea, has a full understanding of what they want to bring to the child, of what the project is, they don’t actually have to use that many words at all," Caceres said. 'Certainly art invokes emotions and feeling, and so looking at the colors and experiencing what we’re doing in art while in the company, even if it’s online, with our grandparents, it really plucks your heart strings.”
Local grandparent Judith Hollo has taken several classes at OMAM. The January "Quality Time Online" class has been her favorite.
Caceres was very interactive, Hollo said, and gave special consideration to the circumstances surrounding her own circumstances with her grandchildren, of which she has 16 throughout the U.S.
Several of them are being homeschooled, and Hollo has been helping with her grandchildren's education virtually to lend a hand to her children, who are working from home. The class gave her great ideas to keep her grandkids engaged.
“It’s a great way to connect with them," Hollo said. "It guarantees a time slot several times a week. Generally, if you’re not doing an activity with them, time goes by and you find out you haven’t talked to them for a couple of weeks. The online programs, when you are teaching the kids, or doing an activity with the kids on a regular basis, it increases your time with them.”
One of Caceres' earliest memories is watching her mom create art.
“I remember she would have us sit, and she would draw our portraits, and I would think, ‘When I grow up, I want to draw like my mom,'" she recalled.
That quality time may have helped her love of art blossom, but Caceres said you don't have to be an artist to participate in the class. In fact, you don't have to be a grandparent either. The class is open to anyone who wishes they could spend more time with a child in their life, whether that be an aunt, uncle, or even a homeschooling parent who wishes to increase their child's exposure to art.
Hearing stories from the participants is endearing, Caceres said.
"I just adore it," Caceres said. "I’m grateful that they’re spending time with me so we can help them better connect with their grandkids.”
