Do you enjoy viewing works of art? Or do you find it intimidating, asking yourself, “What am I looking at?
Intimidated is how I felt until I attended classes taught by Kerry Cobb. (You may have read her contribution to this month’s “Through the Eyes of an Elder”.)
I learned viewing art is more than just looking. It is seeing. As Jon McCullam, art instructor at Shasta College, explains, “With seeing, we slow down. We focus. We experience what we are looking at on another level. We let what we are seeing “speak” to us.” Then after learning to take the time to “see”, I can engage in a deeper conversation about the artwork.
There is also another benefit of viewing art. For those living with dementia, Kerry has found conversations about art particularly powerful when it may be challenging to find ways to communicate. Why? Viewing art keeps the conversation in the present – you aren’t asking someone to remember what happened yesterday, and it allows the expression of opinions and ideas in the moment. And contrary to what we have been taught, in art there are no wrong answers. It’s how it “speaks” to you.
If you are hesitant, Kerry reminds us that sharing art with anyone living with dementia takes no skills other than curiosity and conversation. You just have to start.
To start a conversation, Kerry has several suggestions.
1.) Find some artwork to share. She has found artwork that tells a story works best, but any art will do.
2.) Using a computer, tablet, or art book, view the artwork and talk about the images together.
- You can start by asking these types of questions: What do you think is going on in this piece of art? What do you think that person is thinking about? What do you think it feels like to be there? How does this make you feel? Do you like this art? If yes/no, then why?
Once you get started, you’ll find it surprisingly easy to keep the conversation going. And be sure to share your thoughts in the conversation. Remember, there are no wrong answers!
If you are caring for someone living with dementia, engaging and interacting with art together can bring beauty and enjoyment – and you may be surprised by what you learn.
The next question for your “Soul Portrait”: What do you fear?
BRAIN TEASE: Okay, this may be too easy for you who have heard it before, but if you haven’t, see if you can find the answer. “Five apples are in a basket. How do you divide them among five girls so that each girl gets an apple, but one apple remains in the basket?”
The name for a mechanical instrument used to compute mathematical problems that
looked similar to a ten-inch ruler was the slide rule. I received correct answers from Julia Hoffman, Kathy Bullack, Dave Lutgens, Rhonda Spies, Judy Kiser, Eva Summers, Jay Waterbury, Nancy Higgins, and Lana Tepfer and Linda Frizzell who thought those of us who carried slide rules were all geeks or nerds! (No, the nerds wore pocket protectors! No offense to any engineers.). But this week’s winner of a quilt raffle ticket is Krista Thie who still has her slide rule from high school Trig Functions and Matrix class along with the instruction booklet! And last week I missed Ken Jernstedt,
Back in the 50s and 60s, before there were STEM programs in schools, this Saturday morning television series introduced millions of curious children to the extraordinary world of science hiding in their homes and backyards. For this week’s “Remember When” question, what was the name of this half-hour live children’s show where the host Don Hubert played a science hobbyist and every Saturday morning a neighbor child would come to visit while he was doing a laboratory experiment? Email your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, leave a message at 541-296-4788, or mail it with the DVD Watch Mr. Wizard, Volume 1.
Well, it’s been another week, wondering what did I do? Until we meet again, don’t let a piece of good advice stand in your way.
“A possible mission of artists is to make people appreciate being alive at least a little bit.” Kurt Vonnegut
Answer: ˙ʇǝʞsɐq ǝɥʇ uᴉ ǝlddɐ ɹǝɥ lɹᴉƃ ɥʇɟᴉɟ ǝɥʇ ǝʌᴉפ
