Community & Creativity in the Time of COVID
Beverly (L) and June (R) with the finished painting of Beverly’s father
For Beverly Coates and her late husband Dudley, moving to St. James Place was always part of the plan. Living just a few blocks away, and with several friends already a part of the lively community, she knew that they would eventually take advantage of the maintenance-free lifestyle so they could enjoy their hobbies.
Among those hobbies for Beverly, is art. Nearly all her life she’s been exploring creativity through the outlet of photography, and that didn’t change when she moved to St. James Place in 2016.
These days, Beverly opts for the convenience of her smartphone’s camera, but in her younger years, you could always catch her with a camera around her neck. On trips to The Arctic, Montana and across South Louisiana, Beverly has always loved photographing scenic landscapes and the vibrance of nature. Now that she’s on the St. James Place campus, she can be found taking photos of the wildlife or spending time in her lavish garden.
In 2019, Beverly was reacquainted with a fellow gardener, Dr. June Tuma, when she moved to a St. James Place patio home just a few doors down. They quickly reconnected over gardening, wine and their love of art.
June’s creative outlet is painting, and she comes from a family of artists and creators. Having earned her Ph.D. from LSU in clinical psychology, and practiced in Los Angeles, CA and Galveston, TX, she finally returned to Baton Rouge in 1979 to start a psychology clinic for children and their parents at LSU.
After retiring, she went back to school and earned a bachelor of fine arts at the age of 72 to formalize her passion for painting. While she enjoys all media, her favorites are figure, portrait and still life painting with watercolor and oil paints.
Staying active and engaged has been key to their lives during the pandemic. While safety has been the most important thing, they’ve been able to share the occasional glass of wine and discuss their gardens and artistic expressions.
In fact, it was over a glass of wine that Beverly realized how June’s painting talent could be a blessing to her. Beverly had an unfinished portrait of her father that had been kept in her closet for years. After realizing June’s wonderful artistic talent, she knew that she was meant to finish the painting.
Beverly’s father, James Theron Brown, was the original president of The City Club in Baton Rouge back in 1957. Many years ago, the club was vandalized and the original painting was slashed. Beverly’s mother enlisted the help of New Orleans painter John Parker, who was able to finish the facial details, to recreate the historic piece. And it was in that state that it sat, unfinished, for decades.
June agreed to take on the project, putting her talents to the test. She began with a practice canvas to test colors and brushes, and ultimately decided to begin the recreation and restoration using oil paint with liquin and a Japanese soft bristle brush. This project was mutually beneficial, giving June a new, creative challenge and Beverly something special to look forward to as she watched this portrait of her father brought to life. She checked in on June’s progress every day, admiring the diligence and care that was taken in the restoration of the portrait.
Now that the portrait is complete, both Beverly’s family and the pair of friends will cherish these times and this memory forever.
To learn more about the hobbies, classes and activities offered at St. James Place—and to register for a free private tour—call our sales reps at 225-215-4510.
Below: (L) the unfinished painting and (R) the finished painting.
