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True Care’s memory care program, True Bridge, is pleased to announce a special workshop offered at the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA) as part of their Artist in Residency program. Our very own Director of Programs and Engagement, Jodie Berman, has been asked to instruct a series of four art classes each Wednesday from October 16th through November 6th. This program is generously supported by a grant from the Louis & June Kay Foundation. The Artist in Residency program at AFA began in June of 2019 and is “part of AFA’s mission to provide free programs and services to individuals living with dementia and their caregivers.”

Art can be very therapeutic and has proven to be a powerful tool to improve the quality of life for individuals living with Alzheimer’s disease and their care partners. Such individuals are encouraged to register for this workshop to explore and enhance your creativity and self-expression along with their caregivers. Additionally, this course will enhance your social connections and promote meaningful engagement with your community support members and peers.

In this four-week visual arts workshop, entitled “A Portrait of M.E. (Memories and Emotions),” participants are invited to share and explore emotions of their most powerful new and old memories inspired by the composition and theme of Norman Rockwell’s “Triple Self-Portrait.” Each week for one hour, participants will be encouraged to reflect, reminisce, and create their self-portraits through the use of acrylic paint and collage on large-scale canvas. Each week’s class will be connected by the theme of memories and emotions, culminating with a collection of portraits that will be displayed in a public art exhibit.

This is not the first time Jodie has facilitated a course like this at AFA. True Care and AFA have joined forces in the past to bring you engaging and memorable visual arts workshops. Each of these is specifically geared towards persons living with and affected by memory impairment and dementia-related illnesses. We have successfully enriched the lives of its participants and their caregivers by promoting artistic expression and creativity using a variety of mediums. You’ll remember our first art course of the year "Painting with Scissors" where participants were inspired by Henri Matisse’s cut outs.

In June we learned about Pointillism and studied the technique developed by the artists Georges Seurat and Paul Signac. Participants first practiced this technique using a guide and then went on to create their own still lifes inspired by this Post-Impressionist movement.

In August we studied the fascinating “drip paintings” of Jackson Pollack in a class called "Abstract Design" and learned about abstract expressionism. Much like the upcoming course at AFA, this workshop helped participants express feelings and emotions as well as abstract thoughts and ideas much like Pollack did in the 1940s and 50s.

If you would like to join us for this exciting four-week workshop beginning October 16 at 2:00 pm, advanced registration is required. Please call AFA at 866-232-8484 to register. We look forward to creating memories with you!