Culture
Ohio Arts Council funded Creative Aging Classes launch in Athens County
By: Emily Votaw
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ATHENS, Ohio (WOUB) — An eight-week Creative Aging art series launching this month is offering adults 55 and older an opportunity to learn new artistic skills, connect with others, and see their work displayed publicly through programming hosted by the Athens County Public Libraries.
The free series, which reached capacity several weeks ahead of its first class, began earlier this week and will be held weekly at the Coolville and Nelsonville library branches. Local teaching artist Jessica Held leads the classes, which are fully funded by the Ohio Arts Council through an ArtsRISE grant, with all materials provided at no cost to participants.
Creative Aging is an initiative developed by the Ohio Arts Council to expand high-quality arts programming for older adults, with a focus on lifelong learning, social connection, and personal well-being.
Held said the program addresses challenges such as isolation and loneliness that often affect aging populations by intentionally structuring the classes for adults 55 and older.
“What makes these classes different is that they’re intentionally structured for adults 55 plus,” Held said, adding that the classes aim to “prioritize social connection and well-being just as much as the art making itself.”
Held, a Cincinnati native who has lived in Athens since 2010, is an abstract painter who also creates and sells functional art—including light switch covers, lazy Susans, and jewelry—through her small business, Flux and Function. She has taught art to students of all ages across multiple states and currently works with schools, youth programs, and arts organizations throughout southeastern Ohio. This winter, she is bringing that experience to the Creative Aging series at the Coolville and Nelsonville library branches.
Participants will explore three artistic processes during the eight-week series: suminagashi monoprints, cyanotype photograms, and wet-on-wet watercolor painting. Held said the mediums were chosen because they are accessible to all skill levels and emphasize experimentation rather than technical perfection.
“These are processes I enjoy doing and teaching because they’re for all skill levels,” Held said. “Each technique brings an element of experimentation, which is how I approach my own artwork. I hope it’s something new and enjoyable for participants to learn and possibly continue doing after the class.”
Each session follows a relaxed structure designed to foster connection. Classes begin with snacks and informal sharing, then move into a step-by-step demonstration and open studio time.
“It will be a relaxed, welcoming, and hands-on experience,” Held said. “You do not have to think of yourself as an artist to create.”
William Stolz, the Nelsonville Public Library’s branch manager, said the program aligns closely with the library’s evolving role as a community-centered space.
“People think of libraries as where you can go to borrow books, which is true, but we’ve really evolved in the 21st century,” Stolz said. “We’re more like community centers now. Where people can come in, be curious, be creative, and connect.”
The art class series is fully funded through the Ohio Arts Council, which has been building its Creative Aging program statewide since 2013. Ohio is one of only nine states to receive national funding for Creative Aging initiatives.
Stolz emphasized the importance of state-level investment reaching rural communities.
“Residents of rural areas deserve the same programs and investments as people in cities and suburbs,” he said. “This shows people here that they matter and that there are opportunities for them to be creative and connected.”
The program will conclude with a public exhibition of participant artwork at the Nelsonville and Coolville libraries, expected during the final week of February, pending winter weather.
The art class series at both the Nelsonville and Coolville Library branches is currently full. Information about other community-oriented programming is available at myacpl.org.