Creative Minds at the Alzheimer’s Show 2019

07/15/2019

The Alzheimer’s Show is an annual event held at London Olympia and is the UK’s leading event for dementia help, advice and information. The show is attended by family carers, healthcare professionals and members of the public who want to learn more.

We exhibited at this year’s event on June 7th & 8th and ran a number of art sessions for attendees to come along and get involved. Participants had the opportunity to create drawings using soft pastels and have a go at print making using cardboard blocks. There was also a giant communal canvas, which people could come and add their own mark to. It was a great opportunity for people to come explore their own creativity whilst finding out more about what we do, and the benefits that our art sessions have on those in care or living with dementia.

Attendees really got stuck in, and the gentleman pictured (with the daisy drawing) had never worked in pastels before in his life! After being diagnosed with early onset dementia, he attended the show with his daughter. He said he’d been advised to try some creative activity as it would be beneficial to him, so he bought a book on art but found it too much information. He also bought an adult colouring book, but never used it. Then when he attended the show, and visited our stand he plucked up the courage to attend our art session – he went on to produce this beautiful daisy drawing! Every participant at the session couldn’t believe he had never drawn before and all wanted a photo of him with his artwork. He was so proud and emotional by the end of the session.

CM Artists really enjoyed attending the Alzheimer’s Show too. CM Artist Laura commented; “What an amazing experience! Getting to meet so many caring people all wanting to help others, it was just so humbling. The response was brilliant, one lady said to me it was the best part of her day! The soft pastels went down a storm with lots of great work. Everyone was so pleased with their efforts. It was a very rewarding session!”.

Many industry professionals visited our stand during the day, and one of the tutors from the Reigate School of Art commented that our art sessions gave them loads more ideas and inspiration on how they can do more work to engage the local community.

We are also delighted to announce that following the Alzheimer’s Show, we have formed a partnership with a wonderful organisation, MindForYou, who run holidays for people living with dementia to enjoy with their nearest and dearest. Holiday goers will be able to enjoy fun, relaxing and therapeutic art sessions during their UK breaks, ran by our specially trained artists!

CM Artist becomes Artist-In-Residence for KRAN!

07/15/2019

CM Artist Rhiannon was thrilled to have recently secured National Lottery funding to run weekly art sessions at KRAN (Kent Refugee Action Network) for the next 12 months. She spent time living in the Middle East a few years back, and upon her return home, she felt inspired to help those who had traveled to the UK to seek refuge.

She began running art sessions at KRAN in October 2018, and was running them once a month. The sessions were a huge success, and participants really engaged with their creative activity. Now the funding is in place, she has been made their official Artist-In-Residence and will run a weekly art club at KRAN.

Many of the refugees are teenagers who have had little or no access to art education. Each week she will be providing a variety of different mediums for them to explore, whilst teaching them new artistic techniques. Rhiannon is also planning on running a number of Art Trips to local galleries to help them learn more about the work of famous artists.

Rhiannon has also secured an exhibition next summer at the Beany Museum & Gallery, Canterbury to showcase the artwork created by the refugees. She is making plans with a local school in Canterbury so that the A-Level Art pupils can work with the refugees at KRAN on collaborative pieces for the art exhibition next summer. We can’t wait to see how it all comes together!

Here’s some examples of some of the projects they’ve worked on so far…

They recently redecorated the reception area at the centre and wanted it to incorporate patterns from the various cultures of refugees at KRAN. Rhiannon cut out the shapes and they decorated each one in a traditional cultural pattern. Each of the colourful pieces were then tessellated across the reception desk to give this lovely vibrant finish. Everyone loves the end result!

In another session Rhiannon got them to have a go at observational painting. They studied images of birds, which they then recreated in paint. Rhiannon was astounded at their level of creativity and some beautiful paintings were produced.

In another fun session Rhiannon encouraged them to create more abstract work. In this session they created geometric portraits where prints of faces were placed over watercolour and tissue paper-bleed backgrounds. These vibrant colourful works looked really striking, and they had great fun trying out this new technique.

Rhiannon says; “I really enjoy working with the refugees at KRAN. There is so much talent waiting to be wriggled out of this bunch. They’ve been creating some amazing work and I’m excited to see them grow in confidence over the next year.”