On February, Friday 13, a new art exhibition opening was held at the Gunnedah Bicentennial Creative Arts Gallery.

The display, Ageing to Create, brought in a large crowd.

Those in attendance enjoyed a live musical performance as well as a range of treats for afternoon tea.

Ageing to Create is a collection of art from the seniors and elders who attend GoCo Community Care’s Social Support Group.

Seniors aged from 58 to 98 participated across 2025, creating art from a range of different styles, mediums and methods.

Social Support Group has been operating for over ten years and has proven to be wildly popular.

Hosted every Monday and Friday, Monday for seniors and Friday for elders, at GoCo’s office in Gunnedah, the Social Support Group has something new and exciting each week.

Deborah Neaves, program coordinator at GoCo Community Care, makes sure to deliver activities that are not only enjoyable but that also helps with their mental and physical health.

“I coordinate different activities. So for Monday group one week we will have Mary

Ranken children come and visit, for another week we do singing and, we also do armchair travel,” she said.

“Armchair travel is where I pick a place, let’s say Greece, and I do a whole thing around Greece and do food tastings as well. So they get to taste different foods from different places. Last week we went to Sri Lanka.

“All my work is focused around supporting them and giving them enjoyment, but also, helping with mental stimulation, physical stimulation, hand and eye coordination. All of that comes into what I choose to do.”

Art, however, has remained one of the most popular activities. ‘

Deborah said the idea to create an art exhibit out of their previous projects came about when talking to her twin sister.

“I was showing my sister some of the art work the groups have done, and she saw a project on colour psychology we were working on and said that it was really good, and that we should have an exhibition of their work,” she said.

“Then I approached my boss, and asked, you know, do you think I can have an exhibition of all the work that we’ve been doing? And she said, why not?

“I think that’s the big thing to say, your art is in an art gallery and people are coming to look at it, and a huge accomplishment. There are not many of us who can say that they’ve had their art shown in an art gallery.”

When brought up to the groups, the seniors and elders were nervous at first, but soon came around to the idea.

Rick Thomas, a member of the Monday group, said that he looks forward to creating art.

“It gets me out of the house,” he said.

“I have a bit of social interaction with the other people there and we have activities that require you to use your brain a bit, your eyes and hands and everything else, and it’s fun. In particular, I like the party sort of stuff they do.

“When you look at all those ducks on display, I did one that I called Cranky Duck. It’s got the wings back, so it’s meant to be flapping. It’s got its mouth open with the red inside the mouth. It’s on the attack for someone.

“But the only disappointing part about that was we used empty wine bottles as the base, but they didn’t let us empty the wine bottles. Someone else had the party.

“I just enjoy playing with paint and colour and that sort of thing.”

For Sue Sutherland, being able to see her art on display is a very special moment for her.

Part of the Friday group, Sue attends weekly sessions creating a mixture of western art as well as art that focuses on culture.

Sue enjoys the social aspect of the group.

“I am not artistic, I will be the first one to say that. But with creating that cup, we put dabs of paint on it and then put Gladwrap over it and then just pull the Gladwrap off,” she said.

“And now that I’ve seen the way Deb has set it out, it’s beautiful and she’s done a marvellous job. Its just so bright and happy.

“We’ve never had our work on display. And to have it here makes you feel proud, you think, ‘Wow. This is our work and people are coming to see our work.’”

You can see the Ageing to Create artworks at the Gunnedah Bicentennial Creative Arts Gallery until March 20.