Alzheimer's & Art

It is said of Alzheimer's that new learning connections cannot take place, but with Gregory I think that he may still be working at and succeeding in making new connections while the old ones fail. Before Alzheimer's, he ran a high end architecture, historic renovation, and interior design firm. He received his MA from Harvard and was Phi Beta Kappa. He read and traveled extensively. He was active in many professional organizations and presented workshops to architectural students. He was calm, methodical, and easy going and in many ways still is. Perhaps all this accounts for the very slow decline of his abilities over the last seven years since the diagnosis of Early Onset Alzheimer's at age 55.


Enter new learning. With the help of artist Nancy Rosen (Link to Nancy Rosen's Art,) Gregory has begun oil painting and is quite good at it. He really enjoys the process and looks forward to working with Nancy in her studio as often as possible. He has said as much with, "Nancy has changed my life." He took to using oil sticks quite easily and has been very pleased with the results. In a brief period of time, he has created ten 9" x 11" and three 30" x 30" pieces. His work was part of a show of ten artists at our condo and he has sold two pieces.

The connections that I think he is rebuilding include those from his past creative nature, his eye for color, and his perception of size and shape. His work is abstract so it seems to come more from his heart than his head. As Nancy has said, "It works well because language is not necessary." He begins by studying the heavily gessoed stonehenge paper to see how the ripples, imperfections, and bumps speak to him. He then selects his color palate of oil sticks from the hundreds that Nancy has sitting around and begins work. Very often he will complete an entire piece without stepping back to contemplate it. Then he crosses the studio and looks back, most often being surprised and pleased with what he has created.

Nancy is a born artist, prolific to the level of unbelieving, and the consummate teacher. She has encouraged Gregory to experiment, has drawn him out, and has gently suggested how to approach the art of painting with oils. Her critiques are supportive, edifying, and loving. Nancy, Gregory, and I may not know much about art therapy, but I think we must be in the midst of the best of it!