Artist of the Month: Jill Swersie

Posted on April 2, 2025 by The Dunmorean

Dunmore Activity Hub or Dunmore Senior Center has seen a resurgence in interest in its painting class. Each month, The Dunmorean will introduce you to these talented artists and their artwork.

By Dolly Michalczyk

For over 32 years, the extremely talented and very patient Jill Swersie has served as the art teacher at the Dunmore Senior Center.

As a child, Jill could always be found dabbling in the arts – drawing, painting and creating. She has been painting most of her adult life, taking many classes and workshops through the years, and adding an art studio to her Pocono Mountains home, where she even held youth classes for a while. Jill has done shows and displays in galleries in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

Thirty-two years ago, the former Dunmore instructor was leaving and asked Jill to continue the program, to which she reluctantly agreed. She grew to love the students and nurturing their talent. Occasionally, Jill will hold formal painting and drawing classes, teaching various techniques and allowing her students to practice them. Her usual approach is more hands-on, sitting with each individual student, demonstrating, and offering tips and suggestions for them to improve their work. Her students are mostly oil painters, although a few prefer to work in acrylics and watercolors. Jill enthusiastically shares, “We have a really great group of students, with some of them coming to the class for years. Everyone is very supportive of each other.”

Jill exhibits in several galleries in Pennsylvania and New Jersey and has done many solo and group shows. Recently she participated in “Just Jills,” an unlikely event where seven artists named Jill displayed their works. For three months this spring, beginning May 1, she will be having a solo exhibit at the Hughes Monroe County Library where she will display and rotate 15 paintings.

An active volunteer, Jill curates the Gallery at 530 Main, in Stroudsburg, and the Dutot Museum, in Delaware Water Gap.

Her local class meets every Monday from noon – 4:00. The Dunmore Senior Center charges $5 a session, paying only when one attends, and students supply their own materials. The group accepts donations of used painting supplies- paint, brushes, canvases, easels, etc. and has donated new supplies to the NEPA Youth Shelter.

Our sunny Jill shared this positive philosophy: “Art is what makes the world a better place.”

Artist of the Month: Mary Kay Hopkins

Posted on October 5, 2021 by The Dunmorean

By Mary Kay Hopkins

I have been painting at the Dunmore Senior Center for 13 years now. Where does the time go? I was wandering around trying to decide what to do with my life after having been diagnosed with breast cancer.

I decided to try my hand at painting, and I was welcomed with open arms by Jill Swersie, our teacher, and her students, who changed my life. The years flew by. I blossomed, as all of Jill’s students did.

Then COVID reared its ugly head. The Center had to shut down. My husband of 55 years was hit by a car and died 13 days later from his injuries. A year later, I was once again diagnosed with breast cancer. This time, I relied on my painting ability to get me through.

Jill is not currently teaching at the Center due to the virus, but a few vaccinated students still get together there to paint. We miss Jill and wait for her return. She always knows what colors to mix together or to add to a painting to make it pop!

I am proud to have some of my paintings displayed at the wonderful Mansours Restaurant in Scranton’s Hill Section. Because there are so many in need right now, all my sales are being donated to the local food bank.

I am now working on a portrait of one of my dogs, aptly named “Trouble.” Happily, I am also in full remission and enjoying life.

Note from Dolly Michalczyk: When I joined the oil painting class at the Dunmore Senior Center, I only knew one person there, and I had never painted before. When I saw the beautiful paintings that people were working on, I was quite intimidated.

Mary Kay Hopkins was like a Welcome Wagon, encouraging me, giving me suggestions, and loaning me items that I didn’t have. I was so uptight.

She would greet me with a smile and throughout the class ask, “Are you having fun, yet?” I would answer with a crabby, “No!”

Because of Mary Kay and the welcoming people like her, I stuck it out, and, yes, and after 12 years, I can say that I am still painting and having fun! In so many ways, Mary Kay is an inspiration to us all.

Artist of the Month: Joe Bartos

Posted on June 1, 2021 by The Dunmorean

Joe Bartos poses with some of his unique creations,including “Hi, Toucan,” “Sweet or Dry,” “Jacarandas,” “Lemonade, Anyone?” and “Young Norma Jeane.”

This month’s Artist of the Month is Joe Bartos, a Dunmore resident. He has been painting with the group at the Dunmore Senior Center since 2008.

Joe’s fellow students applaud him for his vision, as he is the originator of this column, after wondering aloud why “no one ever recognizes senior citizens” for their talents and artistic achievement.

Joe says he is still learning and “experimenting with realism and impressionism.” He favors “rich and bold colors,” and explains, “nothing cold,” which he avoids.

A lifelong learner, Joe states that he learns something new with each painting. His biggest challenge and one that consumed a great deal of his time was “Young Norma Jeane”, a painting of which he is most proud.

Joe enjoys his friends at the Center and has even been painting there with a small group since it reopened, before official classes resumed.

He commends Alison Boga, the director, for her innovations.

Eagerly awaiting her return, Joe also has a great admiration for our teacher, Jill Swersie and her expertise.

Joe’s final words of wisdom to fellow artists is, “Keep on painting!”