Artist of the Month: Jill Swersie

Posted on December 5, 2018 by The Dunmorean

Dunmore Senior Center’s art teacher, Jill Swersie, is featured as Artist of the Years this month.

We are proud to feature the Dunmore Senior Center’s art teacher, Jill Swersie, this month and as our favorite Artist of the Years! Jill teaches weekly oil painting classes at the Dunmore Senior Citizen Center.

In addition to her talent and artistic credits, Jill is a very special person. She comes to class early and stays late and provides an additional drawing class, at no charge. She is constantly offering the Center exposure to additional media like charcoal, watercolor, sculpture, scratchboard, etc.

Jill personally connects to all of the students and is well aware of the trials and tribulations in their lives. She reaches out to her students in need with personal phone calls, handmade cards and greetings signed by class members, and follows up on their progress.

In class, Jill meets with us individually and offers us artistic advice in order to improve our pieces. She instinctively knows when a “dab of Alizarin Crimson” or ”highlights of Cadmium Yellow” are needed and passes along those techniques and that knowledge. Jill is our #1 cheerleader, encouraging us, promoting the arts, and arranging at least two art shows a year for us to exhibit our works.

She and her charming husband, Jack, even host an annual class picnic at her lovely home in the Poconos, and has provided en plein air classes for us in her area.

Professionally, Jill has been oil painting for over 35 years. Her work has been exhibited in art galleries and at shows in New York City, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Colorado.

Her paintings have been seen at almost every local art venue, and her exhibition awards are numerous. Her first mural, “Art of the Dance”, can be seen in downtown Stroudsburg, and her latest mural greets patrons as they enter East Stroudsburg’s Pocono Cinema and Cultural Center.

As one of five artists selected for Adams Outdoor Advertising’s ArtPop Exhibition, a larger-than-life copy of her oil painting “Man’s Best Friend” was seen on billboards throughout the Pocono region in 2016.

More of Jill’s artwork can be seen at here.

Jill has become not only our teacher but also our mentor, our sounding board, and our friend.

Thanks, Jill, and Happy New Year from your devoted students.

DEC Students Take Part in Reflections Art Contest

Posted on December 5, 2018 by The Dunmorean

Dunmore Elementary Center’s Reflections Art Contest participants celebrated with an Exhibition and Awards Ceremony recently with Principal Matthew Quinn and Reflections Chair, Cassie Kobeski-Schlittler.

Shown first row, from left: Carson Broward Jones, Michael McKenna, Oliver Sariano, Rachel Hitchcock, Lucy Timlin, Harrison Timlin, Emelina Dorio, and Violet Hurst.

Second row, same order: Principal Matthew Quinn, Hope McKenna, Zoey Schlittler, Cassie Kobeski-Schlittler, chair; Danilo Rivero, Chris Fortese, Tazrian Aronno, Aneesh Karthik, Amelia Hinton, Elena Piepoli, and Krithika Krishnan.

Top row: Danielle DePietro, Mya Harrity, Rachel Walsh, and Juliet Renard.

Artist of the Month: Shirley Nole

Posted on September 5, 2018 by The Dunmorean

Shirley Nole displays her featured painting entitled “Robin in a Treetop.”

Shirley Nole of Dunmore has been named Artist of the Month for September by the Dunmore Activity Hub.

Shirley, who joined the Dunmore Senior Center last spring, says she starting painting as soon as she heard about the sketching and oil painting classes.

Her featured painting is titled “Robin in a Treetop,” and represents springtime to the artist.

“As soon as I heard about the program and saw the beautiful work done by the men and women in the class, I knew that’s what I wanted to do,” explains Shirley.

She gets her inspiration from calendar illustrations and the great outdoors. In addition to working on canvas, she has painted flower boxes, coal pails, water cans, and even garbage cans in order to make them look better on the street and in the yard.

“The artists at the center are unbelievable, with the beautiful work they do!” Shirley enthuses. “They are so helpful to me and will stop working to help me. I have a special friend that will help me when the instructor is busy helping others. She can finish a beautiful painting in one day. I am in awe of her!

“Our instructor, Jill Swersie, helps everyone and I can’t wait for my turn.”

Regarding the Senior Center, Shirley encourages anybody who is home alone to consider joining.

“My son called the center to sign me up, and I am enjoying bingo, yoga, stretching with Gretchen, but most of all sketching and painting,” Shirley says. She also notes that Tai Chi, crochet, knitting and card games are also available for those interested, and that persons who cannot drive can sign up with the transit company for seniors.

“And, the lunch menu is always great!”