United’s Christmas Card Evokes Winter in the Mountains
One United resident, with suggestions along the way from other residents and staff, put his creativity into high gear to create this year’s Christmas card. At the time, Hans Pols, who lives at United’s Fish Creek community, simply set out to make a mountain scene from folded paper. But the result captured the Christmas spirit so well that the work is being used as this year’s Christmas card.
“To be chosen was certainly a first for me!” said Hans. “I was really taken aback. When you see the spectacular works of art that hang in our gallery, you know there is a tremendous amount of talent here. I was blown away that they had chosen mine.”
Hans loves the mountains and has always wanted to either live in them or in a province that has them. He chose to live at United’s Fish Creek. “United has a terrific art studio and professional staff and they introduced me to a variety of mediums, including pastels, ceramics and paper collage. Paper was easy to work with for the image I had in mind,” said Hans. One of the suggestions from the creative facilitators was to first create a sketch book. “It’s really interesting to see how an initial idea on page 1 progresses to a near-final idea on page 30. I was really pleased at how this image came together. It was a very rewarding experience.”
The back of the Christmas card explains how the collage evolved. “Hans started this work with a clean slate, with no preconceived idea of the end product, but wanted something whimsical, playful and fanciful. He began making evergreen trees by layering triangles and it grew to a unique yet recognizable depiction of the Rocky Mountains.”
Christmas is an entertaining time at United’s two communities. Residents and staff at Fish Creek and Garrison Green decorated the Christmas trees, held a decorated door contest, created a number of Christmas-themed paintings and other art projects and attended Christmas concerts and other programs that celebrate the season. And then there is the special, chef-inspired Christmas dinners for residents and their families.
Christmas is a great time to get together with friends and family, so from our families to you, we wish you the best of the season, Happy Holidays and a very Merry Christmas!
Photos by United Active Living. Video by Sherana Productions
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To learn more about life at United’s Fish Creek community, watch this short video.
Or, to find out more about life at United’s Garrison Green, watch this short video.
