A new bloom in art: A group of dedicated senior artists has blossomed this month with a new name and a new exhibit at the Jack Benny Center for the Arts in Waukegan.
Known since its inception as Painters Anonymous, the group is now known as Bloomin’ Artists.
“I never did like that name anyway, and this way we’ve opened it up so that it doesn’t have to include just painters,” explained Betty Drapalik, the art league’s president and a Bloomin’ Artist herself.
The group includes 10 or 12 seniors who met through their membership in the art league. They began getting together informally several years ago to share ideas. Painters Anonymous, the name they chose for themselves as a joke, stuck.
“We really do a lot for each other. There’s more growth by helping each other than by going to a formal workshop. But we really needed a better name,” Drapalik added.
The exhibit of 50 paintings will be on view through the end of January.