Athens, Ga. – Claire Clements, associate professor emerita of the University of Georgia College of Education, recently received the Women in the Arts Recognition Award from the Elijah Clarke Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
Clements, of Athens, was recognized for her work in “…bringing the joy of creativity to individuals from infancy through old age in schools and communities.” A faculty member at UGA for almost 20 years, Clements coordinated creative arts experiences and outreach training for the college’s Institute on Human Development and Disability.
Clements won several federal and state grants during her career at UGA, including the Art/Fitness Quality of Life Program: Art, Dance, Drama, Physical Fitness and Creativity for Seniors with and without Developmental Disabilities, which was funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. She went on to develop and direct the $250,000 project, which employed 15 graduate students and served 200 senior citizens in Northeast Georgia senior citizen centers. The project led to her publishing a manual on how to conduct arts activities for seniors.
“When I was director of the Athens Area Community Council on Aging in the 1990s, I saw first-hand how the arts enriched the lives of our senior citizens,” said Kathryn Fowler, director of the Georgia Department of Aging. “So I was pleased when Claire brought her U.S. Health and Human Services Quality of Life Program into our Senior Center. She and I and key community people, such as David Levine and Dev Weeks, planned how to execute and carry out the $250,000 training, research and service grant that she received. Her grant brought crafts, dancing, drama, wreath-making, weaving, painting, quilting, physical fitness and creativity to our members. The joy that these arts activities gave to the seniors was heart-warming.”
In retirement, Clements organizes and participates in the Plein Aire Painters group, which meets monthly at various local scenic locations to create art. Clements, who earned her doctoral degree in education from Pennsylvania State University, has resided in Athens since 1969.
Clements was presented the award by UGA Alumna Susan C. Power (B.F.A.’74, M.A.Ed. ’75, Ed.D. ’82) at the recent DAR meeting held in Athens.
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