Dancing Hands and Creative Souls » Art and Alzheimers

Inspiring Alzheimer’s Patients to Paint

admin — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 02:46:33 +0000

How might we give those with Alzheimer’s opportunities to expess themselves through paint. Because of the disease, opportunities come IN THE MOMENT. Grab that moment when he or she is thinking about a memory. Grab that moment when the sun is shining and the temperature is in the 80′s. Grab that moment when there is a need to make sense but the words don’t come. Painting is a beautiful form of self-expession…many times more powerful than words. The colorful strokes of a brush brings fulfillment and peace…..and the next moment….maybe a nap!

The Value of PAINT

admin — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 04:55:38 +0000

Paint, as messy as it is, can’t be beat, when it comes to stirring the atmosphere in a nursing care facility. Recently, I spread a banquet of colorful paint in pans on a long table. We smeared the paint around with odd shaped pieces of cardboard, combs, sponges, and textured objects. The effects were beautiful. The process was fun and the unique effects on the end product was good in many cases. Loreatha shows off her painting.

Weaving

admin — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 12:57:07 +0000

We asked a seasoned weaver to come and show her weavings and show us all the “ins and outs” of weaving on a loom. She left a loom with us. It was kept in the social area and anyone could weave anytime. We wove fabric, yarn, paper, hair, and found objects into the stringed warp and ended up with an unusual piece of art. It was unplanned and “in the moment” as each person added his or her part.

Art Stirs Memories

admin — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 02:38:54 +0000

At first glance this watercolor painting may not look like a finished product. It truly is not. It was used as a spring board for memories. I began painting a memory of my mom helping me sew a yellow dress on the sewing machine, talking to 2 Alzheimer’s patients as I painted.
As I spoke, I talked about my ponytail and having a favorite red shirt. I asked one of my onlookers to paint in the shirt. The other painted colors on my mother. I could have put more detail on it, but it was already doing what it was meant to do. We were talking about clothes and sewing and our mothers. The colors and the images provided for colorful interaction.

From the Heart

admin — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 04:25:04 +0000

James did not participate in group activities. He was the one watching from sidelines. Saturday, we had an all afternoon jewelry making session. The fun was in sorting through colors and seeing what ones looked good together and also having an end product to wear or give. James said he didn’t want to make one…but he did. He made one for each of his daughters. Another gentleman came and made some for his grandaughters and the men kept coming. It was a fun afternoon.

Canvas and palette…all in one.

admin — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 03:27:27 +0000

Marta has Alzheimer’s. The first time she painted with me, I place several globs of paint on her palette for her to mix and a blank piece of paper. She ended up painting on the palette and not getting colors transferred to the canvas.

The second time she painted with me, we did not use a palette. I squirted the colors she asked for directly onto the canvas and the colors were mixed on the spot. She spent two hours concentrating and blending the paint.

In the moment

admin — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 06:16:59 +0000

Ina’s painting style has stayed consistent with her personality traits. She is smiling and free. Those with Alzheimer’s appear to be the most free and happy when they are “in the moment”. This is what makes art and painting so effective. Ina did not ponder what she was going to do or what she wanted it to look like. She painted from what proceeded from inside at the moment.

A Stirred Up Palette

admin — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 00:29:27 +0000

This is an example of what we do with the palette, after we paint a picture. It gives the senses a boost. We brush through all the blobs of green yellow, blue and red with a flourish, without thought of what it could be a painting of. It is pure fun to see everything mix together as it is stroked in different directions. There is no intimidation, because we are not looking for a finished product. It is just for fun. Perhaps, just perhaps….it could turn into something.

A Fantastic Christmas

admin — Sun, 26 Dec 2010 18:37:43 +0000

Bernard had picture in his mind that he could not explain. He wanted to paint it. The title, he said, would be “A Fantastic Christmas”. As I left him alone with paints and brush, a picture emerged quickly. He pointed to the teepee, the Indian and the fire. The snow also gave him a sense of “the fantastic”. I love the happy vibrations that emote from the finished picture.

Before I forget

admin — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 11:54:55 +0000

“I’ve been waiting for you.” David said. “I have a picture in my mind and I have to paint it before I forget.”
I had brought a large piece of cardboard with acrylics. He was accustomed to a small piece of watercolor paper and watercolors. 8 1/2 x 11 was usually not big enough for him. He sat right down and painted “outer space” with a flourish. I have found that Alzheimer’s patients who enjoy painting create straight from their souls. I am careful not to give input because I don’t want to ruin the fresh expression!