Field Trip!

Yesterday we took seven of the patients to the 

Art Complex Museum in Duxbury.

The Winter Juried Show is on exhibit there now 

and my friend Sally Dean, the Director of Education, 

led a lively discussion with them about some of the work. 

The patients were very excited and enjoyed talking about the paintings. 

They were truly engaged and made some interesting observations. 

Once again, we are reminded that art, in any form,

opens doors of communication 

and should be an integral part of their everyday lives!  

Lincoln Celebration

Next week the entire Linden Ponds Community 

is participating in a huge celebration 

honoring Abraham Lincoln.

We were asked to have the Alzheimer patients 

do a painting project with that theme in mind.

Judith came up with images of three important Lincoln family

homes in Hingham

Then,  I did simple "sketches" of them

for them to paint.
Here are just a few.

Mary Lou kept saying she didn't know what she was doing. 

Barbara always just wants to use all the colors. 

I asked Art if he had ever done any painting before, 

and after a long pause he said,

"You're lookin' at it". 

Here is Judith with our display of the patient's work

to be displayed all next week during the Lincoln at Linden Ponds 

exhibit.

New Year - New Ideas

To shake things up a little for the New Year, 

I asked my friend and fellow artist Sally Dean if she would 

do a "demo" for the patients today.

She also gives art classes to Alzheimer patients 

at the Duxbury Art Complex where she works,

so we compare notes a a lot.

She was amazing! 

 She brought in a "work in progress" to show them how she

just paints what comes into her head. 

 She drew a quick drawing with chalk on a black toned board.

Then talked to the group as she worked. 

One woman had on a sweater with woman golfers on it so she put one in! 

Everyone said their favorite animal was a dog so she put one in. 

 The orchid in the window sill was added as soon as

we learned that it was Bill's favorite flower. 

And one patient suggested that there should be a light on in the house!

Note: the golfing woman has on pink, yellow, and turquoise shoes.

Just like Jean had on! 

It was wonderful on so many levels. 

The patients (that were awake) were engaged and very happy! 

More of this to come! 

Thank you so much Sally! 

Appreciating every minute

The patients enjoyed the "holiday collages" we did last time so much, 

that yesterday we brought in cardboard stars for them to decorate 

and put on the tree. 

 It was a big group and rather chaotic 

but (mostly) everyone had a great time. 

As I left yesterday, I couldn't help feeling overwhelmingly sad. 

For most of them, 

the holiday will come and go and they won't even know. 

I am so grateful to have this opportunity to work with these folks.

It makes me appreciate every minute of my very full life! 

Happy Holidays 

to everyone out there 

who has an Alzheimer patient in their lives. 

May God Bless you! 

Christmas Collages

"Collages" come up often in the many articles I read,

as valuable projects for Alzheimer patients. 

So today, we cut out small "holiday related" images and words 

from food and living magazines.

 Judith brought in some wonderful green tree shapes, lace, red balls,  

sheets of music, and paper that looked like packages!  

We gave each of them white paper, a glue stick and a box of "stuff".
As always, it was tough going at first.
"Why are we doing this?" "What is this supposed to be?"

Once they got started though, we had a great time 
talking about "everything holiday!"

This gal discovered the red and green markers I had on the table 
and enjoyed outlining her trees.
(The cat showed up at at the last minute) 

Peggi happily did three of these 
and told us this was her favorite because of the heart. 

Ron, reluctant about doing anything "artistic" at first,
gets right into it now.
It helps that his lovely wife comes in and encourages him.
Her enthusiasm rubs off on everyone!

Jane comes every week.
She is in a wheel chair and has very limited motor skills.
She has the sweetest smile and is just so happy to be there.
Various people "helped" her with this while she was sleeping. 

Here are some more great examples of what they came up with! 

 

The food images were very popular! 

The the most important thing I am learning is that  

it doesn't matter what "activity" they do.
(or if they even "get" it!) 

It's the coming together
and sharing a few moments together that counts. 

The "Right" Projects

The patients who come to the "art class" 

are at all different stages of Alzheimer's.

It's difficult to come up with projects that are suitable for everyone. 

The "stained glass" project was very popular a few weeks ago, 

so we thought we'd try it again. 

Joe gets very upset when he "accidentally" goes out of the lines. 

He got so frustrated he stopped working. 

(He has little to no motor control in his hands.) 

This is not a good project for him. 

Barbara, on the other hand, was perfectly happy doing this, 

once she got started. 

She "gets stuck" remembering what color she is using,

but enjoys putting it on the paper.  

 Ronald started this in the lower right  

then stopped and said he's rather paint the American Flag 

on the wall in front of him. 

Now that's creative! 

I love this! 

This is from Jeanne. 

The sweet woman who comes in on her own, all dressed up. 

She drew this and colored it in herself. 

She told me she was thinking about church. 

I just love this. 

It took a whole lot of effort for Mary Lou to do this.

She was SO pleased with it at the end, 

it was all worth it!  

No matter the results, the gathering together to create something, 

is what is important here.  

Please feel free to send along any ideas you may have 

for simple projects that you think may work! 

I'm all ears! 

e-mail me at:

saltydogstudio@comcast.net 

Back to Basics

I introduced one of my favorite projects today.

I brought in postcards (show announcements from galleries) 

with images of landscape paintings for them to copy. 

I pencilled in the shapes for Frances,

then she took off. 

Ruth came in all upset and told me she couldn't stay 

because she was going to the movies. 

With a little prodding, she settled down and did this! 

Alice told me she couldn't paint because she wasn't any good at it. 

I think she's got that wrong! 

Doris spent the whole hour on this, 

and it was a struggle for her. 

"What you are giving them is such a gift: 

respite from such a confining and frustrating disease."

I received that from a friend who has discovered this blog. 

It reminds me why I do this!