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Richmond, Va. -- Some ambitious high school students shared their talents for creative expression recently with Richmond area seniors.

Residents from Richmond’s VA Medical Center Heroes Haven Community Living Center painted colorful underwater themed murals with help from James River High School National Honor Society art students. The cheerful murals, featuring fish, turtles and seascapes will be used to decorate walls throughout the Center.

As relaxing piano music set the tone, the students carefully poured out paints, distributed brushes and provided guidance to center residents. Excitedly, students and veterans discussed aspects of composition including talks about whether a turtle should be greener or a fish more colorful. Their collaboration brought smiles and laughter, which was the true goal of the artistic experience.

Heroes Haven Community Living Center is an 80-bed facility noted for its’ progressive approach to long-term patient care. It is also the only Eden Alternative facility in Virginia. The Eden Alternative is an international not-for-profit organization dedicated to transforming care environments into habitats for human beings that promote quality of life for all involved. As participating residents left the room smiling, one of them remarked, “It was fun! I didn’t believe I could paint, and I did it! Working with the students was great!”