Art tempered with experience

Mel Frankel, 82, whose work has appeared in exhibits in the Sharon area, along with fellow residents including Israel Gerber (right), shares his work at Orchard Cove in Canton Oct. 25. ''Painting has given me joy and an appreciation of nature,''he said.

Several residents of the retirement community Orchard Cove in Canton who have long loved art are ready to share it with others. On Oct. 25 from noon to 4 p.m., an artist-in-residence open house will be held, with the public invited to check out results of their artistic labor.

For several years, the artist/residents have used their skills to decorate their entryways with a variety of art forms. The open house is the first time they are sharing it with others.

"Painting has given me joy and an appreciation of nature," said resident Mel Frankel, 82, whose work has appeared in exhibits in the Sharon area.

Israel Gerber, 80, studied charcoal drawing while a student at the Columbia School of Architecture and in his career built upscale department stores and did architectural woodwork. He is the former director and instructor of stone sculpture at the New York Studio, and since 2004, he has been creating wood sculpture at Orchard Cove. The availability of a workroom at Orchard Cove, he said, "has enabled me to start working in wood, a medium I have long desired to work in."

Art abounds at Orchard Cove, said Barbara Selwin, marketing director, adding that the open house has "generated tremendous excitement among our artists to open our doors to the community."

Added Sandra Spring, Orchard Cove's director of member services, "We have a plethora of wonderful artists here, and this is an opportunity to bring in the greater community to show them a bit about Orchard Cove and the talent we have."

TOP AWARD FOR ARC CREATIONS: The Arc of the South Shore's Art from the Heart artists have earned the Award of Excellence from the Quincy Art Association for their creations at the Quincy ArtsFest Sept. 15. The exhibit spotlighted the artistic talents of children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities who are benefiting from Arc programs. The agency is located in Weymouth and has provided advocacy, support, training, and services to South Shore children and adults since 1951.

CENTER BEARS NAME OF HINGHAM COUPLE: The new homeownership center at the Massachusetts Affordable Housing Alliance in Dorchester now bears the name of Hingham husband and wife Robert and Jean O'Hara Sheridan. Sheridan is president and CEO of the Savings Bank Life Insurance Co. of Massachusetts, and served as chairman of the capital campaign to raise funds for construction of the housing alliance's new building. The alliance's executive director, Thomas Callahan, said Robert Sheridan helped them raise funds to get the center built, which will allow for expansion of classes, workshops, and counseling services for first-time homebuyers. The Robert and Jean Sheridan Homeownership Building was built by Lee Kennedy & Co. Inc. of Quincy.

STROKE AWARENESS: Americans suffer 780,000 strokes a year - and 500,000 of them are preventable, according to the National Stroke Association. Southcoast Hospitals is presenting stroke awareness programs this month, one of which is Wednesday 5:30 to 8 p.m. at the Bay Point Country Club, 18 Bay Pointe Drive, in the Onset section of Wareham, presented by Dr. Nancy Edwards, stroke director at Tobey Hospital in Wareham. The program, "ActFast: Save a Life, Understanding, and Preventing Stroke," is free and explains risk factors for stroke and how it can be prevented. Stroke survivors will share their experiences of recovery. To register, call 800-497-1727. Walk-ins are welcome. For more information, visit southcoast.org/stroke.

WIND-POWER TALKS: The Quincy Technology Council, Quincy 2000 Collaborative, and Quincy public schools' HYPER Robotics Team, recently hosted an informational session on wind turbines and the future of wind energy in Quincy. Mayor Thomas P. Koch, state Senator Michael Morrissey, and Representative Bruce Ayers joined speakers from Mass Energy, the International Brotherhood of Electric Workers, Jay Cashman Inc., and Quincy schools.

Donations were accepted at the free event and proceeds donated to the robotics team to help them attend next year's regional robotics competition. Morrissey has scheduled another informational event Oct. 14 at the Quincy Historical Society from 7 to 8:30 p.m.

BUSINESS BRIEFS: Scituate Concrete Pipe Corp., a division of Scituate Companies, has been awarded a contract to replace failed high-density polyethylene plastic pipe in Kittery, Maine.

Paul E. Kandarian can be reached at Kandarian@globe.com.