Hi, I'm Maia!

 

I’ve been passionate about art from a very young age. At just 5 years old, I participated in an art camp and created some of my first pieces. As I got older, school, soccer, and other sports took up most of my time, and I put art aside. But when I was 14, I went through some pretty tough times. I lost a few people I really cared about right when I was starting high school, and on top of that, I had to handle the pressure of a new school and a hectic sports schedule. It was a lot to juggle, and the stress started to seriously affect my mental health.

I was feeling overwhelmed with grief and sadness, so I decided to try therapy to help me cope and make sense of my emotions. It turned out to be a game changer. During therapy, I reconnected with something I had loved when I was younger—ART. Sketching and coloring became my way of expressing everything I was feeling, and it helped me work through complex emotions like grief, depression, and stress.

The three people I lost had been elderly, and I’d always felt a strong bond with them. One was my great-grandmother whom I spent a lot of time visiting along with her friends at their nursing home. I remember how much joy and comfort they got from having visitors and participating in activities that brought them companionship. Hers and the other two dear loved ones passing made me want to do something to help seniors, especially those dealing with dementia and Alzheimer’s, who often feel lonely and forgotten. Offering a space for them to create and connect through art became something really meaningful to me.

That’s when I came up with the idea to bring art to senior residents in assisted living facilities. I reached out to my great grandmothers ALF and they agreed to partner up indirectly by allowing me to send cards and art to their 300 residents. I also reached out to another ALF in my community, and they let me bring art therapy directly to the residents. At first, it was just five seniors, but by my second visit, the group had doubled. The program grew quickly, and in just three months, I was working with over 100 residents across multiple local facilities. It ended up being just as therapeutic for me as it was for them.