The John D. Spreckels Center is abuzz with quiet pride and community admiration, hosting its Celebrating Seniors exhibit — a tribute to Coronado’s elder residents.
Curated under the leadership of the Coronado Cultural Arts Commission, Michelle Darnell, who leads Visual Arts Programs, said the exhibit emerged from an intersection of purpose and timing.
The Spreckels Center recently reopened in June after needing extensive flood repairs after the Jan. 22 storm, and Darnell and her team saw an opportunity to commemorate the space’s return by spotlighting its most loyal patrons.
“We wanted to honor Coronado’s senior residents,” she said. “And with the reopening happening in October, it all aligned perfectly.”
Five local photographers — Katie Karosich, Barry Alman, Keith James, Bill Sandke and Kel Casey — were selected to capture the essence of 21 of the center’s regulars.
Capturing the patrons
Each photographer brought a unique approach to the task, allowing their subjects’ personalities and stories to shine through.
For Karosich, whose background is in portraiture, storytelling can be told through the eyes.
Before snapping the shutter, she listened. She listened for the moments when a patron’s eyes lit up, when they spoke of the people and experiences that give their lives texture. Then, she wove these elements into her portraits, crafting images that feel alive with emotion.
One such moment came during her photoshoot with a senior tennis player.
“We took a slow walk to the tennis court, and I learned about his history in Coronado,” Karosich said.
For the exhibit, Karosich experimented with older lenses, finding that their softer, more nuanced focus suited the seniors’ portraits.
“Modern cameras can be a little too clinical,” she said. “Older lenses have a Hollywood character — they bring out the personality and a certain timelessness.”
Mary Beth Parr, a self-described outdoor enthusiast, was one of Karosich’s patrons.
“She [Karosich] captured my essence – my smile and love of the outdoors,” Parr said.
Her image, set against the backdrop of trees, reflects her passion for camping and hiking in places like the Sierras.
Alman interviewed his patrons before taking their portraits to find out what they enjoyed.
One subject, a man nearing 100, was photographed playing pool and working on a puzzle — moments that elicited laughter and ease.
“I said, ‘Just point your finger and look like you’re pointing to a piece in the puzzle,’ and he started to laugh,” Alman said. “That was probably my favorite photo of the whole shoot.”
James’ portraits included a gardener holding a cherished spade passed down since 1953, a line dancer donning a rhinestone-studded cowboy hat and a painter with a palette covered in vibrant splatters.
The line dancer, Pam Romeka, said she finds solace and connection in the Spreckles Centers’ activities.
“The center makes my life. I don’t know what I would do without it,” she said.
For the gardener, John Blocker, and his wife, Thea Gurns, their inclusion in the exhibit was a chance to reflect on a shared passion: horticulture.
The couple, avid gardeners for over four decades, brought cherished items to their photoshoot — a spade passed down from John’s father and heirloom roses from their garden.
“That spade symbolizes not just gardening but family history,” Blocker said. “I remember my father using it in the 1950s.”
Patrons’ and visitors’ response
Parr said the Celebrating Seniors exhibit gave her a deeper insight into her peers at the Spreckels Center, like John Blocker and his wife, who are in the same yoga class as her.
“Participating in this exhibit gave me a better understanding of the people behind the picture,” Parr said. “We’re not on the front page of the paper, but we’re living our lives to the fullest.”
The exhibit’s opening night on Oct. 25 offered the five photographers a moment to witness the impact of their work firsthand.
“Seeing the reactions from the seniors we photographed was wonderful,” she said. “Some were giddy, telling their stories to friends. These events make us slow down and listen.”
For her, this attentiveness is vital in a society where seniors are often overlooked.
“We tend to separate them, but seniors are so important — they tell the story of a community to the next generation.”
Darnell said she’s observed how the portraits sparked conversations among patrons, who recognized familiar faces and learned new stories through the accompanying images.
“The overall idea of linking artists with community members offers an accessible way to build community appreciation and provide meaningful experience for both artists and participants,” Darnell said.
The exhibit will run through Jan. 31, 2025.
