The elderly residents of St. Basil’s Homes around Sydney, Australia, have been creating impressive artwork, which will be auctioned this evening to raise funds for the children of St. Tabitha orphanage in Fiji.
The silent auction is taking place tonight from 6 pm at St Basil’s residence in Randwick and the money raised will go towards offering children in Fiji the chance to enjoy a better life.
Residents in low care and high care, including those with dementia, from St Basil’s facilities in Lakemba, Annandale, Miranda, and Randwick participated in art therapy sessions for two years in order to complete these wonderful paintings.
All of the work was supported by St Basil’s art therapists during the art therapy sessions that are run across all the facilities twice a week. Art therapy has proven to benefit people of all ages, especially the elderly as it increases motor skills and coordination, stimulates the mind and improves mood and mental health.
In total there are over 90 paintings which will be auctioned, with the artwork reflecting religious influences as well as Greek and Australian lifestyle. Most of the art was created using acrylic paint with mixed media on canvas and some of them also feature gold leaf.
Some of the pieces include “Dinner at a Greek village,” “Golden Wattle with Pardalotes & Sunbird on Christmas Bells – Flowers,” “Protea,” and “The Couple,” which is a limited-edition silkscreen by the famous Greek painter Alekos Fasianos. Out of his 20 masterpieces, this one is number 9 worldwide.
The Consul General of Greece in Sydney Mr. Christos Karras, Directors of St Basil’s, and many other prominent Greek-Australian business people are set to attend tonight’s family event, which is open to the public for free.
St. Basil’s is part of the Greek Orthodox Church in Australia. They are a not-for-profit charitable organisation named after St Basil, who lived in the 4th century and established centres to care for the poor and elderly. St Basil’s have been operating in NSW since 1954 and share a passion for improving the lives of older Australians with retirement living, home care, daycare, respite, and aged care.
*All images by Nick Bourdaniotis Photography (Copyright)
