Alzheimer''s Australia 15th National Conference Page 30

FiFtEENtH NatiONal CONFERENCE

JENNy mastERs

Jenny exhibited a portrait at
an Agricultural Show when
she was 8 years old, but her
mother had helped a lot with
"the eyes", so that didn't
count.

In high school she experienced the artist's
thrill of being in demand for her detailed paper
cut-outs of lovers kissing, until they were
confiscated and future arty forays were banned
by her teacher.

After qualifying as a nurse and midwife, she
felt empowered enough then to choose her
own direction in life.

To enter art school, some evidence of ability
was required "But what will I do?" she said
to her poet companion lounging on a grassy
knoll on a summer's day. "I dunno draw that
bulldozer over there draw me!" So she did
and won a place painting and sculpting.

Three months later she left and returned to
nursing (not her forte) as neither poetry nor
painting paid the rent.

Since then a sprinkling of various courses in
aspects of fine art and writing has nurtured her
arty inclination and her recent retirement offers
a luxurious amount of time.

Jenny has illustrated a children's book and has
two others partly developed.

The project Forgetfulness, Feelings and
Farnarkling offers an ideal combination, to
Jenny, of accessible art with a hint of activism.
Already growing in momentum the project
purrs with possibilities.

Concert Hall

cReaTIVITY

FORgEtFulNEss, FEEliNgs aNd

FaRNaRkliNg

I gave my mother a little book of drawings,
a mixture of humour and pathos, about her
experience of high level residential care. The
book was noticed by a dementia care worker
who, in classic creative mode, saw a new use
for an existing product!

That creative spark developed into an exhibition
of cartoons depicting issues for people living
with dementia and receiving residential or
community aged care services (Approximately
86% of residents living in residential care have
some degree of cognitive impairment.)

Our own families had been affected in
different ways by dementia, and we each saw
examples of skilled, compassionate care and
also examples of care deficits at individual or
organisational level.

We liked the concept of telling peoples'
stories, to encourage discussion and challenge
existing care systems and practices. A quick,
accessible message, realism and an occasional
hit of humour seemed appropriate.

If our basic needs are having someone to
love, something to do and something to look
forward to, how do you pursue that in Aged
Residential Care? How do you go about
satisfying basic drives such as the desire to be
useful, to belong, the desire for something to
happen, the desire to be noticed and loved?

I intend to describe our excellent adventure
in staging the exhibition and some technical
aspects of the finished artwork. I was surprised
by new findings about creativity on a personal
and organisational level, ie, what tends to
repress creativity and what gives our creative
impulse freedom and energy