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There’s No Aging in Vegas because we’re too busy living and loving life! If you don’t love AGING, how the hell you gonna love LIVING?
Unknown Speaker 0:00
This is a k u and v studios original program. The content of this program does not reflect the views or opinions of 91.5 Jazz and more the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, or the Board of Regents of the Nevada System of Higher Education.
Unknown Speaker 0:14
Welcome to there's no aging in Vegas. I'm your host, Pat Landecker. Today's special guest is Joanne Ross. Let's get this party started. Slow Hello, Hello, and welcome to episode four. I can't believe it's actually happening. Of the there's no aging in Vegas show. You know, I started this show because I really wanted to empower other older adults. And, you know, just let them know that, you know, you can age in a very positive way if you have a positive mindset. So all the stories and guests that are on this show are all about that, and today is no exception. First I want to thank Mike Dini from the Neon Museum, he was here with us last show. He did a great job. And he really opened up the or let us peek behind the curtains of the Neon Museum. And I really appreciate it that but our guest today is no exception. She's aging artfully I would say she is a mainstay in the Vegas Valley and around the world, actually. So it's time for our AARP five minutes segment. And today I have a really special guest. He's a great person, I call him a friend. Justin, are you there?
Unknown Speaker 1:41
Hi, Pat. I am Hi, how
Unknown Speaker 1:43
are you doing? Now Justin does so many things with AARP. I know him as the volunteer coordinator. But just just give me a couple of those other titles that you use.
Unknown Speaker 1:56
You know, in a nutshell, I consider myself an outreach director. I focus a lot on our on our events and our work in various areas. But too i I specifically work in is more at Las Vegas and Washoe County up north in Nevada. And then I also run our volunteer program here as well as our Veterans Program as well, too.
Unknown Speaker 2:15
Well, I know you do a lot, I don't even think we could really encapsulate it because you have so many hats. And I know all the volunteers love you. I've heard it from them personally. So just give me an idea of some of the opportunities that are at AARP AARP that people can get involved with as a member and as a volunteer.
Unknown Speaker 2:46
Our office is very unique. We encompass around three areas, and that is we focus a lot on education. So we're providing valuable information, sometimes a tabling events, sometimes we're doing seminars or workshops at senior centers or community agency, we do our own version of community service by being able to partner with other nonprofits and government entities. And of course, we also do advocacy. We fight for social change at a local and state level. We are nonpartisan so we do not support any political party. But we do advocate for 50 Plus and overall for society as a whole. As you know, Pat, our founder was a principal and all of our stuff is tied into educational alongs we're educating our 50 plus that's all we care about.
Unknown Speaker 3:29
Well, let me just kind of bring up a couple of things that I'm aware of. I mean, the things you put in place for people who are aging and may not be able to find a niche to fit in or an event to go to or things like that. I mean that's what you guys really provide as you open those doors and make it a safe and and fun opportunity for people to get out and get involved at what at what really whatever age. But I know like you know you guys have caregiving forums. You guys did a recently in February you had a Cupid's crew, I think it wasn't they went around to to seniors in different community centers and things like that and handed out roses and had a little dance parties. Last show I had a Janice with Sena maniacs, and so you provide that opportunity for people to come together and watch movies and things like that. What are some of the other things that you do?
Unknown Speaker 4:33
So I'm glad you mentioned the roses and Cenomanian because one of the things our office does is try our best to partner with our volunteers and create unique community needs. So so the maniacs was actually created by our volunteers. They came to us one day and said, Hey, we would love something like a book club but for movies because we don't like reading books, but we sure do like watching movies. So we created that group and that group was created by our volunteers. to our office is just the machine behind that, and the volunteers help conceptualize it and make it into what it is, are roses was a great thing that our volunteers did as well. One of our internal departments which have a lifetime reached out to us and said, we want to partner with your state office and offer for roses to various places in Nevada. And we offer those roses at senior centers at veteran homes. And our volunteers actually coordinate that they reached out to all those entities worked out the time they made sure the roses were there in time and handing them out. And to get a chance to look at the pictures. It was just the most beautiful thing you'll ever see. There was so many join those rooms.
Unknown Speaker 5:40
Yeah, no, I saw that. I thought that was awesome. I had no idea that they do that. And now you also provide volunteers opportunities of North and Reno, where your other offices located. And I know that you were telling me about a gentleman who's offering swing dancing up there. And you know, they've got some, it's really interesting, I've noticed that things up north are a little bit different from the things offered down here. But are there any other unique programs just really briefly that are going on up there?
Unknown Speaker 6:16
wonderful volunteers actually helped create a swing class. So this was a need that he saw in his community, he said there was no safe place for seniors to get together and dance. So we created a event called Swing Saturday is every fourth Saturday of the month. It's at the ballroom of Reno, and in 25th 40 Sutro Street, and that one is an hour dance instruction. And then the second hour where our instructor plays DJ. So the people that attend Of course, they're free, they don't We don't charge them to attend, they don't have to be an AARP member, either. It's just earpiece way of offering something unique that a 50 plus within their community, and someplace that they can be able to get some self care, especially if they're on a caregiving journey, or a much needed socialization and get out the house. Yeah,
Unknown Speaker 7:04
I mean, that's really what a lot of the programs do. And I'm just gonna let everybody know that these opportunities are really endless. I mean, you can be a member of AARP and join the volunteer staff give talks right here at UNLV. We had somebody come from AARP and talk to the YALI program. I mean, it's really endless what they do. And and, you know, I'm gonna go ahead and let everybody know, Justin, on your behalf that more information is definitely available at AARP nevada.org. Is that the correct address?
Unknown Speaker 7:44
It would actually be air p.org, forward slash Nevada.
Unknown Speaker 7:48
That's right. I knew I had something backwards. I just and I wish I had so much more time with you. I, you know, just appreciate the effort that I've witnessed personally that you put out to get to so many places, you're always flying up north and back down and everything and just know that so many people appreciate you and you're actually out there, you're on those walks at the town center. You know, you're at that event booth in Reno. I mean, I don't even know how you do it. So you know, I appreciate it. And I just want to personally thank you for all the effort that you put into everything. Thank
Unknown Speaker 8:25
you for having me on your show, Pat. And cheers to you and your team for always offering top notch things in our community. Oh, thank
Unknown Speaker 8:33
you. I really appreciate that. But anyway, I am so excited. I've been so excited about this not just because she's my friend, but because she is so talented, and so humble about it. That's what amazes me. I mean, if I was her I'd be like wearing it on my shirt, but her you would never know. I want to introduce you to my guests, Joe and Russ. Joanne, like I said, it's such a joy to have you here. I know you just got back from New Zealand. And you know, I'm just curious how long of a trip is that? Yeah.
Unknown Speaker 9:10
Thanks so much for having on the show Pat and yeah, it's a long trip. The main part the main airplane trip is about 13 hours LAX to Auckland, and then you've usually got you know, some extra trips each side of that so it's a little bit of a mission but it was definitely worth it.
Unknown Speaker 9:29
Well I'm gonna go off the map here for a second just because I so enjoyed seeing your pictures. I mean, is there anything that's not green or growing over there? Everything every picture you sent out like a forest behind it or water or something. It just looks like such a gorgeous, it
Unknown Speaker 9:46
is beautiful. It is re green a lot of it is the rain over the air right it does actually rain quite a lot. But the beaches are absolutely beautiful and this time of year, it was just perfect. So it was a little hard to come back But now that I'm here, I'm getting right back into it and enjoying everything that's going on in Las Vegas.
Unknown Speaker 10:05
I was waiting for you to say, girl, come on. I would have been any time been on that plane. Let me just tell you all a little bit about Jo Ann. She is originally from New Zealand. She graduated with a Bachelor of Visual Arts from MIT in Auckland. And now MIT like MIT here,
Unknown Speaker 10:27
not like he might say, Here, it's Monaco Institute of Technology in Auckland, and it was a school that also was focused on visual arts. Okay, so
Unknown Speaker 10:39
perfect. No wonder pay for me came out there. But you were doing that stuff before you went to the school, right? Been an artist for how long? Yeah,
Unknown Speaker 10:47
I'd been more in the commercial world doing like graphic design, and also working in the computer graphics, which was still very much developing. And publishing. So book design and things like that.
Unknown Speaker 11:01
Oh, you shouldn't have told me that. Because I'm getting ready to write another book, written seven, but I'd love to have on the cover wasn't just kind of cut and paste, right. But let me continue. So in 2010, she relocated to Las Vegas, where she has worked predominantly in the medium of collage, which is just amazing. I look at your collages. I'm like, that looks like somebody painted it. Because I know if I cut stuff out, you're gonna know but your stuff doesn't show it at all. Working in collage creating surreal scenes, where hybrid humans merge with desert plants and creatures. You know, I guess now that I've seen so much, Your Honor real okay. That's exactly what it is. I never realized that. An interest in the relationship of humans with their natural environment is a continuing thread throughout her work. Oh Lord, it all make sense. Since 2014. She has created collage prog projects and workshops, where participants collaborate to produce large works. Her work has been seen at the uno de Barrick Museum of Art. The life is beautiful Festival, the museum, Nevada Museum of Art, the terms Art Museum, the Sydney contemporary art fair, and is held in collections has held collections in the cosmetology tin. The Delaine no hotel, circa I mean, look. And you're so humble about it. You would never know that when you go into what is the what's the bathroom? When is that the de Lena?
Unknown Speaker 12:41
Meow wolf actually is well, there's a bathroom euro on level two behind the pink door, you've got to look for it.
Unknown Speaker 12:48
About me, oh, my God, you're just so many amazing places. And I, you know, go down the street. And there's your billboard. There's your banners hanging off of a poll just in this. I mean, it's just unbelievable. All the places you are now my favorite, which we won't probably show on the show. Or maybe I'll slip it in. Is that big sign you had on the side of the Cosmopolitan? That was amazing. How did that opportunity come up?
Unknown Speaker 13:19
Yeah, that was great. That was when the p3 Studio residencies were happening there. And as a residency artists, they would feature your artwork on the big marquee digital marquee on the building. So it's
Unknown Speaker 13:33
pretty cool. You're driving down. How did that feel to see your work that? Oh,
Unknown Speaker 13:39
that fires? Yes. It's pretty cool. All right. And it was great opportunities, because they bought an artist from other places. And they also featured artists who were living and working here. So yeah, there's a lot of great programs happening stole so yeah, yeah, very grateful for those. So
Unknown Speaker 13:57
now I can go back and ask you, you're still golden piece. Tell me about that.
Unknown Speaker 14:05
So this is a recent collage, I did a whole series really based on the kind of the Golden theme of Las Vegas. So you know, part of it is our amazing golden hour, you know, where the sun's just about to go down and the city just looks absolutely golden and beautiful. I just love that time. But also like walking into, you know, a lot of amazing hotels here where there's so much spectacle, there's so much kind of glamour and gold kind of going on there. So I kind of did a whole it's kind of ongoing really I'm doing a lot of works that build on now with that. And this was a still life. Of course usually still lifes paintings, right? Sometimes photography, not so often collage so I really wanted to, you know, expand into kind of push myself a little bit with it. So yeah, I really enjoyed that process and there's little kind of insects in there and some gold jewelry mixed in with the desert flowers.
Unknown Speaker 15:08
Me, first of all, what kind of scissors are you using? are so precise that I mean, it looks painted, it doesn't even look like it's collaged or cut or anything. I mean, how long does it take to like, just like the snake picture that I recently saw? How long did it take you to cut that out and make sure that,
Unknown Speaker 15:28
yeah, it's a time consuming process. But I have to say that's actually my favorite part. For some reason, just using scissors and doing that analog, the old style of college, you know where it is cut and paste, it's not done in a digital way. I really enjoy that. Pasting not so much, because if you go wrong, at that point, it's kind of a little bit late, and you've missed everything up. So they're cutting those fun and the lane that's everything out is fun, and you know, choosing how you want everything to relate to each
Unknown Speaker 15:59
other. It's probably good therapy too, because I know that's why they have kindergarteners learn how to cut because it calms them down and makes them focus. Maybe I should come cut some stuff with the safety scissors for the little while. Yes, absolutely. safety scissors. That's cute. Okay, so now the Aerial. This picture has your banners in it. And what are those banners for? And where is that located? It's hanging off.
Unknown Speaker 16:26
Yes, you can see these. Currently downtown Las Vegas first street. So it seems like the city of Las Vegas calls it the aerial art gallery. And each block of first street down from city hall, they have a different artist whose works are featured on the banners there. So my my block of banners is outside the English hotel. And when I was there, yeah, I captured Yeah, isn't it cool? They've got a lot of artwork there. And I captured different buildings actually along first street. So I also incorporated city hall itself and added some of my bearded women figures in eso. Yeah, they've kind of infiltrated downtown, you've
Unknown Speaker 17:11
had some really, I would call that that's a good thing for all of you out there. stuff hanging around, you know, going over streets and all kinds of things like that. And I know you've been doing this for a long time. And some of the pieces are probably a little older. How old are the ones we just discussed the aerials. So
Unknown Speaker 17:32
those are new, those are very recent. Like current. Yeah, I kind of built on some earlier bird women in the United adapted them for this project. So this is a very recent ongoing project. Yeah, people can check out.
Unknown Speaker 17:48
Yeah, what street again,
Unknown Speaker 17:50
First Street, first street downtown.
Unknown Speaker 17:53
Yeah, I mean, it's just amazing. And some of your works that, you know, I won't you won't see on this show. But I will definitely have somewhere where you can go and see them. They're pretty sexy. Now, is that kind of your thing? Or is that just how it fell together?
Unknown Speaker 18:11
It definitely has been something I think that I've been interested in, particularly, you know, as women kind of how we protect ourselves, but also how we're seen. But yeah, it's kind of owning that. And I think, you know, it's something as we age as well, it's important to kind of hold on to the kind of feeling good in the way that you know, we are and put ourselves out there in the world. Like, I'm not one for believing that at a certain age, you have to, you know, wear certain clothes or have your hair a certain way or you know, like I believe and create creativity of expression. I have to say, I really see that with you. Pat is always something I've really enjoyed with you, you think.
Unknown Speaker 18:52
But no, I mean, it's just also fantastic. And everything I just, I look at all your pieces of which there are many. And again, I will make sure those are available on my website. So everybody can see that. That I know you'd like holding workshops and everything and you do those at slow. What is it? So Nina? I've
Unknown Speaker 19:13
been doing some recently at Salon Nina Artspace on Fremont Street. And also working with some school groups. I've worked with some senior centers, as well. So I really enjoy actually working with all ages have done some where it's children coming in with parents and grandparents. And that's been a lot of fun as well.
Unknown Speaker 19:38
I don't even know where you get this energy for. I mean, we're both over 60 And yeah, you seem to accomplish way more getting around than I do. Now I know that there is an open call from the city of Las Vegas for 50 Plus is a disc collage artist or artists all artists and all mediums Okay, and this is open now. Yes, it is. It's
Unknown Speaker 20:02
an art competition. So it's, I think the city is actually really great at putting out opportunities for older folks. So older artists, particularly. But I think with this kind of competition, you know, it's not like you have to have, you know, been consider yourself an artist for a certain amount of time. If you enjoy making artwork, then this is a great opportunity to potentially have some work shown, and maybe you even might win some prize money.
Unknown Speaker 20:33
Well, I know that you're a part of the Nevada Arts Council and different places like that, and you're a great supporter of of those efforts, and you're out there volunteering your time, and, and different things. We were going to meet up I think last week, and you're over volunteering at the Springs Preserve State Museum. Yeah. And so you know, you are just all up in your medium, and you're so committed and dedicated to it. And you know, I did a class that was all about creativity and aging, because I realize how important that is. In my class, I asked people to kind of throw all their life experience into a pillowcase and shake it up, dump it out, and see what's there and mind through it, so that you can see some of the things you used to do that you can bring today, that will bring you so much joy. You know, creating is a huge thing. I still do that I like to embroider I like to, you know, writing is my thing. I that's how I express myself. And I have a monthly column in the biggest voice magazine where I get to do that every month. But moving forward. I mean, I know you'll continue doing what you're doing. Do you have any other things that you want to get into? Are you just gonna stay in that lane? Yeah,
Unknown Speaker 21:54
I'm really enjoying focusing on making new work. I've got more flexibility and how I'm choosing to spend my time these days. And I'm really enjoying that. Yeah, I've got an exhibition coming up at a gallery in LA in June. So there'll be more information about that coming up soon, but I need to really get get working and, you know, finish some pieces for that. Yeah, and I'm enjoying doing the workshops. And it's a great way to connect with people. And as you say, I think as we age, you know, the connection is so important. Yeah,
Unknown Speaker 22:31
it really is. I mean, we have to find something I work really hard with my clients and different individuals on just helping them kind of find their space, find who they are today and how they can utilize that. So anyway, I look like it looks like I'm running out of time. But I just wanted to say that I want everybody to love their aging, because the alternative sucks. So you definitely want to embrace that. And, you know, live life to the fullest. I'm just here preaching what I'm teaching and I look forward to seeing everybody on the next there's no aging in Vegas,
Unknown Speaker 23:11
rooms underwritten by AARP Nevada, currently seeking volunteers for a variety of roles including speakers for meetings, tech support for member events and people who just want to meet and greet others. AARP Nevada offers training and support to help individuals help ARP Nevada More information is available at state's dot aarp.org/net
Transcribed by https://otter.ai