Abstract
This ethnographic research study was a pilot project to discover the types of images aging
women might create to help them cope with their concerns regarding getting older. The six
participants in this study were women over 55 without problems stemming from dementia,
stroke or other debilitating chronic illnesses. Meeting for four weeks in a non-directive
approach, the women used art to explore issues dealing with aging. Images produced were
documented along with each individual’s comments regarding their image and their
experience of art-making. Themes, media choices, color, and patterns were documented and
catalogued. By recording these images, this study provides examples of imagery that art
therapists might encounter in a wellness setting by this population.
