New purpose at New Farm Park

By Kate Lockyer
Carol Owens, tutor of U3A’s Creative Portraiture Class, says she doesn’t think of retirement – just of “repurposing”.
Brisbane’s University of the Third Age (U3A) is a self-funded organisation, run entirely by volunteers, which provides a wide range of intellectually stimulating classes established for retired people.
Their portraiture class is held in New Farm Park every second week of term.
Ann Seery had never done painting or drawing before she came across the class in the park one day and was invited to join.
“I said, no, I can’t draw – I can only do a stick figure,” Ms Seery said.
But Ms Owens asked her to sit with them, and the people and the atmosphere was so lovely, that she decided to join them.
“I kept on coming, and I learned to draw. Now I love it!”
Ms Seery now has an art studio set up in her apartment and loves to paint with soft pastels.
The portrait class are exhibiting their portraits at New Farm Library until November 27.
The exhibition features portraits of ABC radio presenter Rebecca Levingston who recently modelled for them under the Jacaranda trees, and entrants into the ‘The Bradley Portrait Exhibition’, who have drawn or painted Costa Georgiadis, Gardening Australia host.