"When I go back to painting, I am 'Alice in Wonderland": older women coping with age-related crises through visual artmaking.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The creative process of visual artmaking provides an opportunity for older women to express themselves and explore their emotions, thoughts, and experiences. This study examined the roles of visual artmaking in older women's lives in general and in relation to the ongoing challenges of aging. METHODS: The sample was composed of 21 Israeli women aged 60-90, who indicated that they produced visual artworks on an ongoing basis. The participants' artworks were collected, and semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted. RESULTS: A thematic analysis of the interviews revealed 4 themes visual artmaking to address the challenges of older women's lives, artwork as a framework for doing, visual artmaking to support the wellbeing of older women, artwork as channel of communication and stronger ties with family members. CONCLUSIONS: The findings contribute to a better understanding of the roles of visual art in older women's lives, especially in times of crisis.