After 40 years in New Jersey, Emily Brown moved south to Raleigh, North Carolina. She had been living in Raleigh for 13 years when she decided to become a Springmoor resident in late 2017. One of the reasons she enjoys living at Springmoor is the multitude of amenities and activities offered in our community. Springmoor recently refurbished a space into the dedicated Meraki Arts Studio, and Emily has been taking advantage of the creative outlet the art studio provides.
Emily has found paper quilling to be her favorite art class at Springmoor.
“I used to knit and crochet all the time, now with arthritis, this is an alternative,” she explained.
The studio space allows Emily the freedom to be creative in other ways, including glassmaking (Christmas ornaments), decorating glass plates and her newfound favorite, paper quilling. She has some experience in other arts and crafts beyond knitting and crochet, like basic woodworking, but paper quilling is the “…one craft I learned from scratch.”
The Art of Paper Quilling
Paper quilling involves long strips of paper (3 millimeters to 10 millimeters wide) that are twirled on a quilling tool. “…You twirl it on this gizmo fork,” Emily laughed.
The paper is coiled tight and glued shut or left to unwind some and then “…pinched into geometric forms, making designs out of the forms (flowers, pictures, jewelry) and then cured to make it water resistant.”
At Springmoor, the Meraki Arts Studio changed things for many people. It is easily accessible and allows residents to work on projects over time. “If it’s a little challenging that’s fine, you can come back and work more at it,” Emily explained.
“It’s nice not to have to go looking for a class outside of our campus, it’s all right here!” Emily beamed.
A multitude of activities are available both within the community and the surrounding area to ensure a vibrant, active lifestyle at Springmoor.
Springmoor’s location in Raleigh ensures that there is always something to do. Whether you are taking advantage of the art studio at Springmoor, other activities offered through our community or everything the surrounding area has to offer, you will always have a full calendar if you choose. For more information, take a look at our residence options on our website and call us at 919-651-4844, or contact us if you have any questions or would like to schedule a visit.
