SARASOTA, Fla. — In recognition of Alzheimer's awareness month, a select group of seniors who have been taking part in a special art program run by the Ringling Museum will have their artwork on display this month
The program in its pilot phase is in partnership with the adult day enrichment center, Town Square University Parkway. It is aimed at helping seniors living with memory loss and cognitive challenges.
"I did the giraffes trying to eat from the tree, when I was on the ship I did an elephant and a hand with a butterfly," said Thomas Glennon of Bradenton.
Glennon, originally from Boston, was a machine operator with Gillette for 28 years. Now retired and in his 80s, he has discovered a new skill.
He is among 40 seniors who are signed up for a six-week art series where instructors and center assistants help them to create and interpret art using different mediums, tools and materials.
Some of the seniors have chosen to engage in photography, painting with watercolor, oil on canvas or in Glennon's case, drawing.
"When he does this, it just flows. There's never a time when he just stops and looks at the picture for a long period. He just gazes over and he just flows with what he's doing," said Jameel Mohammed, a member assistant with Town Square University Parkway.
"It's incredible to watch him do it. Just in the last five minutes, he's got four pictures on there already," Mohammed added.
"And I am not that good," Glennon responded.
On the contrary, the artworks are good enough for the Ringling Museum, which is showcasing them at their education center to highlight their beauty and the minds behind them.
"My goal is to bring the Ringling to them so they can experience it. They can create some artwork with us and not feel like there's any kind of obstacles between them and us because there isn't," said Giovana Perez-Oliveras, Arts & Health Program Coordinator at Ringling. "We're all about accessibility. We're all about opening our doors."
Organizers said the Arts and Health program is aimed at helping individuals struggling with dementia, Alzheimer's and other cognitive impairments reframe agency and find purpose.
"It's a lot of words of appreciation, affirmation for them so it's beyond experiences. That interaction that you get, that one-on-one that you get with them is what brings some value to them with a program like this," said Perez-Oliveras.
Ringling hopes to expand the immersion program to other senior care centers and residential communities after the pilot phase at Town Square.
"Oftentimes, caregivers say 'Oh my husband will never do art' but we've seen engineers, we've seen lawyers, we've seen doctors all participating in this art program and loving it," said Denise Gibson, Program Director, Town Square University Parkway. "It's almost like they didn't have time before, but now they do and they can explore that part of their brain."
While Glennon looks forward to the feedback from the exhibition, he is focused on perfecting his masterstroke.
"I try to do everything correctly. Maybe sometimes it doesn't turn out correctly but it's just relaxing and I just like to do that," he said.
The artworks will also be displayed at an exhibition event at Town Square University Parkway on Wednesday, June 26th from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
An auction will follow to raise funds for charities focused on helping seniors in Manatee and Sarasota Counties.