The Caledon Public Library has kicked off senior’s month with an art show by some “golden oldies”, members of The Golden Age Academy who will have their art on display until July 3rd.
Speaking with group President of the past twelve years, Lucia “Lucy” Pattera-Catania, the Citizen was given some insight into this extraordinary group of artists.
The Academy was founded in 1989 by Joe Carraro (also the founder of Costi and The National Canadian Italian Congress) on behalf of a group of retired Italian men who had formerly worked as masons for building projects all over Toronto. These retirees sought to keep themselves busy with self-expression in the arts. Namely, these former builders focused on producing sculpture, ceramic art, and paintings, but according to Pattera, “everything is an art form for them. They came to Canada in the 50s. I get very emotional thinking about all the people who came before. These people, who created and decorated Toronto and Canada, actually had to do something else, so we created the Golden Age Academy.”
Indeed, one of the earliest members and co-founder of the Academy, union leader Marino Toppan, published a 970-page book just last week on the history of these Italian-Canadian construction workers, the history of the unions, working conditions (some of which resulted in deaths), and their ultimate contributions to Canadian and Toronto culture, entitled “Land of Triumph and Tragedy”.
Not only is June Seniors’ Month, but it is also Italian Heritage Month in Canada. The Academy puts on three to four shows in the GTA every year, and this year includes a year-long show at the Columbus Centre located at Dufferin and Lawrence, in addition to the exhibit put on in conjunction with the Caledon Public Library for the month of June. The Academy has been in partnership with CPL since 1997, and is described by the library as “a group of seniors who have an interest in the arts and want to encourage other seniors to develop their inner gift and desire to express themselves in various forms of artistic creations.” But it is in fact much more than that.
The Golden Age Academy has branched out in the past decades to include people of all different cultures, and now even seeks to share their time and knowledge by including members of younger generations. “Seniors, we have so much wisdom to share with the young people…not just painting, but things like cooking and gardening,” says Pattera.
Pattera herself immigrated in 1965 from a town on the Adriatic Coast called Palena, Ch., where she began painting as a young girl. She came to Canada for the same reason as most immigrants, looking for a better life after hearing all the reports from relatives abroad. “When I think about Canada,” she explains, “it’s the feeling of a father who embraces every nationality…we have to embrace everyone and give a chance to them…we are so proud to show in Bolton,” Pattera adds.
Applicants to the Academy require a background in painting, but they allow anyone who wants to apply the opportunity to learn the artform in the meantime. Membership fees stand at $25 a year, and the organization is a registered non-profit. Members from the GTA meet once a month at the Local 546. More information about The Golden Age Academy can be found on their website, www.goldenageacademy.org.