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.
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.
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.
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.
“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!