By Phyl Newbeck, Free Press Correspondent
Dana Walrath of Underhill and her mother, Alice. Walrath creates art as a way to express her feelings about her mother Alzheimer’s disease. (Courtesy photo)
Alzheimer’s disease takes a terrible toll on those afflicted with it, as well as their caretakers. Caring for a relative can bring on a wide range of emotions. Some people turn to therapy or support groups but Dana Walrath of Underhill found another outlet: art.
When her mother Alice was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, Walrath, a medical and biological anthropologist at UVM’s College of Medicine, began a series of drawings that she called Aliceheimers. As an undergraduate, Walrath had majored in fine arts and biology. Rather than seeing the two as mutually exclusive, she was fascinated by the beauty in neurobiology. Walrath’s early career was as a painter but after raising her family she returned to school for a doctorate in anthropology. At UVM, she was responsible for developing the humanities and diversity curriculum at the College of Medicine.
When her mother moved into her Underhill home, Walrath drew picturesbased on the experience of caring for her. When Walrath was young, her father used to read “Alice in Wonderland” to the children so she bought a cheap paperback copy of the book, cutting out text to use as clothing for the sketches of her mother. She chose this mode of Air Jordan 4s attire because dressing Alzheimer’s patients can be a challenge; her mother preferred to walk around the house in her bathrobe. “Living with Alzheimer’s is very much like that book,” Walrath said. “It’s shifting realities and tolerance for all sorts of things that are fantastical.” Aliceheimers KOBE 9 began as a series of drawings, but Walrath began writing essays to match each picture. She submitted her work to the Brooklyn Art Library’s Sketchbook project and then began an artistic blog about life with her mother. Eventually she hopes to turn the project into a book but for now she’s thrilled to have the opportunity to display her work atDianne Shullenberger’s Jericho Gallery for an annual exhibit called Delicious Words which combines art, spoken word, and food. “I love sharing my work Air Jordan 12s with an audience,” Walrath said, “and I love the fact that this is an event which blends art and writing. I love the dialogue between the two.”
Walrath’s mother has moved out of her Underhill home into an Alzheimer’s residence which is closer to the rest of the family, but Walrath has never regretted devoting three years of her life to caring for her. “The whole experience was less depressing than it could have been,” she said. “When she knew who we were, it was very grounding for her.” Walrath began working seriously on the Aliceheimers project after her mothermoved out. “It was a way of processing the sadness of the transition but also celebrating the fun and the wackiness of the situation. It was cathartic and celebratory and sad, but not sad in the way that Alzheimer’s is usually portrayed. It will include works by Emmanuel Tissot and Jean Kennedy and desserts prepared by Susan Adams. The entrance fee of $15 will be donated to COTS.
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