Hello,
I want to introduce my blog with a story. A very righteous man died some years ago. He went straight up to heaven, confident, after the life that he had led, that he would be let in with no questions. Not so easy. God asked him what he had done with his life that justified being allowed into heaven. Well, he said, I was honest and never cheated anyone. I was a loyal husband, I took care of my kids, I donated a tenth of my income to charitable causes, I never knowingly caused anyone any pain.
Well that’s not bad, said God, but you left something out. What about joy, pleasure and love.
Oh said the man, I was so busy doing good deeds I never had the time.
Well said God, you have to go back and dedicate part of your life to happiness and joyfulness. Only then will you be allowed into heaven.
In my work as an art therapist, this is my ultimate focus. No matter how sad and painful life is, the quest is to explore the potential for joy.
I would love to hear what you have to say about this.
Ruth
October 16, 2006 at 9:29 pm
Hi Ruth
It is such a pleasure to read that someone whose work must often involve witnessing much pain can still be motivated by joy and hope. I have read your book “When Words Have Lost Their Meaning: Alzheimer’s Patients Communicate Through Art” and I was struck especially by your assertion that it’s possible to develop a “therapy of the present” and find satisfaction in giving “rich, intimate and fulfilling” hours to people whose condition your interventions cannot change.
October 28, 2006 at 9:44 am
An exhibition currently showing in Manhattan by Professor Patricia Utermohlen( Self-Portraits Chronicle a Descent Into Alzheimer’s),is also well illustrated in your book “When Words Have Lost Their Meaning: Alzheimer’s Patients Communicate Through Art”
You show the deterioration of your mother’s perception in her later renditions of copies of famous works.
Alternatively, you also demonstrate the marked improvement in spontaneity and mood in the paintings of a few patients who somehow realised their last remaining communication skills were still intact.I find that to be the most rewarding and hopeful aspect of your work
October 28, 2006 at 9:50 am
Dear Ruth,
Your website and your work are so wonderful. You are an inspiration. I have forwarded this site to Judson Retirement Home in Cleveland, Ohio, where my mother has been living for the past few years on their closed ward for people with dementia.
As the daughter of an Alzheimer patient, I feel like I could use a little art therapy to cope with this drawn out process of dying and separation.
May you go from strength to strength.
December 3, 2006 at 7:06 pm
Hi Ruthi
Your book exited me already months ago and though I am not an expert I think your work
is so sensitive and that one can learn from it
not only about art therapy and Alzheimer but
about treating life in general, and old sick desperate people in particular, in the right way.
Your wesite is very interesting and designed
beautifully and I am going to send it to people
whom I know will be interested.
I am very proud of you.
January 3, 2007 at 6:18 pm
It was most inspiring to read your last story re joy and pleasure on this earth. It is a very unique role for a therapist who faces suffering most of the time and must take the raw material of pain and turn it into gold, i.e. creativity, expression, satisfaction, some sort of primary bliss.
God bless you for doing it,
Ruth
September 11, 2007 at 8:31 am
Hi Ruth, I so like the natural, accessible tone of your site. I am doing similar work in Holland, where art health work is not yet accepted except as art therapy. I am an artist not a therapist.
I occasionally write about my experiences and offer tips for activity development as a volunteer in a dementia ward on my blog http://www.artcalling.wordpress.com
Good luck, maybe we can exchange experiences from time to time.
Do you know about John Killick’s work with poetry and dementia? (link to dementia positive through my site http://www.artwell.nl)
All the best with your wonderful work. Sarah
September 15, 2007 at 8:31 pm
Hi Sarah,
I am most interested in your work and have gone into your blog which I find quite lovely. Full off beautiful comments about the joy of art and the life giving force of creativity. You say you are an artist and not a therapist. My view on that is that a fine and sensitive art teacher can provide and extremely profound therapeutic experience. OF course there is a difference between the two professions, but they also have much in common. Finally the most important gift one can give a client/patient/fellow traveller, is an authentic relationship. To be seen and heard and understood is enormously healing. And if all of that happens through an inspired creative act – no matter how small – then life is enriched.
Regarding John Killick, I couldn’t find reference to him on your site. Could you help me find it. I would be most interested.
And yes, I would love to share ideas with you from time to time and happy to answer questions if I can.
Ruth