Memories in the Making

I volunteer for the Alzheimer’s Association and facilitate a watercolor painting class with dementia patients twice a week. The program is called Memories in the Making (MIM).
The program encourages communication through painting, increasing self esteem and providing sensory stimulation. Individuals with dementia are often able to paint memories or emotions that they can no longer communicate. The program has a high level of integrity (using archival watercolor paints & paper) and truly gives patients that are losing all sense of communication; a way to communicate. I love, love, love this program!

MIM is conducted in over 50 care communities in the Denver metro area alone and there is a waiting list for homes to participate. I am so lucky that I can use my passion for art in such a wonderful volunteer capacity.

This is a small hooked "rug" but in the shape of and attached to a wood artist palette. I designed and hooked it for the Alzheimer's Association, for sale on June 7th at the big Art Auction.

It's called My Angel Paints. I chose to do an angel because I believe in angels – it only made sense to make an angel paint the sky. Her brush is made of silver beads. This is hand hooked on a 100% linen backing. Materials used include hand dyed 100% wool fabrics, cashmere, silk, wool roving, sari silk ribbbon, bamboo, some wool I ordered from Novia Scotia and even a little bit of my wedding dress made it into the angel’s dress. There’s a bit of silver ribbon in her wings but most of it is made from natural fibers.