SALEM — Greystone Farm residents revealed their artistic sides with a showing of their paintings on Wednesday.

Family and friends stopped by to admire paintings of seascapes, mountain streams, trees and meadows created by resident artists in the senior living facility.

“Some of the pieces were just phenomenal,” said activities Director Eddie Wilson. “We decided it was something we had to show.”

It all started when National Assisted Living Week announced this year's theme of Art for the Ages, said Tracey Hamlin-Landry, senior director of community relations. Greystone Farm embraced the concept and branched it out into many areas such as the art of eating well and the art of having fun. Forming an art class seemed to be a natural extension.

Yoga instructor Camille Flaherty took the lead and recruited 13 residents for the class. They began working on the pieces in July. The students had varying levels of experience and took each project step-by-step, Flaherty said.

“They realize that everybody is born with a talent,” Flaherty said. “Just be yourself and let it out.”

She urged her students to express their creativity without fear. Art is not perfect, Flaherty said. It's about what people see and how they interpret it.

Barbara Grant joined the class because she thought it would be fun. She had no idea where it would lead.

“I couldn't believe she was going to have a show,” Grant said. “It was great.”

Grant was displaying a seascape.

“I was thinking of Maine at the time,” Grant said.

Her family had a cottage in coastal Maine while she was growing up and working on the painting brought back fond memories of summers there, she said.

“The beach was beautiful,” Grant said.

Arline Clark decided to try her hand at painting even though her husband had always been the artistic one.

“I was very pleased with how it came out,” Clark said.

Clark also painted a floral box with flowers using acrylic paint. She plans to continue following her new interest in art, Clark said.

National Assisted Living Week ends Sept. 15, when residents will turn their attention to selling apple pies and other homemade treats at SalemFest.

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Julie Hanson may be reached at Jhanson@newstote.com.