About Us
Get Curious, Keep Learning & Express Yourself
I’m Harper Marten, Founder and Art Educator at The Arts of Aging. The smell of turpentine, the sound of scissors cutting cloth, wandering through the fabric store as a “regular” customer, watching my mother paint with oils in our community studio, guiding children as they glue paper in a collage, chatting with others about what art means to them: these are the things that make me feel truly at home.
Curiosity is a lifelong practice for me, and it’s contagious! When you work with me, you’re collaborating with a great listener, a creative and constructive problem-solver, and a self-expression champion.
I so look forward to discovering what feels like home to you and your clients.
The Arts of Aging was created with my father. Over 10 years of caring for him during his journey with dementia, in between grieving the loss of his traditional role as Dad, and assuming my new role as caretaker, I discovered that creative self-expression gave us both invaluable freedom. Freedom to be present with one another, to reinvent ourselves in the moment, to be curious and silly. Making art together just let us enjoy each other in this new normal.
I drew upon my 20 years of experience in Art Education, my Montessori Early Childhood teaching certification, the 2,000+ hours of facilitating self-inquiry, and even my BFA in Photography to connect with my Dad during that time. Now, I use the same formal training and gained wisdom to create art programs for my clients.
