Aging in Contemporary Artwork
Here historical discourse becomes intertwined with contemporary artwork from diverse audiences. In this display case and in the pieces displayed around the perimeter of the exhibition, we see aging come alive through creative expression. While each piece may not engage with the topic of aging so directly or explicitly, they do each attend to aging-related themes – intergenerational conflict and healing, distinctive life stages and experiences, capturing the story of a loved one through poetry or photography, or highlighting and strengthening family legacies through process, product, or materials.
This case includes one original framed piece by Elizabeth Layton, a gift like all of her other pieces, which was meaningfully inscribed and delivered with well-wishes for the recipient. We also see clay pots created through an intergenerational process, a junk art sculpture created by a retired rancher, and a cat-like rock painted by that rancher’s wife. Each of the artists who created these pieces was hesitant to call themselves an artist, Grandma Layton included. As Ryan Dupree states of his family’s pinch pots created by his 3-year-old daughter and 71-year-old father, one may need to have an appreciation for the stories and histories of the artists in order to fully appreciate the beauty and meaning of their final product. With this in mind, each contemporary piece includes a description of the work from the perspective of the artist, often describing the process in which the piece was created, the family legacies the piece reflects, and the meaningful insights the artists gained through their creation.
Keep an open mind as you peruse the artwork. Appreciate their context as much as their form and style. Imagine what your own creative mind might design in their place based on your own life, family, and legacy.
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Genevieve (age 3), Patrick (71), & Ryan Dupree (45)
Generations, 2022
Painted clay pinch pots
These artefacts were created through a collaborative process completed by Genevieve Ryan DuPree and Patrick Harold DuPree in response to a request to collaborate on a creative project initiated by the father of Genevieve and son of Patrick, Ryan Patrick DuPree. The objective of the project was to incorporate each of the artists’ visions of what their intergenerational relationship meant to them. Each of them created a piece individually and then collaborated on a third piece to express themselves in a combined artistic vision.
The piece on the left was created by Genevieve. When asked about the development of the piece, the artist noted, “I smooshed the dough flat so I could paint it…I like purple so I used it a lot.” In reflection of completing the piece under the advisement of her grandfather (known as “Dude”), Genevieve noted “I liked it a lot and Dude helped me a little bit.”
The piece in the center was created by Patrick who noted, “I wanted to make something that held all of the pieces, just like I like to hold Genevieve.” Patrick used his favorite color, blue, and placed a smiling face on the side of the work to express his feelings when creating the piece as he valued the opportunity to complete such a project with his granddaughter. Patrick also noted the image in the middle of the work (a bird) was to signify the transition from a younger to an older positioning in the life cycle, stating, “I can barely remember being Genevieve’s age, but I know I would have enjoyed this work if I was asked to do it.”
In the combined piece on the right, Ryan reflected that the precision was lent by Patrick, while the shaping was completed by Genevieve. As this work was intended to be a culmination of the Ryan’s studies on aging during his Master’s in Social Work training, the piece was impactful due to the relationship of the three parties. It could be said that it takes a lifetime of many family members to create such a piece; the beauty of the work might only be appreciated by those who have experienced these particular life paths.
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Clarence Lanka, age 93
Alpha & Omega, unknown
Recycled ranching equipment
Clarence Lanka of Stapleton, Nebraska had tinkered with “junk art,” as he called it, since the early 1970’s. Since moving into town off his Nebraska sandhills ranch in 2019, he continued to build his pieces in the garage using hammer, vises, and welding equipment. This small piece is his longhorn steer, Alpha & Omega – the first and last, because in the moving his family has done, this critter has always been the last item to take down and pack up and the first to unpack and place on the new mantel. Clarence has made crosses, yard flowers, and other critters such as a swamp rat from worn out pieces of farm equipment. Some are useful, as a door stop, hat, or plant holder. Some are simply displayed for fun and conversation. He claimed he made them to “keep busy.” He was never one to be idle.
When granting permission for this piece to be displayed, he said, “I am not seeking publicity, but if I can be an inspiration...yes, please show my things!” Clarence passed away in the spring of 2025. He is fondly remembered by his large and loving family.
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Judy Lanka, age 90
Rock on Tiger Kitty! 1986
Painted rock
This piece was submitted by Judy’s sister, Arlene Collins (age 79), who shared the story of the piece’s creation:
As two Midwestern farm-raised sisters, we never knew days without a barn cat to keep the mice population in check. As we went our separate ways, raising our own families, our kids were blessed every season with at least one batch of kittens under the porch step, maybe four batches! So it came to pass when both our kid-flocks were nearly grown, my own family finding a very hard transitional move across state lines from beautiful South Dakota back to our roots, nearer the sandhills of Nebraska, we had to say goodbye to a beloved Tiger cat. Saying “goodbye” to so many things at once, our friends, our beloved vistas, the pinecones, the precious Black Hills, Tiger Kitty…. Could we bear any more disappointments? The last week before packing belongings into the moving truck, down near the mountain stream I noticed the perfect cat-sized rock, nice and smooth, perhaps sitting there in the stream years upon years. No, certainly in preparation for a major move, one need not add one more thing to the list for packing, certainly not a non-descript rock, of all things! Yet I stopped for another moment. Could she and would she see what I believed I could see? I delivered the rock to my sweet artist sister, ten years older than me, well into her ‘wisdom’ years of counting the cost of taking time for trivial things. I presented to her my request, “Judy, could you paint me a kitty-rock and make him look like Tiger as best you can? We can’t have a kitty where we are going.” It is hard enough for kids to tell friends goodbye; to not come home to a beloved pet is harder still. Well, glory be! She did not say ‘no.’ A few months later at our family get-together, what did I find in a cozy box in my car’s back seat! TIGER KITTY! Kitty has moved with our family 4 more times throughout the years.
When asked to share her piece, Judy stated: “It’s thrilling to know that something we are doing in such a common and ordinary way is impressive to anybody. I wish everybody had a family like ours.” Judy Lanka was married to Clarence Lanka for many devoted years. Like Clarence, Judy passed away in the spring of 2025. She is lovingly remembered by her family for her creative energy, wisdom, and faith.