Through the heart of Pine Run Retirement Community runs a vibrant creative spirit, rich with the diverse work of talented artisans. From painters and potters to those skilled in the arts and crafts movement, the senior living community in Bucks County is home to artists of all stripes.
Tucked into the lush countryside of central Bucks County near Doylestown, Pine Run has long attracted creatives who find inspiration in its 43 acres of natural beauty as well as the friendship and camaraderie of living among like-minded retirees. At Pine Run, Villagers often say, “There’s something for everyone.”
Historic Rug Hooking Harkens Back to Simpler Era
Mary Jo and Karl Gimber moved to Pine Run from their home in Carversville in 2017 and found it a welcoming place to continue their interest in the historic art of rug hooking.
“I’m a history buff, particularly the Pennsylvania German and Revolutionary War period,” said Karl, “so many of our rugs are original designs based on antique tavern signs.” Karl and Mary Jo first became inspired about historic rug hooking after seeing a hooked rug at a Buckingham auction house, meeting its creator, and taking a class to learn the art form.
That was almost 20 years ago. Today, Karl said he and Mary Jo have created approximately 125 hooked rugs of varying sizes, styles and designs. The Gimbers often will choose an inn, tavern, or sign with an interesting or unique backstory, then Mary Jo will create the rug design based on that image. Sometimes she sketches it out on paper first, and sometimes she draws the design freehand right onto the linen backing of the rug.
Rug hooking is an art indigenous to North America, Karl explained, and that is part of its appeal to the couple.
“Rug hooking started in 1825 or so. It was a time when families, women in particular, didn’t have to work 40 hours a week just to survive. They had time to do something that was creative and functional as well,” said Karl. “They never threw anything away, so they would have a ragbag full of scraps of old cloth. They’d pull out a piece of fabric, draw a simple design with charcoal on a large piece of linen or other backing, and create a rug.”
The Gimbers don’t sell their work. “We keep them, so that when one of us is gone, the other has those memories,” Karl said.
After leaving a large home and property to move to the retirement community, the pair has made a comfortable transition to their spacious cottage in the Village, Pine Run’s award-winning independent living community. “The staff is amazingly friendly and supportive,” said Karl. “You count your blessings each day.”
See Pine Run Cottage Videos>>
Pine Run Nurtures Artists
With Pine Run’s commitment to supporting healthy living and wellness, it’s not surprising to find a nurturing environment for the arts and those who create them. The dynamic community offers an abundance of activities, scenic walking trails and a state-of-the-art community center, known as “The Hub,” that includes an expansive, bright new fitness center and pool.
“Our Villagers’ needs and interests are our top priority,” said Maria Santangelo, Pine Run’s executive director. “When it comes to those with creative energy, whether an accomplished artist or someone who may just want to try a class in something new, our activities programs provide an outlet for each.”
Pine Run also offers artists many opportunities to showcase their work on the expansive campus with festivals and exhibits throughout the year.
At Pine Run’s Craft Barn, a space designed for Villagers’ artistic pursuits, Sylvia Roman can not only work on her own highly regarded pottery but also teach other Villagers how to make a “pinch pot” and add their own designs. Even before moving to Pine Run, Sylvia, who studied at The School for the Visual Arts in Montreal, taught pottery classes at the senior community. Once becoming a Villager herself, she continued to enjoy teaching pottery, until COVID-19 interrupted life.
“I’ve had several people ask me when I’m going to start classes again,” Sylvia said. “We’re finally at a point where we can safely resume and I couldn’t be more excited.”
A juried member of the Pennsylvania Guild of Crafts, Sylvia has exhibited locally, including at Pine Run, where she won first place in mixed media, and has been featured in shows across the United States and Canada. “It’s my great interest, my passion,” Sylvia said of her love of creating pottery.
For a time, she turned her talents to the ancient Japanese process of Raku, where a piece is taken from an extremely hot fire and then smothered in sawdust and leaves, allowing the smoke to chemically change the liquid glaze, creating a unique metallic sheen.
Pine Run offered Sylvia and her husband Robin an opportunity to design a unique 2,000-square-foot cottage tailored to their needs. Complete with vaulted ceilings and skylights, their one-of-a-kind cottage features a gourmet kitchen for Robin, a pharmaceutical researcher and excellent cook, as well as a media room and Sylvia’s potter’s studio. “We simply love it here,” said Sylvia. “It has everything we need. Pine Run goes out of its way to ensure that every Villager feels at home.”
It’s just this kind of attention and caring focus on personal needs that sets Pine Run Retirement Community apart. Whether it’s an individually designed home or a chance to enhance your quality of life through a myriad of programs, Pine Run’s staff members are always available to ensure that Pine Run delivers the experiences the Villagers want.
Learn More About the Cottages:
Fellowship of Artists Attracts Like Minds
Oz Freedgood knows first-hand the value of spending retirement doing what you love in a place you love. A gifted artist and businessman, he and his wife, Ginny, moved to Pine Run eight years ago. “I reached the ripe old age of 90 and felt it was time,” said Oz, with a chuckle.
After visiting about a dozen other communities, they found Pine Run to be ideal. “We love it – the size of it, the love of the arts, the fellowship of other artists…it was our wisest choice,” Oz added.
The couple’s cottage has plenty of room for their piano and Oz’s studio. His drawing abilities emerged when he was very young, announcing at age five or six, that he “would be an artist” when he grew up. And, he was right. As a teenager, he was accepted into the prestigious Parsons School of Art and Design in New York City, where he studied until, he said, he felt compelled to enlist in the Air Force during World War II. He rose to become a Radar Navigator Bombardier.
Later, Oz worked in an ad agency and then started his own greeting card company, as well as his own toy company. Throughout his creativity-filled life, he always painted. “I still paint every day,” he noted.
He has designed a number of posters for Pine Run and created a sign for the Veterans “Never Forget Garden.”
Living at Pine Run, said Oz, is a great experience. “Pine Run is well run, but what we like the most are the people – fellow Villagers and staff alike. We have made some wonderful, wonderful friends.”
The Village is a “very special place,” added Oz. “It’s very social, very alive, very beautiful.”
About Pine Run: Pine Run Retirement Community in Doylestown, Pennsylvania is one of Bucks County’s leading senior living and senior care providers, with 272 independent living cottages and 24 apartments situated on a beautiful 43-acre private campus. The campus is home to Pine Run Health Center, which offers rehabilitation services and 90 skilled nursing beds; The Garden, a 40-bed, secure dementia neighborhood on the top floor of the Health Center; and The Willows, an intimate setting for palliative services. Pine Run Lakeview is a 107-bed personal care residence owned and operated by Pine Run Retirement Community and located on Lower State Road in Doylestown. Generations of families have turned to Pine Run for the certainty of comforts and services in the bonus years. Call 800.992.8992 to learn more about independent living, personal care, or skilled nursing and rehabilitation programs, or visit www.pinerun.org.
About ONE VISION: The Campaign for Doylestown Health: Doylestown Health is beginning a bold new chapter as we approach our second century of healthcare delivery. To honor our centennial, Doylestown Health launched an ambitious comprehensive campaign, ONE VISION: The Campaign for Doylestown Health, to elevate the patient experience to new heights and unlock our full potential to deliver exceptional care. Philanthropic support of ONE VISION: The Campaign for Doylestown Health will fund transformational renovation and expansion across the Doylestown Hospital and Pine Run campuses and will help chart the course for the next generation of patients, providers, and technology. For more information, visit the Doylestown Health Foundation website or call 215-345-2009.