Seniors pursue glass art through Dale Chihuly foundation

By Dennis Box • April 9, 2009 2:30 pm
Mary Anderson grinds some stained glass for a project. She helps Oliver Orr teach stained glass art to seniors.
Mary Anderson grinds some stained glass for a project. She helps Oliver Orr teach stained glass art to seniors.

Oliver Orr has been helping people all his life, and today he is leading a stained glass art class for seniors.

Orr, a Maple Valley resident, is retired from Washington State University where he worked as a county extension agent working with dairy farmers.

After retiring, Orr’s daughters, Julielyn Lakey and Caryn Roth, encouraged him to take a glass art class.

Lakey is the executive director for Seniors Making Art, a non-profit organization started by Seattle artist Dale Chihuly in 1991. Roth is a program director for organization.

“Dale Chihuly wanted elderly people to be involved in art,” Orr said.

After taking the class, Orr’s daughters told him he should start teaching a class, and the inspiration took hold.

For the past six years Orr has been teaching stained glass art. He is currently teaching a class at the Black Diamond Community Center with eight students and four assistants. His class assistants are former students.

In May he will be teaching a class at the Church of the Brethren Covington Community Church.

The classes and material are free and fill rapidly. According to Orr, the glass art classes are small because of the high cost for materials and equipment.

Mary Anderson is one of his assistants and an accomplished glass artist.

“I can’t tell you how many people have been affected by Oliver,” Anderson said. “At first people say, ‘I can’t do this.’ Then they are really happy when they finish something they can take home and show.”

The classes receive some funding coming from the foundation along with other sponsors. Most of the equipment is donated as well as some of the stained glass.

Orr said each year Chihuly throws a fund-raising party where his art projects are on display and sold. Half of the money from the sales go to the senior art program.

“Chihuly is a great person to supply this for all the seniors,” Anderson said. “Not many people that are in big-time art are willing to share.”

Orr’s glass art course teaches students to cut and grind glass and complete glass-art projects. He said students do not need artistic experience.

For more information contact the Black Diamond Community Center at (360) 886-2418 or Mary Anderson at the Covington Community Church, (425) 432-1363.

The number for Seniors Making Art is (206) 433-6900 and their Web site is www.seniorsmakingart.org.

For any interested in donating funds, materials or stained glass, contact Orr at the center.