Raising Awareness Through Art
By Julie A Cajigas
My great grandma struggled with Alzheimer’s disease. I remember going to visit her in a nursing home when I was very young. Every Christmas the residents there made little ornaments and other handicrafts and sold them to raise money for the home. We bought a tiny little red soldier ornament made out of sparkling glass beads. To this day, when we hang it on our tree, I remember great grandma. Sometimes our visits were filled with smiles and enjoyment, but sometimes they were filled with confusion and struggle. It was long after she passed when I began to understand what Alzheimer’s is, what it can do and what it can take. When I heard about “Art Interprets Alzheimer’s,” an art exhibit presented by The Artists Archives of the Western Reserve, it immediately reminded me of great grandma. She and her husband were both artists, and I’m sure she would love and appreciate this exhibit if she were here with us today.
“Art Interprets Alzheimer’s” opens this Fri 3/30 with a free opening reception from 5 – 8 pm. “Art Interprets Alzheimer’s” is free and open to the public, and will run through Sat 4/28/12.
The Artists Archives of the Western Reserve has partnered with the Alzheimer’s Association Cleveland Area Chapter to raise awareness about Alzheimer’s disease through this exhibit and several related events. Alzheimer’s is a progressively worsening disease that affects memory, thinking, and behavior of an individual. In its early stages there is mild memory loss but eventually the disease will affect an individual’s ability to do daily tasks on their own. While there are treatments for some symptoms of Alzheimer’s there is no cure available at this time.
The show features the work of Archived Artists George Roby and Herbert Ascherman, Jr. George Roby is a respected Ohio potter, sculptor, and teacher who produces functional stoneware using both hand built and wheel-thrown techniques. Herbert Ascherman, Jr. is internationally recognized for his professional portraiture in creative, commercial, and social settings.
The sculptures and photographs on display will promote awareness of Alzheimer’s disease, research for a cure, and its effects on the patients, caregivers and the community as a whole. Art is always capable of evoking a range of emotions, and it is the AAWR’s hope that this exhibition will have a positive impact and inform people about Alzheimer’s disease.
If you aren’t able to make the opening reception, the closing reception also promises to be something special. The Artists Archives will conclude the exhibition with an insightful “Ask the Researchers” Closing Reception from 5 – 7 PM on Fri 4/27 in the AAWR gallery. Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine neuroscience researcher Dr. Gary E. Landreth will present facts about Alzheimer’s disease and doctoral candidate Paige Cramer will speak about her promising Alzheimer’s disease research that is expected to go into a proof-of-principle clinical trial early this year.
After the art comes down at the AAWR gallery, the exhibition will go on tour around the Greater Cleveland area throughout the year starting at the McConnell Arts Center from May 17 – July 8, 2012. It will then be on view at University Hospitals from September 1 – October 31, 2012 and be featured at the Progressive Art Collection in Mayfield Village from November 8 – January 31, 2013.
“Art Interprets Alzheimer’s opens Fri 3/30 with an opening reception from 5 – 8 PM at the Artists Archives of the Western Reserve at 1834 E. 123rd St in Cleveland. The closing “Ask the Researchers” reception is Fri 4/27 from 7 – 5PM in the AAWR Gallery. Visit the AAWR online here for more information, or visit the Alzheimer’s Association at www.alz.org, to learn more about Alzheimer’s and progress towards a cure.
Julie Cajigas is a Cleveland girl who grew up on the East & West Side and now lives near Akron – she’s got the whole town covered. Cajigas holds Bachelors Degrees in Communication and Music, along with a Masters in Applied Communication Theory and Methodology from Cleveland State University, and currently serves as a visiting lecturer in the The University of Akron’s School of Communication.
Cleveland, OH 44106
One Response to “Art Interprets Alzheimer’s”
Cleveland Artists
This sounds like it was a great event. Anything that raises awareness for a disease like Alzheimer’s is a worthwhile endeavor. Things like art and music seem to be some of the few things that help Alzheimer’s patients hold onto their pasts, so the more we can promote this, the better.