Skip to content

Love & Wisdom

Crossing Generational Streams

Teens create art, receive insightful life advice

By Seattle Mag February 14, 2025

A young person and an older woman sit across from each other at a table in a room with red walls and a large floral painting, their conversation filled with stories and aspirations as kids look toward the future.
Photo courtesy of Woodinville Teen Arts Alliance

This article originally appeared in the January/February 2025 issue of Seattle magazine.

Kids look toward the future. Older people often relive the past.

Those two worlds collided in the best of ways recently when the Woodinville Teen Arts Alliance collaborated with residents from Fairwinds Brittany Park Retirement Home to create beautiful art inspired by residents’ lives.

“Our conversations made me appreciate the value of human connection and community.”

“This project was interesting to create because it’s essentially my interpretation, as an outsider, of the life of an elder,” says Alliance member Ellina Chang. “Art is inherently subjective, and I found it refreshing to get to hear about and understand the unique lens through which someone has experienced so many views of the world.”

The teens’ creativity was met with some helpful life advice as well.

“Listening to their stories broadened my perspective on life,” says another Alliance member, Anvitha Suresh.

“Our conversations made me appreciate the value of human connection and community.”

The artwork was also recently displayed at Tara Jennings Fine Art Gallery in Woodinville.

Follow Us

Moxie on Monday: Open Your Presence This Christmas

Moxie on Monday: Open Your Presence This Christmas

Practice being mindful, kind, and savor each moment

The holidays can feel like a whirlwind — our to-do lists grow, our calendars overflow, along with the pressure to create the “perfect” Christmas atmosphere. But what if the best gift wasn’t wrapped in ribbons or bows? What if the most meaningful gift we could give was our presence? I’ll bet you’ve met someone in…

The Joys and Challenges of Living out of a Converted Bus

The Joys and Challenges of Living out of a Converted Bus

Don’t talk to Heather Shutter about small spaces. Sure, she lives in a converted, 400-square-foot school bus — a skoolie — with her husband, Ben, three children (ages 14, 12, and 10), several dogs, and a Gecko lizard. She’s a full-time attorney who works in a tiny, cramped compartment in the back. Her kids are…

Best Casino: Snoqualmie Casino

Best Casino: Snoqualmie Casino

Big things are happening at Snoqualmie Casino with a $400M expansion — including a luxury hotel, spa, and entertainment center — set to open next year. 🎰✨ #SeattleMagReadersChoice2024

Best Instagram-Worthy Location: Mount Rainier

Best Instagram-Worthy Location: Mount Rainier

Mount Rainier: a towering icon of the Pacific Northwest, always ready for its close-up. 🌄 #SeattleMagReadersChoice2024